To amend sections 3.02, 133.06, 133.18, 302.03, 302.09, 303.11, 303.12, 303.25, 305.02, 305.31, 306.32, 306.321, 306.70, 306.71, 307.676, 307.677, 307.695, 307.697, 307.791, 307.94, 307.95, 322.02, 322.021, 324.02, 324.021, 345.03, 351.26, 503.02, 503.161, 503.24, 503.41, 504.01, 504.03, 505.13, 505.14, 511.01, 511.22, 511.27, 511.28, 511.33, 511.34, 513.06, 513.13, 513.18, 517.05, 519.11, 519.12, 519.25, 705.01, 707.21, 709.29, 709.39, 709.45, 709.462, 709.48, 709.50, 715.69, 715.691, 715.70, 715.71, 715.77, 718.01, 718.09, 718.10, 731.03, 731.28, 731.29, 733.09, 733.261, 733.262, 733.31, 733.48, 749.021, 755.01, 757.02, 759.25, 1515.28, 1545.21, 1545.36, 1711.30, 1901.07, 1901.10, 1901.31, 1907.13, 2101.43, 2301.02, 3311.053, 3311.059, 3311.21, 3311.213, 3311.22, 3311.231, 3311.25, 3311.26, 3311.37, 3311.38, 3311.50, 3311.73, 3316.08, 3318.06, 3318.061, 3318.361, 3354.12, 3355.02, 3355.09, 3357.02, 3357.11, 3375.19, 3375.201, 3375.211, 3375.212, 3501.02, 3501.05, 3501.07, 3501.10, 3501.11, 3501.22, 3501.301, 3501.35, 3501.39, 3501.90, 3503.14, 3503.15, 3503.19, 3505.01, 3505.10, 3505.13, 3505.21, 3505.23, 3505.32, 3506.02, 3506.21, 3509.01, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3509.05, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3511.01, 3511.02, 3511.03, 3511.04, 3511.05, 3511.06, 3511.08, 3511.09, 3511.10, 3511.11, 3511.12, 3511.13, 3513.01, 3513.02, 3513.04, 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.052, 3513.121, 3513.122, 3513.151, 3513.19, 3513.191, 3513.20, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, 3513.257, 3513.259, 3513.263, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3513.311, 3513.312, 3515.09, 3519.08, 3519.16, 3709.051, 3709.071, 3709.29, 3767.05, 3769.27, 4301.33, 4301.331, 4301.332, 4301.333, 4301.334, 4301.356, 4301.421, 4301.424, 4303.29, 4305.14, 4504.021, 4504.15, 4504.16, 4504.21, 4928.20, 4929.26, 4931.51, 4931.52, 4931.53, 4951.44, 4955.05, 5705.19, 5705.191, 5705.195, 5705.199, 5705.20, 5705.21, 5705.211, 5705.212, 5705.213, 5705.217, 5705.218, 5705.219, 5705.2111, 5705.22, 5705.221, 5705.222, 5705.23, 5705.24, 5705.25, 5705.251, 5705.261, 5705.27, 5705.71, 5739.021, 5739.022, 5739.026, 5743.021, 5743.024, 5743.026, 5748.02, 5748.04, 5748.08, 6105.18, 6105.20, 6119.31, and 6119.32, to enact sections 125.042, 3501.012, 3503.191, 3505.184, 3511.021, and 3511.14, and to repeal section 3509.022 of the Revised Code to revise the Election Law.

Section 1. That sections 3.02, 133.06, 133.18, 302.03, 302.09, 303.11, 303.12, 303.25, 305.02, 305.31, 306.32, 306.321, 306.70, 306.71, 307.676, 307.677, 307.695, 307.697, 307.791, 307.94, 307.95, 322.02, 322.021, 324.02, 324.021, 345.03, 351.26, 503.02, 503.161, 503.24, 503.41, 504.01, 504.03, 505.13, 505.14, 511.01, 511.22, 511.27, 511.28, 511.33, 511.34, 513.06, 513.13, 513.18, 517.05, 519.11, 519.12, 519.25, 705.01, 707.21, 709.29, 709.39, 709.45, 709.462, 709.48, 709.50, 715.69, 715.691, 715.70, 715.71, 715.77, 718.01, 718.09, 718.10, 731.03, 731.28, 731.29, 733.09, 733.261, 733.262, 733.31, 733.48, 749.021, 755.01, 757.02, 759.25, 1515.28, 1545.21, 1545.36, 1711.30, 1901.07, 1901.10, 1901.31, 1907.13, 2101.43, 2301.02, 3311.053, 3311.059, 3311.21, 3311.213, 3311.22, 3311.231, 3311.25, 3311.26, 3311.37, 3311.38, 3311.50, 3311.73, 3316.08, 3318.06, 3318.061, 3318.361, 3354.12, 3355.02, 3355.09, 3357.02, 3357.11, 3375.19, 3375.201, 3375.211, 3375.212, 3501.02, 3501.05, 3501.07, 3501.10, 3501.11, 3501.22, 3501.301, 3501.35, 3501.39, 3501.90, 3503.14, 3503.15, 3503.19, 3505.01, 3505.10, 3505.13, 3505.21, 3505.23, 3505.32, 3506.02, 3506.21, 3509.01, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3509.05, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3511.01, 3511.02, 3511.03, 3511.04, 3511.05, 3511.06, 3511.08, 3511.09, 3511.10, 3511.11, 3511.12, 3511.13, 3513.01, 3513.02, 3513.04, 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.052, 3513.121, 3513.122, 3513.151, 3513.19, 3513.191, 3513.20, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, 3513.257, 3513.259, 3513.263, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3513.311, 3513.312, 3515.09, 3519.08, 3519.16, 3709.051, 3709.071, 3709.29, 3767.05, 3769.27, 4301.33, 4301.331, 4301.332, 4301.333, 4301.334, 4301.356, 4301.421, 4301.424, 4303.29, 4305.14, 4504.021, 4504.15, 4504.16, 4504.21, 4928.20, 4929.26, 4931.51, 4931.52, 4931.53, 4951.44, 4955.05, 5705.19, 5705.191, 5705.195, 5705.199, 5705.20, 5705.21, 5705.211, 5705.212, 5705.213, 5705.217, 5705.218, 5705.219, 5705.2111, 5705.22, 5705.221, 5705.222, 5705.23, 5705.24, 5705.25, 5705.251, 5705.261, 5705.27, 5705.71, 5739.021, 5739.022, 5739.026, 5743.021, 5743.024, 5743.026, 5748.02, 5748.04, 5748.08, 6105.18, 6105.20, 6119.31, and 6119.32 be amended and sections 125.042, 3501.012, 3503.191, 3505.184, 3511.021, and 3511.14 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3.02.  (A) When an elective office becomes vacant and is filled by appointment, such appointee shall hold the office until his the appointee's successor is elected and qualified; and such successor shall be elected for the unexpired term, at the first general election for the office which is vacant that occurs more than forty fifty-six days after the vacancy has occurred; provided that when the unexpired term ends within one year immediately following the date of such general election, an election to fill such unexpired term shall not be held and the appointment shall be for such unexpired term.

(B) When an elective office becomes vacant and is filled by appointment, the appointing authority shall, immediately but no later than seven days after making the appointment, certify it to the board of elections and to the secretary of state. The board of elections or, in the case of an appointment to a statewide office, the secretary of state shall issue a certificate of appointment to the appointee. Certificates of appointment shall be in such form as the secretary of state shall prescribe.

(C) When an elected candidate fails to qualify for the office to which he the candidate has been elected, the office shall be filled as in the case of a vacancy. Until so filled, the incumbent officer shall continue to hold office. This section does not postpone the time for such election beyond that at which it would have been held had no such vacancy occurred, or affect the official term, or the time for the commencement thereof, of any person elected to such office before the occurrence of such vacancy.

Sec. 125.042. (A) The department of administrative services, by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall establish a purchasing program through which the department enters into purchase contracts for supplies used by boards of elections, including any polling place supplies required under section 3501.30 of the Revised Code. A board of elections that opts to participate in the purchasing program may purchase its supplies through the contracts entered into by the department.

(B) Purchases that a board of elections makes under this section are exempt from any competitive selection procedures otherwise required by law.

Sec. 133.06.  (A) A school district shall not incur, without a vote of the electors, net indebtedness that exceeds an amount equal to one-tenth of one per cent of its tax valuation, except as provided in divisions (G) and (H) of this section and in division (C) of section 3313.372 of the Revised Code, or as prescribed in section 3318.052 or 3318.44 of the Revised Code, or as provided in division (J) of this section.

(B) Except as provided in divisions (E), (F), and (I) of this section, a school district shall not incur net indebtedness that exceeds an amount equal to nine per cent of its tax valuation.

(C) A school district shall not submit to a vote of the electors the question of the issuance of securities in an amount that will make the district's net indebtedness after the issuance of the securities exceed an amount equal to four per cent of its tax valuation, unless the superintendent of public instruction, acting under policies adopted by the state board of education, and the tax commissioner, acting under written policies of the commissioner, consent to the submission. A request for the consents shall be made at least one hundred five twenty days prior to the election at which the question is to be submitted.

The superintendent of public instruction shall certify to the district the superintendent's and the tax commissioner's decisions within thirty days after receipt of the request for consents.

If the electors do not approve the issuance of securities at the election for which the superintendent of public instruction and tax commissioner consented to the submission of the question, the school district may submit the same question to the electors on the date that the next special election may be held under section 3501.01 of the Revised Code without submitting a new request for consent. If the school district seeks to submit the same question at any other subsequent election, the district shall first submit a new request for consent in accordance with this division.

(D) In calculating the net indebtedness of a school district, none of the following shall be considered:

(1) Securities issued to acquire school buses and other equipment used in transporting pupils or issued pursuant to division (D) of section 133.10 of the Revised Code;

(2) Securities issued under division (F) of this section, under section 133.301 of the Revised Code, and, to the extent in excess of the limitation stated in division (B) of this section, under division (E) of this section;

(3) Indebtedness resulting from the dissolution of a joint vocational school district under section 3311.217 of the Revised Code, evidenced by outstanding securities of that joint vocational school district;

(4) Loans, evidenced by any securities, received under sections 3313.483, 3317.0210, 3317.0211, and 3317.64 of the Revised Code;

(5) Debt incurred under section 3313.374 of the Revised Code;

(6) Debt incurred pursuant to division (B)(5) of section 3313.37 of the Revised Code to acquire computers and related hardware;

(7) Debt incurred under section 3318.042 of the Revised Code.

(E) A school district may become a special needs district as to certain securities as provided in division (E) of this section.

(1) A board of education, by resolution, may declare its school district to be a special needs district by determining both of the following:

(a) The student population is not being adequately serviced by the existing permanent improvements of the district.

(b) The district cannot obtain sufficient funds by the issuance of securities within the limitation of division (B) of this section to provide additional or improved needed permanent improvements in time to meet the needs.

(2) The board of education shall certify a copy of that resolution to the superintendent of public instruction with a statistical report showing all of the following:

(a) A history of and a projection of the growth of the student population;

(b) The history of and a projection of the growth of the tax valuation;

(c) The projected needs;

(d) The estimated cost of permanent improvements proposed to meet such projected needs.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction shall certify the district as an approved special needs district if the superintendent finds both of the following:

(a) The district does not have available sufficient additional funds from state or federal sources to meet the projected needs.

(b) The projection of the potential average growth of tax valuation during the next five years, according to the information certified to the superintendent and any other information the superintendent obtains, indicates a likelihood of potential average growth of tax valuation of the district during the next five years of an average of not less than three per cent per year. The findings and certification of the superintendent shall be conclusive.

(4) An approved special needs district may incur net indebtedness by the issuance of securities in accordance with the provisions of this chapter in an amount that does not exceed an amount equal to the greater of the following:

(a) Nine per cent of the sum of its tax valuation plus an amount that is the product of multiplying that tax valuation by the percentage by which the tax valuation has increased over the tax valuation on the first day of the sixtieth month preceding the month in which its board determines to submit to the electors the question of issuing the proposed securities;

(b) Nine per cent of the sum of its tax valuation plus an amount that is the product of multiplying that tax valuation by the percentage, determined by the superintendent of public instruction, by which that tax valuation is projected to increase during the next ten years.

(F) A school district may issue securities for emergency purposes, in a principal amount that does not exceed an amount equal to three per cent of its tax valuation, as provided in this division.

(1) A board of education, by resolution, may declare an emergency if it determines both of the following:

(a) School buildings or other necessary school facilities in the district have been wholly or partially destroyed, or condemned by a constituted public authority, or that such buildings or facilities are partially constructed, or so constructed or planned as to require additions and improvements to them before the buildings or facilities are usable for their intended purpose, or that corrections to permanent improvements are necessary to remove or prevent health or safety hazards.

(b) Existing fiscal and net indebtedness limitations make adequate replacement, additions, or improvements impossible.

(2) Upon the declaration of an emergency, the board of education may, by resolution, submit to the electors of the district pursuant to section 133.18 of the Revised Code the question of issuing securities for the purpose of paying the cost, in excess of any insurance or condemnation proceeds received by the district, of permanent improvements to respond to the emergency need.

(3) The procedures for the election shall be as provided in section 133.18 of the Revised Code, except that:

(a) The form of the ballot shall describe the emergency existing, refer to this division as the authority under which the emergency is declared, and state that the amount of the proposed securities exceeds the limitations prescribed by division (B) of this section;

(b) The resolution required by division (B) of section 133.18 of the Revised Code shall be certified to the county auditor and the board of elections at least seventy-five one hundred days prior to the election;

(c) The county auditor shall advise and, not later than sixty-five ninety-five days before the election, confirm that advice by certification to, the board of education of the information required by division (C) of section 133.18 of the Revised Code;

(d) The board of education shall then certify its resolution and the information required by division (D) of section 133.18 of the Revised Code to the board of elections not less than sixty ninety days prior to the election.

(4) Notwithstanding division (B) of section 133.21 of the Revised Code, the first principal payment of securities issued under this division may be set at any date not later than sixty months after the earliest possible principal payment otherwise provided for in that division.

(G) The board of education may contract with an architect, professional engineer, or other person experienced in the design and implementation of energy conservation measures for an analysis and recommendations pertaining to installations, modifications of installations, or remodeling that would significantly reduce energy consumption in buildings owned by the district. The report shall include estimates of all costs of such installations, modifications, or remodeling, including costs of design, engineering, installation, maintenance, repairs, and debt service, and estimates of the amounts by which energy consumption and resultant operational and maintenance costs, as defined by the Ohio school facilities commission, would be reduced.

If the board finds after receiving the report that the amount of money the district would spend on such installations, modifications, or remodeling is not likely to exceed the amount of money it would save in energy and resultant operational and maintenance costs over the ensuing fifteen years, the board may submit to the commission a copy of its findings and a request for approval to incur indebtedness to finance the making or modification of installations or the remodeling of buildings for the purpose of significantly reducing energy consumption.

If the commission determines that the board's findings are reasonable, it shall approve the board's request. Upon receipt of the commission's approval, the district may issue securities without a vote of the electors in a principal amount not to exceed nine-tenths of one per cent of its tax valuation for the purpose of making such installations, modifications, or remodeling, but the total net indebtedness of the district without a vote of the electors incurred under this and all other sections of the Revised Code, except section 3318.052 of the Revised Code, shall not exceed one per cent of the district's tax valuation.

So long as any securities issued under division (G) of this section remain outstanding, the board of education shall monitor the energy consumption and resultant operational and maintenance costs of buildings in which installations or modifications have been made or remodeling has been done pursuant to division (G) of this section and shall maintain and annually update a report documenting the reductions in energy consumption and resultant operational and maintenance cost savings attributable to such installations, modifications, or remodeling. The report shall be certified by an architect or engineer independent of any person that provided goods or services to the board in connection with the energy conservation measures that are the subject of the report. The resultant operational and maintenance cost savings shall be certified by the school district treasurer. The report shall be made available to the commission upon request.

(H) With the consent of the superintendent of public instruction, a school district may incur without a vote of the electors net indebtedness that exceeds the amounts stated in divisions (A) and (G) of this section for the purpose of paying costs of permanent improvements, if and to the extent that both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The fiscal officer of the school district estimates that receipts of the school district from payments made under or pursuant to agreements entered into pursuant to section 725.02, 1728.10, 3735.671, 5709.081, 5709.082, 5709.40, 5709.41, 5709.62, 5709.63, 5709.632, 5709.73, 5709.78, or 5709.82 of the Revised Code, or distributions under division (C) of section 5709.43 of the Revised Code, or any combination thereof, are, after accounting for any appropriate coverage requirements, sufficient in time and amount, and are committed by the proceedings, to pay the debt charges on the securities issued to evidence that indebtedness and payable from those receipts, and the taxing authority of the district confirms the fiscal officer's estimate, which confirmation is approved by the superintendent of public instruction;

(2) The fiscal officer of the school district certifies, and the taxing authority of the district confirms, that the district, at the time of the certification and confirmation, reasonably expects to have sufficient revenue available for the purpose of operating such permanent improvements for their intended purpose upon acquisition or completion thereof, and the superintendent of public instruction approves the taxing authority's confirmation.

The maximum maturity of securities issued under division (H) of this section shall be the lesser of twenty years or the maximum maturity calculated under section 133.20 of the Revised Code.

(I) A school district may incur net indebtedness by the issuance of securities in accordance with the provisions of this chapter in excess of the limit specified in division (B) or (C) of this section when necessary to raise the school district portion of the basic project cost and any additional funds necessary to participate in a project under Chapter 3318. of the Revised Code, including the cost of items designated by the Ohio school facilities commission as required locally funded initiatives and the cost for site acquisition. The school facilities commission shall notify the superintendent of public instruction whenever a school district will exceed either limit pursuant to this division.

(J) A school district whose portion of the basic project cost of its classroom facilities project under sections 3318.01 to 3318.20 of the Revised Code is greater than or equal to one hundred million dollars may incur without a vote of the electors net indebtedness in an amount up to two per cent of its tax valuation through the issuance of general obligation securities in order to generate all or part of the amount of its portion of the basic project cost if the controlling board has approved the school facilities commission's conditional approval of the project under section 3318.04 of the Revised Code. The school district board and the Ohio school facilities commission shall include the dedication of the proceeds of such securities in the agreement entered into under section 3318.08 of the Revised Code. No state moneys shall be released for a project to which this section applies until the proceeds of any bonds issued under this section that are dedicated for the payment of the school district portion of the project are first deposited into the school district's project construction fund.

Sec. 133.18.  (A) The taxing authority of a subdivision may by legislation submit to the electors of the subdivision the question of issuing any general obligation bonds, for one purpose, that the subdivision has power or authority to issue.

(B) When the taxing authority of a subdivision desires or is required by law to submit the question of a bond issue to the electors, it shall pass legislation that does all of the following:

(1) Declares the necessity and purpose of the bond issue;

(2) States the date of the authorized election at which the question shall be submitted to the electors;

(3) States the amount, approximate date, estimated net average rate of interest, and maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid;

(4) Declares the necessity of levying a tax outside the tax limitation to pay the debt charges on the bonds and any anticipatory securities.

The estimated net average interest rate shall be determined by the taxing authority based on, among other factors, then existing market conditions, and may reflect adjustments for any anticipated direct payments expected to be received by the taxing authority from the government of the United States relating to the bonds and the effect of any federal tax credits anticipated to be available to owners of all or a portion of the bonds. The estimated net average rate of interest, and any statutory or charter limit on interest rates that may then be in effect and that is subsequently amended, shall not be a limitation on the actual interest rate or rates on the securities when issued.

(C)(1) The taxing authority shall certify a copy of the legislation passed under division (B) of this section to the county auditor. The county auditor shall promptly calculate and advise and, not later than seventy-five ninety days before the election, confirm that advice by certification to, the taxing authority the estimated average annual property tax levy, expressed in cents or dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation and in mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, that the county auditor estimates to be required throughout the stated maturity of the bonds to pay the debt charges on the bonds. In calculating the estimated average annual property tax levy for this purpose, the county auditor shall assume that the bonds are issued in one series bearing interest and maturing in substantially equal principal amounts in each year over the maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid as stated in that legislation, and that the amount of the tax valuation of the subdivision for the current year remains the same throughout the maturity of the bonds, except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section. If the tax valuation for the current year is not determined, the county auditor shall base the calculation on the estimated amount of the tax valuation submitted by the county auditor to the county budget commission. If the subdivision is located in more than one county, the county auditor shall obtain the assistance of the county auditors of the other counties, and those county auditors shall provide assistance, in establishing the tax valuation of the subdivision for purposes of certifying the estimated average annual property tax levy.

(2) When considering the tangible personal property component of the tax valuation of the subdivision, the county auditor shall take into account the assessment percentages prescribed in section 5711.22 of the Revised Code. The tax commissioner may issue rules, orders, or instructions directing how the assessment percentages must be utilized.

(D) After receiving the county auditor's advice under division (C) of this section, the taxing authority by legislation may determine to proceed with submitting the question of the issue of securities, and shall, not later than the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election, file the following with the board of elections:

(1) Copies of the legislation provided for in divisions (B) and (D) of this section;

(2) The amount of the estimated average annual property tax levy, expressed in cents or dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation and in mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, as estimated and certified to the taxing authority by the county auditor.

(E)(1) The board of elections shall prepare the ballots and make other necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the subdivision. If the subdivision is located in more than one county, the board shall inform the boards of elections of the other counties of the filings with it, and those other boards shall if appropriate make the other necessary arrangements for the election in their counties. The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided in Title XXXV of the Revised Code.

(2) The election shall be held at the regular places for voting in the subdivision. If the electors of only a part of a precinct are qualified to vote at the election the board of elections may assign the electors in that part to an adjoining precinct, including an adjoining precinct in another county if the board of elections of the other county consents to and approves the assignment. Each elector so assigned shall be notified of that fact prior to the election by notice mailed by the board of elections, in such manner as it determines, prior to the election.

(3) The board of elections shall publish a notice of the election, in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the subdivision, at least once no later than ten days prior to the election. The notice shall state all of the following:

(a) The principal amount of the proposed bond issue;

(b) The stated purpose for which the bonds are to be issued;

(c) The maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid;

(d) The estimated additional average annual property tax levy, expressed in cents or dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation and in mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, to be levied outside the tax limitation, as estimated and certified to the taxing authority by the county auditor;

(e) The first calendar year in which the tax is expected to be due.

(F)(1) The form of the ballot to be used at the election shall be substantially either of the following, as applicable:

(a) "Shall bonds be issued by the ............ (name of subdivision) for the purpose of ........... (purpose of the bond issue) in the principal amount of .......... (principal amount of the bond issue), to be repaid annually over a maximum period of .......... (the maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid) years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside the .......... (as applicable, "ten-mill" or "...charter tax") limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue .......... (number of mills) mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to .......... (rate expressed in cents or dollars and cents, such as "36 cents" or "$1.41") for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, commencing in .......... (first year the tax will be levied), first due in calendar year .......... (first calendar year in which the tax shall be due), to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

(b) In the case of an election held pursuant to legislation adopted under section 3375.43 or 3375.431 of the Revised Code:

"Shall bonds be issued for .......... (name of library) for the purpose of .......... (purpose of the bond issue), in the principal amount of .......... (amount of the bond issue) by .......... (the name of the subdivision that is to issue the bonds and levy the tax) as the issuer of the bonds, to be repaid annually over a maximum period of .......... (the maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid) years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue .......... (number of mills) mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to .......... (rate expressed in cents or dollars and cents, such as "36 cents" or "$1.41") for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, commencing in .......... (first year the tax will be levied), first due in calendar year .......... (first calendar year in which the tax shall be due), to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

(2) The purpose for which the bonds are to be issued shall be printed in the space indicated, in boldface type.

(G) The board of elections shall promptly certify the results of the election to the tax commissioner, the county auditor of each county in which any part of the subdivision is located, and the fiscal officer of the subdivision. The election, including the proceedings for and result of the election, is incontestable other than in a contest filed under section 3515.09 of the Revised Code in which the plaintiff prevails.

(H) If a majority of the electors voting upon the question vote for it, the taxing authority of the subdivision may proceed under sections 133.21 to 133.33 of the Revised Code with the issuance of the securities and with the levy and collection of a property tax outside the tax limitation during the period the securities are outstanding sufficient in amount to pay the debt charges on the securities, including debt charges on any anticipatory securities required to be paid from that tax. If legislation passed under section 133.22 or 133.23 of the Revised Code authorizing those securities is filed with the county auditor on or before the last day of November, the amount of the voted property tax levy required to pay debt charges or estimated debt charges on the securities payable in the following year shall if requested by the taxing authority be included in the taxes levied for collection in the following year under section 319.30 of the Revised Code.

(I)(1) If, before any securities authorized at an election under this section are issued, the net indebtedness of the subdivision exceeds that applicable to that subdivision or those securities, then and so long as that is the case none of the securities may be issued.

(2) No securities authorized at an election under this section may be initially issued after the first day of the sixth January following the election, but this period of limitation shall not run for any time during which any part of the permanent improvement for which the securities have been authorized, or the issuing or validity of any part of the securities issued or to be issued, or the related proceedings, is involved or questioned before a court or a commission or other tribunal, administrative agency, or board.

(3) Securities representing a portion of the amount authorized at an election that are issued within the applicable limitation on net indebtedness are valid and in no manner affected by the fact that the balance of the securities authorized cannot be issued by reason of the net indebtedness limitation or lapse of time.

(4) Nothing in this division (I) shall be interpreted or applied to prevent the issuance of securities in an amount to fund or refund anticipatory securities lawfully issued.

(5) The limitations of divisions (I)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply to any securities authorized at an election under this section if at least ten per cent of the principal amount of the securities, including anticipatory securities, authorized has theretofore been issued, or if the securities are to be issued for the purpose of participating in any federally or state-assisted program.

(6) The certificate of the fiscal officer of the subdivision is conclusive proof of the facts referred to in this division.

Sec. 302.03.  (A) The board of county commissioners of any county may, by a two-thirds vote of the board, or shall, upon petition by three per cent of the electors of the county as determined by the number of votes cast therein for the office of governor at the most recent gubernatorial election, by resolution, cause the board of elections in the county to submit to the electors of the county the question of adopting one of the alternative forms of county government authorized by sections 302.01 to 302.24 of the Revised Code. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections.

(B) If, in any county, a resolution is adopted by the board of county commissioners requiring that the question of choosing a commission to frame a county charter be submitted to the electors thereof prior to the resolution provided for in this section, the proposition to adopt an alternative form of county government provided in sections 302.01 to 302.24 of the Revised Code, shall not be submitted in that county as long as the question of choosing such commission or of adopting a charter framed by such commission is pending therein.

(C) Any proposition for an alternative form of county government shall specify the number of members of the board of county commissioners, how many shall be elected at large, or how many shall be elected by districts.

Sec. 302.09.  When a vacancy occurs in the board of county commissioners or in the office of county auditor, county treasurer, prosecuting attorney, clerk of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county recorder, county engineer, or coroner more than forty fifty days before the next general election for state and county officers, the vacancy shall be filled as provided for in divisions (A) and (B) of section 305.02 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 303.11.  If the zoning resolution is adopted by the board of county commissioners, such board shall cause the question of whether or not the proposed plan of zoning shall be put into effect to be submitted to the electors residing in the unincorporated area of the county included in the proposed plan of zoning for their approval or rejection at the next primary or general election, or a special election may be called for this purpose. Such resolution shall be filed with the board of elections not later than four p.m. on the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. No zoning regulations shall be put into effect in any township, unless a majority of the vote cast on the issue in that township is in favor of the proposed plan of zoning. Upon certification by the board of elections the resolution shall take immediate effect in all townships which voted approval, eliminating from the plan any township which did not vote approval.

Within five working days after the resolution's effective date, the board of county commissioners shall file it, including text and maps, in the office of the county recorder. The board shall also file duplicates of the same documents with the regional or county planning commission, if one exists, within the same period.

The board shall file all resolutions, including text and maps, that are in effect on January 1, 1992, in the office of the county recorder within thirty working days after that date. The board shall also file duplicates of the same documents with the regional or county planning commission, if one exists, within the same period.

The failure to file a resolution, or any text and maps, or duplicates of any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder or the county or regional planning commission as required by this section does not invalidate the resolution and is not grounds for an appeal of any decision of the board of zoning appeals.

Sec. 303.12.  (A)(1) Amendments to the zoning resolution may be initiated by motion of the county rural zoning commission, by the passage of a resolution by the board of county commissioners, or by the filing of an application by one or more of the owners or lessees of property within the area proposed to be changed or affected by the proposed amendment with the county rural zoning commission. The board of county commissioners may require that the owner or lessee of property filing an application to amend the zoning resolution pay a fee to defray the cost of advertising, mailing, filing with the county recorder, and other expenses. If the board of county commissioners requires such a fee, it shall be required generally, for each application. The board of county commissioners, upon the passage of such a resolution, shall certify it to the county rural zoning commission.

(2) Upon the adoption of a motion by the county rural zoning commission, the certification of a resolution by the board of county commissioners to the commission, or the filing of an application by property owners or lessees as described in division (A)(1) of this section with the commission, the commission shall set a date for a public hearing, which date shall not be less than twenty nor more than forty days from the date of adoption of such a motion, the date of the certification of such a resolution, or the date of the filing of such an application. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the commission by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in each township affected by the proposed amendment at least ten days before the date of the hearing.

(B) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land, as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, written notice of the hearing shall be mailed by the county rural zoning commission, by first class mail, at least ten days before the date of the public hearing to all owners of property within and contiguous to and directly across the street from the area proposed to be rezoned or redistricted to the addresses of those owners appearing on the county auditor's current tax list. The failure of delivery of that notice shall not invalidate any such amendment.

(C) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published and mailed notices shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the county rural zoning commission that will be conducting the hearing;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, resolution, or application is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of these properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax list;

(4) The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5) The time and place where the motion, resolution, or application proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the public hearing by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7) A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter will be submitted to the board of county commissioners for its action;

(8) Any other information requested by the commission.

