On Nov. 3, and when early voting starts Oct. 6, Strongsville residents will vote on Issue 49, a property tax increase that would help pay for additional firefighters – including those in a proposed new fifth fire station in the center of town – and firefighter-paramedic equipment.
City Council in July unanimously placed the 2.5-mill tax levy on the ballot. If passed, the additional taxes would allow the city to hire 20 additional full-time firefighter-paramedics, increasing the total to 81, and buy new equipment. “Asking our community to approve a tax levy right now is very difficult,” Councilwoman Kelly Kosek told cleveland.com in an email. "However, our community has always been very supportive of our safety forces.
“I support the levy because it will provide better coverage for emergency medical calls, as well as improve fire response times,” Kosek said.