Forest Park residents will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve a 3.9-mill fire and EMS levy that city officials say is needed to keep ambulances staffed and firefighters on duty. The levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $137 a year, or roughly 38 cents a day, and would generate more than $2 million annually for the Forest Park Fire Department if approved.
The City of Forest Park laid out the stakes in a City of Forest Park, Ohio, Local Government Facebook post detailing its 2026 Fire Levy FAQ, which notes the department last passed a fire levy in 2015. Since then, the levy's effective millage has fallen from roughly 15.5 mills to 8.41 mills this year, even as the cost of emergency services has climbed due to salaries, fuel, vehicle maintenance, equipment and training. The department says demand and costs keep growing while funding has not kept pace.
As reported by wvxu.org, the measure would be indefinite, with the first bill due in 2027 if voters approve it. City Manager Don Jones has said the levy is necessary because the fire department's revenue is stagnant, according to the same report.
What Passage Would Fund
If approved, the levy would support maintaining nine firefighters on duty and would enable two ambulances to operate around the clock, depending on staffing and vehicle availability, per the city's Facebook post. The funding is also meant to move the department toward a full-time staffing model, improve staff retention and maintain competitive wages, according to the same post.
The city says levy dollars would go toward replacing aging EMS vehicles, maintaining reliable emergency response equipment, and replacing aging pneumatic rescue equipment. Station 42 would receive living quarters upgrades and maintenance, while Station 43 would get exterior repairs and painting, the post states. Expanded training opportunities and upgraded operational tools are also included in the plan.
Why Officials Say Demand Is Rising
The Forest Park Fire Department describes itself as a combination full-time and part-time department that provides fire suppression and emergency medical services, according to forestpark.org. It operates from two stations and responds to more than 6,000 calls for service annually, with Jermaine L. Hill serving as fire chief, the department's website notes.
The city's Facebook post adds that emergency incidents overlap nearly 40% of the time, and that planned housing developments are expected to increase demand for emergency services further. Officials have said that if the levy fails, the fire department would be required to reduce spending to match available funding — a scenario the post says could mean fewer firefighters on duty, fewer ambulances or fire apparatus available, and longer emergency response times. The city has also indicated it may consider placing another levy request on a future ballot.
Resolution 37-2026, adopted by Forest Park council in July, asked the Hamilton County auditor to certify tax valuations and revenue estimates for a levy of up to 3.9 mills, according to citizenportal.ai. The resolution describes the proposed rate as not exceeding $0.39 for each $100 of assessed valuation. A separate citizenportal.ai report states the levy would raise about $2.03 million annually.
Part of a Broader Regional Pattern
Forest Park is one of 11 Southwest Ohio communities voting on first-responder levies this year, per wvxu.org's reporting. A similar measure is on the ballot in Strongsville, where voters are deciding on Issue 103, a proposed 1-mill operating levy for the Strongsville Fire Department, according to cleveland.com.
That levy would fund 12 additional firefighter-paramedic positions and is estimated to generate $2.3 million annually, costing the owner of a $100,000 home about $35 a year, cleveland.com reports. Supporters there say the additional staffing would let the department place more emergency response vehicles into service and improve response times, and if approved, the levy would remain in place unless changed through future voter action, per the same report.