(D) If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution, or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the county rural zoning commission that will be conducting the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(4) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication;

(5) A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter will be submitted to the board of county commissioners for its action;

(6) Any other information requested by the commission.

Hearings shall be held in the county court house or in a public place designated by the commission.

(E) Within five days after the adoption of the motion described in division (A) of this section, the certification of the resolution described in division (A) of this section, or the filing of the application described in division (A) of this section, the county rural zoning commission shall transmit a copy of it together with text and map pertaining to it to the county or regional planning commission, if there is such a commission.

The county or regional planning commission shall recommend the approval or denial of the proposed amendment or the approval of some modification of it and shall submit its recommendation to the county rural zoning commission. The recommendation shall be considered at the public hearing held by the county rural zoning commission on the proposed amendment.

The county rural zoning commission, within thirty days after the hearing, shall recommend the approval or denial of the proposed amendment, or the approval of some modification of it, and shall submit that recommendation together with the motion, application, or resolution involved, the text and map pertaining to the proposed amendment, and the recommendation of the county or regional planning commission on it to the board of county commissioners.

The board of county commissioners, upon receipt of that recommendation, shall set a time for a public hearing on the proposed amendment, which date shall be not more than thirty days from the date of the receipt of that recommendation. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the board by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county, at least ten days before the date of the hearing.

(F) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the board of county commissioners that will be conducting the hearing;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of those properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax list;

(4) The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5) The time and place where the motion, application, or resolution proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7) Any other information requested by the board.

(G) If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution, or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the board of county commissioners that will be conducting the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(4) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication;

(5) Any other information requested by the board.

(H) Within twenty days after its public hearing, the board of county commissioners shall either adopt or deny the recommendation of the county rural zoning commission or adopt some modification of it. If the board denies or modifies the commission's recommendation, a majority vote of the board shall be required.

The proposed amendment, if adopted by the board, shall become effective in thirty days after the date of its adoption, unless, within thirty days after the adoption, there is presented to the board of county commissioners a petition, signed by a number of qualified voters residing in the unincorporated area of the township or part of that unincorporated area included in the zoning plan equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in that area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the board to submit the amendment to the electors of that area for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election occurring at least ninety days after the petition is submitted. Each part of this petition shall contain the number and the full and correct title, if any, of the zoning amendment resolution, motion, or application, furnishing the name by which the amendment is known and a brief summary of its contents. In addition to meeting the requirements of this section, each petition shall be governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code.

The form of a petition calling for a zoning referendum and the statement of the circulator shall be substantially as follows:

(if the proposal is identified by a particular name or number, or both, these should be inserted here) ........................

A proposal to amend the zoning map of the unincorporated area of .............. Township, ................... County, Ohio, adopted ....... (date) .......... (followed by brief summary of the proposal).

To the Board of County Commissioners of .................. County, Ohio:

We, the undersigned, being electors residing in the unincorporated area of ............... Township, included within the ................. County Zoning Plan, equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the area at the preceding general election at which a governor was elected, request the Board of County Commissioners to submit this amendment of the zoning resolution to the electors of ............. Township residing within the unincorporated area of the township included in the ............... County Zoning Resolution, for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election to be held on ........(date)......., pursuant to section 303.12 of the Revised Code.

I, .....................(name of circulator)..................., declare under penalty of election falsification that I am an elector of the state of Ohio and reside at the address appearing below my signature; that I am the circulator of the foregoing part petition containing .....(number)....... signatures; that I have witnessed the affixing of every signature; that all signers were to the best of my knowledge and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of my knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose signature it purports to be or of an attorney in fact acting pursuant to section 3501.382 of the Revised Code.

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."

No amendment for which such a referendum vote has been requested shall be put into effect unless a majority of the vote cast on the issue is in favor of the amendment. Upon certification by the board of elections that the amendment has been approved by the voters, it shall take immediate effect.

Within five working days after an amendment's effective date, the board of county commissioners shall file the text and maps of the amendment in the office of the county recorder and with the regional or county planning commission, if one exists.

The failure to file any amendment, or any text and maps, or duplicates of any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder or the county or regional planning commission as required by this section does not invalidate the amendment and is not grounds for an appeal of any decision of the board of zoning appeals.

Sec. 303.25.  In any township in which there is in force a plan of county zoning, the plan may be repealed by the board of county commissioners, as to such township, in the following manner:

(A) The board may adopt a resolution upon its own initiative.

(B) The board shall adopt a resolution, if there is presented to it a petition, similar in all relevant aspects to that prescribed in section 303.12 of the Revised Code, signed by a number of qualified voters residing in the unincorporated area of such township included in the zoning plan equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in such area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the question of whether or not the plan of zoning in effect in such township shall be repealed, to be submitted to the electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township included in the zoning plan at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election. The resolution adopted by the board of county commissioners to cause such question to be submitted to the electors shall be certified to the board of elections not later than seventy-five ninety days prior to the day of election at which the question is to be voted upon. In the event a majority of the vote cast on such question in the township is in favor of repeal of zoning, then such regulations shall no longer be of any effect. Not more than one such election shall be held in any two calendar years.

Sec. 305.02.  (A) If a vacancy in the office of county commissioner, prosecuting attorney, county auditor, county treasurer, clerk of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county recorder, county engineer, or coroner occurs more than forty fifty days before the next general election for state and county officers, a successor shall be elected at such election for the unexpired term unless such term expires within one year immediately following the date of such general election.

In either event, the vacancy shall be filled as provided in this section and the appointee shall hold his office until a successor is elected and qualified.

(B) If a vacancy occurs from any cause in any of the offices named in division (A) of this section, the county central committee of the political party with which the last occupant of the office was affiliated shall appoint a person to hold the office and to perform the duties thereof until a successor is elected and has qualified, except that if such vacancy occurs because of the death, resignation, or inability to take the office of an officer-elect whose term has not yet begun, an appointment to take such office at the beginning of the term shall be made by the central committee of the political party with which such officer-elect was affiliated.

(C) Not less than five nor more than forty-five days after a vacancy occurs, the county central committee shall meet for the purpose of making an appointment under this section. Not less than four days before the date of such meeting the chairman chairperson or secretary of such central committee shall send by first class mail to every member of such central committee a written notice which shall state the time and place of such meeting and the purpose thereof. A majority of the members of the central committee present at such meeting may make the appointment.

(D) If the last occupant of the office or the officer-elect was elected as an independent candidate, the board of county commissioners shall make such appointment at the time when the vacancy occurs, except where the vacancy is in the office of county commissioner, in which case the prosecuting attorney and the remaining commissioners or a majority of them shall make the appointment.

(E) Appointments made under this section shall be certified by the appointing county central committee or by the board of county commissioners to the county board of elections and to the secretary of state, and the persons so appointed and certified shall be entitled to all remuneration provided by law for the offices to which they are appointed.

(F) The board of county commissioners may appoint a person to hold any of the offices named in division (A) of this section as an acting officer and to perform the duties thereof between the occurrence of the vacancy and the time when the officer appointed by the central committee qualifies and takes the office.

(G) A person appointed prosecuting attorney or assistant prosecuting attorney shall give bond and take the oath of office prescribed by section 309.03 of the Revised Code for the prosecuting attorney.

Sec. 305.31.  The procedure for submitting to a referendum a resolution adopted by a board of county commissioners under division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code that is not submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval; any resolution adopted by a board of county commissioners pursuant to division (D)(1) of section 307.697, section 322.02, 322.06, or 324.02, sections 1515.22 and 1515.24, division (B)(1) of section 4301.421, section 4504.02, 5739.021, or 5739.026, division (A)(6) of section 5739.09, section 5741.021 or 5741.023, or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code; or a rule adopted pursuant to section 307.79 of the Revised Code shall be as prescribed by this section.

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, when a petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor in the county, is filed with the county auditor within thirty days after the date the resolution is passed or rule is adopted by the board of county commissioners, or is filed within forty-five days after the resolution is passed, in the case of a resolution adopted pursuant to section 5739.021 of the Revised Code that is passed within one year after a resolution adopted pursuant to that section has been rejected or repealed by the electors, requesting that the resolution be submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or rejection, the county auditor shall, after ten days following the filing of the petition, and not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of election, transmit a certified copy of the text of the resolution or rule to the board of elections. In the case of a petition requesting that a resolution adopted under division (D)(1) of section 307.697, division (B)(1) of section 4301.421, or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code be submitted to electors for their approval or rejection, the petition shall be signed by seven per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent election for the office of governor in the county. The county auditor shall transmit the petition to the board together with the certified copy of the resolution or rule. The board shall examine all signatures on the petition to determine the number of electors of the county who signed the petition. The board shall return the petition to the auditor within ten days after receiving it, together with a statement attesting to the number of such electors who signed the petition. The board shall submit the resolution or rule to the electors of the county, for their approval or rejection, at the succeeding general election held in the county in any year, or on the day of the succeeding primary election held in the county in even-numbered years, occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after the auditor certifies the sufficiency and validity of the petition to the board of elections.

No resolution shall go into effect until approved by the majority of those voting upon it. However, a rule shall take effect and remain in effect unless and until a majority of the electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal. Sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code do not prevent a county, after the passage of any resolution or adoption of any rule, from proceeding at once to give any notice or make any publication required by the resolution or rule.

The board of county commissioners shall make available to any person, upon request, a certified copy of any resolution or rule subject to the procedure for submitting a referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.42 of the Revised Code beginning on the date the resolution or rule is adopted by the board. The board may charge a fee for the cost of copying the resolution or rule.

As used in this section, "certified copy" means a copy containing a written statement attesting that it is a true and exact reproduction of the original resolution or rule.

Sec. 306.32.  Any county, or any two or more counties, municipal corporations, or townships, or any combination of these, may create a regional transit authority by the adoption of a resolution or ordinance by the board of county commissioners of each county, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the board of township trustees of each township which is to create or to join in the creation of the regional transit authority. The resolution or ordinance shall state:

(A) The necessity for the creation of a regional transit authority;

(B) The counties, municipal corporations, or townships which are to create or to join in the creation of the regional transit authority;

(C) The official name by which the regional transit authority shall be known;

(D) The place in which the principal office of the regional transit authority will be located or the manner in which it may be selected;

(E) The number, term, and compensation, or method for establishing compensation, of the members of the board of trustees of the regional transit authority. Compensation shall not exceed fifty dollars for each board and committee meeting attended by a member, except that if compensation is provided annually it shall not exceed six thousand dollars for the president of the board or four thousand eight hundred dollars for each other board member.

(F) The manner in which vacancies on the board of trustees of the regional transit authority shall be filled;

(G) The manner and to what extent the expenses of the regional transit authority shall be apportioned among the counties, municipal corporations, and townships creating it;

(H) The purposes, including the kinds of transit facilities, for which the regional transit authority is organized.

The regional transit authority provided for in the resolution or ordinance shall be deemed to be created upon the adoption of the resolution or ordinance by the board of county commissioners of each county, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the board of township trustees of each township enumerated in the resolution or ordinance.

The resolution or ordinance creating a regional transit authority may be amended to include additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships or for any other purpose, by the adoption of the amendment by the board of county commissioners of each county, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the board of township trustees of each township which has created or joined or proposes to join the regional transit authority.

After each county, municipal corporation, and township which has created or joined or proposes to join the regional transit authority has adopted its resolution or ordinance approving inclusion of additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships in the regional transit authority, a copy of each resolution or ordinance shall be filed with the clerk of the board of the county commissioners of each county, the clerk of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the fiscal officer of the board of trustees of each township proposed to be included in the regional transit authority. The inclusion is effective when all such filing has been completed, unless the regional transit authority to which territory is to be added has authority to levy an ad valorem tax on property, or a sales tax, within its territorial boundaries, in which event the inclusion shall become effective on the sixtieth day after the last such filing is accomplished, unless, prior to the expiration of the sixty-day period, qualified electors residing in the area proposed to be added to the regional transit authority, equal in number to at least ten per cent of the qualified electors from the area who voted for governor at the last gubernatorial election, file a petition of referendum against the inclusion. Any petition of referendum filed under this section shall be filed at the office of the secretary of the board of trustees of the regional transit authority. The person presenting the petition shall be given a receipt containing on it the time of the day, the date, and the purpose of the petition. The secretary of the board of trustees of the regional transit authority shall cause the appropriate board or boards of elections to check the sufficiency of signatures on any petition of referendum filed under this section and, if found to be sufficient, shall present the petition to the board of trustees at a meeting of said board which occurs not later than thirty days following the filing of said petition. Upon presentation to the board of trustees of a petition of referendum against the proposed inclusion, the board of trustees shall promptly certify the proposal to the board or boards of elections for the purpose of having the proposal placed on the ballot at the next general or primary election which occurs not less than seventy-five ninety days after the date of the meeting of said board, or at a special election, the date of which shall be specified in the certification, which date shall be not less than seventy-five ninety days after the date of such meeting of the board. Signatures on a petition of referendum may be withdrawn up to and including the meeting of the board of trustees certifying the proposal to the appropriate board or boards of elections. If territory of more than one county, municipal corporation, or township is to be added to the regional transit authority, the electors of the territories of the counties, municipal corporations, or townships which are to be added shall vote as a district, and the majority affirmative vote shall be determined by the vote cast in the district as a whole. Upon certification of a proposal to the appropriate board or boards of elections pursuant to this section, the board or boards of election shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the territory to be added to the regional transit authority qualified to vote on the question, and the election shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.191 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read:

"Shall the territory within the ......................... (Name or names of political subdivisions to be joined) be added to .................................. (Name) regional transit authority?" and shall a(n) .......... (here insert type of tax or taxes) at a rate of taxation not to exceed ..... (here insert maximum tax rate or rates) be levied for all transit purposes?"

If the question is approved by at least a majority of the electors voting on the question, the joinder is immediately effective, and the regional transit authority may extend the levy of the tax against all the taxable property within the territory which has been added. If the question is approved at a general election or at a special election occurring prior to the general election but after the fifteenth day of July, the regional transit authority may amend its budget and resolution adopted pursuant to section 5705.34 of the Revised Code, and the levy shall be placed on the current tax list and duplicate and collected as other taxes are collected from all taxable property within the territorial boundaries of the regional transit authority, including the territory within each political subdivision added as a result of the election.

The territorial boundaries of a regional transit authority shall be coextensive with the territorial boundaries of the counties, municipal corporations, and townships included within the regional transit authority, provided that the same area may be included in more than one regional transit authority so long as the regional transit authorities are not organized for purposes as provided for in the resolutions or ordinances creating the same, and any amendments to them, relating to the same kinds of transit facilities; and provided further, that if a regional transit authority includes only a portion of an entire county, a regional transit authority for the same purposes may be created in the remaining portion of the same county by resolution of the board of county commissioners acting alone or in conjunction with municipal corporations and townships as provided in this section.

No regional transit authority shall be organized after January 1, 1975, to include any area already included in a regional transit authority, except that any regional transit authority organized after June 29, 1974, and having territorial boundaries entirely within a single county shall, upon adoption by the board of county commissioners of the county of a resolution creating a regional transit authority including within its territorial jurisdiction the existing regional transit authority and for purposes including the purposes for which the existing regional transit authority was created, be dissolved and its territory included in such new regional transit authority. Any resolution creating such a new regional transit authority shall make adequate provision for satisfaction of the obligations of the dissolved regional transit authority.

Sec. 306.321.  The resolution or ordinance creating a regional transit authority may be amended to include additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships by the adoption of an amendment by the board of county commissioners of each county, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the board of township trustees of each township which has created or, prior to the adoption of the amendment, joined or proposes to join the regional transit authority.

After each county, municipal corporation, and township which has created or, prior to the adoption of the amendment, joined or proposes to join the regional transit authority has adopted its resolution or ordinance approving inclusion of additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships in the regional transit authority, a copy of each resolution or ordinance shall be filed with the clerk of the board of the county commissioners of each county, the clerk of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, and the fiscal officer of the board of trustees of each township proposed to be included in the regional transit authority.

Any ordinances or resolutions adopted pursuant to this section approving inclusion of additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships in the regional transit authority shall provide that the board of trustees of the regional transit authority must, not later than the tenth day following the day on which the filing of the ordinances or resolutions, as required by the immediately preceding paragraph, is completed, adopt its resolution providing for submission to the electors of the regional transit authority as enlarged, of the question pursuant to section 306.49 of the Revised Code, of the renewal, the renewal and increase, or the increase of, or the imposition of an additional, ad valorem tax, or of the question pursuant to section 306.70 of the Revised Code, of the renewal, the renewal and increase, or the increase of, or the imposition of an additional, sales and use tax. The resolution submitting the question of the tax shall specify the date of the election, which shall be not less than seventy-five ninety days after certification of the resolution to the board of elections and which shall be consistent with the requirements of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code. The inclusion of the territory of the additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships in the regional transit authority shall be effective as of the date on which the resolution of the board of trustees of the regional transit authority is adopted submitting the question to the electors, provided that until the question is approved, existing contracts providing payment for transit services within the added territory shall remain in effect and transit services shall not be affected by the inclusion of the additional territory. The resolution shall be certified to the board of elections and the election shall be held, canvassed, and certified as provided in section 306.49 of the Revised Code in the case of an ad valorem tax or in section 306.70 of the Revised Code in the case of a sales and use tax.

If the question of the tax which is submitted is not approved by a majority of the electors of the enlarged regional transit authority voting on the question, as of the day following the day on which the results of the election become conclusive, the additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships, which had been included in the regional transit authority as of the date of the adoption of the resolution submitting to the electors the question, shall be removed from the territory of the regional transit authority and shall no longer be a part of that authority without any further action by either the political subdivisions which were included in the authority prior to the adoption of the resolution submitting the question to the electors or of the political subdivisions added to the authority as a result of the adoption of the resolution. The regional transit authority reduced to its territory as it existed prior to the inclusion of the additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships, shall be entitled to levy and collect any ad valorem or sales and use taxes which it was authorized to levy and collect prior to the enlargement of its territory and for which authorization has not expired, as if the enlargement had not occurred.

If the question of the tax which is submitted provides for a sales and use tax to be imposed and the question is approved, and the regional transit authority had previously been authorized pursuant to section 306.49 of the Revised Code to levy an ad valorem tax, the regional transit authority shall appropriate from the first moneys received from the sales and use tax in each year, the full amount required in order to pay the principal of and interest on any notes of the regional transit authority issued pursuant to section 306.49 of the Revised Code, in anticipation of the collection of the ad valorem tax; and shall not thereafter levy and collect the ad valorem tax previously approved unless the levy and collection is necessary to pay the principal of and interest on notes issued in anticipation of the tax in order to avoid impairing the obligation of the contract between the regional transit authority and the note holders.

If the question of the additional or renewal tax levy is approved, the tax may be levied and collected as is otherwise provided for an ad valorem tax or a sales and use tax imposed by a regional transit authority, provided that if a question relating to an ad valorem tax is approved at the general election or at a special election occurring prior to a general election, but after the fifteenth day of July, the regional transit authority may amend its budget for its next fiscal year and its resolution adopted pursuant to section 5705.34 of the Revised Code or adopt such resolution, and the levy shall be placed on the current tax list and duplicate and collected as all other taxes are collected from all taxable property within the enlarged territory of the regional transit authority including the territory within each political subdivision which has been added to the regional transit authority pursuant to this section, provided further that if a question relating to sales and use tax is approved after the fifteenth day of July in any calendar year, the regional transit authority may amend its budget for the current and next fiscal year and any resolution adopted pursuant to section 5705.34 of the Revised Code, to reflect the imposition of the sales and use tax and shall amend its budget for the next fiscal year and any resolution adopted pursuant to section 5705.34 of the Revised Code to comply with the immediately preceding paragraph. If the budget of the regional transit authority is amended pursuant to this paragraph, the county auditor shall prepare and deliver an amended certificate of estimated resources to reflect the change in anticipated revenues of the regional transit authority.

The procedures of this section are in addition to and an alternative to those established in section 306.32 of the Revised Code for joining to a regional transit authority additional counties, municipal corporations, or townships.

Sec. 306.70.  A tax proposed to be levied by a board of county commissioners or by the board of trustees of a regional transit authority pursuant to sections 5739.023 and 5741.022 of the Revised Code shall not become effective until it is submitted to the electors residing within the county or within the territorial boundaries of the regional transit authority and approved by a majority of the electors voting on it. Such question shall be submitted at a general election or at a special election on a day specified in the resolution levying the tax and occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after such resolution is certified to the board of elections, in accordance with section 3505.071 of the Revised Code.

The board of elections of the county or of each county in which any territory of the regional transit authority is located shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of such question to the electors of the county or regional transit authority, and the election shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections for the election of county officers. Notice of the election shall be published in one or more newspapers which in the aggregate are of general circulation in the territory of the county or of the regional transit authority once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the type, rate, and purpose of the tax to be levied, the length of time during which the tax will be in effect, and the time and place of the election.

More than one such question may be submitted at the same election. The form of the ballots cast at such election shall be:

"Shall a(n) ................ (sales and use) ............. tax be levied for all transit purposes of the .................. (here insert name of the county or regional transit authority) at a rate not exceeding ................... (here insert percentage) per cent for ................ (here insert number of years the tax is to be in effect, or that it is to be in effect for a continuing period of time)?"

If the tax proposed to be levied is a continuation of an existing tax, whether at the same rate or at an increased or reduced rate, or an increase in the rate of an existing tax, the notice and ballot form shall so state.

The board of elections to which the resolution was certified shall certify the results of the election to the county auditor of the county or secretary-treasurer of the regional transit authority levying the tax and to the tax commissioner of the state.

Sec. 306.71.  The question of the decrease of the rate of a tax approved for a continuing period of time by the voters of a county or regional transit authority pursuant to sections 5739.023 and 5741.022 of the Revised Code may be initiated by the filing of a petition with the board of elections of the county, or in the case of a regional transit authority with the board of elections as determined pursuant to section 3505.071 of the Revised Code, prior to the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the general election in any year requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall state the amount of the proposed decrease in the rate of the tax and shall be signed by at least ten per cent of the number of qualified electors residing in such county, or in the territory of the regional transit authority, who voted at the last general election.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county or regional transit authority at the succeeding general election. The election shall be conducted, notice thereof shall be given, and the results thereof shall be certified in the manner provided in section 306.70 of the Revised Code. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on such question approve the proposed decrease in rate, such decrease in rate shall become effective on the first day of the second January after such election.

In any case where bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, of a regional transit authority have been issued under section 306.40 of the Revised Code without a vote of the electors while the tax proposed to be reduced was in effect, the board of trustees of the regional transit authority shall continue to levy and collect under authority of the original election authorizing the tax a rate of tax in each year which the authority reasonably estimates will produce an amount in that year equal to the amount of principal of and interest on such bonds as is payable in that year.

Sec. 307.676. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Food and beverages" means any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance used or intended for use in whole or in part for human consumption, including ice, water, spirituous liquors, wine, mixed beverages, beer, soft drinks, soda, and other beverages.

(2) "Convention facilities authority" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(B) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million or more according to the most recent federal decennial census may, by resolution adopted on or before August 30, 2004, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority and with the subsequent approval of a majority of the electors of the county voting upon it, levy a tax of not more than two per cent on every retail sale in the county of food and beverages to be consumed on the premises where sold to pay the expenses of administering the tax and to provide revenues for the county general fund. Such resolution shall direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election in the county occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the resolution is certified to the board of elections, and such resolution may further direct the board of elections to include upon the ballot submitted to the electors any specific purposes for which the tax will be used. The legislative authority shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax and may provide for imposition of a penalty, interest, or both for late payments, provided that any such penalty may not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due and the rate at which interest accrues may not exceed the rate per annum required under section 5703.47 of the Revised Code.

(C) A tax levied under this section shall remain in effect for the period of time specified in the resolution or ordinance levying the tax, but in no case for a longer period than forty years.

(D) A tax levied under this section is in addition to any other tax levied under Chapter 307., 4301., 4305., 5739., 5741., or any other chapter of the Revised Code. "Price," as defined in sections 5739.01 and 5741.01 of the Revised Code, does not include any tax levied under this section and any tax levied under this section does not include any tax imposed under Chapter 5739. or 5741. of the Revised Code.

(E)(1) No amount collected from a tax levied under this section shall be contributed to a convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity created after July 1, 2003, for the principal purpose of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center unless the mayor of the municipal corporation in which the convention center is to be operated by that convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity has consented to the creation of that convention facilities authority, corporation, or entity. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 351.04 of the Revised Code, if a tax is levied by a county under this section, the board of county commissioners of that county may determine the manner of selection, the qualifications, the number, and terms of office of the members of the board of directors of any convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity described in division (E)(1) of this section.

(2)(a) No amount collected from a tax levied under this section may be used for any purpose other than paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center and for the real and actual costs of administering the tax, unless, prior to the adoption of the resolution of the legislative authority of the county directing the board of elections to submit the question of the levy, extension, or increase to the electors of the county, the county and the mayor of the most populous municipal corporation in that county have entered into an agreement as to the use of such amounts, provided that such agreement has been approved by a majority of the mayors of the other municipal corporations in that county. The agreement shall provide that the amounts to be used for purposes other than paying the convention center or administrative costs described in division (E)(2)(a) of this section be used only for the direct and indirect costs of capital improvements in accordance with the agreement, including the financing of capital improvements. Immediately following the execution of the agreement, the county shall:

(i) In accordance with section 7.12 of the Revised Code, cause the agreement to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in that county; or

(ii) Post the agreement in at least five public places in the county, as determined by the legislative authority, for a period not less than fifteen days.

(b) If the county in which the tax is levied has an association of mayors and city managers, the approval of that association of an agreement described in division (E)(2)(a) of this section shall be considered to be the approval of the majority of the mayors of the other municipal corporations for purposes of that division.

(F) Each year, the auditor of state shall conduct an audit of the uses of any amounts collected from taxes levied under this section and shall prepare a report of the auditor of state's findings. The auditor of state shall submit the report to the legislative authority of the county that has levied the tax, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the leaders of the minority parties of the house of representatives and the senate.

(G) The levy of any taxes under Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code on the same transactions subject to a tax under this section does not prevent the levy of a tax under this section.

Sec. 307.677.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Food and beverages" means any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance used or intended for use in whole or in part for human consumption, including ice, water, spirituous liquors, wine, mixed beverages, beer, soft drinks, soda, and other beverages.

(2) "Convention facilities authority" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(B) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more according to the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent annual population estimate published or released by the United States census bureau at the time the resolution is adopted placing the levy on the ballot, may, by resolution adopted on or before July 1, 2008, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority and with the subsequent approval of a majority of the electors of the county voting upon it, levy a tax of not more than two per cent on every retail sale in the county of food and beverages to be consumed on the premises where sold to pay the expenses of administering the tax and to provide revenues for paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center. The resolution shall direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election in the county occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the resolution is certified to the board of elections. The legislative authority shall establish all rules necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The rules may prescribe the time for payment of the tax and may provide for imposition of a penalty, interest, or both for late payments, but any such penalty shall not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due and the rate at which interest accrues shall not exceed the rate per annum required under section 5703.47 of the Revised Code.

(C) A tax levied under this section shall remain in effect for the period of time specified in the resolution or ordinance levying the tax, but not for a longer period than forty years.

(D) A tax levied under this section is in addition to any other tax levied under Chapter 307., 4301., 4305., 5739., 5741., or any other chapter of the Revised Code. "Price," as defined in sections 5739.01 and 5741.01 of the Revised Code, does not include any tax levied under this section and any tax levied under this section does not include any tax imposed under Chapter 5739. or 5741. of the Revised Code.

(E) Any amount collected from a tax levied under this section may be contributed to a convention facilities authority created before July 1, 2005, but no amount collected from a tax levied under this section may be contributed to a convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity created after July 1, 2005, unless the mayor of the municipal corporation in which the convention center is to be operated by that convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity has consented to the creation of that convention facilities authority, corporation, or entity.

(F) The levy of any taxes under Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code on the same transactions subject to a tax under this section does not prevent the levy of a tax under this section.

Sec. 307.695.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Arena" means any structure designed and constructed for the purpose of providing a venue for public entertainment and recreation by the presentation of concerts, sporting and athletic events, and other events and exhibitions, including facilities intended to house or provide a site for one or more athletic or sports teams or activities, spectator facilities, parking facilities, walkways, and auxiliary facilities, real and personal property, property rights, easements, leasehold estates, and interests that may be appropriate for, or used in connection with, the operation of the arena.

(2) "Convention center" means any structure expressly designed and constructed for the purposes of presenting conventions, public meetings, and exhibitions and includes parking facilities that serve the center and any personal property used in connection with any such structure or facilities.

(3) "Eligible county" means a county having a population of at least four hundred thousand but not more than eight hundred thousand according to the 2000 federal decennial census and that directly borders the geographic boundaries of another state.

(4) "Entity" means a nonprofit corporation, a municipal corporation, a port authority created under Chapter 4582. of the Revised Code, or a convention facilities authority created under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code.

(5) "Lodging taxes" means excise taxes levied under division (A)(1), (A)(2), or (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code and the revenues arising therefrom.

(6) "Nonprofit corporation" means a nonprofit corporation that is organized under the laws of this state and that includes within the purposes for which it is incorporated the authorization to lease and operate facilities such as a convention center or an arena or a combination of an arena and convention center.

(7) "Project" means acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, renovating, rehabilitating, expanding, adding to, equipping, furnishing or otherwise improving an arena, a convention center, or a combination of an arena and convention center. For purposes of this section, a project is a permanent improvement for one purpose under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(8) "Project revenues" means money received by a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third of that county's population, other than money from taxes or from the proceeds of securities secured by taxes, in connection with, derived from, related to, or resulting from a project, including, but not limited to, rentals and other payments received under a lease or agreement with respect to the project, ticket charges or surcharges for admission to events at a project, charges or surcharges for parking for events at a project, charges for the use of a project or any portion of a project, including suites and seating rights, the sale of naming rights for the project or a portion of the project, unexpended proceeds of any county revenue bonds issued for the project, and any income and profit from the investment of the proceeds of any such revenue bonds or any project revenues.

