Twin Cities settle tax-sharing dispute
UHRICHSVILLE (WJER) (Feb. 9, 2024) -Officials in Dennison and Uhrichsville are looking toward the future after resolve their legal dispute over a more than 20-year-old pact splitting the taxes from Claymont High School.
Council members in both communities met Thursday evening to approve a proposed settlement increasing the city’s share from 65 to 67 percent and shifting responsibility for distributing the taxes from the city to the school district. Uhrichsville councilman-turned-mayor Jim Zucal had been pushing to end the dispute, which he says has cost the city around $100,000.
“This is a very fair agreement for both communities – Uhrichsville and Dennison – to end this nonsense, and I as mayor would like to say that I think of all the money we could have spent on paving instead of attorneys fees.”
Uhricshville stopped honoring the agreement in 2020 after the law firm the previous mayor asked to review the agreement deemed it invalid. The city now owes Dennison more than $60,000 that will be repaid out of its share of the taxes.
“Dennison will collect 1.75 percent. Then, the 0.25 of the 2 percent, which is our income tax, we still keep the 0.25. The 1.75, they’ll keep all of that for three years until the payment is made in full.”
Village Mayor Greg DiDonato believes the settlement is a win for both communities.
“I’m just glad now that we have people in place in both towns and it’s back like it was for years where everybody can work together and talk together and trust each other. That is the key here.”
Dennison’s attorney will now file a notice of dismissal to end the lawsuit pending against the city in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court.