Section 505.481. Unincorporated territory may be added to district - contents of ballot

(A) If a township police district does not include all the unincorporated territory of the township, the remaining unincorporated territory of the township may be added to the district by a resolution adopted by a unanimous vote of the board of township trustees to place the issue of expansion of the district on the ballot for the electors of the entire unincorporated territory of the township. The resolution shall state whether the proposed township police district initially will hire personnel as provided in section 505.49 of the Revised Code or contract for the provision of police protection services or additional police protection services as provided in section 505.43 or 505.50 of the Revised Code.

The ballot measure shall provide for the addition into a new district of all the unincorporated territory of the township not already included in the township police district and for the levy of any tax then imposed by the district throughout the unincorporated territory of the township. The measure shall state the rate of the tax, if any, to be imposed in the district resulting from approval of the measure, which need not be the same rate of any tax imposed by the existing district, and the last year in which the tax will be levied or that it will be levied for a continuous period of time.

(B) The election on the measure shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.25 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read substantially as follows:

"Shall the unincorporated territory within ............ (name of the township) not already included within the ........... (name of township police district) be added to the township police district to create the ........... (name of new township police district) township police district?"

The name of the proposed township police district shall be separate and distinct from the name of the existing township police district.

If a tax is imposed in the existing township police district, the question shall be modified by adding, at the end of the question, the following: ", and shall a property tax be levied in the new township police district, replacing the tax in the existing township police district, at a rate not exceeding ......... mills per dollar of taxable valuation, which amounts to ......... (rate expressed in dollars and cents per one thousand dollars in taxable valuation), for ....... (number of years the tax will be levied, or "a continuing period of time")."

If the measure is not approved by a majority of the electors voting on it, the township police district shall continue to occupy its existing territory until altered as provided in this section or section 505.48 of the Revised Code, and any existing tax imposed under section 505.51 of the Revised Code shall remain in effect in the existing district at the existing rate and for as long as provided in the resolution under the authority of which the tax is levied.

Renumbered from § 505.482 by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.