(9) "Chapter 133. securities," "debt charges," "general obligation," "legislation," "one purpose," "outstanding," "permanent improvement," "person," and "securities" have the meanings given to those terms in section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A board of county commissioners may enter into an agreement with a convention and visitors' bureau operating in the county under which:

(1) The bureau agrees to construct and equip a convention center in the county and to pledge and contribute from the tax revenues received by it under division (A) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code, not more than such portion thereof that it is authorized to pledge and contribute for the purpose described in division (C) of this section; and

(2) The board agrees to levy a tax under division (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code and pledge and contribute the revenues therefrom for the purpose described in division (C) of this section.

(C) The purpose of the pledges and contributions described in divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section is payment of principal, interest, and premium, if any, on bonds and notes issued by or for the benefit of the bureau to finance the construction and equipping of a convention center. The pledges and contributions provided for in the agreement shall be for the period stated in the agreement. Revenues determined from time to time by the board to be needed to cover the real and actual costs of administering the tax imposed by division (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code may not be pledged or contributed. The agreement shall provide that any such bonds and notes shall be secured by a trust agreement between the bureau or other issuer acting for the benefit of the bureau and a corporate trustee that is a trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state, and the trust agreement shall pledge or assign to the retirement of the bonds or notes, all moneys paid by the county under this section. A tax the revenues from which are pledged under an agreement entered into by a board of county commissioners under this section shall not be subject to diminution by initiative or referendum, or diminution by statute, unless provision is made therein for an adequate substitute therefor reasonably satisfactory to the trustee under the trust agreement that secures the bonds and notes.

(D) A pledge of money by a county under division (B) of this section shall not be indebtedness of the county for purposes of Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(E) If the terms of the agreement so provide, the board of county commissioners may acquire and lease real property to the convention bureau as the site of the convention center. The lease shall be on such terms as are set forth in the agreement. The purchase and lease are not subject to the limitations of sections 307.02 and 307.09 of the Revised Code.

(F) In addition to the authority granted to a board of county commissioners under divisions (B) to (E) of this section, a board of county commissioners in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more, or a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third of that county's population, may purchase, for cash or by installment payments, enter into lease-purchase agreements for, lease with an option to purchase, lease, construct, enlarge, improve, rebuild, equip, or furnish a convention center.

(G) The board of county commissioners of a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third of that county's population may undertake, finance, operate, and maintain a project. The board may lease a project to an entity on terms that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project; the lease may be for a term of thirty-five years or less and may provide for an option of the entity to renew the lease for a term of thirty-five years or less. The board may enter into an agreement with an entity with respect to a project on terms that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. To the extent provided for in an agreement or a lease with an entity, the board may authorize the entity to administer on behalf of the board any contracts for the project. The board may enter into an agreement providing for the sale to a person of naming rights to a project or portion of a project, for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. The board may enter into an agreement with a person owning or operating a professional athletic or sports team providing for the use by that person of a project or portion of a project for that team's offices, training, practices, and home games for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. The board may establish ticket charges or surcharges for admission to events at a project, charges or surcharges for parking for events at a project, and charges for the use of a project or any portion of a project, including suites and seating rights, and may, as necessary, enter into agreements related thereto with persons for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. A lease or agreement authorized by this division is not subject to sections 307.02, 307.09, and 307.12 of the Revised Code.

(H) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code, after adopting a resolution declaring it to be in the best interest of the county to undertake a project as described in division (G) of this section, the board of county commissioners of an eligible county may adopt a resolution enacting or increasing any lodging taxes within the limits specified in Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code with respect to those lodging taxes and amending any prior resolution under which any of its lodging taxes have been imposed in order to provide that those taxes, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the taxes and any portion of the taxes returned to any municipal corporation or township as provided in division (A)(1) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code, shall be used by the board for the purposes of undertaking, financing, operating, and maintaining the project, including paying debt charges on any securities issued by the board under division (I) of this section, or to make contributions to the convention and visitors' bureau operating within the county, or to promote, advertise, and market the region in which the county is located, all as the board may determine and make appropriations for from time to time, subject to the terms of any pledge to the payment of debt charges on outstanding general obligation securities or special obligation securities authorized under division (I) of this section. A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section shall be adopted not earlier than January 15, 2007, and not later than January 15, 2008.

A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section may direct the board of elections to submit the question of enacting or increasing lodging taxes, as the case may be, to the electors of the county at a special election held on the date specified by the board in the resolution, provided that the election occurs not less than seventy-five ninety days after a certified copy of the resolution is transmitted to the board of elections and no later than January 15, 2008. A resolution submitted to the electors under this division shall not go into effect unless it is approved by a majority of those voting upon it. A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section that is not submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code.

A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section takes effect upon its adoption, unless the resolution is submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval, in which case the resolution takes effect on the date the board of county commissioners receives notification from the board of elections of the affirmative vote. Lodging taxes received after the effective date of the resolution may be used for the purposes described in division (H) of this section, except that lodging taxes that have been pledged to the payment of debt charges on any bonds or notes issued by or for the benefit of a convention and visitors' bureau under division (C) of this section shall be used exclusively for that purpose until such time as the bonds or notes are no longer outstanding under the trust agreement securing those bonds or notes.

(I)(1) The board of county commissioners of a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third of that county's population may issue the following securities of the county for the purpose of paying costs of the project, refunding any outstanding county securities issued for that purpose, refunding any outstanding bonds or notes issued by or for the benefit of the bureau under division (C) of this section, or for any combination of those purposes:

(a) General obligation securities issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The resolution authorizing these securities may include covenants to appropriate annually from lawfully available lodging taxes, and to continue to levy and collect those lodging taxes in, amounts necessary to meet the debt charges on those securities.

(b) Special obligation securities issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code that are secured only by lawfully available lodging taxes and any other taxes and revenues pledged to pay the debt charges on those securities, except ad valorem property taxes. The resolution authorizing those securities shall include a pledge of and covenants to appropriate annually from lawfully available lodging taxes and any other taxes and revenues pledged for such purpose, and to continue to collect any of those revenues pledged for such purpose and to levy and collect those lodging taxes and any other taxes pledged for such purpose, in amounts necessary to meet the debt charges on those securities. The pledge is valid and binding from the time the pledge is made, and the lodging taxes so pledged and thereafter received by the county are immediately subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery of the lodging taxes or further act. The lien of any pledge is valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the county, regardless of whether such parties have notice of the lien. Neither the resolution nor any trust agreement by which a pledge is created or further evidenced is required to be filed or recorded except in the records of the board. The special obligation securities shall contain a statement on their face to the effect that they are not general obligation securities, and, unless paid from other sources, are payable from the pledged lodging taxes.

(c) Revenue securities authorized under section 133.08 of the Revised Code and issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code that are secured only by lawfully available project revenues pledged to pay the debt charges on those securities.

(2) The securities described in division (I)(1) of this section are subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(3) Section 133.34 of the Revised Code, except for division (A) of that section, applies to the issuance of any refunding securities authorized under this division. In lieu of division (A) of section 133.34 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners shall establish the maturity date or dates, the interest payable on, and other terms of refunding securities as it considers necessary or appropriate for their issuance, provided that the final maturity of refunding securities shall not exceed by more than ten years the final maturity of any bonds refunded by refunding securities.

(4) The board may not repeal, rescind, or reduce all or any portion of any lodging taxes pledged to the payment of debt charges on any outstanding special obligation securities authorized under this division, and no portion of any lodging taxes that is pledged, or that the board has covenanted to levy, collect, and appropriate annually to pay debt charges on any outstanding securities authorized under this division is subject to repeal, rescission, or reduction by the electorate of the county.

Sec. 307.697.  (A) For the purpose of section 307.696 of the Revised Code and to pay any or all of the charge the board of elections makes against the county to hold the election on the question of levying the tax, or for those purposes and to provide revenues to the county for permanent improvements, the board of county commissioners of a county may levy a tax not to exceed three dollars on each gallon of spirituous liquor sold to or purchased by liquor permit holders for resale, and sold at retail by the division of liquor control, in the county. The tax shall be levied on the number of gallons so sold. The tax may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty.

The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution of the board of county commissioners approved by a majority of the electors in the county voting on the question of levying the tax, which resolution shall specify the rate of the tax, the number of years the tax will be levied, and the purposes for which the tax is levied. The election may be held on the date of a general or special election held not sooner than seventy-five ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. If approved by the electors, the tax takes effect on the first day of the month specified in the resolution but not sooner than the first day of the month that is at least sixty days after the certification of the election results by the board of elections. A copy of the resolution levying the tax shall be certified to the division of liquor control at least sixty days prior to the date on which the tax is to become effective.

(B) A resolution under this section may be joined on the ballot as a single question with a resolution adopted under section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code to levy a tax for the same purposes, and for the purpose of paying the expenses of administering that tax.

(C) The form of the ballot in an election held pursuant to this section or section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code shall be as follows or in any other form acceptable to the secretary of state:

"For the purpose of paying not more than one-half of the costs of providing a public sports facility together with related redevelopment and economic development projects, shall (an) excise tax(es) be levied by .......... county at the rate of ...... (dollars on each gallon of spirituous liquor sold in the county by the Ohio division of liquor control, cents per gallon on the sale of beer at wholesale in the county, cents per gallon on the sale of wine and mixed beverages at wholesale in the county, cents per gallon on the sale of cider at wholesale in the county, or mills per cigarette on the sale of cigarettes at wholesale in the county), for ...... years?

For an election in which questions under this section or section 4301.421 or 5743.024 of the Revised Code are joined as a single question, the form of the ballot shall be as above, except each of the proposed taxes shall be listed.

(D) The board of county commissioners of a county in which a tax is imposed under this section on July 19, 1995, may levy a tax for the purpose of section 307.673 of the Revised Code regardless of whether or not the cooperative agreement authorized under that section has been entered into prior to the day the resolution adopted under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section is adopted, and for the purpose of reimbursing a county for costs incurred in the construction of a sports facility pursuant to an agreement entered into by the county under section 307.696 of the Revised Code. The tax shall be levied and approved in one of the manners prescribed by division (D)(1) or (2) of this section.

(1) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than forty-five days after July 19, 1995. A board of county commissioners approving a tax under division (D)(1) of this section may approve a tax under division (B)(1) of section 4301.421 or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code at the same time. Subject to the resolution being submitted to a referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, the resolution shall take effect immediately, but the tax levied pursuant to the resolution shall not be levied prior to the day following the last day the tax levied pursuant to divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section may be levied.

(2) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than forty-five days after July 19, 1995, and approved by a majority of the electors of the county voting on the question of levying the tax at the next succeeding general election following July 19, 1995. The board of county commissioners shall certify a copy of the resolution to the board of elections immediately upon adopting a resolution under division (D)(2) of this section, and the board of elections shall place the question of levying the tax on the ballot at that election. The form of the ballot shall be as prescribed by division (C) of this section, except that the phrase "paying not more than one-half of the costs of providing a sports facility together with related redevelopment and economic development projects" shall be replaced by the phrase "paying the costs of constructing or renovating a sports facility and reimbursing a county for costs incurred by the county in the construction of a sports facility," and the phrase ", beginning .......... (here insert the earliest date the tax would take effect)" shall be appended after "years." A board of county commissioners submitting the question of a tax under division (D)(2) of this section may submit the question of a tax under division (B)(2) of section 4301.421 or division (C)(2) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code as a single question, and the form of the ballot shall include each of the proposed taxes.

If approved by a majority of electors voting on the question, the tax shall take effect on the day specified on the ballot, which shall not be earlier than the day following the last day the tax levied pursuant to divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section may be levied.

The rate of a tax levied pursuant to division (D)(1) or (2) of this section shall not exceed the rate specified in division (A) of this section. A tax levied pursuant to division (D)(1) or (2) of this section may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty.

A board of county commissioners adopting a resolution under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section shall certify a copy of the resolution to the division of liquor control immediately upon adoption of the resolution.

(E) No tax shall be levied under this section on or after the effective date of the amendment of this section by the capital appropriations act of the 127th general assembly September 23, 2008. This division does not prevent the collection of any tax levied under this section before that date so long as that tax remains effective.

Sec. 307.791.  The question of repeal of a county sediment control rule adopted under section 307.79 of the Revised Code may be initiated by filing with the board of elections of the county not less than seventy-five ninety days before the general or primary election in any year a petition requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall be signed by qualified electors residing in the county equal in number to ten per cent of those voting for governor at the most recent gubernatorial election in the county.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county at the next general or primary election. The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections for county offices in the county. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose, time, and place of the election and the complete text of each rule sought to be repealed. The form of the ballot cast at such election shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The question covered by such petition shall be submitted as a separate proposition, but it may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal, the result of the election shall be certified immediately after the canvass by the board of elections to the board of county commissioners, who shall thereupon rescind the rule.

Sec. 307.94.  Electors of a county, equal in number to ten per cent of the number who voted for governor in the county at the most recent gubernatorial election, may file, not later than one hundred ten days before the date of a general election, a petition with the board of county commissioners asking that the question of the adoption of a county charter in the form attached to the petition be submitted to the electors of the county. The petition shall be available for public inspection at the offices of the county commissioners during regular business hours until four p.m. of the ninety-sixth one hundred eleventh day before the election, at which time the board shall, by resolution, certify the petition to the board of elections of the county for submission to the electors of the county, unless the signatures are insufficient or the petitions otherwise invalid, at the next general election.

Such electors may, in the alternative not later than the one hundred fifteenth thirtieth day before the date of a general election, file such a petition with the board of elections of the county. In such case the board of elections shall immediately proceed to determine whether the petition and the signatures on the petition meet the requirements of law and to count the number of valid signatures and to note opposite each invalid signature the reason for the invalidity. The board of elections shall complete its examination of the petition and the signatures and shall submit a report to the board of county commissioners not later than the one hundred fifth twentieth day before the date of the general election certifying whether the petition is valid or invalid and, if invalid, the reasons for invalidity, whether there are sufficient valid signatures, and the number of valid and invalid signatures. The petition and a copy of the report to the board of county commissioners shall be available for public inspection at the board of elections. If the petition is certified by the board of elections to be valid and to have sufficient valid signatures, the board of county commissioners shall forthwith and not later than four p.m. on the ninety-sixth one hundred eleventh day before the general election, by resolution, certify the petition to the board of elections for submission to the electors of the county at the next general election. If the petition is certified by the board of elections to be invalid or to have insufficient valid signatures, or both, the petitioners' committee may protest such findings or solicit additional signatures as provided in section 307.95 of the Revised Code, or both, or request that the board of elections proceed to establish the validity or invalidity of the petition and the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures in an action before the court of common pleas in the county. Such action must be brought within three days after the request has been made, and the case shall be heard forthwith by a judge or such court whose decision shall be certified to the board of elections and to the board of county commissioners in sufficient time to permit the board of county commissioners to perform its duty to certify the petition, if it is determined by the court to be valid and contain sufficient valid signatures, to the board of elections not later than four p.m. on the ninety-sixth one hundred eleventh day prior to the general election for submission to the electors at such general election.

A county charter to be submitted to the voters by petition shall be considered to be attached to the petition if it is printed as a part of the petition. A county charter petition may consist of any number of separate petition papers. Each part shall have attached a copy of the charter to be submitted to the electors, and each part shall otherwise meet all the requirements of law for a county charter petition. Section 3501.38 of the Revised Code applies to county charter petitions.

The petitioners shall designate in the petition the names and addresses of a committee of not fewer than three nor more than five persons who will represent them in all matters relating to the petition. Notice of all matters or proceedings pertaining to such petitions may be served on the committee, or any of them, either personally or by certified mail, or by leaving it at the usual place of residence of each of them.

Sec. 307.95.  (A) When a county charter petition has been certified to the board of elections pursuant to section 307.94 of the Revised Code, the board shall immediately proceed to determine whether the petition and the signatures on the petition meet the requirements of law, including section 3501.38 of the Revised Code, and to count the number of valid signatures. The board shall note opposite each invalid signature the reason for the invalidity. The board shall complete its examination of the petition and the signatures not later than ten days after receipt of the petition certified by the board of county commissioners and shall submit a report to the board of county commissioners not less than eighty-five one hundred days before the election certifying whether the petition is valid or invalid and, if invalid, the reasons for the invalidity, whether there are sufficient valid signatures, and the number of valid and invalid signatures. The petition and a copy of the report to the board of county commissioners shall be available for public inspection at the board of elections. If the petition is determined by the board of elections to be valid but the number of valid signatures is insufficient, the board of county commissioners shall immediately notify the committee for the petitioners, who may solicit and file additional signatures to the petition pursuant to division (E) of this section or protest the board of election's findings pursuant to division (B) of this section, or both.

(B) Protests against the board of election's findings concerning the validity or invalidity of a county charter petition or any signature on such petition may be filed by any elector eligible to vote at the next general election with the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the eighty-second ninety-seventh day before the election. Each protest shall identify the part of, or omission from, the petition or the signature or signatures to which the protest is directed, and shall set forth specifically the reason for the protest. A protest must be in writing, signed by the elector making the protest, and shall include the protestor's address. Each protest shall be filed in duplicate.

(C) The board of elections shall deliver or mail be certified mail one copy of each protest filed with it to the secretary of state. The secretary of state, within ten days after receipt of the protests, shall determine the validity or invalidity of the petition and the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures. The secretary of state may determine whether to permit matters not raised by protest to be considered in determining such validity or invalidity or sufficiency or insufficiency, and may conduct hearings, either in Columbus or in the county where the county charter petition is filed. The determination by the secretary of state is final.

(D) The secretary of state shall notify the board of elections of the determination of the validity or invalidity of the petition and sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures not later than four p.m. of the seventy-first eighty-first day before the election. If the petition is determined to be valid and to contain sufficient valid signatures, the charter shall be placed on the ballot at the next general election. If the petition is determined to be invalid, the secretary of state shall so notify the board of county commissioners and the board of county commissioners shall notify the committee. If the petition is determined by the secretary of state to be valid but the number of valid signatures is insufficient, the board of elections shall immediately notify the committee for the petitioners and the committee shall be allowed ten additional days after such notification to solicit and file additional signatures to the petition subject to division (E) of this section.

(E) All additional signatures solicited pursuant to division (A) or (D) of this section shall be filed with the board of elections not less than sixty seventy days before the election. The board of elections shall examine and determine the validity or invalidity of the additional separate petition papers and of the signatures thereon, and its determination is final. No valid signature on an additional separate petition paper that is the same as a valid signature on an original separate petition paper shall be counted. The number of valid signatures on the original separate petition papers and the additional separate petition papers shall be added together to determine whether there are sufficient valid signatures. If the number of valid signatures is sufficient and the additional separate petition papers otherwise valid, the charter shall be placed on the ballot at the next general election. If not, the board of elections shall notify the county commissioners, and the commissioners shall notify the committee.

Sec. 322.02.  (A) For the purpose of paying the costs of enforcing and administering the tax and providing additional general revenue for the county, any county may levy and collect a tax to be known as the real property transfer tax on each deed conveying real property or any interest in real property located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the county at a rate not to exceed thirty cents per hundred dollars for each one hundred dollars or fraction thereof of the value of the real property or interest in real property located within the boundaries of the county granted, assigned, transferred, or otherwise conveyed by the deed. The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of county commissioners of the county and, except as provided in division (A) of section 322.07 of the Revised Code, shall be levied at a uniform rate upon all deeds as defined in dividion division (D) of section 322.01 of the Revised Code. Prior to the adoption of any such resolution, the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of the hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks, the second publication being not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing. The tax shall be levied upon the grantor named in the deed and shall be paid by the grantor for the use of the county to the county auditor at the time of the delivery of the deed as provided in section 319.202 of the Revised Code and prior to the presentation of the deed to the recorder of the county for recording.

(B) No resolution levying a real property transfer tax pursuant to this section or a manufactured home transfer tax pursuant to section 322.06 of the Revised Code shall be effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption. Such a resolution is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, unless the resolution is adopted as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, in which case it shall go into immediate effect. An emergency measure must receive an affirmative vote of all of the members of the board of commissioners, and shall state the reasons for the necessity. A resolution may direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election in the county occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the resolution is certified to the board. No such resolution shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

Sec. 322.021.  The question of a repeal of a county permissive tax adopted as an emergency measure pursuant to division (B) of section 322.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated by filing with the board of elections of the county not less than seventy-five ninety days before the general election in any year a petition requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall be signed by qualified electors residing in the county equal in number to ten per cent of those voting for governor at the most recent gubernatorial election.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county at the next general election. The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections for county offices in the county. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the district once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose, time, and place of the election. The form of the ballot cast at such election shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The question covered by such petition shall be submitted as a separate proposition, but it may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal, the result of the election shall be certified immediately after the canvass by the board of elections to the board of county commissioners, who shall thereupon, after the current year, cease to levy the tax.

Sec. 324.02.  For the purpose of providing additional general revenues for the county and paying the expense of administering such levy, any county may levy a county excise tax to be known as the utilities service tax on the charge for every utility service to customers within the county at a rate not to exceed two per cent of such charge. On utility service to customers engaged in business, the tax shall be imposed at a rate of one hundred fifty per cent of the rate imposed upon all other consumers within the county. The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of county commissioners of the county and shall be levied at uniform rates required by this section upon all charges for utility service except as provided in section 324.03 of the Revised Code. The tax shall be levied upon the customer and shall be paid by the customer to the utility supplying the service at the time the customer pays the utility for the service. If the charge for utility service is billed to a person other than the customer at the request of such person, the tax commissioner of the state may, in accordance with section 324.04 of the Revised Code, provide for the levy of the tax against and the payment of the tax by such other person. Each utility furnishing a utility service the charge for which is subject to the tax shall set forth the tax as a separate item on each bill or statement rendered to the customer.

Prior to the adoption of any resolution levying a utilities service tax the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of such hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks, the second publication being not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing. No resolution levying a utilities service tax pursuant to this section of the Revised Code shall be effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption and such resolution is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, unless such resolution is adopted as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, in which case it shall go into immediate effect. Such emergency measure must receive an affirmative vote of all of the members of the board of commissioners, and shall state the reasons for such necessity. A resolution may direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election in the county occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after such resolution is certified to the board. No such resolution shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it. The tax levied by such resolution shall apply to all bills rendered subsequent to the sixtieth day after the effective date of the resolution. No bills shall be rendered out of the ordinary course of business to avoid payment of the tax.

Sec. 324.021.  The question of repeal of a county permissive tax adopted as an emergency measure pursuant to section 324.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated by filing with the board of elections of the county not less than seventy-five ninety days before the general election in any year a petition requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall be signed by qualified electors residing in the county equal in number to ten per cent of those voting for governor at the most recent gubernatorial election.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county at the next general election. The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections for county offices in the county. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the district once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose, time, and place of the election. The form of the ballot cast at such election shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The question covered by such petition shall be submitted as a separate proposition, but it may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal, the result of the election shall be certified immediately after the canvass by the board of elections to the board of county commissioners, who shall thereupon, after the current year, cease to levy the tax.

Sec. 345.03.  A copy of any resolution adopted under section 345.01 of the Revised Code shall be certified within five days by the taxing authority and not later than four p. m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election, to the county board of elections, and such board shall submit the proposal to the electors of the subdivision at the succeeding general election. The board shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of such question to the electors of the subdivision, and the election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in like manner as regular elections in such subdivision.

Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the subdivision, at least once, not less than two weeks prior to such election. The notice shall set out the purpose of the proposed increase in rate, the amount of the increase expressed in dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of valuation as well as in mills for each one dollar of property valuation, the number of years during which such increase will be in effect, and the time and place of holding such election.

Sec. 351.26.  (A) The board of directors of a convention facilities authority may adopt a resolution requesting the board of county commissioners of the county in which the convention facilities authority has its territory to propose the question of a tax to be levied pursuant to this section and section 4301.424 or sections 5743.026 and 5743.324 of the Revised Code for the purpose of construction or renovation of a sports facility. The board of directors shall certify a copy of the resolution to the board of county commissioners not later than ninety one hundred five days prior to the day of the election at which the board of directors requests the board of county commissioners to submit the question of the tax. The resolution shall state the rate at which the tax would be levied, the purpose for which the tax would be levied, the number of years the tax would be levied, the section of the Revised Code under which the tax would be levied, and the date of the election at which the board of directors requests the board of county commissioners to submit the question of the tax, all of which are subject to the limitations of this section and section 4301.424 or sections 5743.026 and 5743.324 of the Revised Code.

Upon receiving a copy of such a resolution from the board of directors, the board of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution either approving or rejecting the proposal, and certify a copy of its resolution to the board of directors. If the board of county commissioners approves the proposal, the board of county commissioners shall propose the question of levying a tax pursuant to section 4301.424 of the Revised Code or pursuant to sections 5743.026 and 5743.324 of the Revised Code, as specified in the board of directors' resolution, for the purpose of construction or renovation of a sports facility.

(B) The form of the ballot in an election held on the question of levying a tax proposed pursuant to section 4301.424 or 5743.026 of the Revised Code shall be as follows or in any other form acceptable to the secretary of state:

"For the purpose of paying the costs of .......... (constructing or renovating) a sports facility, shall (an) excise tax(es) be levied by the .......... county for the convention facilities authority of .......... county at the rate of ...... (dollars on each gallon of spirituous liquor sold in the county by the Ohio division of liquor control, cents per gallon on the sale of beer at wholesale in the county, cents per gallon on the sale of wine and mixed beverages at wholesale in the county, or mills per cigarette on the sale of cigarettes at wholesale in the county), for ...... years?

For an election in which questions under section 4301.424 or 5743.026 of the Revised Code are joined as a single question, the form of the ballot shall be as above, except each of the proposed taxes shall be listed.

(C) No tax shall be levied under this section on or after the effective date of the amendment of this section by the capital appropriations act of the 127th general assembly September 23, 2008. This division does not prevent the collection of any tax levied under this section before that date so long as that tax remains effective.

Sec. 503.02.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of county commissioners may change the boundaries of any civil township, or partition any township among other townships within the county, by attaching a part of one township to another, by dividing one township and attaching the parts to other townships, or by laying off and designating a new township from the territory of one or more townships of the same county or from territory not before included in a civil township, when it is made to appear necessary or expedient by a petition for that purpose, signed by a majority of the electors residing within the bounds of the townships to be affected by the partition or division, as determined by the number of votes cast in those townships for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office.

If the board receives a petition to partition a township that has adopted a limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code, signed by a majority of the electors residing in that township, the board shall certify the question of whether or not the township shall remain intact to the board of elections. The board of elections shall determine the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition and, if there are enough valid signatures, shall place the question on the ballot at a special election to be held on the day of the next general or primary election in the township occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the petition is filed, for a vote of the electors within that township. If a majority of those voting vote against keeping the township intact, the board of county commissioners shall proceed to partition the township. If a majority of those voting vote for keeping the township intact, the board of county commissioners shall not partition the township and shall deny the petition.

(B) If a township is divided or partitioned under this section, the board of county commissioners shall apportion the funds in the township's treasury to the township to which portions of the divided or partitioned township are attached, or to the new townships established. This apportionment may take into account the taxable property valuation, population, or size of the portions created by the division or partition, as well as any other readily ascertainable criteria.

Sec. 503.161.  (A) A board of township trustees, by a unanimous vote, may adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township the question of whether the township's name should be changed.

(B) The electors of the unincorporated area of a township may petition the board of township trustees to adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors the question of whether the township's name should be changed. Upon receipt of a petition signed by twenty per cent of the electors of the unincorporated area of the township, as determined by the total number of votes cast in that area for the office of governor at the preceding general election for that office, the board of township trustees shall adopt such a resolution.

(C) The question of whether the township's name should be changed shall be voted upon at the next primary or general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution adopted under division (A) or (B) of this section to the board of elections.

Sec. 503.24.  If there is a vacancy by reason of the nonacceptance, death, or removal of a person chosen to an office in any township at the regular election, or if there is a vacancy from any other cause, the board of township trustees shall appoint a person having the qualifications of an elector to fill such vacancy for the unexpired term or until a successor is elected.

If a township is without a board or if no appointment is made within thirty days after the occurrence of a vacancy, a majority of the persons designated as the committee of five on the last-filed nominating petition of the township officer whose vacancy is to be filled who are residents of the township shall appoint a person having the qualifications of an elector to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term or until a successor is elected. If at least three of the committee members who are residents of the township cannot be found, or if that number of such members fails to make an appointment within ten days after the thirty-day period in which the board of township trustees is authorized to make an appointment, then the presiding probate judge of the county shall appoint a suitable person having the qualifications of an elector in the township to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term or until a successor is elected.

If a vacancy occurs in a township elective office more than forty fifty days before the next general election for municipal and township officers a successor shall be chosen at that election to fill the unexpired term, provided the term does not expire within one year from the day of the election. If the term expires within one year from the day of the next general election for municipal and township officers, a successor appointed pursuant to this section shall serve out the unexpired term.

Sec. 503.41.  (A) A board of township trustees, by resolution, may regulate and require the registration of massage establishments and their employees within the unincorporated territory of the township. In accordance with sections 503.40 to 503.49 of the Revised Code, for that purpose, the board, by a majority vote of all members, may adopt, amend, administer, and enforce regulations within the unincorporated territory of the township.

(B) A board may adopt regulations and amendments under this section only after public hearing at not fewer than two regular sessions of the board. The board shall cause to be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the township notice of the public hearings, including the time, date, and place, once a week for two weeks immediately preceding the hearings. The board shall make available proposed regulations or amendments to the public at the office of the board.

(C) Regulations or amendments adopted by the board are effective thirty days after the date of adoption unless, within thirty days after the adoption of the regulations or amendments, the township fiscal officer receives a petition, signed by a number of qualified electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township equal to not less than ten per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the board to submit the regulations or amendments to the electors of the area for approval or rejection at the next primary or general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the board receives the petition.

No regulation or amendment for which the referendum vote has been requested is effective unless a majority of the vote votes cast on the issue is in favor of the regulation or amendment. Upon certification by the board of elections that a majority of the votes cast on the issue was in favor of the regulation or amendment, the regulation or amendment takes immediate effect.

