By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

BATAVIA - Despite an appeal to the Clermont County Board of Elections, Pierce Township will not have a police levy on the May ballot.

The Board of Elections denied the issue, which would have combined a 1980 and a 1984 police levy, at its February certification meeting, said Dan Bare, director of the board. The board voted unanimously that the two levies were not for the same purpose, and therefore could not be combined, he said.

At an appeal hearing Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to uphold its decision. The next opportunity for the township to put a levy on the ballot would be at a special election in August, Bare said.

The 0.8-mill 1980 levy specified using funds to contract out for police service, while the 2-mill, 1984 levy was for township police service. Currently, the two levies collect $329,929 at the 1980 and 1984 valuations. If the two levies were combined, they would be re-evaluated at current property tax values, which in 2002 would enable the township to collect $709,710, according to the county auditor's office.

The cost would have been about the equivalent of a 1.5-mill additional levy. That's less than the township's unsuccessful 4.5-mill safety services levy in November.