Section 307.697. Voting on question of levying liquor tax to support facility

(A) For the purpose of section 307.696 of the Revised Code and to pay any or all of the charge the board of elections makes against the county to hold the election on the question of levying the tax, or for those purposes and to provide revenues to the county for permanent improvements, the board of county commissioners of a county may levy a tax not to exceed three dollars on each gallon of spirituous liquor sold to or purchased by liquor permit holders for resale, and sold at retail by the state or pursuant to a transfer agreement entered into under Chapter 4313. of the Revised Code, in the county. The tax shall be levied on the number of gallons so sold. The tax may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty.

The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution of the board of county commissioners approved by a majority of the electors in the county voting on the question of levying the tax, which resolution shall specify the rate of the tax, the number of years the tax will be levied, and the purposes for which the tax is levied. The election may be held on the date of a general or special election held not sooner than ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. If approved by the electors, the tax takes effect on the first day of the month specified in the resolution but not sooner than the first day of the month that is at least sixty days after the certification of the election results by the board of elections. A copy of the resolution levying the tax shall be certified to the division of liquor control at least sixty days prior to the date on which the tax is to become effective.

(B) A resolution under this section may be joined on the ballot as a single question with a resolution adopted under section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code to levy a tax for the same purposes, and for the purpose of paying the expenses of administering that tax.

(C) The form of the ballot in an election held pursuant to this section or section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code shall be as follows or in any other form acceptable to the secretary of state:

"For the purpose of paying not more than one-half of the costs of providing a public sports facility together with related redevelopment and economic development projects, shall (an) excise tax(es) be levied by .......... county at the rate of ...... (dollars on each gallon of spirituous liquor sold in the county , cents per gallon on the sale of beer at wholesale in the county, cents per gallon on the sale of wine and mixed beverages at wholesale in the county, cents per gallon on the sale of cider at wholesale in the county, or mills per cigarette on the sale of cigarettes at wholesale in the county), for ...... years?

Yes

No "

For an election in which questions under this section or section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code are joined as a single question, the form of the ballot shall be as above, except each of the proposed taxes shall be listed.

(D) The board of county commissioners of a county in which a tax is imposed under this section on the effective date of the amendment of this section by H.B. 59 of the 130th general assembly may levy a tax for the purpose of section 307.673 of the Revised Code regardless of whether or not the cooperative agreement authorized under that section has been entered into prior to the day the resolution adopted under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section is adopted, for the purpose of reimbursing a county for costs incurred in the construction of a sports facility pursuant to an agreement entered into by the county under section 307.696 of the Revised Code, or for the purpose of paying the costs of capital repairs of and improvements to a sports facility, or both. The tax shall be levied and approved in one of the manners prescribed by division (D)(1) or (2) of this section.

(1) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than forty-five days after July 19, 1995. A board of county commissioners approving a tax under division (D)(1) of this section may approve a tax under division (B)(1) of section 4301.421 or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code at the same time. Subject to the resolution being submitted to a referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, the resolution shall take effect immediately, but the tax levied pursuant to the resolution shall not be levied prior to the day following the last day that any tax previously levied pursuant to this division may be levied.

(2) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than September 1, 2015, and approved by a majority of the electors of the county voting on the question of levying the tax . The board of county commissioners shall certify a copy of the resolution to the board of elections immediately upon adopting a resolution under division (D)(2) of this section. The election may be held on the date of a general or special election held not sooner than ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. The form of the ballot shall be as prescribed by division (C) of this section, except that the phrase "paying not more than one-half of the costs of providing a sports facility together with related redevelopment and economic development projects" shall be replaced by the phrase "paying the costs of constructing , renovating, improving, or repairing a sports facility and reimbursing a county for costs incurred by the county in the construction of a sports facility," and the phrase ", beginning .......... (here insert the earliest date the tax would take effect)" shall be appended after "years." A board of county commissioners submitting the question of a tax under division (D)(2) of this section may submit the question of a tax under division (B)(2) of section 4301.421 or division (C)(2) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code as a single question, and the form of the ballot shall include each of the proposed taxes.

If approved by a majority of electors voting on the question, the tax shall take effect on the day specified on the ballot, which shall not be earlier than the day following the last day that any tax previously levied pursuant to this division may be levied.

The rate of a tax levied pursuant to division (D)(1) or (2) of this section shall not exceed the rate specified in division (A) of this section. A tax levied pursuant to division (D)(1) or (2) of this section may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty.

A board of county commissioners adopting a resolution under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section shall certify a copy of the resolution to the division of liquor control immediately upon adoption of the resolution.

(E) No tax shall be levied under division (A) of this section on or after September 23, 2008. This division does not apply to a tax levied under division (D) of this section, and does not prevent the collection of any tax levied under this section before September 23, 2008, so long as that tax remains effective.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Effective Date: 07-23-2004; 2008 HB562 09-22-2008