(D) The board shall make available regulations it adopts or amends to the public at the office of the board and shall cause to be published a notice of the availability of the regulations in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the township within ten days after their adoption or amendment.

(E) Nothing in sections 503.40 to 503.49 of the Revised Code shall be construed to allow a board of township trustees to regulate the practice of any limited branch of medicine specified in section 4731.15 of the Revised Code or the practice of providing therapeutic massage by a licensed physician, a licensed chiropractor, a licensed podiatrist, a licensed nurse, or any other licensed health professional. As used in this division, "licensed" means licensed, certified, or registered to practice in this state.

Sec. 504.01.  A township that meets the qualifications of this section may adopt a limited home rule government in the manner provided in this section.

(A)(1) If a township has a population of at least three thousand five hundred but less than five thousand in the unincorporated territory of the township, a limited home rule government under which the township exercises limited powers of local self-government and limited police powers may be adopted if all the following apply:

(a) The electors of the unincorporated territory of the township petition the board of township trustees to adopt limited home rule government;

(b) The petition has been signed by ten per cent of the electors of the unincorporated territory of the township, as determined by the total number of votes cast in that territory for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office;

(c) The board of township trustees appoints a township administrator under division (A)(2) of section 505.031 of the Revised Code; and

(d) The total amount certified in the official certificate of estimated resources or in an amended official certificate of estimated resources for the township under section 5705.36 of the Revised Code is at least three million five hundred thousand dollars for the most recently concluded fiscal year.

If the conditions enumerated in this division have been met, the board shall adopt and certify to the board of elections a resolution directing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated territory the question whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after certification of the resolution to the board of elections.

(2) If a township has a population of at least five thousand but less than fifteen thousand in the unincorporated territory of the township, the board of township trustees, by a majority vote, may adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township the question of whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government under which it exercises limited powers of local self-government and limited police powers, as authorized by this chapter. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after certification of the resolution to the board of elections.

(3) If a township has a population of fifteen thousand or more in the unincorporated territory of the township, the board of township trustees, after at least one public hearing, may do either of the following:

(a) By a unanimous vote, adopt a resolution establishing a limited home rule government under which the township exercises limited powers of local self-government and limited police powers as authorized by this chapter. The resolution shall become effective thirty days after the date of its adoption unless within that thirty-day period there is presented to the board of township trustees a petition, signed by a number of registered electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township equal to at least ten per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in that area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the board of township trustees to submit the question of establishing a limited home rule government to the electors of that area for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the petition is presented. Each part of the petition shall meet the requirements specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code. Upon timely receipt of the petition, the board of township trustees shall adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township the question of whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government.

(b) By a majority vote, adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township the question of whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government under which it exercises limited powers of local self-government and limited police powers, as authorized by this chapter. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after certification of the resolution to the board of elections.

(4) If a township meets the population requirements of division (A)(2) or (3) of this section, the electors of the unincorporated area of the township may petition the board of township trustees to adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors the question of whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government. Upon receipt of a petition signed by ten per cent of the electors of the unincorporated area of the township, as determined by the total number of votes cast in that area for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office, the board of township trustees shall adopt the resolution. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections.

(B) If the population of the unincorporated territory of any township that adopts a limited home rule government under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section is fifteen thousand or more, the township shall be called an "urban township."

(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(1) of this section, townships with a population of less than five thousand in the unincorporated territory of the township are not permitted to adopt a limited home rule government.

Sec. 504.03.  (A)(1) If a limited home rule government is adopted pursuant to section 504.02 of the Revised Code, it shall remain in effect for at least three years except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section. At the end of that period, if the board of township trustees determines that that government is not in the best interests of the township, it may adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township the question of whether the township should continue the limited home rule government. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. After certification of the resolution, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the unincorporated area of the township, and the ballot language shall be substantially as follows:

"Shall the township of ........... (name) continue the limited home rule government under which it is operating?

(2)(a) At least forty-five days before the election on the question of continuing the limited home rule government, the board of township trustees shall have notice of the election published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for two consecutive weeks and have the notice posted in five conspicuous places in the unincorporated area of the township.

(b) If a board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election shall be posted on that web site for at least thirty days before the election on the question of continuing the limited home rule government.

(B) The electors of a township that has adopted a limited home rule government may propose at any time by initiative petition, in accordance with section 504.14 of the Revised Code, a resolution submitting to the electors in the unincorporated area of the township, in an election, the question set forth in division (A)(1) of this section.

(C) If a majority of the votes cast under division (A) or (B) of this section on the proposition of continuing the limited home rule government is in the negative, that government is terminated effective on the first day of January immediately following the election, and a limited home rule government shall not be adopted in the unincorporated area of the township pursuant to section 504.02 of the Revised Code for at least three years after that date.

(D) If a limited home rule government is terminated under this section, the board of township trustees immediately shall adopt a resolution repealing all resolutions adopted pursuant to this chapter that are not authorized by any other section of the Revised Code outside this chapter, effective on the first day of January immediately following the election described in division (A) or (B) of this section. However, no resolution adopted under this division shall affect or impair the obligations of the township under any security issued or contracts entered into by the township in connection with the financing of any water supply facility or sewer improvement under sections 504.18 to 504.20 of the Revised Code or the authority of the township to collect or enforce any assessments or other revenues constituting security for or source of payments of debt service charges of those securities.

(E) Upon the termination of a limited home rule government under this section, if the township had converted its board of township trustees to a five-member board before September 26, 2003, the current board member who received the lowest number of votes of the current board members who were elected at the most recent election for township trustees, and the current board member who received the lowest number of votes of the current board members who were elected at the second most recent election for township trustees, shall cease to be township trustees on the date that the limited home rule government terminates. Their offices likewise shall cease to exist at that time, and the board shall continue as a three-member board as provided in section 505.01 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 505.13.  The board of township trustees of a township which is composed in whole or in part of islands, accessible from the mainland only by watercraft, may purchase and operate, and may let for hire, a scow or lighter of sufficient tonnage to carry stone and other road building material, equipped with or without a proper crane or loading device, and for such purpose the board may levy a tax upon all the taxable property in the township, in such amount as it determines.

The question of levying such tax shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the township at a general election. The trustees shall certify such resolution to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. Twenty days' notice thereof shall be previously given by posting in at least three public places in the township. Such notice shall state specifically the amount to be raised and the purpose thereof. If a majority of all the votes cast at such election upon the proposition is in favor thereof, the tax provided for is authorized.

Sec. 505.14.  The board of township trustees of a township described in section 505.13 of the Revised Code, which, for any reason, is inaccessible from the mainland at some time of the year, may construct, acquire, purchase, lease, and maintain a house as the residence of a resident physician, when, in the opinion of a majority of the members of such board, it is necessary for the maintenance of the public health and welfare.

For the maintenance, construction, acquisition, purchase, or least lease of such a house the board may levy a tax upon all the taxable property in the township, in such amount as it determines.

The question of levying such a tax shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the township at a general or special election. The trustees shall certify such resolution to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. Twenty days' notice thereof shall be previously given by posting in at least three public places in the township. Such notice shall state specifically the amount to be raised and the purpose thereof. If a majority of all votes cast at such election upon the proposition is in favor thereof, the tax provided for is authorized.

Upon the authorization of such tax levy the board may issue notes in anticipation of such revenues, to mature in not more than two years from the date of issue, and to bear interest at not more than four per cent per annum.

Sec. 511.01.  If, in a township, a town hall is to be built, improved, enlarged, or removed at a cost greater than ten thousand dollars, the board of township trustees shall submit the question to the electors of such township and shall certify their resolution to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election.

Sec. 511.22.  The board of township trustees shall direct the township fiscal officer to file a written notice, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election, with the board of elections having charge of the preparation of official ballots, that an election will be held as provided in section 511.21 of the Revised Code and that the following shall be printed on the ballot:

If a majority of the votes is in favor of the proposition, a park or parks shall be established for the township. If a majority of the votes cast is against the proposition, the board of park commissioners shall be abolished, and the board of township trustees shall provide for and pay all the proper expenses incurred by it.

Sec. 511.27.  (A) To defray the expenses of the township park district and for purchasing, appropriating, operating, maintaining, and improving lands for parks or recreational purposes, the board of park commissioners may levy a sufficient tax within the ten-mill limitation, not to exceed one mill on each dollar of valuation on all real and personal property within the township, and on all real and personal property within any municipal corporation that is within the township, that was within the township at the time that the park district was established, or the boundaries of which are coterminous with or include the township. The levy shall be over and above all other taxes and limitations on such property authorized by law.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, the board of park commissioners, not less than seventy-five ninety days before the day of the election, may declare by resolution that the amount of taxes that may be raised within the ten-mill limitation will be insufficient to provide an adequate amount for the necessary requirements of the district and that it is necessary to levy a tax in excess of that limitation for the use of the district. The resolution shall specify the purpose for which the taxes shall be used, the annual rate proposed, and the number of consecutive years the levy will be in effect. Upon the adoption of the resolution, the question of levying the taxes shall be submitted to the electors of the township and the electors of any municipal corporation that is within the township, that was within the township at the time that the park district was established, or the boundaries of which are coterminous with or include the township, at a special election to be held on whichever of the following occurs first:

(1) The day of the next ensuing general election;

(2) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of any calendar year, except that, if a presidential primary election is held in that calendar year, then the day of that election.

The rate submitted to the electors at any one election shall not exceed two mills annually upon each dollar of valuation. If a majority of the electors voting upon the question of the levy vote in favor of the levy, the tax shall be levied on all real and personal property within the township and on all real and personal property within any municipal corporation that is within the township, that was within the township at the time that the park district was established, or the boundaries of which are coterminous with or include the township, and the levy shall be over and above all other taxes and limitations on such property authorized by law.

(C) In any township park district that contains only unincorporated territory, if the township board of park commissioners is appointed by the board of township trustees, before a tax can be levied and certified to the county auditor pursuant to section 5705.34 of the Revised Code or before a resolution for a tax levy can be certified to the board of elections pursuant to section 511.28 of the Revised Code, the board of park commissioners shall receive approval for its levy request from the board of township trustees. The board of park commissioners shall adopt a resolution requesting the board of township trustees to approve the levy request, stating the annual rate of the proposed levy and the reason for the levy request. On receiving this request, the board of township trustees shall vote on whether to approve the request and, if a majority votes to approve it, shall issue a resolution approving the levy at the requested rate.

Sec. 511.28.  A copy of any resolution for a tax levy adopted by the township board of park commissioners as provided in section 511.27 of the Revised Code shall be certified by the clerk of the board of park commissioners to the board of elections of the proper county, together with a certified copy of the resolution approving the levy, passed by the board of township trustees if such a resolution is required by division (C) of section 511.27 of the Revised Code, not less than seventy-five ninety days before a general or primary election in any year. The board of elections shall submit the proposal to the electors as provided in section 511.27 of the Revised Code at the succeeding general or primary election. A resolution to renew an existing levy may not be placed on the ballot unless the question is submitted at the general election held during the last year the tax to be renewed may be extended on the real and public utility property tax list and duplicate, or at any election held in the ensuing year. The board of park commissioners shall cause notice that the vote will be taken to be published once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election in a newspaper of general circulation in the county within which the park district is located. Additionally, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, the board of elections shall post that notice on its web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose of the proposed levy, the annual rate proposed expressed in dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of valuation as well as in mills for each one dollar of valuation, the number of consecutive years during which the levy shall be in effect, and the time and place of the election.

The form of the ballots cast at the election shall be: "An additional tax for the benefit of (name of township park district) .......... for the purpose of (purpose stated in the order of the board) .......... at a rate not exceeding .......... mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to (rate expressed in dollars and cents) .......... for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for (number of years the levy is to run) ..........

If the levy submitted is a proposal to renew, increase, or decrease an existing levy, the form of the ballot specified in this section may be changed by substituting for the words "An additional" at the beginning of the form, the words "A renewal of a" in the case of a proposal to renew an existing levy in the same amount; the words "A renewal of .......... mills and an increase of .......... mills to constitute a" in the case of an increase; or the words "A renewal of part of an existing levy, being a reduction of .......... mills, to constitute a" in the case of a decrease in the rate of the existing levy.

If the tax is to be placed on the current tax list, the form of the ballot shall be modified by adding, after the statement of the number of years the levy is to run, the phrase ", commencing in .......... (first year the tax is to be levied), first due in calendar year .......... (first calendar year in which the tax shall be due)."

The question covered by the order shall be submitted as a separate proposition, but may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election, other than the election of officers. More than one such question may be submitted at the same election.

Sec. 511.33.  In paying any expenses of park management and of improvements authorized by section 511.32 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may appropriate and use for these purposes any funds in the township treasury then unappropriated for any other purpose. If there are no available funds in the treasury or an insufficient amount to pay for the desired park management and improvements in any year, the board may levy a tax in order to pay for the park management and improvements. The tax shall be levied upon all of the taxable property in the township and shall be certified, levied, and collected in the manner prescribed for the certification, levy, and collection of other township taxes. The money so raised shall be paid over to the township fiscal officer, and the fiscal officer shall pay the money out on the order of the board. If a sum greater than two thousand dollars is to be expended by the board for park management and improvement purposes in any one year, and the sum is not available from any unappropriated money in the township treasury, the question of levying the additional tax shall, before making a levy that will amount to more than two thousand dollars, be submitted to and approved by a majority of the electors of the township voting on the question. If the election is necessary, it shall be called at a regular meeting of the board, and the resolution shall be certified to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election.

Twenty days' notice of the election shall be given by the posting of notices of the election by the township fiscal officer in ten public places in the township, and provisions for holding the election shall be made by the board of elections upon receiving notice of the date and purpose of the election from the fiscal officer. This section and section 511.32 of the Revised Code do not repeal, affect, or modify any law relating to park commissioners, or prevent the appointment of park commissioners in the future.

Sec. 511.34.  In townships composed of islands, and on one of which islands lands have been conveyed in trust for the benefit of the inhabitants of the island for use as a park, and a board of park trustees has been provided for the control of the park, the board of township trustees may create a tax district of the island to raise funds by taxation as provided under divisions (A) and (B) of this section.

(A) For the care and maintenance of parks on the island, the board of township trustees annually may levy a tax, not to exceed one mill, upon all the taxable property in the district. The tax shall be in addition to all other levies authorized by law, and subject to no limitation on tax rates except as provided in this division.

The proceeds of the tax levy shall be expended by the board of township trustees for the purpose of the care and maintenance of the parks, and shall be paid out of the township treasury upon the orders of the board of park trustees.

(B) For the purpose of acquiring additional land for use as a park, the board of township trustees may levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation on all taxable property in the district. The tax shall be proposed by resolution adopted by two-thirds of the members of the board of township trustees. The resolution shall specify the purpose and rate of the tax and the number of years the tax will be levied, which shall not exceed five years, and which may include a levy on the current tax list and duplicate. The resolution shall go into immediate effect upon its passage, and no publication of the resolution is necessary other than that provided for in the notice of election. The board of township trustees shall certify a copy of the resolution to the proper board of elections not later than seventy-five ninety days before the primary or general election in the township, and the board of elections shall submit the question of the tax to the voters of the district at the succeeding primary or general election. The board of elections shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the district, and the election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections in the township for the election of officers. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose of the tax, the proposed rate of the tax expressed in dollars and cents for each one hundred dollars of valuation and mills for each one dollar of valuation, the number of years the tax will be in effect, the first year the tax will be levied, and the time and place of the election.

The form of the ballots cast at an election held under this division shall be as follows:

"An additional tax for the benefit of ......... (name of the township) for the purpose of acquiring additional park land at a rate of ......... mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to ........ (rate expressed in dollars and cents) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for ......... (number of years the levy is to run) beginning in ........... (first year the tax will be levied).

The question shall be submitted as a separate proposition but may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers. More than one such question may be submitted at the same election.

If the levy is approved by a majority of electors voting on the question, the board of elections shall certify the result of the election to the tax commissioner. In the first year of the levy, the tax shall be extended on the tax lists after the February settlement following the election. If the tax is to be placed on the tax lists of the current year as specified in the resolution, the board of elections shall certify the result of the election immediately after the canvass to the board of township trustees, which shall forthwith make the necessary levy and certify the levy to the county auditor, who shall extend the levy on the tax lists for collection. After the first year of the levy, the levy shall be included in the annual tax budget that is certified to the county budget commission.

Sec. 513.06.  Upon the execution of the agreement provided for in section 513.05 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees shall submit the question of the ratification of such agreement to the electors of the township at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. If the sums to be paid by the township under such agreement are not available from current general revenue of such township, the board shall also submit to the electors, at the same election, the question of the issue of bonds of the township, in the amount specified in such agreement, for the purpose of providing funds for the payment thereof. The proceedings in the matter of such election and in the issuance and sale of such bonds shall be as provided by Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. Such agreement shall not be effective, and no bonds shall be issued, unless the electors approve both the agreement and the bond issue, if the question of the issue of bonds is submitted.

Sec. 513.13.  The board of elections of the county in which a joint township hospital district, or the most populous portion of such district, lies shall, by resolution approved by a two-thirds vote of the joint township district hospital board, place upon the ballot for submission to the electorate of such district, at the next primary or general election, occurring not less than seventy-five ninety nor more than one hundred twenty thirty-five days after the request is received from such joint township district hospital board, the question of levying a tax, not to exceed one mill outside the ten-mill limitation, for a period not to exceed five years, to provide funds for the payment of necessary expenses incurred in the operation of hospital facilities or, if required by agreement made under section 140.03 of the Revised Code, for costs of hospital facilities or current operating expenses of hospital facilities, or both. Such resolution shall be certified to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. If a majority of the electors in such district voting on the proposition, vote in favor thereof, the county auditor of each county in which such district lies shall annually place a levy on the tax duplicate against the property in such district, in the amount required by the joint board of trustees of the district, but not to exceed one mill.

Sec. 513.18.  In the event any township, contiguous to a joint township hospital district, desires to become a part of such district in existence under sections 513.07 to 513.18 of the Revised Code, its board of township trustees, by a two-thirds favorable vote of the members of such board, after the existing joint township hospital board has, by a majority favorable vote of the members thereof, approved the terms under which such township proposes to join the district, shall become a part of the joint township district hospital board under such terms and with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities enjoyed by and extended to the existing members of the hospital board under such sections, including representation on the board of hospital governors by the appointment of an elector of such township as a member thereof. If the terms under which such township proposes to join the hospital district involve a tax levy for the purpose of sharing the existing obligations, including bonded indebtedness, of the district or the necessary operating expenses of such hospital, such township shall not become a part of the district until its electors have approved such levy as provided in this section.

Upon request of the board of township trustees of the township proposing to join such district, by resolution approved by a two-thirds vote of its members, the board of elections of the county in which the township lies shall place upon the ballot for submission to the electorate of such township at the next primary or general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety nor more than one hundred twenty thirty-five days after such request is received from the board of township trustees the question of levying a tax, not to exceed one mill outside the ten-mill limitation, for a period of not to exceed five years, to provide funds for the payment of the township's share of the necessary expenses incurred in the operation of such hospital, or the question of levying a tax to pay the township's share of the existing obligations, including bonded indebtedness, of the district, or both questions may be submitted at the same primary or general election. If a majority of the electors voting on the propositions vote in favor thereof, the county auditor shall place such levies on the tax duplicate against the property in the township, which township shall thereby become a part of said joint township hospital district.

Sec. 517.05.  On the making of an order or the filing of an application as provided by section 517.04 of the Revised Code, the township fiscal officer shall certify the order or application to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election, and, at least twenty days before an election, the fiscal officer shall post written notices in at least three public places in the township that a vote will be taken on the question of the establishment of a cemetery. If a majority of the votes cast at the election on the proposition is in favor of establishing a cemetery, the board of township trustees shall procure the lands for that purpose and levy taxes as provided by section 517.03 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 519.11.  If the zoning resolution is adopted by the board of township trustees, such board shall cause the question of whether or not the proposed plan of zoning shall be put into effect to be submitted to the electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township included in the proposed plan of zoning for their approval or rejection at the next primary or general election, or a special election may be called for this purpose. Such resolution shall be filed with the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. No zoning regulations shall be put into effect unless a majority of the vote cast on the issue is in favor of the proposed plan of zoning. Upon certification by the board of elections the resolution shall take immediate effect, if the plan was so approved.

Within five working days after the resolution's effective date, the board of township trustees shall file it, including text and maps, in the office of the county recorder. The board shall also file duplicates of the same documents with the regional or county planning commission, if one exists, within the same period.

The board shall file all resolutions, including text and maps, that are in effect on January 1, 1992, in the office of the county recorder within thirty working days after that date. The board shall also file duplicates of the same documents with the regional or county planning commission, if one exists, within the same period.

The failure to file a resolution, or any text and maps, or duplicates of any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder or the county or regional planning commission as required by this section does not invalidate the resolution and is not grounds for an appeal of any decision of the board of zoning appeals.

Sec. 519.12.  (A)(1) Amendments to the zoning resolution may be initiated by motion of the township zoning commission, by the passage of a resolution by the board of township trustees, or by the filing of an application by one or more of the owners or lessees of property within the area proposed to be changed or affected by the proposed amendment with the township zoning commission. The board of township trustees may require that the owner or lessee of property filing an application to amend the zoning resolution pay a fee to defray the cost of advertising, mailing, filing with the county recorder, and other expenses. If the board of township trustees requires such a fee, it shall be required generally, for each application. The board of township trustees, upon the passage of such a resolution, shall certify it to the township zoning commission.

(2) Upon the adoption of a motion by the township zoning commission, the certification of a resolution by the board of township trustees to the commission, or the filing of an application by property owners or lessees as described in division (A)(1) of this section with the commission, the commission shall set a date for a public hearing, which date shall not be less than twenty nor more than forty days from the date of the certification of such a resolution, the date of adoption of such a motion, or the date of the filing of such an application. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the commission by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the township at least ten days before the date of the hearing.

(B) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land, as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, written notice of the hearing shall be mailed by the township zoning commission, by first class mail, at least ten days before the date of the public hearing to all owners of property within and contiguous to and directly across the street from the area proposed to be rezoned or redistricted to the addresses of those owners appearing on the county auditor's current tax list. The failure of delivery of that notice shall not invalidate any such amendment.

(C) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published and mailed notices shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the township zoning commission that will be conducting the hearing;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, resolution, or application is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of those properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax list;

(4) The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5) The time and place where the motion, resolution, or application proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7) A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter will be submitted to the board of township trustees for its action;

(8) Any other information requested by the commission.

(D) If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution, or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the township zoning commission that will be conducting the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(4) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication;

(5) A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter will be submitted to the board of township trustees for its action;

(6) Any other information requested by the commission.

(E) Within five days after the adoption of the motion described in division (A) of this section, the certification of the resolution described in division (A) of this section, or the filing of the application described in division (A) of this section, the township zoning commission shall transmit a copy of it together with text and map pertaining to it to the county or regional planning commission, if there is such a commission.

The county or regional planning commission shall recommend the approval or denial of the proposed amendment or the approval of some modification of it and shall submit its recommendation to the township zoning commission. The recommendation shall be considered at the public hearing held by the township zoning commission on the proposed amendment.

The township zoning commission, within thirty days after the hearing, shall recommend the approval or denial of the proposed amendment, or the approval of some modification of it, and submit that recommendation together with the motion, application, or resolution involved, the text and map pertaining to the proposed amendment, and the recommendation of the county or regional planning commission on it to the board of township trustees.

The board of township trustees, upon receipt of that recommendation, shall set a time for a public hearing on the proposed amendment, which date shall not be more than thirty days from the date of the receipt of that recommendation. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the board by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the township, at least ten days before the date of the hearing.

(F) If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the board of township trustees that will be conducting the hearing;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of those properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax list;

(4) The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5) The time and place where the motion, application, or resolution proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7) Any other information requested by the board.

(G) If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution, or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1) The name of the board of township trustees that will be conducting the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2) A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3) The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(4) The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing by publication;

(5) Any other information requested by the board.

(H) Within twenty days after its public hearing, the board of township trustees shall either adopt or deny the recommendations of the township zoning commission or adopt some modification of them. If the board denies or modifies the commission's recommendations, a majority vote of the board shall be required.

The proposed amendment, if adopted by the board, shall become effective in thirty days after the date of its adoption, unless, within thirty days after the adoption, there is presented to the board of township trustees a petition, signed by a number of registered electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township or part of that unincorporated area included in the zoning plan equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in that area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the board of township trustees to submit the amendment to the electors of that area for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election that occurs at least seventy-five ninety days after the petition is filed. Each part of this petition shall contain the number and the full and correct title, if any, of the zoning amendment resolution, motion, or application, furnishing the name by which the amendment is known and a brief summary of its contents. In addition to meeting the requirements of this section, each petition shall be governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code.

The form of a petition calling for a zoning referendum and the statement of the circulator shall be substantially as follows:

(if the proposal is identified by a particular name or number, or both, these should be inserted here) .......................

A proposal to amend the zoning map of the unincorporated area of ............. Township, ................. County, Ohio, adopted .....(date)..... (followed by brief summary of the proposal).

To the Board of Township Trustees of ..................... Township, ................. County, Ohio:

We, the undersigned, being electors residing in the unincorporated area of ....................... Township, included within the ............. Township Zoning Plan, equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the area at the preceding general election at which a governor was elected, request the Board of Township Trustees to submit this amendment of the zoning resolution to the electors of ........................ Township residing within the unincorporated area of the township included in the .................. Township Zoning Resolution, for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day of the primary or general election to be held on .....(date)....., pursuant to section 519.12 of the Revised Code.

I, .............(name of circulator).........., declare under penalty of election falsification that I am an elector of the state of Ohio and reside at the address appearing below my signature; that I am the circulator of the foregoing part petition containing .......(number)....... signatures; that I have witnessed the affixing of every signature; that all signers were to the best of my knowledge and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of my knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose signature it purports to be or of an attorney in fact acting pursuant to section 3501.382 of the Revised Code.

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."

The petition shall be filed with the board of township trustees and shall be accompanied by an appropriate map of the area affected by the zoning proposal. Within two weeks after receiving a petition filed under this section, the board of township trustees shall certify the petition to the board of elections. A petition filed under this section shall be certified to the board of elections not less than seventy-five ninety days prior to the election at which the question is to be voted upon.

The board of elections shall determine the sufficiency and validity of each petition certified to it by a board of township trustees under this section. If the board of elections determines that a petition is sufficient and valid, the question shall be voted upon at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election that occurs at least seventy-five ninety days after the date the petition is filed with the board of township trustees, regardless of whether any election will be held to nominate or elect candidates on that day.

No amendment for which such a referendum vote has been requested shall be put into effect unless a majority of the vote cast on the issue is in favor of the amendment. Upon certification by the board of elections that the amendment has been approved by the voters, it shall take immediate effect.

Within five working days after an amendment's effective date, the board of township trustees shall file the text and maps of the amendment in the office of the county recorder and with the county or regional planning commission, if one exists.

The failure to file any amendment, or any text and maps, or duplicates of any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder or the county or regional planning commission as required by this section does not invalidate the amendment and is not grounds for an appeal of any decision of the board of zoning appeals.

Sec. 519.25.  In any township in which there is in force a plan of township zoning, the plan may be repealed by the board of township trustees in the following manner:

(A) The board may adopt a resolution upon its own initiative.

(B) The board shall adopt a resolution if there is presented to it a petition, similar in all relevant aspects to that prescribed in section 519.12 of the Revised Code, signed by a number of qualified electors residing in the unincorporated area of such township included in the zoning plan equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in such area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting that the question of whether or not the plan of zoning in effect in such township shall be repealed be submitted to the electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township included in the zoning plan at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or general election. The resolution adopted by the board of township trustees to cause such question to be submitted to the electors shall be certified to the board of elections not later than seventy-five ninety days prior to the day of election at which said question is to be voted upon. In the event a majority of the vote cast on such question in the township is in favor of repeal of zoning, then such regulations shall no longer be of any effect. Not more than one such election shall be held in any two calendar years.

Sec. 705.01.  Whenever electors of any municipal corporation, equal in number to ten per cent of those who voted at the last regular municipal election, file a petition with the board of elections of the county in which such municipal corporation is situated, asking that the question of organizing the municipal corporation under any one of the plans of government provided in sections 705.41 to 705.86 of the Revised Code, be submitted to the electors thereof, such board shall at once certify that fact to the legislative authority of the municipal corporation and the legislative authority shall, within thirty days, provide for submitting such question at a special election, to be held not less than seventy-five ninety days after the filing of such petition. Any such election shall be conducted in accordance with the general election laws except as otherwise provided in sections 705.01 to 705.92 of the Revised Code, and the legislative authority of any municipal corporation holding such an election shall appropriate whatever money is necessary for the proper conduct of such election.

Sec. 707.21.  The first election of officers for a municipal corporation organized under Chapter 707,. of the Revised Code shall be held at the time of the next regular municipal election if one occurs not less than one hundred five nor more than one hundred eighty days after the creation of the municipal corporation. Otherwise a special election shall be held. Such special election may be held on the day of a primary or general election or on a date set by the board of elections. Nominations of candidates for election to municipal office at a special election shall be made by nominating petition and shall be signed by not less than twenty-five qualified electors nor more than fifty qualified electors of the township or of the portion thereof which has been incorporated into such municipal corporation, and be filed with the board of elections not less than sixty ninety days before the day of the election.

Municipal officers elected at such special election shall hold office until the first day of January next after the first regular municipal election occurring not less than one hundred five days after the creation of such municipal corporation.

Sec. 709.29.  Within thirty days after filing the conditions of annexation as provided by section 709.28 of the Revised Code with the legislative authorities of the municipal corporations, the legislative authorities of both such municipal corporations shall order the question of annexation, upon the conditions contained in the report of such commissioners, to be submitted to a vote at the next regular election or primary election, occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the filing of such conditions with the board of elections.

