Bainbridge Township Vote Decides Police Funding

Residents of Bainbridge Township will vote on Tuesday regarding a permanent property tax levy for the local police department.

The proposed measure, known as Issue 12, would generate approximately $2,539,972 each year. For property owners, the tax rate would be set at $105 annually for every $100,000 of appraised property value. If voters approve the three-mill levy, collections would start in 2026, with the first payments due in 2027. Because the measure is a continuing levy, it has no set expiration date and would remain in effect until voters alter it in a future election.

Police Chief Jon Bokovitz stated that the department requires the additional revenue to sustain operations. He described the department as being “out of money” in a conversation with 19 News. The current police levy, which voters approved in 2016, expires this year. That previous measure was intended to fund operations for eight to 10 years and to increase staffing from 20 to 25 officers. The department reports that it has reached that staffing target.

Bokovitz said the new levy would maintain current services without adding officers or creating major new programs. He noted that he did not foresee additional changes unless a technological breakthrough in computer programs for investigations occurred. The ballot language specifies that the funds would support vehicles, communications equipment, buildings, other equipment, and personnel costs. It also mentions ambulance and emergency medical services, although Bokovitz clarified that the money would cover only police operating costs.

The township currently operates two Flock cameras near the Geauga Lake shopping plaza. Bokovitz said the levy would fund the maintenance of these existing cameras rather than the installation of new ones. He cited the need to solve crimes involving retail theft in that area. Sean Davis, a resident for more than 20 years, opposes the levy. He stated that homeowners must repeatedly cut budgets to make ends meet. Davis also questioned the department’s staffing structure, preferring more patrols on the street over a large number of administrators and detectives.

The ballot measures the levy as a tool to fund specific operational needs. The vote determines whether the township continues its current financial model for public safety. The outcome will be known after the polls close on Tuesday.