By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
For the voters in Lake County, Ohio they will have a decision to make on the renewal of a Lake Metroparks operating levy on the November 2025 ballot.
“A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Lake Metroparks for the purpose of operating, maintaining, protecting, land acquisition, and park development, that the county auditor estimates will collect$11,673,361 annually, at a rate not exceeding 1.9 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $35.00 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for 10 years, commencing in 2025, first due in calendar year 2026.”
We are providing the available information received from the Auditor’s office and from Lake Metroparks’ Director Mr. Paul Palagyi.
“Yes, we have a 1.9 mil levy up for renewal this November. It was initially passed in 1986 and most recently it was renewed in 2014/15 for ten years and is set to expire at the end of this year.”…Paul Palagyi
Here is the schedule A from the Lake County Auditor. It details all of the tax levies for the taxing authorities in the County government.
Metroparks has one inside millage levy (.10 mills) and three outside millage levies.
The inside levy collects $883,304 (assuming 94% collection) and the three outside levies collect $18,083,347 (assuming 94% collection).
The amount shown on the November ballot of $11,673,361 is the taxes for the levy initially collected in 1986 and renewed in 2015 assuming it is collected at 100%.
The inside millage allows Metroparks to collect additional revenue without a vote of the people. The last sexennial revaluation brought in $174,000 without a vote of the taxpayers.
Homeowners will pay $34.81 per year for every $100,000 of appraised (market) value of their home. A $300,000 home value will result in an annual tax of $104.42 [$34.81 x 3].
We asked for their current cash balances, and we were sent the following report.
As of September 20, 2025 their cash balance was $35,884,034.70.
Lake Metropark’s financial condition follows the path of many other Lake County taxing authorities and their cash balance continues to increase..
Here is a article we published on June 21, 2024 about Lake Metroparks Commissioners’ meeting.
Here is their comprehensive financial report as of Dec ember 31, 2024.
Here is a list of the park properties and anticipated spending through 2030. We thank Mr. Palagyi for his transparency with the citizens of Lake County.
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