Each ordinance shall prescribe the manner in which the submission shall be made and shall be published in its respective municipal corporation by posters or otherwise, for a period of at least twenty days, prior to the time fixed for the election, in such manner as the legislative authority deems most expedient, and a printed copy of such conditions shall be mailed to each voter of such municipal corporations, as shown by the registration books.

Sec. 709.39.  The freehold electors owning lands in any portion of a village, such portion being contiguous to an adjoining township, and comprising not less than one thousand five hundred acres of land, may file a petition with the board of elections in such county requesting that an election be held to obtain the opinion of the freehold electors owning lands and residing within such portion of the village upon the question of the detachment of the portion from such village, or, upon the question of the detachment of such portion from the village and the erection of such detached portion into a new township. Such petition shall contain:

(A) An accurate description of the territory sought to be detached;

(B) An accurate map or plat thereof;

(C) If the erection of a new township is also sought, the name proposed for such new township;

(D) The name of a person to act as agent of the petitioners;

(E) Signatures equal in number to fifteen per cent of the total number of votes cast at the last general election in such territory.

Within ten days after the filing of such petition with the board the board shall determine whether the petition conforms to this section. If it does not conform, no further action shall be taken thereon. If it does conform, the board shall order an election, as prayed for in the petition, which election shall be held at a convenient place within the territory sought to be detached, on a day named by the board, which day shall be not less than seventy-five ninety days thereafter. The board shall thereupon give ten days' notice of such election by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in such territory, and shall cause written or printed notices thereof to be posted in three or more public places in such territory. The election shall be conducted in the manner provided in Title XXXV of the Revised Code, and the judges and clerks thereof shall be designated by such board.

If no freehold electors own lands in the portion of the village seeking to be detached, the owners of lands within that portion may file a petition with the board of county commissioners requesting that the board proceed with the detachment procedures, or with procedures for the detachment and erection of the portion of the village into a new township, pursuant to section 709.38 of the Revised Code. The petition shall contain the items required in divisions (A), (B), and (D) of this section, and signatures equal in number to at least a majority of the owners of land within the portion of the village seeking to be detached.

The ballots shall contain the words "for detachment," and "against detachment." If a majority of the ballots cast at such election are cast against detachment, no further proceedings shall be had in relation thereto for a period of two years. If a majority of the votes cast at such election are cast for detachment, the result of such election, together with the original petition and plat and a transcript of all the proceedings of such board in reference thereto shall be certified by the board and delivered to the county recorder, who shall forthwith make a record of the petition and plat and transcript of all the proceedings of the board and the result of the election, in the public book of records, and preserve in his the recorder's office the original papers delivered to him the recorder by such board. The recorder shall certify thereon that the transcribed petition and map are properly recorded. When the recorder has After having made such record, he the recorder shall certify and forward to the secretary of state, a transcript thereof.

The detachment of such territory from the village shall thereupon be complete, and, if the petition included a request that such territory be erected into a new township, the territory shall thereupon constitute a new township, under the name and style specified in such petition. All expense involved in holding such election, and in the filing, recording, and transcribing of the records, provided for in this section, shall be defrayed by the petitioners, and the board and the recorder may require the payment thereof in advance as a condition precedent to the taking by them, or either of them, of any action provided for in this section.

Sec. 709.45. (A) A petition may be filed with the board of elections proposing that one or more municipal corporations be merged with another municipal corporation, or that the unincorporated area of a township be merged with one or more municipal corporations, as provided by section 709.44 of the Revised Code. The petition may be presented in separate petition papers. Each petition paper shall contain, in concise language, the purpose of the petition and the names of not less than five electors of each affected municipal corporation, or the names of not less than five electors of the unincorporated area of the township and the names of not less than five electors of each affected municipal corporation, to be nominated to serve as commissioners. The petition shall be governed by the rules of section 3501.38 of the Revised Code. The petition shall contain signatures of electors of each municipal corporation or of each municipal corporation and the unincorporated area of the township proposed to be merged and signatures of electors of the municipal corporation with which merger is proposed, numbering not less than ten per cent of the number of electors residing in each such political subdivision who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office.

(B) The petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the largest portion of the population of the municipal corporation with which merger is proposed resides. The board of elections shall cause the validity of all signatures to be ascertained and, in doing so, may require the assistance of boards of elections of other counties as the case requires. If the petition is sufficient, the board of elections of the county in which the petition is required to be filed shall submit the question: "Shall a commission be chosen to draw up a statement of conditions for merger of the political subdivisions of ........., ..........., and ...........?" for the approval or rejection of the electors of each political subdivision proposed to be merged and the electors of the municipal corporation to which merger is proposed at the next general election, in any year, occurring subsequent to the period ending seventy-five ninety days after the filing of the petition with the board. Provision shall be made on the ballot for the election, from each of the component political subdivisions, of five electors who shall constitute the commission to draw up the statement of conditions for merger of the political subdivisions. If any of the political subdivisions for which merger is proposed are located wholly or partially in a county other than the one in which the petition is required to be filed, the board of elections of the county in which the petition is filed shall, if the petition is found to be sufficient, certify the sufficiency of the petition and the statement of the issue to be voted on to the boards of elections of those other counties; the boards of elections of those other counties shall submit the question of merging and the names of candidates to be elected to the commission to draw up the statement of conditions for merger, for the approval or rejection of the electors in the portions of those political subdivisions within their respective counties; and, upon the holding of the election, the boards of elections of those other counties shall certify the election results to the board of elections of the county in which the petition is required to be filed.

(C) In addition to the filing of the petition with the board of elections as provided in division (B) of this section, a copy of the petition shall be filed with the legislative authority of each affected municipal corporation and, if applicable, the board of township trustees of the affected township. At a public meeting scheduled not less than thirty days before the date of the election at which the question of merging goes before the electors, each of those legislative authorities and, if applicable, the board of township trustees shall state and explain their position on the proposed merger.

Sec. 709.462. (A) Once proposed merger conditions are prepared, the members of the commission shall vote on them.

(B) If no proposed merger condition can be agreed upon by a majority of the members of the commission from each political subdivision, the members of the commission may vote on whether the merger should not occur. If, in that situation, a majority of the members of the commission from each political subdivision votes against the merger, no further proceedings shall be had on the petition filed under section 709.45 of the Revised Code, and no further petitions shall be filed under that section proposing a merger of any or all of the political subdivisions that were the subjects of that petition for at least three years after the date of the commission's vote.

(C) If proposed merger conditions are agreed upon by a majority of the members of the commission from each political subdivision, the commission shall issue a report listing the conditions agreed to and the reasoning behind adopting each condition. In addition, after the next general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission, but not less than seventy-five ninety days preceding the second general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission, the commission, unless it has ceased to exist under division (D) of this section, shall certify the fact of that agreement and a list of the agreed-to merger conditions to the board of elections of each of the counties in which the political subdivisions proposed for merger are located. The question of the approval or rejection of the merger conditions shall be submitted to the voters at that second general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission. The boards of elections shall submit the merger conditions for the approval or rejection of the electors in the portions of the political subdivisions within their respective counties, and, upon the holding of the election, each board of elections other than the board of the county in which the petition is required to be filed shall certify its results to the board of elections of the county in which the petition is required to be filed.

(D) Regardless of whether a merger commission succeeds in reaching an agreement, the commission shall cease to exist on the seventy-fifth ninetieth day preceding the next general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission, unless the commission requests an extension of time from the legislative authority of each political subdivision involved and each of those legislative authorities approves the extension. This extension of time may be only until the seventy-fifth ninetieth day preceding the second general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission. If the commission ceases to exist under this division, no further petitions shall be filed under section 709.45 of the Revised Code proposing a merger of any or all of the political subdivisions that were the subjects of the petition considered by the commission for at least three years after the date the commission ceases to exist.

Sec. 709.48.  On and after the date on which a petition is filed with the board of elections under section 709.45 of the Revised Code for the election of a merger commission for the merger of one or more municipal corporations and the unincorporated territory of a township, no petition for the annexation of any part of the unincorporated territory of the township shall be filed with a board of county commissioners under section 709.03 or 709.15 of the Revised Code, until one of the following occurs:

(A) The question of forming a merger commission is defeated at the election provided for under section 709.45 of the Revised Code by a majority of the electors of any one of the municipal corporations or the unincorporated territory of the township in which the election is held.

(B) The merger commission elected pursuant to section 709.45 of the Revised Code fails to reach agreement on merger conditions by the seventy-fifth ninetieth day preceding the next general election occurring after the election of the members of the commission or, if the time for the commission's existence is extended under division (D) of section 709.462 of the Revised Code, by the date that extension ceases, whichever is later.

(C) The merger conditions agreed upon by the merger commission are defeated by a majority of the electors of any one of the municipal corporations or the unincorporated territory of the township in which the election on the conditions is held.

Sec. 709.50.  (A) Notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code, when a township contains at least ninety per cent of the geographic area of a municipal corporation, either that township or the municipal corporation may remove that part of that township that is located within the municipal corporation from that township if all of the following apply:

(1) The electors of the township and the municipal corporation have voted to approve the establishment of a merger commission pursuant to section 709.45 of the Revised Code.

(2) The unincorporated territory of the township has a population of more than nine thousand.

(3) The township has previously adopted a limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code and a township zoning resolution under Chapter 519. of the Revised Code.

(4) Not later than December 31, 1994, either the township adopts a resolution or the municipal corporation adopts a resolution or ordinance to remove that part of the township that is located in the municipal corporation from the township. Any resolution or ordinance adopted under division (A)(4) of this section shall include an accurate description of the land to be removed. The political subdivision that adopts an ordinance or resolution under division (A)(4) of this section shall file with the county recorder a copy of it certified by the county auditor, together with a map or plat certified by the county auditor of the land to be removed. The county recorder shall record the ordinance or resolution and the map or plat.

(B) If either the township or the municipal corporation takes the action described in division (A)(4) of this section, the removal shall occur. After the removal, the unincorporated territory of the township shall no longer receive any revenue by virtue of its relationship to the municipal corporation. As soon as practicable after a removal occurs under this section, the board of county commissioners shall ascertain whether there is any joint indebtedness of the unincorporated territory of the township and the municipal corporation. If there is any such indebtedness, the board of county commissioners shall apportion it in accordance with section 503.10 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) If a removal occurs under this section, all or part of the unincorporated territory of the township may become a village if the board of township trustees adopts, by unanimous vote, a resolution for all or part of that territory to become a village. The board of township trustees shall file with the county recorder a copy of any resolution it adopts under division (C)(1) of this section certified by the county auditor, together with a map or plat certified by the county auditor of the land to be included in the village. The county recorder shall record the resolution and the map or plat. Once the board adopts a resolution under division (C)(1) of this section, no land within the area that will constitute the village may be annexed, and any pending annexation proceeding that includes land in that area shall be considered to be terminated with regard to that land.

(2) If the board does not adopt a resolution under division (C)(1) of this section, or if the board adopts such a resolution in which only a part of the unincorporated territory becomes a village, the board of county commissioners shall attach all the unincorporated territory that does not become a village to any township contiguous to that territory or erect that territory into a new township, the boundaries of which need not include twenty-two square miles of territory.

(D) If a board of township trustees adopts a resolution under division (C)(1) of this section for all or part of the township's unincorporated territory to become a village, the board shall serve as the legislative authority of the area constituting the village until the next regular municipal election that occurs at least seventy-five ninety days after the adoption of the resolution. At that election, the legislative authority of the village shall be elected under section 731.09 of the Revised Code and all other officers of the village shall be elected under Chapter 733. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 715.69.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Contracting party" means a municipal corporation that has entered into a joint economic development zone contract or any party succeeding to such a municipal corporation.

(2) "Contract for utility services" means a contract under which a municipal corporation agrees to provide to another municipal corporation water, sewer, electric, or other utility services necessary to the public health, safety, and welfare.

(3) "Joint economic development zone contract" means a contract described in and entered into under division (B) of this section.

(4) "Zone" means a joint economic development zone designated under this section.

(B) Two or more municipal corporations may enter into a contract whereby they agree to share in the costs of improvements for an area or areas located in one or more of the contracting parties that they designate as a joint economic development zone for the purpose of facilitating new or expanded growth for commercial or economic development in the state. Except as otherwise provided in division (I) of this section, the contract and zone shall meet the requirements of divisions (B) to (H) of this section.

(C) The contract shall set forth each contracting party's contribution to the joint economic development zone. The contributions may be in any form that the contracting parties agree to, subject to divisions (G) and (I) of this section, and may include, but are not limited to, the provision of services, money, or equipment. The contract may provide for the contracting parties to distribute among themselves, in the manner they agree to, any municipal income tax revenues derived from the income earned by persons employed by businesses that locate within the zone after it is designated by the contracting parties and from the net profits of such businesses. Except as provided in divisions (G) and (I) of this section, the contract may be amended, renewed, or terminated with the consent of the contracting parties.

(D) Before the legislative authority of any of the contracting parties enacts an ordinance approving a contract to designate a joint economic development zone, the legislative authority of each of the contracting parties shall hold a public hearing concerning the contract and zone. Each such legislative authority shall provide at least thirty days' public notice of the time and place of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation. During the thirty-day period prior to the public hearing, all of the following documents shall be available for public inspection in the office of the clerk of the legislative authority of each of the contracting parties:

(1) A copy of the contract designating the zone;

(2) A description of the area or areas to be included in the zone, including a map in sufficient detail to denote the specific boundaries of the area or areas;

(3) An economic development plan for the zone that includes a schedule for the provision of any new, expanded, or additional services, facilities, or improvements.

A public hearing held under division (D) of this section shall allow for public comment and recommendations on the contract and zone. The contracting parties may include in the contract any of those recommendations prior to approval of the contract.

(E) After the public hearings required under division (D) of this section have been held, each contracting party may enact an ordinance approving the contract to designate a joint economic development zone. After each contracting party has enacted such an ordinance, the clerk of the legislative authority of each contracting party shall file with the board of elections of each county within which a contracting party is located a copy of the ordinance approving the contract and shall direct the board of elections to submit the ordinance to the electors of the contracting party on the day of the next general, primary, or special election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the ordinance is filed with the board of elections.

(F) The ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the ordinance of the legislative authority of the (city or village) of (name of contracting party) approving the contract with (name of each other contracting party) for the designation of a joint economic development zone be approved?

If a majority of the electors of each contracting party voting on the issue vote for the ordinance and contract, the ordinance shall become effective immediately and the contract shall go into effect immediately or in accordance with its terms.

(G) If two or more contracting parties previously have entered into a separate contract for utility services, then amendment, renewal, or termination of the separate contract for utility services shall not constitute a part of the consideration for a joint economic development zone contract unless the legislative authority of each contracting party determines all of the following:

(1) That the creation of the joint economic development zone will facilitate new or expanded growth for commercial or economic development in this state;

(2) That substantial consideration exists to support the joint economic development zone contract;

(3) That the contracting parties are entering into the joint economic development zone contract freely and without duress or coercion related to the amendment, renewal, or termination of the separate contract for utility services.

(H) A joint economic development zone contract that does not satisfy division (G) of this section is void and unenforceable. If the joint economic development zone contract provides for the extension of utility service or the provision of utility service at a lower rate than is currently in effect, any action claiming duress or coercion relating to a joint economic development zone contract may be brought only by a contracting party, and must be brought before the contracting parties enter into the joint economic development zone contract. The signing of the joint economic development zone contract as authorized by the contracting parties is conclusive evidence as to the determinations set forth under division (G) of this section.

(I) If one of the contracting parties is an impacted city as defined in division (C) of section 1728.01 of the Revised Code, then divisions (D) to (F) of this section shall not apply to the joint economic development zone contract or to the joint economic development zone to which that contract relates unless the contracting parties agree that those divisions shall apply.

Sec. 715.691.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Contracting party" means a municipal corporation that has entered into a joint economic development zone contract or any party succeeding to the municipal corporation, or a township that entered into a joint economic development zone contract with a municipal corporation.

(2) "Zone" means a joint economic development zone designated under this section.

(B) This section provides alternative procedures and requirements for creating and operating a joint economic development zone to those set forth in section 715.69 of the Revised Code. This section applies only if one of the contracting parties to the zone does not levy a municipal income tax under Chapter 718. of the Revised Code. A municipal corporation that does not levy a municipal income tax may enter into an agreement to create and operate a joint economic development zone under this section or under section 715.69 of the Revised Code.

Two or more municipal corporations or one or more townships and one or more municipal corporations may enter into a contract whereby they agree to share in the costs of improvements for an area or areas located in one or more of the contracting parties that they designate as a joint economic development zone for the purpose of facilitating new or expanded growth for commercial or economic development in the state. The contract and zone shall meet the requirements of divisions (B) to (J) of this section.

(C) The contract shall set forth each contracting party's contribution to the joint economic development zone. The contributions may be in any form that the contracting parties agree to, and may include, but are not limited to, the provision of services, money, or equipment. The contract may be amended, renewed, or terminated with the consent of the contracting parties. The contract shall continue in existence throughout the term it specifies and shall be binding on the contracting parties and on any entities succeeding to the contracting parties.

(D) Before the legislative authority of any of the contracting parties enacts an ordinance or resolution approving a contract to designate a joint economic development zone, the legislative authority of each of the contracting parties shall hold a public hearing concerning the contract and zone. Each legislative authority shall provide at least thirty days' public notice of the time and place of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation or township. During the thirty-day period prior to the public hearing, all of the following documents shall be available for public inspection in the office of the clerk of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation that is a contracting party and in the office of the fiscal officer of a township that is a contracting party:

(1) A copy of the contract designating the zone;

(2) A description of the area or areas to be included in the zone, including a map in sufficient detail to denote the specific boundaries of the area or areas;

(3) An economic development plan for the zone that includes a schedule for the provision of any new, expanded, or additional services, facilities, or improvements.

A public hearing held under division (D) of this section shall allow for public comment and recommendations on the contract and zone. The contracting parties may include in the contract any of those recommendations prior to approval of the contract.

(E) After the public hearings required under division (D) of this section have been held, each contracting party may enact an ordinance or resolution approving the contract to designate a joint economic development zone. After each contracting party has enacted an ordinance or resolution, the clerk of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation that is a contracting party and the fiscal officer of a township that is a contracting party shall file with the board of elections of each county within which a contracting party is located a copy of the ordinance or resolution approving the contract and shall direct the board of elections to submit the ordinance or resolution to the electors of the contracting party on the day of the next general, primary, or special election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after the ordinance or resolution is filed with the board of elections. If any of the contracting parties is a township, however, then only the township or townships shall submit the resolution to the electors.

(F)(1) If a vote is required to approve a municipal corporation as a contracting party to a joint economic development zone under this section, the ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the ordinance of the legislative authority of the (city or village) of (name of contracting party) approving the contract with (name of each other contracting party) for the designation of a joint economic development zone be approved?

(2) If a vote is required to approve a township as a contracting party to a joint economic development zone under this section, the ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the resolution of the board of township trustees of the township of (name of contracting party) approving the contract with (name of each other contracting party) for the designation of a joint economic development zone be approved?

If a majority of the electors of each contracting party voting on the issue vote for the ordinance or resolution and contract, the ordinance or resolution shall become effective immediately and the contract shall go into effect immediately or in accordance with its terms.

(G)(1) A board of directors shall govern each joint economic development zone created under section 715.691 of the Revised Code. The members of the board shall be appointed as provided in the contract. Each of the contracting parties shall appoint three members to the board. Terms for each member shall be for two years, each term ending on the same day of the month of the year as did the term that it succeeds. A member may be reappointed to the board.

(2) Membership on the board is not the holding of a public office or employment within the meaning of any section of the Revised Code or any charter provision prohibiting the holding of other public office or employment. Membership on the board is not a direct or indirect interest in a contract or expenditure of money by a municipal corporation, township, county, or other political subdivision with which a member may be affiliated. Notwithstanding any provision of law or a charter to the contrary, no member of the board shall forfeit or be disqualified from holding any public office or employment by reason of membership on the board.

(3) The board is a public body for the purposes of section 121.22 of the Revised Code. Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code applies to the board and the zone.

(H) The contract may grant to the board of directors appointed under division (G) of this section the power to adopt a resolution to levy an income tax within the zone. The income tax shall be used for the purposes of the zone and for the purposes of the contracting municipal corporations pursuant to the contract. The income tax may be levied in the zone based on income earned by persons working within the zone and on the net profits of businesses located in the zone. The income tax is subject to Chapter 718. of the Revised Code, except that a vote shall be required by the electors residing in the zone to approve the rate of income tax unless a majority of the electors residing within the zone, as determined by the total number of votes cast in the zone for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office, submit a petition to the board requesting that the election provided for in division (H)(1) of this section not be held. If no electors reside within the zone, then division (H)(3) of this section applies. The rate of the income tax shall be no higher than the highest rate being levied by a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract.

(1) The board of directors may levy an income tax at a rate that is not higher than the highest rate being levied by a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract, provided that the rate of the income tax is first submitted to and approved by the electors of the zone at the succeeding regular or primary election, or a special election called by the board, occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after a certified copy of the resolution levying the income tax and calling for the election is filed with the board of elections. If the voters approve the levy of the income tax, the income tax shall be in force for the full period of the contract establishing the zone. No election shall be held under this section if a majority of the electors residing within the zone, determined as specified in division (H) of this section, submit a petition to that effect to the board of directors. Any increase in the rate of an income tax by the board of directors shall be approved by a vote of the electors of the zone and shall be in force for the remaining period of the contract establishing the zone.

(2) Whenever a zone is located in the territory of more than one contracting party, a majority vote of the electors in each of the several portions of the territory of the contracting parties constituting the zone approving the levy of the tax is required before it may be imposed under division (H) of this section.

(3) If no electors reside in the zone, no election for the approval or rejection of an income tax shall be held under this section, provided that where no electors reside in the zone, the rate of the income tax shall be no higher than the highest rate being levied by a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract.

(4) The board of directors of a zone levying an income tax shall enter into an agreement with one of the municipal corporations that is a party to the contract to administer, collect, and enforce the income tax on behalf of the zone.

(5) The board of directors of a zone shall publish or post public notice within the zone of any resolution adopted levying an income tax in the same manner required of municipal corporations under sections 731.21 and 731.25 of the Revised Code.

(I)(1) If for any reason a contracting party reverts to or has its boundaries changed so that it is classified as a township that is the entity succeeding to that contracting party, the township is considered to be a municipal corporation for the purposes of the contract for the full period of the contract establishing the joint economic development zone, except that if that contracting party is administering, collecting, and enforcing the income tax on behalf of the district as provided in division (H)(4) of this section, the contract shall be amended to allow one of the other contracting parties to administer, collect, and enforce that tax.

(2) Notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code, if there is any change in the boundaries of a township so that a municipal corporation once located within the township is no longer so located, the township shall remain in existence even though its remaining unincorporated area contains less than twenty-two square miles, if the township has been or becomes a party to a contract creating a joint economic development zone under this section or the contract creating that joint economic development zone under this section is terminated or repudiated for any reason by any party or person. The township shall continue its existing status in all respects, including having the same form of government and the same elected board of trustees as its governing body. The township shall continue to receive all of its tax levies and sources of income as a township in accordance with any section of the Revised Code, whether the levies and sources of income generate millage within the ten-mill limitation or in excess of the ten-mill limitation. The name of the township may be changed to the name of the contracting party appearing in the contract creating a joint economic development zone under this section, so long as the name does not conflict with any other name in the state that has been certified by the secretary of state. The township shall have all of the powers set out in sections 715.79, 715.80, and 715.81 of the Revised Code.

(J) If, after creating and operating a joint economic development zone under this section, a contracting party that did not levy a municipal income tax under Chapter 718. of the Revised Code levies such a tax, the tax shall not apply to the zone for the full period of the contract establishing the zone, if the board of directors of the zone has levied an income tax as provided in division (H) of this section.

Sec. 715.70.  (A) This section and section 715.71 of the Revised Code apply only to:

(1) Municipal corporations and townships within a county that has adopted a charter under Sections 3 and 4 of Article X, Ohio Constitution;

(2) Municipal corporations and townships that have created a joint economic development district comprised entirely of real property owned by a municipal corporation at the time the district was created under this section. The real property owned by the municipal corporation shall include an airport owned by the municipal corporation and located entirely beyond the municipal corporation's corporate boundary.

(3) Municipal corporations or townships that are part of or contiguous to a transportation improvement district created under Chapter 5540. of the Revised Code and that have created a joint economic development district under this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code prior to November 15, 1995;

(4) Municipal corporations that have previously entered into a contract creating a joint economic development district pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section, even if the territory to be included in the district does not meet the requirements of that division.

(B)(1) One or more municipal corporations and one or more townships may enter into a contract approved by the legislative authority of each contracting party pursuant to which they create as a joint economic development district an area or areas for the purpose of facilitating economic development to create or preserve jobs and employment opportunities and to improve the economic welfare of the people in the state and in the area of the contracting parties. A municipal corporation described in division (A)(4) of this section may enter into a contract with other municipal corporations and townships to create a new joint economic development district. In a district that includes a municipal corporation described in division (A)(4) of this section, the territory of each of the contracting parties shall be contiguous to the territory of at least one other contracting party, or contiguous to the territory of a township or municipal corporation that is contiguous to another contracting party, even if the intervening township or municipal corporation is not a contracting party. The area or areas of land to be included in the district shall not include any parcel of land owned in fee by a municipal corporation or a township or parcel of land that is leased to a municipal corporation or a township, unless the municipal corporation or township is a party to the contract or unless the municipal corporation or township has given its consent to have its parcel of land included in the district by the adoption of a resolution. As used in this division, "parcel of land" means any parcel of land owned by a municipal corporation or a township for at least a six-month period within a five-year period prior to the creation of a district, but "parcel of land" does not include streets or public ways and sewer, water, and other utility lines whether owned in fee or otherwise.

The district created shall be located within the territory of one or more of the participating parties and may consist of all or a portion of such territory. The boundaries of the district shall be described in the contract or in an addendum to the contract.

(2) Prior to the public hearing to be held pursuant to division (D)(2) of this section, the participating parties shall give a copy of the proposed contract to each municipal corporation located within one-quarter mile of the proposed joint economic development district and not otherwise a party to the contract, and afford the municipal corporation the reasonable opportunity, for a period of thirty days following receipt of the proposed contract, to make comments and suggestions to the participating parties regarding elements contained in the proposed contract.

(3) The district shall not exceed two thousand acres in area. The territory of the district shall not completely surround territory that is not included within the boundaries of the district.

(4) Sections 503.07 to 503.12 of the Revised Code do not apply to territory included within a district created pursuant to this section as long as the contract creating the district is in effect, unless the legislative authority of each municipal corporation and the board of township trustees of each township included in the district consent, by ordinance or resolution, to the application of those sections of the Revised Code.

(5) Upon the execution of the contract creating the district by the parties to the contract, a participating municipal corporation or township included within the district shall file a copy of the fully executed contract with the county recorder of each county within which a party to the contract is located, in the miscellaneous records of the county. No annexation proceeding pursuant to Chapter 709. of the Revised Code that proposes the annexation to, merger, or consolidation with a municipal corporation of any unincorporated territory within the district shall be commenced for a period of three years after the contract is filed with the county recorder of each county within which a party to the contract is located unless each board of township trustees whose territory is included, in whole or part, within the district and the territory proposed to be annexed, merged, or consolidated adopts a resolution consenting to the commencement of the proceeding and a copy of the resolution is filed with the legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located or unless the contract is terminated during this period.

The contract entered into between the municipal corporations and townships pursuant to this section may provide for the prohibition of any annexation by the participating municipal corporations of any unincorporated territory within the district beyond the three-year mandatory prohibition of any annexation provided for in division (B)(5) of this section.

(C)(1) After the legislative authority of a municipal corporation and the board of township trustees have adopted an ordinance and resolution approving a contract to create a joint economic development district pursuant to this section, and after a contract has been signed, the municipal corporations and townships shall jointly file a petition with the legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located.

(a) The petition shall contain all of the following:

(i) A statement that the area or areas of the district is not greater than two thousand acres and is located within the territory of one or more of the contracting parties;

(ii) A brief summary of the services to be provided by each party to the contract or a reference to the portion of the contract describing those services;

(iii) A description of the area or areas to be designated as the district;

(iv) The signature of a representative of each of the contracting parties.

(b) The following documents shall be filed with the petition:

(i) A signed copy of the contract, together with copies of district maps and plans related to or part of the contract;

(ii) A certified copy of the ordinances and resolutions of the contracting parties approving the contract;

(iii) A certificate from each of the contracting parties indicating that the public hearings required by division (D)(2) of this section have been held, the date of the hearings, and evidence of publication of the notice of the hearings;

(iv) One or more signed statements of persons who are owners of property located in whole or in part within the area to be designated as the district, requesting that the property be included within the district, provided that those statements shall represent a majority of the persons owning property located in whole or in part within the district and persons owning a majority of the acreage located within the district. A signature may be withdrawn by the signer up to but not after the time of the public hearing required by division (D)(2) of this section.

(2) The legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located shall adopt a resolution approving the petition for the creation of the district if the petition and other documents have been filed in accordance with the requirements of division (C)(1) of this section. If the petition and other documents do not substantially meet the requirements of that division, the legislative authority of any county within which a party to the contract is located may adopt a resolution disapproving the petition for the creation of the district. The legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the petition within thirty days after the petition was filed. If the legislative authority of each such county does not adopt the resolution within the thirty-day period, the petition shall be deemed approved and the contract shall go into effect immediately after that approval or at such other time as the contract specifies.

(D)(1) The contract creating the district shall set forth or provide for the amount or nature of the contribution of each municipal corporation and township to the development and operation of the district and may provide for the sharing of the costs of the operation of and improvements for the district. The contributions may be in any form to which the contracting municipal corporations and townships agree and may include but are not limited to the provision of services, money, real or personal property, facilities, or equipment. The contract may provide for the contracting parties to share revenue from taxes levied on property by one or more of the contracting parties if those revenues may lawfully be applied to that purpose under the legislation by which those taxes are levied. The contract shall provide for new, expanded, or additional services, facilities, or improvements, including expanded or additional capacity for or other enhancement of existing services, facilities, or improvements, provided that those services, facilities, or improvements, or expanded or additional capacity for or enhancement of existing services, facilities, or improvements, required herein have been provided within the two-year period prior to the execution of the contract.

