(Correction: A previous version of this story and the audio version states that residents will pay about 22 percent more than they currently do. The actual percentage increase is close to 30 percent.)
About two-thirds of voters approved a .5 percent income tax increase in Tuesday’s special election.
This means they’ll pay about close to 30-percent more to offset a multi-million dollar deficit, that Shaker leaders say was mostly caused by the elimination of Ohio’s estate tax.
But critics say Shaker’s administration failed to make vital cuts to the city’s budget, and there was more to be done instead of a tax hike. Mark Zetzer is with the Shaker Heights Taxpayers Union, which campaigned against the increase.
“We think it’s a short-term solution at best," says Zetzer. "If these tax rates continue to rise, property values and population will continue to decline. It’s unsustainable trends, it doesn’t bode well for Shaker’s future.”
Zetzer says his group will continue to push for better fiscal policies in Shaker Heights, and highlight areas where the city could trim costs or “right size” government.
Shaker's mayor says his administration has already explored those options.