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Police seek identity of Jeep driver By Kelly J. Kaczala News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
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Jeep driver sought
Police are seeking the identity of the driver of the red Jeep taken on Dec. 20, 1996, next door to the Car Corral, a used car dealership on Woodville Rd., where a man was murdered. (Photo courtesy of Northwood Police Department)
Rep. says
Voters should decide county sales, use tax hikes By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com A bill requiring boards of county commissioners to receive voter approval before enacting an increase on a county sales or use tax has had one hearing in the state legislature. In recent testimony to the House State and Local Government Committee, Rep. Niraj Antani, R – Miami Township, said he is sponsoring HB 92 to allow voters to be heard on tax matters at the county level. Currently, all Ohio counties and eight transit authorities levy local sales and use taxes at rates of 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent. The local taxes ‘piggy-back’ on the state sales tax. Two state statutes determine whether a vote is required. Under one statute, a tax of up to 1 percent may be levied to raise general fund revenue, pay for courts and other criminal justice services or fund a regional transportation improvement project without the say of voters, according to an analysis of the bill by the Legislative Service Commission. Under another statute, a tax of up to 0.5 percent may be levied for funding one or a combination of several services or proj-
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They also face challenges related to an evolving retail environment that is increasingly based on internet sales rather than brick and mortar stores.
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Northwood Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the driver of a red Jeep at a gas station on Woodville Road that was next door to a used car dealership, the scene of a murder nearly 23 years ago. Michael Bollman, who was the Car Corral’s finance manager, was shot multiple times on Dec. 20, 1996, at approximately noon. He was working alone at the time of the murder, which happened to be his 26th birthday. The case has grown cold since then. The Jeep in the photo was parked at the Fuel Mart gas station next door. It was facing the Car Corral, which was located at Earl Street and Woodville Road. The photo was taken the day of the murder by Dave Barnes, from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. “I think the driver knows something,” said Northwood Det. T. Barrett, who has been investigating the case. “The driver may have seen something, or overheard some conversation.” The police have identified the owners of all the other vehicles in the photo. “You can see people sitting in all of the vehicles. We know who they are,” said Barrett. “The police actually interviewed all those people.” But police never learned the identity of the driver of the red Jeep, which is missing a front license plate. “It’s missing the front plate because it’s a dealership car,” said Barrett. Police Chief Tom Cairl said the driver of the Jeep may have spotted something but is unaware of its significance. “The driver of the Jeep may have seen something that they never realized was important back in the day,” said Cairl. “Someone might know something and should come forward so we get closure for Michael Bollman’s family.”
ects, including debt service for convention facilities authorities, transit authorities, permanent improvements, 9-1-1 systems, detention facilities, agricultural easements, emergency medical services, regional transportation improvements, environmentally distressed watershed districts and general fund revenue. Voter approval is needed if the tax would fund more than one purpose
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or any one purpose other than general fund revenue or distressed watershed districts. Boards of commissioners have the option of placing the tax before voters even if not required to do so and the law allows voters to try to repeal rate increases through the referendum process. Under HB 92, all rate increases proposed in a resolution adopted on or after the bill’s effective date would be subject to prior voter approval. In testimony last month to the State and Local Government Committee, Antani said citizens should have a voice in local taxes and cited a recent decision by the commissioners in Montgomery County, his home district, to increase the county sales tax without citizens having a chance to vote on it. School boards, townships and municipalities must place tax levies on the ballot for approval, he said. “This bill would leave the question of tax increases up to voters, the ones who would be paying the tax, and the ones who should have a voice in the matter,” Antani told the committee. HB 92 is similar to a bill Antani introduced last fall that didn’t make it out of committee prior to the end of the legislaContinued on page 2
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