(2) Before the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or a board of township trustees passes any ordinance or resolution approving a contract to create a joint economic development district pursuant to this section, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation and the board of township trustees shall each hold a public hearing concerning the joint economic development district contract and shall provide thirty days' public notice of the time and place of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation and the township. The board of township trustees may provide additional notice to township residents in accordance with section 9.03 of the Revised Code, and any additional notice shall include the public hearing announcement; a summary of the terms of the contract; a statement that the entire text of the contract and district maps and plans are on file for public examination in the office of the township fiscal officer; and information pertaining to any tax changes that will or may occur as a result of the contract.

During the thirty-day period prior to the public hearing, a copy of the text of the contract together with copies of district maps and plans related to or part of the contract shall be on file, for public examination, in the offices of the clerk of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation and of the township fiscal officer. The public hearing provided for in division (D)(2) of this section shall allow for public comment and recommendations from the public on the proposed contract. The contracting parties may include in the contract any of those recommendations prior to the approval of the contract.

(3) Any resolution of the board of township trustees that approves a contract that creates a joint economic development district pursuant to this section shall be subject to a referendum of the electors of the township. When a referendum petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors in the township who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor, is presented to the board of township trustees within thirty days after the board of township trustees adopted the resolution, ordering that the resolution be submitted to the electors of the township for their approval or rejection, the board of township trustees shall, after ten days and not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the election, certify the text of the resolution to the board of elections. The board of elections shall submit the resolution to the electors of the township for their approval or rejection at the next general, primary, or special election occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after the certifying of the petition to the board of elections.

(4) Upon the creation of a district under this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code, one of the contracting parties shall file a copy of the following with the director of development:

(a) The petition and other documents described in division (C)(1) of this section, if the district is created under this section;

(b) The documents described in division (D) of section 715.71 of the Revised Code, if the district is created under this section.

(E) The district created by the contract shall be governed by a board of directors that shall be established by or pursuant to the contract. The board is a public body for the purposes of section 121.22 of the Revised Code. The provisions of Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code apply to the board and the district. The members of the board shall be appointed as provided in the contract from among the elected members of the legislative authorities and the elected chief executive officers of the contracting parties, provided that there shall be at least two members appointed from each of the contracting parties.

(F) The contract shall enumerate the specific powers, duties, and functions of the board of directors of a district, and the contract shall provide for the determination of procedures that are to govern the board of directors. The contract may grant to the board the power to adopt a resolution to levy an income tax within the district. The income tax shall be used for the purposes of the district and for the purposes of the contracting municipal corporations and townships pursuant to the contract. The income tax may be levied in the district based on income earned by persons working or residing within the district and based on the net profits of businesses located in the district. The income tax shall follow the provisions of Chapter 718. of the Revised Code, except that a vote shall be required by the electors residing in the district to approve the rate of income tax. If no electors reside within the district, then division (F)(4) of this section applies. The rate of the income tax shall be no higher than the highest rate being levied by a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract.

(1) Within one hundred eighty days after the first meeting of the board of directors, the board may levy an income tax, provided that the rate of the income tax is first submitted to and approved by the electors of the district at the succeeding regular or primary election, or a special election called by the board, occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after a certified copy of the resolution levying the income tax and calling for the election is filed with the board of elections. If the voters approve the levy of the income tax, the income tax shall be in force for the full period of the contract establishing the district. Any increase in the rate of an income tax that was first levied within one hundred eighty days after the first meeting of the board of directors shall be approved by a vote of the electors of the district, shall be in force for the remaining period of the contract establishing the district, and shall not be subject to division (F)(2) of this section.

(2) Any resolution of the board of directors levying an income tax that is adopted subsequent to one hundred eighty days after the first meeting of the board of directors shall be subject to a referendum as provided in division (F)(2) of this section. Any resolution of the board of directors levying an income tax that is adopted subsequent to one hundred eighty days after the first meeting of the board of directors shall be subject to an initiative proceeding to amend or repeal the resolution levying the income tax as provided in division (F)(2) of this section. When a referendum petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors in the district who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor, is filed with the county auditor of each county within which a party to the contract is located within thirty days after the resolution is adopted by the board or when an initiative petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors in the district who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor, is filed with the county auditor of each such county ordering that a resolution to amend or repeal a prior resolution levying an income tax be submitted to the electors within the district for their approval or rejection, the county auditor of each such county, after ten days and not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the election, shall certify the text of the resolution to the board of elections of that county. The county auditor of each such county shall retain the petition. The board of elections shall submit the resolution to such electors, for their approval or rejection, at the next general, primary, or special election occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after the certifying of such petition to the board of elections.

(3) Whenever a district is located in the territory of more than one contracting party, a majority vote of the electors, if any, in each of the several portions of the territory of the contracting parties constituting the district approving the levy of the tax is required before it may be imposed pursuant to this division.

(4) If there are no electors residing in the district, no election for the approval or rejection of an income tax shall be held pursuant to this section, provided that where no electors reside in the district, the maximum rate of the income tax that may be levied shall not exceed one per cent.

(5) The board of directors of a district levying an income tax shall enter into an agreement with one of the municipal corporations that is a party to the contract to administer, collect, and enforce the income tax on behalf of the district. The resolution levying the income tax shall provide the same credits, if any, to residents of the district for income taxes paid to other such districts or municipal corporations where the residents work, as credits provided to residents of the municipal corporation administering the income tax.

(6)(a) The board shall publish or post public notice within the district of any resolution adopted levying an income tax in the same manner required of municipal corporations under sections 731.21 and 731.25 of the Revised Code.

(b) Except as otherwise specified by this division, any referendum or initiative proceeding within a district shall be conducted in the same manner as is required for such proceedings within a municipal corporation pursuant to sections 731.28 to 731.40 of the Revised Code.

(G) Membership on the board of directors does not constitute the holding of a public office or employment within the meaning of any section of the Revised Code or any charter provision prohibiting the holding of other public office or employment, and shall not constitute an interest, either direct or indirect, in a contract or expenditure of money by any municipal corporation, township, county, or other political subdivision with which the member may be connected. No member of a board of directors shall be disqualified from holding any public office or employment, nor shall such member forfeit or be disqualified from holding any such office or employment, by reason of the member's membership on the board of directors, notwithstanding any law or charter provision to the contrary.

(H) The powers and authorizations granted pursuant to this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code are in addition to and not in derogation of all other powers granted to municipal corporations and townships pursuant to law. When exercising a power or performing a function or duty under a contract authorized pursuant to this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code, a municipal corporation may exercise all of the powers of a municipal corporation, and may perform all the functions and duties of a municipal corporation, within the district, pursuant to and to the extent consistent with the contract. When exercising a power or performing a function or duty under a contract authorized pursuant to this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code, a township may exercise all of the powers of a township, and may perform all the functions and duties of a township, within the district, pursuant to and to the extent consistent with the contract. The district board of directors has no powers except those specifically set forth in the contract as agreed to by the participating parties. No political subdivision shall authorize or grant any tax exemption pursuant to Chapter 1728. or section 3735.67, 5709.62, 5709.63, or 5709.632 of the Revised Code on any property located within the district without the consent of the contracting parties. The prohibition for any tax exemption pursuant to this division shall not apply to any exemption filed, pending, or approved, or for which an agreement has been entered into, before the effective date of the contract entered into by the parties.

(I) Municipal corporations and townships may enter into binding agreements pursuant to a contract authorized under this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code with respect to the substance and administration of zoning and other land use regulations, building codes, public permanent improvements, and other regulatory and proprietary matters that are determined, pursuant to the contract, to be for a public purpose and to be desirable with respect to the operation of the district or to facilitate new or expanded economic development in the state or the district, provided that no contract shall exempt the territory within the district from the procedures and processes of land use regulation applicable pursuant to municipal corporation, township, and county regulations, including but not limited to procedures and processes concerning zoning.

(J) A contract entered into pursuant to this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code may be amended and it may be renewed, canceled, or terminated as provided in or pursuant to the contract. The contract may be amended to add property owned by one of the contracting parties to the district, or may be amended to delete property from the district whether or not one of the contracting parties owns the deleted property. The contract shall continue in existence throughout its term and shall be binding on the contracting parties and on any entities succeeding to such parties, whether by annexation, merger, or otherwise. The income tax levied by the board pursuant to this section or section 715.71 of the Revised Code shall apply in the entire district throughout the term of the contract, notwithstanding that all or a portion of the district becomes subject to annexation, merger, or incorporation. No township or municipal corporation is divested of its rights or obligations under the contract because of annexation, merger, or succession of interests.

(K) After the creation of a joint economic development district described in division (A)(2) of this section, a municipal corporation that is a contracting party may cease to own property included in the district, but such property shall continue to be included in the district and subject to the terms of the contract.

Sec. 715.71.  (A) This section provides alternative procedures and requirements to those set forth in section 715.70 of the Revised Code for creating and operating a joint economic development district. Divisions (B), (C), (D)(1) to (3), and (F) of section 715.70 of the Revised Code do not apply to a joint economic development district established under this section. However, divisions (A), (D)(4), (E), (G), (H), (I), (J), and (K) of section 715.70 of the Revised Code do apply to a district established under this section.

(B) One or more municipal corporations and one or more townships may enter into a contract approved by the legislative authority of each contracting party pursuant to which they create as a joint economic development district one or more areas for the purpose of facilitating economic development to create or preserve jobs and employment opportunities and to improve the economic welfare of the people in this state and in the area of the contracting parties. The district created shall be located within the territory of one or more of the contracting parties and may consist of all or a portion of that territory. The boundaries of the district shall be described in the contract or in an addendum to the contract. The area or areas of land to be included in the district shall not include any parcel of land owned in fee by or leased to a municipal corporation or township, unless the municipal corporation or township is a party to the contract or has given its consent to have its parcel of land included in the district by the adoption of a resolution. As used in this division, "parcel of land" has the same meaning as in division (B) of section 715.70 of the Revised Code.

(C) Before the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or a board of township trustees adopts an ordinance or resolution approving a contract to create a joint economic development district under this section, it shall hold a public hearing concerning the joint economic development district contract and shall provide thirty days' public notice of the time and place of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation and the township. Each municipal corporation and township that is a party to the contract shall hold a public hearing. During the thirty-day period prior to a public hearing, a copy of the text of the contract together with copies of district maps and plans related to or part of the contract shall be on file, for public examination, in the offices of the clerk of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation and of the township fiscal officer. The public hearings provided for in this division shall allow for public comment and recommendations on the proposed contract. The participating parties may include in the contract any of those recommendations prior to approval of the contract.

(D) After the legislative authority of a municipal corporation and the board of township trustees have adopted an ordinance and resolution approving a contract to create a joint economic development district, the municipal corporation and the township jointly shall file with the legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located all of the following:

(1) A signed copy of the contract, together with copies of district maps and plans related to or part of the contract;

(2) Certified copies of the ordinances and resolutions of the contracting parties relating to the district and the contract;

(3) A certificate of each of the contracting parties that the public hearings provided for in division (C) of this section have been held, the date of the hearings, and evidence of publication of the notice of the hearings.

(E) Within thirty days after the filing under division (D) of this section, the legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located shall adopt a resolution acknowledging the receipt of the required documents, approving the creation of the joint economic development district, and directing that the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract be submitted to the electors of the township for approval at the next succeeding general, primary, or special election. The legislative authority of the county shall file with the board of elections at least seventy-five ninety days before the day of the election a copy of the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract. The resolution of the legislative authority of the county also shall specify the date the election is to be held and shall direct the board of elections to conduct the election in the township. If the resolution of the legislative authority of the county is not adopted within the thirty-day period after the filing under division (D) of this section, the joint economic development district shall be deemed approved by the county legislative authority, and the board of township trustees shall file its resolution with the board of elections for submission to the electors of the township for approval at the next succeeding general, primary, or special election. The filing shall occur at least seventy-five ninety days before the specified date the election is to be held and shall direct the board of elections to conduct the election in the township.

The ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract with ............... (here insert name of each municipal corporation and other township that is a party to the contract) for the creation of a joint economic development district be approved?

If a majority of the electors of the township voting on the issue vote for the resolution and contract, the resolution shall become effective immediately and the contract shall go into effect immediately or in accordance with its terms.

(F) The contract creating the district shall set forth or provide for the amount or nature of the contribution of each municipal corporation and township to the development and operation of the district and may provide for the sharing of the costs of the operation of and improvements for the district. The contributions may be in any form to which the contracting municipal corporations and townships agree and may include but are not limited to the provision of services, money, real or personal property, facilities, or equipment. The contract may provide for the contracting parties to share revenue from taxes levied on property by one or more of the contracting parties if those revenues may lawfully be applied to that purpose under the legislation by which those taxes are levied. The contract shall provide for new, expanded, or additional services, facilities, or improvements, including expanded or additional capacity for or other enhancement of existing services, facilities, or improvements, provided that the existing services, facilities, or improvements, or the expanded or additional capacity for or enhancement of the existing services, facilities, or improvements, have been provided within the two-year period prior to the execution of the contract.

(G) The contract shall enumerate the specific powers, duties, and functions of the board of directors of the district and shall provide for the determination of procedures that are to govern the board of directors. The contract may grant to the board the power to adopt a resolution to levy an income tax within the district. The income tax shall be used for the purposes of the district and for the purposes of the contracting municipal corporations and townships pursuant to the contract. The income tax may be levied in the district based on income earned by persons working or residing within the district and based on the net profits of businesses located in the district. The income tax of the district shall follow the provisions of Chapter 718. of the Revised Code, except that no vote shall be required by the electors residing in the district. The rate of the income tax shall be no higher than the highest rate being levied by a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract.

The board of directors of a district levying an income tax shall enter into an agreement with one of the municipal corporations that is a party to the contract to administer, collect, and enforce the income tax on behalf of the district. The resolution levying the income tax shall provide the same credits, if any, to residents of the district for income taxes paid to other districts or municipal corporations where the residents work, as credits provided to residents of the municipal corporation administering the income tax.

(H) No annexation proceeding pursuant to Chapter 709. of the Revised Code that proposes the annexation to or merger or consolidation with a municipal corporation, except a municipal corporation that is a party to the contract, of any unincorporated territory within the district shall be commenced for a period of three years after the contract is filed with the legislative authority of each county within which a party to the contract is located in accordance with division (D) of this section unless each board of township trustees whose territory is included, in whole or part, within the district and the territory proposed to be annexed, merged, or consolidated adopts a resolution consenting to the commencement of the proceeding and a copy of the resolution is filed with the legislative authority of each such county or unless the contract is terminated during this three-year period. The contract entered into between the municipal corporations and townships pursuant to this section may provide for the prohibition of any annexation by the participating municipal corporations of any unincorporated territory within the district.

Sec. 715.77.  (A)(1) A board of township trustees that is a party to a contract creating a joint economic development district pursuant to sections 715.72 to 715.82 of the Revised Code may choose to not submit its resolution approving the contract to the electors of the township if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) The resolution has been approved by a unanimous vote of the members of the board of township trustees or, if a county is one of the contracting parties under division (D) of section 715.72 of the Revised Code, the resolution has been approved by a majority vote of the members of the board of township trustees;

(b) The creation of the joint economic development district is proposed at the request of a majority of the owners of land included within the proposed district;

(c) The territory to be included in the proposed joint economic development district is zoned in a manner appropriate to the function of the proposed district.

(2) Unless the legislative authority of a county adopts a resolution under section 715.76 of the Revised Code disapproving the creation of a joint economic development district within thirty days after the filing made under that section, the legislative authority of each such county shall adopt a resolution acknowledging the receipt of the required documents, approving the creation of the joint economic development district, and, if the board of township trustees has not invoked its authority under division (A)(1) of this section, directing that the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract creating the joint economic development district be submitted to the electors of the township for approval at the next succeeding general, primary, or special election. If the board of township trustees chooses to submit approval of the contract to the electors of the township, the legislative authority of the county shall file with the board of elections at least seventy-five ninety days before the day of the election a copy of the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract. The resolution of the legislative authority of the county also shall specify the date the election is to be held and shall direct the board of elections to conduct the election in the township.

(3) If the resolution of the legislative authority of the county is not adopted within the thirty-day period after the filing made under section 715.76 of the Revised Code, the joint economic development district shall be deemed approved by the county legislative authority and, if the board of township trustees has not invoked its authority under division (A)(1) of this section, the board of township trustees shall file its resolution with the board of elections for submission to the electors of the township for approval at the next succeeding general, primary, or special election. In such case, the board of township trustees shall file the resolution at least seventy-five ninety days before the specified date the election is to be held and shall direct the board of elections to conduct the election in the township.

(4) Any contract creating a joint economic development district in which a board of township trustees is a party shall provide that the contract is not effective earlier than the thirty-first day after its approval, including any approval by electors required in this section.

If the board of township trustees chooses pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section not to submit the approval of the contract to the electors, the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract is subject to a referendum of the electors of the township when requested through a petition. When signed by ten per cent of the number of electors in the township who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election, a referendum petition asking that the resolution be submitted to the electors of the township may be presented to the board of township trustees. Such a petition shall be presented within thirty days after the board of township trustees adopts the resolution. The board of township trustees shall, not later than four p.m. of the tenth day after receipt of the petition, certify the text of the resolution to the board of elections. The board of elections shall submit the resolution to the electors of the township for their approval or rejection at the next general, primary, or special election occurring at least seventy-five ninety days after such certification.

(B) The ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the resolution of the board of township trustees approving the contract with ............... (here insert name of each municipal corporation and other township that is a contracting party) for the creation of a joint economic development district be approved?

If a majority of the electors of the township voting on the issue vote for the resolution and contract, the resolution shall become effective immediately and the contract shall go into effect on the thirty-first day after this election or thereafter in accordance with terms of the contract.

Sec. 718.01.  (A) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Adjusted federal taxable income" means a C corporation's federal taxable income before net operating losses and special deductions as determined under the Internal Revenue Code, adjusted as follows:

(a) Deduct intangible income to the extent included in federal taxable income. The deduction shall be allowed regardless of whether the intangible income relates to assets used in a trade or business or assets held for the production of income.

(b) Add an amount equal to five per cent of intangible income deducted under division (A)(1)(a) of this section, but excluding that portion of intangible income directly related to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of property described in section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(c) Add any losses allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income if the losses directly relate to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of an asset described in section 1221 or 1231 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(d)(i) Except as provided in division (A)(1)(d)(ii) of this section, deduct income and gain included in federal taxable income to the extent the income and gain directly relate to the sale, exchange, or other disposition of an asset described in section 1221 or 1231 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(ii) Division (A)(1)(d)(i) of this section does not apply to the extent the income or gain is income or gain described in section 1245 or 1250 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(e) Add taxes on or measured by net income allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income;

(f) In the case of a real estate investment trust and regulated investment company, add all amounts with respect to dividends to, distributions to, or amounts set aside for or credited to the benefit of investors and allowed as a deduction in the computation of federal taxable income;

(g) If the taxpayer is not a C corporation and is not an individual, the taxpayer shall compute adjusted federal taxable income as if the taxpayer were a C corporation, except:

(i) Guaranteed payments and other similar amounts paid or accrued to a partner, former partner, member, or former member shall not be allowed as a deductible expense; and

(ii) Amounts paid or accrued to a qualified self-employed retirement plan with respect to an owner or owner-employee of the taxpayer, amounts paid or accrued to or for health insurance for an owner or owner-employee, and amounts paid or accrued to or for life insurance for an owner or owner-employee shall not be allowed as a deduction.

Nothing in division (A)(1) of this section shall be construed as allowing the taxpayer to add or deduct any amount more than once or shall be construed as allowing any taxpayer to deduct any amount paid to or accrued for purposes of federal self-employment tax.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as limiting or removing the ability of any municipal corporation to administer, audit, and enforce the provisions of its municipal income tax.

(2) "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended.

(3) "Schedule C" means internal revenue service schedule C filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

(4) "Form 2106" means internal revenue service form 2106 filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

(5) "Intangible income" means income of any of the following types: income yield, interest, capital gains, dividends, or other income arising from the ownership, sale, exchange, or other disposition of intangible property including, but not limited to, investments, deposits, money, or credits as those terms are defined in Chapter 5701. of the Revised Code, and patents, copyrights, trademarks, tradenames, investments in real estate investment trusts, investments in regulated investment companies, and appreciation on deferred compensation. "Intangible income" does not include prizes, awards, or other income associated with any lottery winnings or other similar games of chance.

(6) "S corporation" means a corporation that has made an election under subchapter S of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code for its taxable year.

(7) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2004, "net profit" for a taxpayer other than an individual means adjusted federal taxable income and "net profit" for a taxpayer who is an individual means the individual's profit required to be reported on schedule C, schedule E, or schedule F, other than any amount allowed as a deduction under division (E)(2) or (3) of this section or amounts described in division (H) of this section.

(8) "Taxpayer" means a person subject to a tax on income levied by a municipal corporation. Except as provided in division (L) of this section, "taxpayer" does not include any person that is a disregarded entity or a qualifying subchapter S subsidiary for federal income tax purposes, but "taxpayer" includes any other person who owns the disregarded entity or qualifying subchapter S subsidiary.

(9) "Taxable year" means the corresponding tax reporting period as prescribed for the taxpayer under the Internal Revenue Code.

(10) "Tax administrator" means the individual charged with direct responsibility for administration of a tax on income levied by a municipal corporation and includes:

(a) The central collection agency and the regional income tax agency and their successors in interest, and other entities organized to perform functions similar to those performed by the central collection agency and the regional income tax agency;

(b) A municipal corporation acting as the agent of another municipal corporation; and

(c) Persons retained by a municipal corporation to administer a tax levied by the municipal corporation, but only if the municipal corporation does not compensate the person in whole or in part on a contingency basis.

(11) "Person" includes individuals, firms, companies, business trusts, estates, trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, corporations, governmental entities, and any other entity.

(12) "Schedule E" means internal revenue service schedule E filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

(13) "Schedule F" means internal revenue service schedule F filed by a taxpayer pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

(B) No municipal corporation shall tax income at other than a uniform rate.

(C) No municipal corporation shall levy a tax on income at a rate in excess of one per cent without having obtained the approval of the excess by a majority of the electors of the municipality voting on the question at a general, primary, or special election. The legislative authority of the municipal corporation shall file with the board of elections at least seventy-five ninety days before the day of the election a copy of the ordinance together with a resolution specifying the date the election is to be held and directing the board of elections to conduct the election. The ballot shall be in the following form: "Shall the Ordinance providing for a ... per cent levy on income for (Brief description of the purpose of the proposed levy) be passed?

In the event of an affirmative vote, the proceeds of the levy may be used only for the specified purpose.

(D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no municipal corporation shall exempt from a tax on income compensation for personal services of individuals over eighteen years of age or the net profit from a business or profession.

(2)(a) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2004, no municipal corporation shall tax the net profit from a business or profession using any base other than the taxpayer's adjusted federal taxable income.

(b) Division (D)(2)(a) of this section does not apply to any taxpayer required to file a return under section 5745.03 of the Revised Code or to the net profit from a sole proprietorship.

(E)(1) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may, by ordinance or resolution, exempt from withholding and from a tax on income the following:

(a) Compensation arising from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of a stock option, the exercise of a stock option, or the sale, exchange, or other disposition of stock purchased under a stock option; or

(b) Compensation attributable to a nonqualified deferred compensation plan or program described in section 3121(v)(2)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may adopt an ordinance or resolution that allows a taxpayer who is an individual to deduct, in computing the taxpayer's municipal income tax liability, an amount equal to the aggregate amount the taxpayer paid in cash during the taxable year to a health savings account of the taxpayer, to the extent the taxpayer is entitled to deduct that amount on internal revenue service form 1040.

(3) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may adopt an ordinance or resolution that allows a taxpayer who has a net profit from a business or profession that is operated as a sole proprietorship to deduct from that net profit the amount that the taxpayer paid during the taxable year for medical care insurance premiums for the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, and dependents as defined in section 5747.01 of the Revised Code. The deduction shall be allowed to the same extent the taxpayer is entitled to deduct the premiums on internal revenue service form 1040. The deduction allowed under this division shall be net of any related premium refunds, related premium reimbursements, or related insurance premium dividends received by the taxpayer during the taxable year.

(F) If an individual's taxable income includes income against which the taxpayer has taken a deduction for federal income tax purposes as reportable on the taxpayer's form 2106, and against which a like deduction has not been allowed by the municipal corporation, the municipal corporation shall deduct from the taxpayer's taxable income an amount equal to the deduction shown on such form allowable against such income, to the extent not otherwise so allowed as a deduction by the municipal corporation.

(G)(1) In the case of a taxpayer who has a net profit from a business or profession that is operated as a sole proprietorship, no municipal corporation may tax or use as the base for determining the amount of the net profit that shall be considered as having a taxable situs in the municipal corporation, an amount other than the net profit required to be reported by the taxpayer on schedule C or F from such sole proprietorship for the taxable year.

(2) In the case of a taxpayer who has a net profit from rental activity required to be reported on schedule E, no municipal corporation may tax or use as the base for determining the amount of the net profit that shall be considered as having a taxable situs in the municipal corporation, an amount other than the net profit from rental activities required to be reported by the taxpayer on schedule E for the taxable year.

(H) A municipal corporation shall not tax any of the following:

(1) The military pay or allowances of members of the armed forces of the United States and of members of their reserve components, including the Ohio national guard;

(2) The income of religious, fraternal, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational institutions to the extent that such income is derived from tax-exempt real estate, tax-exempt tangible or intangible property, or tax-exempt activities;

(3) Except as otherwise provided in division (I) of this section, intangible income;

(4) Compensation paid under section 3501.28 or 3501.36 of the Revised Code to a person serving as a precinct election official, to the extent that such compensation does not exceed one thousand dollars annually. Such compensation in excess of one thousand dollars may be subjected to taxation by a municipal corporation. A municipal corporation shall not require the payer of such compensation to withhold any tax from that compensation.

(5) Compensation paid to an employee of a transit authority, regional transit authority, or regional transit commission created under Chapter 306. of the Revised Code for operating a transit bus or other motor vehicle for the authority or commission in or through the municipal corporation, unless the bus or vehicle is operated on a regularly scheduled route, the operator is subject to such a tax by reason of residence or domicile in the municipal corporation, or the headquarters of the authority or commission is located within the municipal corporation;

(6) The income of a public utility, when that public utility is subject to the tax levied under section 5727.24 or 5727.30 of the Revised Code, except a municipal corporation may tax the following, subject to Chapter 5745. of the Revised Code:

(a) Beginning January 1, 2002, the income of an electric company or combined company;

(b) Beginning January 1, 2004, the income of a telephone company.

As used in division (H)(6) of this section, "combined company," "electric company," and "telephone company" have the same meanings as in section 5727.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) On and after January 1, 2003, items excluded from federal gross income pursuant to section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(8) On and after January 1, 2001, compensation paid to a nonresident individual to the extent prohibited under section 718.011 of the Revised Code;

(9)(a) Except as provided in division (H)(9)(b) and (c) of this section, an S corporation shareholder's distributive share of net profits of the S corporation, other than any part of the distributive share of net profits that represents wages as defined in section 3121(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or net earnings from self-employment as defined in section 1402(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) If, pursuant to division (H) of former section 718.01 of the Revised Code as it existed before March 11, 2004, a majority of the electors of a municipal corporation voted in favor of the question at an election held on November 4, 2003, the municipal corporation may continue after 2002 to tax an S corporation shareholder's distributive share of net profits of an S corporation.

(c) If, on December 6, 2002, a municipal corporation was imposing, assessing, and collecting a tax on an S corporation shareholder's distributive share of net profits of the S corporation to the extent the distributive share would be allocated or apportioned to this state under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of section 5733.05 of the Revised Code if the S corporation were a corporation subject to taxes imposed under Chapter 5733. of the Revised Code, the municipal corporation may continue to impose the tax on such distributive shares to the extent such shares would be so allocated or apportioned to this state only until December 31, 2004, unless a majority of the electors of the municipal corporation voting on the question of continuing to tax such shares after that date vote in favor of that question at an election held November 2, 2004. If a majority of those electors vote in favor of the question, the municipal corporation may continue after December 31, 2004, to impose the tax on such distributive shares only to the extent such shares would be so allocated or apportioned to this state.

(d) For the purposes of division (D) of section 718.14 of the Revised Code, a municipal corporation shall be deemed to have elected to tax S corporation shareholders' distributive shares of net profits of the S corporation in the hands of the shareholders if a majority of the electors of a municipal corporation vote in favor of a question at an election held under division (H)(9)(b) or (c) of this section. The municipal corporation shall specify by ordinance or rule that the tax applies to the distributive share of a shareholder of an S corporation in the hands of the shareholder of the S corporation.

(10) Employee compensation that is not "qualifying wages" as defined in section 718.03 of the Revised Code;

(11) Beginning August 1, 2007, compensation paid to a person employed within the boundaries of a United States air force base under the jurisdiction of the United States air force that is used for the housing of members of the United States air force and is a center for air force operations, unless the person is subject to taxation because of residence or domicile. If the compensation is subject to taxation because of residence or domicile, municipal income tax shall be payable only to the municipal corporation of residence or domicile.

(I) Any municipal corporation that taxes any type of intangible income on March 29, 1988, pursuant to Section 3 of Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 238 of the 116th general assembly, may continue to tax that type of income after 1988 if a majority of the electors of the municipal corporation voting on the question of whether to permit the taxation of that type of intangible income after 1988 vote in favor thereof at an election held on November 8, 1988.

(J) Nothing in this section or section 718.02 of the Revised Code shall authorize the levy of any tax on income that a municipal corporation is not authorized to levy under existing laws or shall require a municipal corporation to allow a deduction from taxable income for losses incurred from a sole proprietorship or partnership.

(K)(1) Nothing in this chapter prohibits a municipal corporation from allowing, by resolution or ordinance, a net operating loss carryforward.

