Southwest Licking Local School District and West Licking Joint Fire District say developer tax incentives are quietly draining millions of dollars from their budgets every year, and they want local elected officials to stop handing out new ones. In a joint letter sent to township and city leaders in early October, both organizations said they are losing millions annually in funding because of tax breaks given to developers.
According to NBC4 WCMH-TV, the West Licking Joint Fire District lost $7.1 million last year to tax abatements and other developer incentives. Southwest Licking School District Treasurer Richard Jones put his district’s net annual loss from the same incentives at about $4 million. The letter was sent to the Etna and Harrison township boards of trustees and the Pataskala City Council.
Jones said the money matters because his district is growing fast and needs the revenue for new buildings and students, while the fire department needs it to cover emergency runs and equipment. “We need the money to pay for these new schools, new kids,” Jones said. The two organizations said they will honor previously approved agreements but do not support signing off on any more incentives going forward.
Districts Want a Seat at the Table Earlier
Jones said the districts are not opposed to growth itself. “We have been supportive of bringing more commercial, industrial in,” he said, but he argued developers need to pay their fair share rather than lean on abatements that shift the cost onto schools and emergency services. The joint letter also asked to be brought into future incentive discussions earlier, before deals are finalized…