(2) Nothing in this chapter requires a municipal corporation to allow a net operating loss carryforward.

(L)(1) A single member limited liability company that is a disregarded entity for federal tax purposes may elect to be a separate taxpayer from its single member in all Ohio municipal corporations in which it either filed as a separate taxpayer or did not file for its taxable year ending in 2003, if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The limited liability company's single member is also a limited liability company;

(b) The limited liability company and its single member were formed and doing business in one or more Ohio municipal corporations for at least five years before January 1, 2004;

(c) Not later than December 31, 2004, the limited liability company and its single member each make an election to be treated as a separate taxpayer under division (L) of this section;

(d) The limited liability company was not formed for the purpose of evading or reducing Ohio municipal corporation income tax liability of the limited liability company or its single member;

(e) The Ohio municipal corporation that is the primary place of business of the sole member of the limited liability company consents to the election.

(2) For purposes of division (L)(1)(e) of this section, a municipal corporation is the primary place of business of a limited liability company if, for the limited liability company's taxable year ending in 2003, its income tax liability is greater in that municipal corporation than in any other municipal corporation in Ohio, and that tax liability to that municipal corporation for its taxable year ending in 2003 is at least four hundred thousand dollars.

Sec. 718.09.  (A) This section applies to either of the following:

(1) A municipal corporation that shares the same territory as a city, local, or exempted village school district, to the extent that not more than five per cent of the territory of the municipal corporation is located outside the school district and not more than five per cent of the territory of the school district is located outside the municipal corporation;

(2) A municipal corporation that shares the same territory as a city, local, or exempted village school district, to the extent that not more than five per cent of the territory of the municipal corporation is located outside the school district, more than five per cent but not more than ten per cent of the territory of the school district is located outside the municipal corporation, and that portion of the territory of the school district that is located outside the municipal corporation is located entirely within another municipal corporation having a population of four hundred thousand or more according to the federal decennial census most recently completed before the agreement is entered into under division (B) of this section.

(B) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation to which this section applies may propose to the electors an income tax, one of the purposes of which shall be to provide financial assistance to the school district through payment to the district of not less than twenty-five per cent of the revenue generated by the tax, except that the legislative authority may not propose to levy the income tax on the incomes of nonresident individuals. Prior to proposing the tax, the legislative authority shall negotiate and enter into a written agreement with the board of education of the school district specifying the tax rate, the percentage of tax revenue to be paid to the school district, the purpose for which the school district will use the money, the first year the tax will be levied, the date of the special election on the question of the tax, and the method and schedule by which the municipal corporation will make payments to the school district. The special election shall be held on a day specified in division (D) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, except that the special election may not be held on the day for holding a primary election as authorized by the municipal corporation's charter unless the municipal corporation is to have a primary election on that day.

After the legislative authority and board of education have entered into the agreement, the legislative authority shall provide for levying the tax by ordinance. The ordinance shall state the tax rate, the percentage of tax revenue to be paid to the school district, the purpose for which the municipal corporation will use its share of the tax revenue, the first year the tax will be levied, and that the question of the income tax will be submitted to the electors of the municipal corporation. The legislative authority also shall adopt a resolution specifying the regular or special election date the election will be held and directing the board of elections to conduct the election. At least seventy-five ninety days before the date of the election, the legislative authority shall file certified copies of the ordinance and resolution with the board of elections.

(C) The board of elections shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the municipal corporation, and shall conduct the election in the same manner as any other municipal income tax election. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to the election, and shall include statements of the rate and municipal corporation and school district purposes of the income tax, the percentage of tax revenue that will be paid to the school district, and the first year the tax will be levied. The ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the ordinance providing for a ..... per cent levy on income for (brief description of the municipal corporation and school district purposes of the levy, including a statement of the percentage of tax revenue that will be paid to the school district) be passed? The income tax, if approved, will not be levied on the incomes of individuals who do not reside in (the name of the municipal corporation).

(D) If the question is approved by a majority of the electors, the municipal corporation shall impose the income tax beginning in the year specified in the ordinance. The proceeds of the levy may be used only for the specified purposes, including payment of the specified percentage to the school district.

Sec. 718.10.  (A) This section applies to a group of two or more municipal corporations that, taken together, share the same territory as a single city, local, or exempted village school district, to the extent that not more than five per cent of the territory of the municipal corporations as a group is located outside the school district and not more than five per cent of the territory of the school district is located outside the municipal corporations as a group.

(B) The legislative authorities of the municipal corporations in a group of municipal corporations to which this section applies each may propose to the electors an income tax, to be levied in concert with income taxes in the other municipal corporations of the group, except that a legislative authority may not propose to levy the income tax on the incomes of individuals who do not reside in the municipal corporation. One of the purposes of such a tax shall be to provide financial assistance to the school district through payment to the district of not less than twenty-five per cent of the revenue generated by the tax. Prior to proposing the taxes, the legislative authorities shall negotiate and enter into a written agreement with each other and with the board of education of the school district specifying the tax rate, the percentage of the tax revenue to be paid to the school district, the first year the tax will be levied, and the date of the election on the question of the tax, all of which shall be the same for each municipal corporation. The agreement also shall state the purpose for which the school district will use the money, and specify the method and schedule by which each municipal corporation will make payments to the school district. The special election shall be held on a day specified in division (D) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, including a day on which all of the municipal corporations are to have a primary election.

After the legislative authorities and board of education have entered into the agreement, each legislative authority shall provide for levying its tax by ordinance. Each ordinance shall state the rate of the tax, the percentage of tax revenue to be paid to the school district, the purpose for which the municipal corporation will use its share of the tax revenue, and the first year the tax will be levied. Each ordinance also shall state that the question of the income tax will be submitted to the electors of the municipal corporation on the same date as the submission of questions of an identical tax to the electors of each of the other municipal corporations in the group, and that unless the electors of all of the municipal corporations in the group approve the tax in their respective municipal corporations, none of the municipal corporations in the group shall levy the tax. Each legislative authority also shall adopt a resolution specifying the regular or special election date the election will be held and directing the board of elections to conduct the election. At least seventy-five ninety days before the date of the election, each legislative authority shall file certified copies of the ordinance and resolution with the board of elections.

(C) For each of the municipal corporations, the board of elections shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors, and shall conduct the election in the same manner as any other municipal income tax election. For each of the municipal corporations, notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to the election. The notice shall include a statement of the rate and municipal corporation and school district purposes of the income tax, the percentage of tax revenue that will be paid to the school district, and the first year the tax will be levied, and an explanation that the tax will not be levied unless an identical tax is approved by the electors of each of the other municipal corporations in the group. The ballot shall be in the following form:

"Shall the ordinance providing for a ... per cent levy on income for (brief description of the municipal corporation and school district purposes of the levy, including a statement of the percentage of income tax revenue that will be paid to the school district) be passed? The income tax, if approved, will not be levied on the incomes of individuals who do not reside in (the name of the municipal corporation). In order for the income tax to be levied, the voters of (the other municipal corporations in the group), which are also in the (name of the school district) school district, must approve an identical income tax and agree to pay the same percentage of the tax revenue to the school district.

(D) If the question is approved by a majority of the electors and identical taxes are approved by a majority of the electors in each of the other municipal corporations in the group, the municipal corporation shall impose the tax beginning in the year specified in the ordinance. The proceeds of the levy may be used only for the specified purposes, including payment of the specified percentage to the school district.

Sec. 731.03.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, one member of the legislative authority of a city from each ward and such number of members thereof at large as is provided by section 731.01 of the Revised Code shall be chosen in each odd-numbered year. Members shall serve for a term of two years commencing on the first day of January next after their election.

(B) A city legislative authority may, by majority vote, adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the city electors the question of whether the terms of office of the members of the legislative authority should be changed from two to four years. The question may also ask whether the legislative authority should be authorized to establish staggered four-year terms of office among members of the legislative authority by fixing certain terms of office at two years for one term of office but then at four years thereafter. If the resolution calls for submission of the question about staggered terms, the resolution shall specify the number of members to be elected for four-year terms and the number to be elected for two-year terms at the next election for such members. The resolution shall also specify how many of those members elected to four-year terms and how many of those members elected to two-year terms shall be elected from the city at large, and how many from wards. If staggered terms of office are established, the legislative authority shall fix the length of the terms of office prior to the last day fixed by law for filing as a candidate for such office. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. If a majority of the votes cast on the question is in the affirmative, the terms of office of the members of the legislative authority shall be four years effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election, except as may otherwise be provided by the legislative authority to establish staggered terms of office among members of the legislative authority.

A city legislative authority whose members' terms of office are four years may, by a majority vote, adopt a resolution establishing staggered four-year terms of office among members of the legislative authority by fixing certain terms of office at two years for one term of office but then at four years thereafter. The resolution shall specify the number of members to be elected for four-year terms and the number to be elected for two-year terms, and shall specify how many of those members elected to four-year terms and how many of those members elected to two-year terms shall be elected from the city at large, and how many from wards. If staggered terms of office are established, the legislative authority shall fix the length of the terms of office prior to the last day fixed by law for filing as a candidate for such office.

A city legislative authority whose members' terms of office are four years may, by majority vote, adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the city electors the question of whether the members' terms should be changed back from four to two years. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. If a majority of the votes cast on the question is in the affirmative, the terms of office of the members of the legislative authority shall be two years effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election.

Sec. 731.28.  Ordinances and other measures providing for the exercise of any powers of government granted by the constitution or delegated to any municipal corporation by the general assembly may be proposed by initiative petition. Such initiative petition must contain the signatures of not less than ten per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor in the municipal corporation.

When a petition is filed with the city auditor or village clerk, signed by the required number of electors proposing an ordinance or other measure, such auditor or clerk shall, after ten days, transmit a certified copy of the text of the proposed ordinance or measure to the board of elections. The auditor or clerk shall transmit the petition to the board together with the certified copy of the proposed ordinance or other measure. The board shall examine all signatures on the petition to determine the number of electors of the municipal corporation who signed the petition. The board shall return the petition to the auditor or clerk within ten days after receiving it, together with a statement attesting to the number of such electors who signed the petition.

The board shall submit such proposed ordinance or measure for the approval or rejection of the electors of the municipal corporation at the next general election occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after the auditor or clerk certifies the sufficiency and validity of the initiative petition to the board of elections. No ordinance or other measure proposed by initiative petition and approved by a majority of the electors voting upon the measure in such municipal corporation shall be subject to the veto of the mayor.

As used in this section, "certified copy" means a copy containing a written statement attesting it is a true and exact reproduction of the original proposed ordinance or other measure.

Sec. 731.29.  Any ordinance or other measure passed by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall be subject to the referendum except as provided by section 731.30 of the Revised Code. No ordinance or other measure shall go into effect until thirty days after it is filed with the mayor of a city or passed by the legislative authority in a village, except as provided by such section.

When a petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor in the municipal corporation, is filed with the city auditor or village clerk within thirty days after any ordinance or other measure is filed with the mayor or passed by the legislative authority of a village, or in case the mayor has vetoed the ordinance or any measure and returned it to council, such petition may be filed within thirty days after the council has passed the ordinance or measure over his the veto, ordering that such ordinance or measure be submitted to the electors of such municipal corporation for their approval or rejection, such auditor or clerk shall, after ten days, and not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of election, transmit a certified copy of the text of the ordinance or measure to the board of elections. The auditor or clerk shall transmit the petition to the board together with the certified copy of the ordinance or measure. The board shall examine all signatures on the petition to determine the number of electors of the municipal corporation who signed the petition. The board shall return the petition to the auditor or clerk within ten days after receiving it, together with a statement attesting to the number of such electors who signed the petition. The board shall submit the ordinance or measure to the electors of the municipal corporation, for their approval or rejection, at the next general election occurring subsequent to seventy-five ninety days after the auditor or clerk certifies the sufficiency and validity of the petition to the board of elections.

No such ordinance or measure shall go into effect until approved by the majority of those voting upon it. Sections 731.28 to 731.41 of the Revised Code do not prevent a municipal corporation, after the passage of any ordinance or other measure, from proceeding at once to give any notice or make any publication required by such ordinance or other measure.

As used in this section, "certified copy" means a copy containing a written statement attesting that it is a true and exact reproduction of the original ordinance or other measure.

Sec. 733.09.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the president of the legislative authority of a city shall be elected for a term of two years, commencing on the first day of January next after his election. He The president of the legislative authority shall be an elector of the city, and shall preside at all regular and special meetings of such legislative authority, but he the president shall have no vote therein except in case of a tie.

(B) A city legislative authority may, by majority vote, adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the city electors the question of whether the term of office of the president of the legislative authority should be changed from two to four years. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. If a majority of the votes cast on the question is in the affirmative, the term of office of the president of the legislative authority shall be four years effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election.

A city legislative authority whose president's term of office is four years may, by majority vote, adopt a resolution causing the board of elections to submit to the city electors the question of whether the president's term should be changed from four to two years. The question shall be voted upon at the next general election occuring occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections. If a majority of the votes cast on the question is in the affirmative, the term of the office of the president of the legislative authority shall be two years effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election.

Sec. 733.261.  (A) The legislative authority of a village may, by ordinance or resolution passed by at least a majority vote, combine the duties of the clerk and the treasurer into one office, to be known as the clerk-treasurer. The combination shall be effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election at which the village clerk is to be elected, provided that a clerk-treasurer shall be elected at such election pursuant to this section and shall be elected for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of April following his election. Between the first day of January and the first day of April following such an election, the clerk shall perform the duties of clerk-treasurer. The legislative authority of the village shall file certification of such action with the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the day of the next municipal primary election at which the village clerk is to be elected; provided that in villages under two thousand population in which no petition for a primary election was filed pursuant to section 3513.01 of the Revised Code, or in villages in which no primary is held pursuant to section 3513.02 of the Revised Code, such action shall be certified to the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the next general election at which the village clerk is to be elected.

At such succeeding regular municipal election and thereafter, the clerk-treasurer shall be elected for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of April following the clerk-treasurer's election. The clerk-treasurer shall be an elector of the corporation.

(B) In addition to the circumstances described in division (A) of this section, when a vacancy exists in the office of village treasurer or village clerk the legislative authority of a village may, by ordinance or resolution passed by at least a majority vote, combine the duties of the clerk and the treasurer into one office, to be known as the clerk-treasurer. The combination shall be effective on the effective date of the ordinance or resolution combining the duties of the offices of clerk and treasurer. At the next regular municipal election at which the village clerk would have been elected and each four years thereafter, the clerk-treasurer shall be elected for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of April following the clerk-treasurer's election. The clerk-treasurer shall be an elector of the municipal corporation.

(C) The clerk-treasurer shall perform the duties provided by law for the clerk and the treasurer. All laws pertaining to the clerk and to the treasurer shall be construed to apply to the clerk-treasurer, provided that the initial compensation for the office of clerk-treasurer shall be established by the legislative authority and that action shall not be subject to section 731.13 of the Revised Code relating to the time when the compensation of village elected officials shall be fixed and pertaining to changes in compensation of officials during the term of office.

(D) The legislative authority of a village having a clerk-treasurer may separate the offices by ordinance or resolution passed by at least a majority vote. The action to separate the offices may be taken in either of the following circumstances:

(1) When a vacancy exists in the office of clerk-treasurer, in which case the separation shall be effective upon the effective date of the ordinance or resolution;

(2) When the action of the legislative authority is certified to and filed with the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the day of the next primary election at which the village clerk and treasurer are to be elected; provided that in villages under two thousand population in which no petition for a primary election was filed pursuant to section 3513.01 of the Revised Code, or in villages in which no primary is held pursuant to section 3513.02 of the Revised Code, such action shall be certified to the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the next general election at which the village clerk and treasurer are to be elected.

Sec. 733.262. (A) In lieu of having the elected office of village clerk and the office of village treasurer, or the combined elected office of village clerk-treasurer, a village may combine the duties of the clerk and treasurer into one appointed office, to be known as the village fiscal officer. To make this change, the village legislative authority shall pass, by a two-thirds vote, an ordinance or resolution proposing to make the change effective on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election at which the village clerk or village clerk-treasurer is to be elected.

So that no election for the office of village clerk or village clerk-treasurer is held after the passage of the ordinance or resolution, the village legislative authority shall file a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution with the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the day of the next succeeding municipal primary election at which candidates for the office of village clerk or village clerk-treasurer are to be nominated, or, in villages with a population of under two thousand in which no petition for a primary election is filed under section 3513.01 of the Revised Code or in villages in which no primary is held under section 3513.02 of the Revised Code, not less than one hundred five twenty days before the next succeeding regular municipal election at which the village clerk or village clerk-treasurer is to be elected.

(B) In addition to the circumstances described in division (A) of this section, when a vacancy exists in the office of village clerk or village clerk-treasurer, the village legislative authority may pass, by a two-thirds vote, an ordinance or resolution to combine the duties of the clerk and the treasurer into the appointed office of village fiscal officer. That change shall take effect on the effective date of the ordinance or resolution.

(C) A village fiscal officer appointed under this section shall perform the duties provided by law for the village clerk and treasurer and any other duties consistent with the nature of the office that are provided for by municipal ordinance.

(D) A village fiscal officer shall be appointed by the mayor of the village, but that appointment does not become effective until it is approved by a majority vote of the village legislative authority. The village fiscal officer need not be an elector of the village or reside in the village at the time of appointment; however, the fiscal officer shall become a resident of the village within six months after the appointment takes effect, unless an ordinance is passed approving the fiscal officer's residence outside of the village.

The village fiscal officer may be removed without cause either by the mayor with the consent of a majority of the members of the village legislative authority or by a three-fourths vote of the village legislative authority with or without the consent of the mayor.

(E) The legislative authority of a village that has a village fiscal officer may abolish that appointed office and return to an elected office of village clerk-treasurer by passing an ordinance or resolution by a two-thirds vote.

If a vacancy exists in the office of village fiscal officer when this ordinance or resolution is passed, the abolition shall take effect on the effective date of the ordinance or resolution, and the mayor shall appoint a village clerk-treasurer to serve until the first day of April following the next regular municipal election at which a clerk-treasurer can be elected. So an election can be held, the village legislative authority shall file a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution with the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the day of the next succeeding municipal primary election.

If a vacancy does not exist in the office of village fiscal officer when the abolishing ordinance or resolution is passed, the village legislative authority shall certify a copy of the ordinance or resolution to the board of elections not less than one hundred five twenty days before the day of the next succeeding municipal primary election.

The person elected at the next regular municipal election as village clerk-treasurer under the circumstances described in this division shall serve a four-year term commencing on the first day of April following that election.

Sec. 733.31.  (A) Unless otherwise provided by law, vacancies arising in appointive and elective offices of villages shall be filled by appointment by the mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term, provided that:

(1) Vacancies in the office of mayor shall be filled in the manner provided by section 733.25 of the Revised Code;

(2) Vacancies in the membership of the legislative authority shall be filled in the manner provided by section 731.43 of the Revised Code;

(3) Vacancies in the office of president pro tempore of a village legislative authority shall be filled in the manner provided by section 731.11 of the Revised Code.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of village clerk or treasurer, the mayor may appoint a person to serve as an acting officer to perform the duties of the office until a permanent officer is appointed to fill the vacancy.

(B) Unless otherwise provided by law, vacancies arising in appointive offices of cities shall be filled by appointment by the mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(C) A vacancy in the office of president of the legislative authority of a city shall be filled in the same manner as provided in division (D) of this section. Vacancies in the office of mayor of a city shall be filled in the manner provided in section 733.08 of the Revised Code. Vacancies in the membership of the legislative authority of a city shall be filled in the manner provided in section 731.43 of the Revised Code.

(D) In case of the death, resignation, removal, or disability of the director of law, auditor, or treasurer of a city and such vacancy occurs more than forty fifty days before the next general election for such office, a successor shall be elected at such election for the unexpired term unless such term expires within one year immediately following the date of such general election. In either event, the vacancy shall be filled as provided in this section and the appointee shall hold his office until a successor is elected and qualified.

(1) The county central committee of the political party with which the last occupant of the office was affiliated, acting through its members who reside in the city where the vacancy occurs, shall appoint a person to hold the office and to perform the duties thereof until a successor is elected and has qualified, except that if such vacancy occurs because of the death, resignation, or inability to take the office of an officer-elect whose term has not yet begun, an appointment to take such office at the beginning of the term shall be made by the members of the central committee who reside in the city where the vacancy occurs.

(2) Not less than five nor more than forty-five days after a vacancy occurs, the county central committee, acting through its members who reside in the city where the vacancy occurs, shall meet for the purpose of making an appointment. Not less than four days before the date of the meeting the chairman chairperson or secretary of the central committee shall send by first class mail to every member of such central committee who resides in the city where the vacancy occurs a written notice which shall state the time and place of such meeting and the purpose thereof. A majority of the members of the central committee present at such meeting may make the appointment.

(E) If the last occupant of the office or the officer-elect, as provided in division (D) of this section, was elected as an independent candidate, the mayor of the city shall make the appointment at the time the vacancy occurs.

(F) Appointments made under this section shall be certified by the appointing county central committee or by the mayor of the municipal corporation to the county board of elections and to the secretary of state. The persons so appointed and certified shall be entitled to all remuneration provided by law for the offices to which they are appointed.

(G) The mayor of the city may appoint a person to hold the city office of director of law, auditor, or treasurer as an acting officer and to perform the duties thereof between the occurrence of the vacancy and the time when the person appointed by the central committee qualifies and takes the office.

Sec. 733.48. (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, when it considers it necessary, the legislative authority of a village may provide legal counsel for the village, or for any department or official of the village, for a period not to exceed two years and shall provide compensation for the legal counsel.

(B) A petition may be filed with the village clerk, signed by registered electors residing in the village equal in number to not less than ten per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the village at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting that the question be placed before the electors whether, instead of the legislative authority appointing legal counsel for the village or for any department or official of the village, the mayor shall appoint an attorney or law firm as the legal counsel with the advice and consent of the legislative authority. Within two weeks after receipt of the petition, the clerk shall certify it to the board of elections, which shall determine its sufficiency and validity. The petition shall be certified to the board not less than seventy-five ninety days prior to the election at which the question is to be voted upon.

At the election, if a majority of the electors of the village approves the question, then effective immediately when the mayor considers it necessary, the mayor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the legislative authority, an attorney or law firm as legal counsel for the village, or for any department or official of the village, for a period not to exceed two years. The appointment of legal counsel under this division shall be pursuant to a contract approved by the mayor and a majority vote of the legislative authority. The contract shall provide for the compensation and other terms of the engagement of the legal counsel, and the legislative authority shall provide that compensation for the legal counsel.

(C) When acting under this section, the legislative authority acts in its administrative capacity.

Sec. 749.021.  Upon the execution of the agreement provided for in section 749.02 of the Revised Code the legislative authority of the municipal corporation shall submit to the electors thereof, at the next general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the certification of the resolution to the board of elections, the question of the ratification of such agreement, and if the sum to be paid by the municipal corporation under the terms of such agreement is not available from current general revenues thereof, the legislative authority shall also submit to the electors, at the same election, the question of the issue of bonds of the municipal corporation in the amount specified in such agreement for the purpose of providing funds for the payment of such sum. The proceedings in the matter of such election and in the issuance and sale of such bonds shall be as provided by law for municipal bonds. Such agreement shall not be effective, and no bonds shall be issued, unless the electors approve of both the agreement and the bond issue, if the question of the issue of bonds is so submitted.

Sec. 755.01.  When five per cent of the qualified electors of a city petition the board of elections of the county for the privilege of determining by ballot whether there shall be a board of park commissioners, such board shall submit at the next general election held within such city at least ninety days after the petition is filed, or at a special election occurring at least ninety days after the petition is filed, if the petition requests a special election, the questions presented in the petition, to the electors of the city. Such special election shall be held at the usual place for holding municipal elections and shall be governed by the same rules, regulations, and laws as govern the holding of municipal elections.

Sec. 757.02.  Upon the filing of a petition as provided by section 757.01 of the Revised Code, the taxing authority of the municipal corporation shall pass a resolution providing for the submission of the question of levying a tax as provided by such section at the next following municipal election. A copy of such resolution shall be certified by the taxing authority to the board of elections not less than seventy-five ninety days before the general election in any year in which a municipal election is held, and such board shall submit the question to the electors of the municipal corporation at the succeeding November election. Section 5705.25 of the Revised Code relating to the arrangements for and the conduct of such election, publication thereof, and form of ballot therefor, shall apply to such proposal to the electorate.

If sixty-five per cent of the electors voting on such proposal at the election vote in favor thereof, sections 5705.25 and 5705.26 of the Revised Code, shall apply to the certification and levy of such additional tax.

Sec. 759.25.  The legislative authority of a village may levy a tax for the purchase of a funeral coach or the contruction construction of a vault for the dead, for the use of the village. Such resolution shall be filed with the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election. The question of levying such tax, for either or both purposes, and the amount asked therefor, shall be separately submitted to the electors of the village at a general election. Twenty days' notice of such election shall be given by posting in at least three public places in the village. The notice shall state specifically the amount to be raised, and for what purpose. If a majority of all the votes cast at the election is in favor of either or both propositions, they shall be considered adopted and the tax authorized. The funeral coach and vault shall be under the control of the board of cemetery trustees of the village where there is such board, otherwise under the control of the legislative authority or person appointed by it.

Sec. 1515.28.  A board of county commissioners may declare by resolution that it is necessary to levy a tax upon the property within the project area in order to pay the costs of the improvement not otherwise funded.

Such resolution shall specify the rate which it is necessary to levy, the purpose thereof, and the number of years during which such increase shall be in effect, which levy may include a levy upon the duplicate of the current year.

A copy of the resolution shall be certified to the board of elections for the county not less than seventy-five ninety days before the general election in any year and said board shall submit the proposal to the electors within the project area at the succeeding November election in accordance with section 5705.25 of the Revised Code. For purposes of that section, the subdivision is the project area.

If the per cent required for approval of a levy as set forth in section 5705.26 of the Revised Code vote in favor thereof, the board of county commissioners may levy a tax within the project area, outside the ten-mill limitation, during the period and for the purpose stated in the resolution, or at any less rate or for any less number of years.

The board may issue bonds and notes in anticipation of the collection of taxes levied under this section, and notes in anticipation of the issuance of bonds.

Sec. 1545.21.  The board of park commissioners, by resolution, may submit to the electors of the park district the question of levying taxes for the use of the district. The resolution shall declare the necessity of levying such taxes, shall specify the purpose for which such taxes shall be used, the annual rate proposed, and the number of consecutive years the rate shall be levied. Such resolution shall be forthwith certified to the board of elections in each county in which any part of such district is located, not later than the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the election, and the question of the levy of taxes as provided in such resolution shall be submitted to the electors of the district at a special election to be held on whichever of the following occurs first:

(A) The day of the next general election;

(B) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in May in any calendar year, except that if a presidential primary election is held in that calendar year, then the day of that election. The ballot shall set forth the purpose for which the taxes shall be levied, the annual rate of levy, and the number of years of such levy. If the tax is to be placed on the current tax list, the form of the ballot shall state that the tax will be levied in the current tax year and shall indicate the first calendar year the tax will be due. If the resolution of the board of park commissioners provides that an existing levy will be canceled upon the passage of the new levy, the ballot may include a statement that: "an existing levy of ... mills (stating the original levy millage), having ... years remaining, will be canceled and replaced upon the passage of this levy." In such case, the ballot may refer to the new levy as a "replacement levy" if the new millage does not exceed the original millage of the levy being canceled or as a "replacement and additional levy" if the new millage exceeds the original millage of the levy being canceled. If a majority of the electors voting upon the question of such levy vote in favor thereof, such taxes shall be levied and shall be in addition to the taxes authorized by section 1545.20 of the Revised Code, and all other taxes authorized by law. The rate submitted to the electors at any one time shall not exceed two mills annually upon each dollar of valuation. When a tax levy has been authorized as provided in this section or in section 1545.041 of the Revised Code, the board of park commissioners may issue bonds pursuant to section 133.24 of the Revised Code in anticipation of the collection of such levy, provided that such bonds shall be issued only for the purpose of acquiring and improving lands. Such levy, when collected, shall be applied in payment of the bonds so issued and the interest thereon. The amount of bonds so issued and outstanding at any time shall not exceed one per cent of the total tax valuation in such district. Such bonds shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 1545.36.  (A) When the board of elections of the county in which a park district is located has had filed with it a petition calling for the dissolution of the district, and determines that the petition meets the requirements of this section and section 3501.38 of the Revised Code, the board shall place the issue of the dissolution on the ballot at the next special election to be held on the day of a general or primary election. Written notice of the filing of the petition shall be sent immediately to the board of park commissioners and the probate court that created the district.

(B) The petition shall:

(1) Be filed with the board no less than seventy-five ninety days before the next election;

(2) Be supported by the signatures of at least twenty-five per cent of the number of voters in the district who voted in the preceding gubernatorial election.

(C) If the petition as filed does not have the required number of signatures and the time for filing has elapsed, the board shall declare it invalid. No further petition for dissolution shall be received until after the next election is completed. On determination of these findings, the board shall send written notice of them to the principal circulator.

(D)(1) If a majority of the votes cast support the dissolution, the board shall immediately send written notice of the vote, citing the number of votes for and against the issue, to the probate court, to the board of park commissioners, and to the principal circulator. No park district shall be applied for within the dissolved district for a period of four years following the election in which the issue was supported.

(2) If the issue fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, the board shall receive no further petition for dissolution until the fourth year following that in which the election failed, and shall send written notice of these results to the principal circulator and the board of park commissioners.

Sec. 1711.30.  Before issuing bonds under section 1711.28 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners, by resolution, shall submit to the qualified electors of the county at the next general election for county officers, held not less than thirty ninety days after receiving from the county agricultural society the notice provided for in section 1711.25 of the Revised Code, the question of issuing and selling such bonds in such amount and denomination as are necessary for the purpose in view, and shall certify a copy of such resolution to the county board of elections.

The county board of elections shall place the question of issuing and selling such bonds upon the ballot and make all other necessary arrangements for the submission, at the time fixed by such resolution, of such question to such electors. The votes cast at such election upon such question must be counted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner, except as provided by law, as votes cast for county officers. Fifteen days' notice of such submission shall be given by the county board of elections, by publication once a week for two consecutive weeks in two or more newspapers published in the county, stating the amount of bonds to be issued, the purpose for which they are to be issued, and the time and places of holding such election. Such question must be stated on the ballot as follows: "For the issue of county fair bonds, yes"; "For the issue of county fair bonds, no." If the majority of those voting upon the question of issuing the bonds vote in favor thereof, then and only then shall they be issued and the tax provided for in section 1711.29 of the Revised Code be levied.

Sec. 1901.07.  (A) All municipal court judges shall be elected on the nonpartisan ballot for terms of six years. In a municipal court in which only one judge is to be elected in any one year, that judge's term commences on the first day of January after the election. In a municipal court in which two or more judges are to be elected in any one year, their terms commence on successive days beginning the first day of January, following the election, unless otherwise provided by section 1901.08 of the Revised Code.

(B) All candidates for municipal court judge may be nominated either by nominating petition or by primary election, except that if the jurisdiction of a municipal court extends only to the corporate limits of the municipal corporation in which the court is located and that municipal corporation operates under a charter, all candidates shall be nominated in the same manner provided in the charter for the office of municipal court judge or, if no specific provisions are made in the charter for the office of municipal court judge, in the same manner as the charter prescribes for the nomination and election of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation.

If the jurisdiction of a municipal court extends beyond the corporate limits of the municipal corporation in which it is located or if the jurisdiction of the court does not extend beyond the corporate limits of the municipal corporation in which it is located and no charter provisions apply, all candidates for party nomination to the office of municipal court judge shall file a declaration of candidacy and petition not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, or if the primary election is a presidential primary election, not later than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the day of the presidential primary election, in the form prescribed by section 3513.07 of the Revised Code. The petition shall conform to the requirements provided for those petitions of candidacy contained in section 3513.05 of the Revised Code, except that the petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court. If no valid declaration of candidacy is filed for nomination as a candidate of a political party for election to the office of municipal court judge, or if the number of persons filing the declarations of candidacy for nominations as candidates of one political party for election to the office does not exceed the number of candidates that that party is entitled to nominate as its candidates for election to the office, no primary election shall be held for the purpose of nominating candidates of that party for election to the office, and the candidates shall be issued certificates of nomination in the manner set forth in section 3513.02 of the Revised Code.

If the jurisdiction of a municipal court extends beyond the corporate limits of the municipal corporation in which it is located or if the jurisdiction of the court does not extend beyond the corporate limits of the municipal corporation in which it is located and no charter provisions apply, nonpartisan candidates for the office of municipal court judge shall file nominating petitions not later than four p.m. of the day before the day of the primary election in the form prescribed by section 3513.261 of the Revised Code. The petition shall conform to the requirements provided for those petitions of candidacy contained in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code, except that the petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court.

The nominating petition or declaration of candidacy for a municipal court judge shall contain a designation of the term for which the candidate seeks election. At the following regular municipal election, the candidacies of the judges nominated shall be submitted to the electors of the territory on a nonpartisan, judicial ballot in the same manner as provided for judges of the court of common pleas, except that, in a municipal corporation operating under a charter, all candidates for municipal court judge shall be elected in conformity with the charter if provisions are made in the charter for the election of municipal court judges.

(C) Notwithstanding divisions (A) and (B) of this section, in the following municipal courts, the judges shall be nominated and elected as follows:

(1) In the Cleveland municipal court, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court. It shall be in the statutory form and shall be filed in the manner and within the time prescribed by the charter of the city of Cleveland for filing petitions of candidates for municipal offices. Each elector shall have the right to sign petitions for as many candidates as are to be elected, but no more. The judges shall be elected by the electors of the territory of the court in the manner provided by law for the election of judges of the court of common pleas.

(2) In the Toledo municipal court, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court. It shall be in the statutory form and shall be filed in the manner and within the time prescribed by the charter of the city of Toledo for filing nominating petitions for city council. Each elector shall have the right to sign petitions for as many candidates as are to be elected, but no more. The judges shall be elected by the electors of the territory of the court in the manner provided by law for the election of judges of the court of common pleas.

(3) In the Akron municipal court, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court. It shall be in statutory form and shall be filed in the manner and within the time prescribed by the charter of the city of Akron for filing nominating petitions of candidates for municipal offices. Each elector shall have the right to sign petitions for as many candidates as are to be elected, but no more. The judges shall be elected by the electors of the territory of the court in the manner provided by law for the election of judges of the court of common pleas.

(4) In the Hamilton county municipal court, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court, which petitions shall be signed, verified, and filed in the manner and within the time required by law for nominating petitions for members of council of the city of Cincinnati. The judges shall be elected by the electors of the territory of the court at the regular municipal election and in the manner provided by law for the election of judges of the court of common pleas.

(5) In the Franklin county municipal court, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petition shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court. The petition shall be in the statutory form and shall be filed in the manner and within the time prescribed by the charter of the city of Columbus for filing petitions of candidates for municipal offices. The judges shall be elected by the electors of the territory of the court in the manner provided by law for the election of judges of the court of common pleas.

(6) In the Auglaize, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Crawford, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Madison, Miami, Morrow, and Wayne county municipal courts, the judges shall be nominated only by petition. The petitions shall be signed by at least fifty electors of the territory of the court and shall conform to the provisions of this section.

(D) In the Portage county municipal court, the judges shall be nominated either by nominating petition or by primary election, as provided in division (B) of this section.

(E) As used in this section, as to an election for either a full or an unexpired term, "the territory within the jurisdiction of the court" means that territory as it will be on the first day of January after the election.

Sec. 1901.10.  (A)(1)(a) The judges of the municipal court and officers of the court shall take an oath of office as provided in section 3.23 of the Revised Code. The office of judge of the municipal court is subject to forfeiture, and the judge may be removed from office, for the causes and by the procedure provided in sections 3.07 to 3.10 of the Revised Code. A vacancy in the office of judge exists upon the death, resignation, forfeiture, removal from office, or absence from official duties for a period of six consecutive months, as determined under this section, of the judge and also by reason of the expiration of the term of an incumbent when no successor has been elected or qualified. The chief justice of the supreme court may designate a judge of another municipal court to act until that vacancy is filled in accordance with section 107.08 of the Revised Code. A vacancy resulting from the absence of a judge from official duties for a period of six consecutive months shall be determined and declared by the legislative authority.

(b) If a vacancy occurs in the office of judge or clerk of the municipal court after the one-hundredth day before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May and prior to the fortieth fifty-sixth day before the day of the general election, all candidates for election to the unexpired term of the judge or clerk shall file nominating petitions with the board of elections not later than four p.m. on the tenth day following the day on which the vacancy occurs, except that, when the vacancy occurs fewer than six four days before the fortieth fifty-sixth day before the general election, the deadline for filing shall be four p.m. on the thirty-sixth fiftieth day before the day of the general election.

(c) Each nominating petition referred to in division (A)(1)(b) of this section shall be in the form prescribed in section 3513.261 of the Revised Code and shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the territory of the municipal court. No nominating petition shall be accepted for filing or filed if it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in number more than twice the minimum aggregate number of signatures required by this section.

(2) If a judge of a municipal court that has only one judge is temporarily absent, incapacitated, or otherwise unavailable, the judge may appoint a substitute who has the qualifications required by section 1901.06 of the Revised Code or a retired judge of a court of record who is a qualified elector and a resident of the territory of the court. If the judge is unable to make the appointment, the chief justice of the supreme court shall appoint a substitute. The appointee shall serve during the absence, incapacity, or unavailability of the incumbent, shall have the jurisdiction and powers conferred upon the judge of the municipal court, and shall be styled "acting judge." During that time of service, the acting judge shall sign all process and records and shall perform all acts pertaining to the office, except that of removal and appointment of officers of the court. All courts shall take judicial notice of the selection and powers of the acting judge. The incumbent judge shall establish the amount of compensation of an acting judge upon either a per diem, hourly, or other basis, but the rate of pay shall not exceed the per diem amount received by the incumbent judge.

(B) When the volume of cases pending in any municipal court necessitates an additional judge, the chief justice of the supreme court, upon the written request of the judge or presiding judge of that municipal court, may designate a judge of another municipal court or county court to serve for any period of time that the chief justice may prescribe. The compensation of a judge so designated shall be paid from the city treasury or, in the case of a county-operated municipal court, from the county treasury. In addition to the annual salary provided for in section 1901.11 of the Revised Code and in addition to any compensation under division (A)(5) or (6) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code to which the judge is entitled in connection with the judge's own court, a full-time or part-time judge while holding court outside the judge's territory on the designation of the chief justice shall receive actual and necessary expenses and compensation as follows:

(1) A full-time judge shall receive thirty dollars for each day of the assignment.

(2) A part-time judge shall receive for each day of the assignment the per diem compensation of the judges of the court to which the judge is assigned, less the per diem amount paid to those judges pursuant to section 141.04 of the Revised Code, calculated on the basis of two hundred fifty working days per year.

If a request is made by a judge or the presiding judge of a municipal court to designate a judge of another municipal court because of the volume of cases in the court for which the request is made and the chief justice reports, in writing, that no municipal or county court judge is available to serve by designation, the judges of the court requesting the designation may appoint a substitute as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, who may serve for any period of time that is prescribed by the chief justice. The substitute judge shall be paid in the same manner and at the same rate as the incumbent judges, except that, if the substitute judge is entitled to compensation under division (A)(5) or (6) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code, then section 1901.121 of the Revised Code shall govern its payment.

Sec. 1901.31.  The clerk and deputy clerks of a municipal court shall be selected, be compensated, give bond, and have powers and duties as follows:

(A) There shall be a clerk of the court who is appointed or elected as follows:

(1)(a) Except in the Akron, Barberton, Toledo, Hamilton county, Portage county, and Wayne county municipal courts and through December 31, 2008, the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court, if the population of the territory equals or exceeds one hundred thousand at the regular municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of the present clerk, the clerk shall be nominated and elected by the qualified electors of the territory in the manner that is provided for the nomination and election of judges in section 1901.07 of the Revised Code.

The clerk so elected shall hold office for a term of six years, which term shall commence on the first day of January following the clerk's election and continue until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified.

(b) In the Hamilton county municipal court, the clerk of courts of Hamilton county shall be the clerk of the municipal court and may appoint an assistant clerk who shall receive the compensation, payable out of the treasury of Hamilton county in semimonthly installments, that the board of county commissioners prescribes. The clerk of courts of Hamilton county, acting as the clerk of the Hamilton county municipal court and assuming the duties of that office, shall receive compensation at one-fourth the rate that is prescribed for the clerks of courts of common pleas as determined in accordance with the population of the county and the rates set forth in sections 325.08 and 325.18 of the Revised Code. This compensation shall be paid from the county treasury in semimonthly installments and is in addition to the annual compensation that is received for the performance of the duties of the clerk of courts of Hamilton county, as provided in sections 325.08 and 325.18 of the Revised Code.

(c) In the Portage county and Wayne county municipal courts, the clerks of courts of Portage county and Wayne county shall be the clerks, respectively, of the Portage county and Wayne county municipal courts and may appoint a chief deputy clerk for each branch that is established pursuant to section 1901.311 of the Revised Code and assistant clerks as the judges of the municipal court determine are necessary, all of whom shall receive the compensation that the legislative authority prescribes. The clerks of courts of Portage county and Wayne county, acting as the clerks of the Portage county and Wayne county municipal courts and assuming the duties of these offices, shall receive compensation payable from the county treasury in semimonthly installments at one-fourth the rate that is prescribed for the clerks of courts of common pleas as determined in accordance with the population of the county and the rates set forth in sections 325.08 and 325.18 of the Revised Code.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(1)(d) of this section, in the Akron municipal court, candidates for election to the office of clerk of the court shall be nominated by primary election. The primary election shall be held on the day specified in the charter of the city of Akron for the nomination of municipal officers. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code, the declarations of candidacy and petitions of partisan candidates and the nominating petitions of independent candidates for the office of clerk of the Akron municipal court shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the territory of the court.

The candidates shall file a declaration of candidacy and petition, or a nominating petition, whichever is applicable, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, in the form prescribed by section 3513.07 or 3513.261 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy and petition, or the nominating petition, shall conform to the applicable requirements of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code.

If no valid declaration of candidacy and petition is filed by any person for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to the office of clerk of the Akron municipal court, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office. If only one person files a valid declaration of candidacy and petition for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to that office, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office, and the candidate shall be issued a certificate of nomination in the manner set forth in section 3513.02 of the Revised Code.

Declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, and certificates of nomination for the office of clerk of the Akron municipal court shall contain a designation of the term for which the candidate seeks election. At the following regular municipal election, all candidates for the office shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the territory of the court in the manner that is provided in section 1901.07 of the Revised Code for the election of the judges of the court. The clerk so elected shall hold office for a term of six years, which term shall commence on the first day of January following the clerk's election and continue until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(1)(e) of this section, in the Barberton municipal court, candidates for election to the office of clerk of the court shall be nominated by primary election. The primary election shall be held on the day specified in the charter of the city of Barberton for the nomination of municipal officers. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code, the declarations of candidacy and petitions of partisan candidates and the nominating petitions of independent candidates for the office of clerk of the Barberton municipal court shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the territory of the court.

The candidates shall file a declaration of candidacy and petition, or a nominating petition, whichever is applicable, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, in the form prescribed by section 3513.07 or 3513.261 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy and petition, or the nominating petition, shall conform to the applicable requirements of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code.

If no valid declaration of candidacy and petition is filed by any person for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to the office of clerk of the Barberton municipal court, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office. If only one person files a valid declaration of candidacy and petition for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to that office, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office, and the candidate shall be issued a certificate of nomination in the manner set forth in section 3513.02 of the Revised Code.

Declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, and certificates of nomination for the office of clerk of the Barberton municipal court shall contain a designation of the term for which the candidate seeks election. At the following regular municipal election, all candidates for the office shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the territory of the court in the manner that is provided in section 1901.07 of the Revised Code for the election of the judges of the court. The clerk so elected shall hold office for a term of six years, which term shall commence on the first day of January following the clerk's election and continue until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified.

(f)(i) Through December 31, 2008, except as otherwise provided in division (A)(1)(f)(i) of this section, in the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court, candidates for election to the office of clerk of the court shall be nominated by primary election. The primary election shall be held on the day specified in the charter of the city of Cuyahoga Falls for the nomination of municipal officers. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code, the declarations of candidacy and petitions of partisan candidates and the nominating petitions of independent candidates for the office of clerk of the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the territory of the court.

The candidates shall file a declaration of candidacy and petition, or a nominating petition, whichever is applicable, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, in the form prescribed by section 3513.07 or 3513.261 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy and petition, or the nominating petition, shall conform to the applicable requirements of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code.

If no valid declaration of candidacy and petition is filed by any person for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to the office of clerk of the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office. If only one person files a valid declaration of candidacy and petition for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to that office, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office, and the candidate shall be issued a certificate of nomination in the manner set forth in section 3513.02 of the Revised Code.

Declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, and certificates of nomination for the office of clerk of the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court shall contain a designation of the term for which the candidate seeks election. At the following regular municipal election, all candidates for the office shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the territory of the court in the manner that is provided in section 1901.07 of the Revised Code for the election of the judges of the court. The clerk so elected shall hold office for a term of six years, which term shall commence on the first day of January following the clerk's election and continue until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified.

(ii) Division (A)(1)(f)(i) of this section shall have no effect after December 31, 2008.

(g) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(1)(g) of this section, in the Toledo municipal court, candidates for election to the office of clerk of the court shall be nominated by primary election. The primary election shall be held on the day specified in the charter of the city of Toledo for the nomination of municipal officers. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code, the declarations of candidacy and petitions of partisan candidates and the nominating petitions of independent candidates for the office of clerk of the Toledo municipal court shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the territory of the court.

The candidates shall file a declaration of candidacy and petition, or a nominating petition, whichever is applicable, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, in the form prescribed by section 3513.07 or 3513.261 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy and petition, or the nominating petition, shall conform to the applicable requirements of section 3513.05 or 3513.257 of the Revised Code.

If no valid declaration of candidacy and petition is filed by any person for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to the office of clerk of the Toledo municipal court, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office. If only one person files a valid declaration of candidacy and petition for nomination as a candidate of a particular political party for election to that office, a primary election shall not be held for the purpose of nominating a candidate of that party for election to that office, and the candidate shall be issued a certificate of nomination in the manner set forth in section 3513.02 of the Revised Code.

Declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, and certificates of nomination for the office of clerk of the Toledo municipal court shall contain a designation of the term for which the candidate seeks election. At the following regular municipal election, all candidates for the office shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the territory of the court in the manner that is provided in section 1901.07 of the Revised Code for the election of the judges of the court. The clerk so elected shall hold office for a term of six years, which term shall commence on the first day of January following the clerk's election and continue until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified.

(2)(a) Except for the Alliance, Auglaize county, Brown county, Columbiana county, Holmes county, Lorain, Massillon, and Youngstown municipal courts, in a municipal court for which the population of the territory is less than one hundred thousand, the clerk shall be appointed by the court, and the clerk shall hold office until the clerk's successor is appointed and qualified.

(b) In the Alliance, Lorain, Massillon, and Youngstown municipal courts, the clerk shall be elected for a term of office as described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section.

(c) In the Auglaize county, Brown county, and Holmes county municipal courts, the clerks of courts of Auglaize county, Brown county, and Holmes county shall be the clerks, respectively, of the Auglaize county, Brown county, and Holmes county municipal courts and may appoint a chief deputy clerk for each branch office that is established pursuant to section 1901.311 of the Revised Code, and assistant clerks as the judge of the court determines are necessary, all of whom shall receive the compensation that the legislative authority prescribes. The clerks of courts of Auglaize county, Brown county, and Holmes county, acting as the clerks of the Auglaize county, Brown county, and Holmes county municipal courts and assuming the duties of these offices, shall receive compensation payable from the county treasury in semimonthly installments at one-fourth the rate that is prescribed for the clerks of courts of common pleas as determined in accordance with the population of the county and the rates set forth in sections 325.08 and 325.18 of the Revised Code.

(d) In the Columbiana county municipal court, the clerk of courts of Columbiana county shall be the clerk of the municipal court, may appoint a chief deputy clerk for each branch office that is established pursuant to section 1901.311 of the Revised Code, and may appoint any assistant clerks that the judges of the court determine are necessary. All of the chief deputy clerks and assistant clerks shall receive the compensation that the legislative authority prescribes. The clerk of courts of Columbiana county, acting as the clerk of the Columbiana county municipal court and assuming the duties of that office, shall receive in either biweekly installments or semimonthly installments, as determined by the payroll administrator, compensation payable from the county treasury at one-fourth the rate that is prescribed for the clerks of courts of common pleas as determined in accordance with the population of the county and the rates set forth in sections 325.08 and 325.18 of the Revised Code.

(3) During the temporary absence of the clerk due to illness, vacation, or other proper cause, the court may appoint a temporary clerk, who shall be paid the same compensation, have the same authority, and perform the same duties as the clerk.

(B) Except in the Hamilton county, Portage county, and Wayne county municipal courts, if a vacancy occurs in the office of the clerk of the Alliance, Lorain, Massillon, or Youngstown municipal court or occurs in the office of the clerk of a municipal court for which the population of the territory equals or exceeds one hundred thousand because the clerk ceases to hold the office before the end of the clerk's term or because a clerk-elect fails to take office, the vacancy shall be filled, until a successor is elected and qualified, by a person chosen by the residents of the territory of the court who are members of the county central committee of the political party by which the last occupant of that office or the clerk-elect was nominated. Not less than five nor more than fifteen days after a vacancy occurs, those members of that county central committee shall meet to make an appointment to fill the vacancy. At least four days before the date of the meeting, the chairperson or a secretary of the county central committee shall notify each such member of that county central committee by first class mail of the date, time, and place of the meeting and its purpose. A majority of all such members of that county central committee constitutes a quorum, and a majority of the quorum is required to make the appointment. If the office so vacated was occupied or was to be occupied by a person not nominated at a primary election, or if the appointment was not made by the committee members in accordance with this division, the court shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy. A successor shall be elected to fill the office for the unexpired term at the first municipal election that is held more than one hundred twenty thirty-five days after the vacancy occurred.

(C)(1) In a municipal court, other than the Auglaize county, the Brown county, the Columbiana county, the Holmes county, and the Lorain municipal courts, for which the population of the territory is less than one hundred thousand, the clerk of the municipal court shall receive the annual compensation that the presiding judge of the court prescribes, if the revenue of the court for the preceding calendar year, as certified by the auditor or chief fiscal officer of the municipal corporation in which the court is located or, in the case of a county-operated municipal court, the county auditor, is equal to or greater than the expenditures, including any debt charges, for the operation of the court payable under this chapter from the city treasury or, in the case of a county-operated municipal court, the county treasury for that calendar year, as also certified by the auditor or chief fiscal officer. If the revenue of a municipal court, other than the Auglaize county, the Brown county, the Columbiana county, and the Lorain municipal courts, for which the population of the territory is less than one hundred thousand for the preceding calendar year as so certified is not equal to or greater than those expenditures for the operation of the court for that calendar year as so certified, the clerk of a municipal court shall receive the annual compensation that the legislative authority prescribes. As used in this division, "revenue" means the total of all costs and fees that are collected and paid to the city treasury or, in a county-operated municipal court, the county treasury by the clerk of the municipal court under division (F) of this section and all interest received and paid to the city treasury or, in a county-operated municipal court, the county treasury in relation to the costs and fees under division (G) of this section.

(2) In a municipal court, other than the Hamilton county, Portage county, and Wayne county municipal courts, for which the population of the territory is one hundred thousand or more, and in the Lorain municipal court, the clerk of the municipal court shall receive annual compensation in a sum equal to eighty-five per cent of the salary of a judge of the court.

(3) The compensation of a clerk described in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section and of the clerk of the Columbiana county municipal court is payable in either semimonthly installments or biweekly installments, as determined by the payroll administrator, from the same sources and in the same manner as provided in section 1901.11 of the Revised Code, except that the compensation of the clerk of the Carroll county municipal court is payable in biweekly installments.

(D) Before entering upon the duties of the clerk's office, the clerk of a municipal court shall give bond of not less than six thousand dollars to be determined by the judges of the court, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the clerk's duties.

(E) The clerk of a municipal court may do all of the following: administer oaths, take affidavits, and issue executions upon any judgment rendered in the court, including a judgment for unpaid costs; issue, sign, and attach the seal of the court to all writs, process, subpoenas, and papers issuing out of the court; and approve all bonds, sureties, recognizances, and undertakings fixed by any judge of the court or by law. The clerk may refuse to accept for filing any pleading or paper submitted for filing by a person who has been found to be a vexatious litigator under section 2323.52 of the Revised Code and who has failed to obtain leave to proceed under that section. The clerk shall do all of the following: file and safely keep all journals, records, books, and papers belonging or appertaining to the court; record the proceedings of the court; perform all other duties that the judges of the court may prescribe; and keep a book showing all receipts and disbursements, which book shall be open for public inspection at all times.

The clerk shall prepare and maintain a general index, a docket, and other records that the court, by rule, requires, all of which shall be the public records of the court. In the docket, the clerk shall enter, at the time of the commencement of an action, the names of the parties in full, the names of the counsel, and the nature of the proceedings. Under proper dates, the clerk shall note the filing of the complaint, issuing of summons or other process, returns, and any subsequent pleadings. The clerk also shall enter all reports, verdicts, orders, judgments, and proceedings of the court, clearly specifying the relief granted or orders made in each action. The court may order an extended record of any of the above to be made and entered, under the proper action heading, upon the docket at the request of any party to the case, the expense of which record may be taxed as costs in the case or may be required to be prepaid by the party demanding the record, upon order of the court.

(F) The clerk of a municipal court shall receive, collect, and issue receipts for all costs, fees, fines, bail, and other moneys payable to the office or to any officer of the court. The clerk shall each month disburse to the proper persons or officers, and take receipts for, all costs, fees, fines, bail, and other moneys that the clerk collects. Subject to sections 307.515 and 4511.193 of the Revised Code and to any other section of the Revised Code that requires a specific manner of disbursement of any moneys received by a municipal court and except for the Hamilton county, Lawrence county, and Ottawa county municipal courts, the clerk shall pay all fines received for violation of municipal ordinances into the treasury of the municipal corporation the ordinance of which was violated and shall pay all fines received for violation of township resolutions adopted pursuant to section 503.52 or 503.53 or Chapter 504. of the Revised Code into the treasury of the township the resolution of which was violated. Subject to sections 1901.024 and 4511.193 of the Revised Code, in the Hamilton county, Lawrence county, and Ottawa county municipal courts, the clerk shall pay fifty per cent of the fines received for violation of municipal ordinances and fifty per cent of the fines received for violation of township resolutions adopted pursuant to section 503.52 or 503.53 or Chapter 504. of the Revised Code into the treasury of the county. Subject to sections 307.515, 4511.19, and 5503.04 of the Revised Code and to any other section of the Revised Code that requires a specific manner of disbursement of any moneys received by a municipal court, the clerk shall pay all fines collected for the violation of state laws into the county treasury. Except in a county-operated municipal court, the clerk shall pay all costs and fees the disbursement of which is not otherwise provided for in the Revised Code into the city treasury. The clerk of a county-operated municipal court shall pay the costs and fees the disbursement of which is not otherwise provided for in the Revised Code into the county treasury. Moneys deposited as security for costs shall be retained pending the litigation. The clerk shall keep a separate account of all receipts and disbursements in civil and criminal cases, which shall be a permanent public record of the office. On the expiration of the term of the clerk, the clerk shall deliver the records to the clerk's successor. The clerk shall have other powers and duties as are prescribed by rule or order of the court.

(G) All moneys paid into a municipal court shall be noted on the record of the case in which they are paid and shall be deposited in a state or national bank, or a domestic savings and loan association, as defined in section 1151.01 of the Revised Code, that is selected by the clerk. Any interest received upon the deposits shall be paid into the city treasury, except that, in a county-operated municipal court, the interest shall be paid into the treasury of the county in which the court is located.

On the first Monday in January of each year, the clerk shall make a list of the titles of all cases in the court that were finally determined more than one year past in which there remains unclaimed in the possession of the clerk any funds, or any part of a deposit for security of costs not consumed by the costs in the case. The clerk shall give notice of the moneys to the parties who are entitled to the moneys or to their attorneys of record. All the moneys remaining unclaimed on the first day of April of each year shall be paid by the clerk to the city treasurer, except that, in a county-operated municipal court, the moneys shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the court is located. The treasurer shall pay any part of the moneys at any time to the person who has the right to the moneys upon proper certification of the clerk.

(H) Deputy clerks of a municipal court other than the Carroll county municipal court may be appointed by the clerk and shall receive the compensation, payable in either biweekly installments or semimonthly installments, as determined by the payroll administrator, out of the city treasury, that the clerk may prescribe, except that the compensation of any deputy clerk of a county-operated municipal court shall be paid out of the treasury of the county in which the court is located. The judge of the Carroll county municipal court may appoint deputy clerks for the court, and the deputy clerks shall receive the compensation, payable in biweekly installments out of the county treasury, that the judge may prescribe. Each deputy clerk shall take an oath of office before entering upon the duties of the deputy clerk's office and, when so qualified, may perform the duties appertaining to the office of the clerk. The clerk may require any of the deputy clerks to give bond of not less than three thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful performance of the deputy clerk's duties.

(I) For the purposes of this section, whenever the population of the territory of a municipal court falls below one hundred thousand but not below ninety thousand, and the population of the territory prior to the most recent regular federal census exceeded one hundred thousand, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation may declare, by resolution, that the territory shall be considered to have a population of at least one hundred thousand.

(J) The clerk or a deputy clerk shall be in attendance at all sessions of the municipal court, although not necessarily in the courtroom, and may administer oaths to witnesses and jurors and receive verdicts.

Sec. 1907.13.  A county court judge, at the time of filing a nominating petition for the office or at the time of appointment to the office and during the judge's term of office, shall be a qualified elector and a resident of the county court district in which the judge is elected or appointed. A county court judge does not have to be a resident of an area of separate jurisdiction in the county court district to which the judge may be assigned pursuant to section 1907.15 of the Revised Code. Every county court judge shall have been admitted to the practice of law in this state and shall have been engaged, for a total of at least six years preceding the judge's appointment or the commencement of the judge's term, in the practice of law in this state, except that the six-year practice requirement does not apply to a county court judge who is holding office on the effective date of this amendment and who subsequently is a candidate for that office.

Judges shall be elected by the electors of the county court district at the general election in even-numbered years as set forth in section 1907.11 of the Revised Code for a term of six years commencing on the first day of January following the election for the county court or on the dates specified in section 1907.11 of the Revised Code for particular county court judges. Their successors shall be elected in even-numbered years every six years.

All candidates for county court judge shall be nominated by petition. The nominating petition shall be in the general form and signed and verified as prescribed by section 3513.261 of the Revised Code and shall be signed by the lesser of fifty qualified electors of the county court district or a number of qualified electors of the county court district not less than one per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent regular state election in the district. A nominating petition shall not be accepted for filing or filed if it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in number more than twice the minimum aggregate number of signatures required by this section. A nominating petition shall be filed with the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth ninetieth day before the day of the general election.

Sec. 2101.43.  Whenever ten per cent of the number of electors voting for governor at the most recent election in any county having less than sixty thousand population, as determined by the most recent federal census, petition a judge of the court of common pleas of such county, not less than seventy-five ninety days before any general election for county officers, for the submission to the electors of such county the question of combining the probate court with the court of common pleas, such judge shall place upon the journal of said court an order requiring the sheriff to make proclamation that at the next general election there will be submitted to the electors the question of combining the probate court with the court of common pleas. The clerk of the court of common pleas shall, thereupon, make and deliver a certified copy of such order to the sheriff, and the sheriff shall include notice of the submission of such question in his the sheriff's proclamation of election for the next general election.

Each elector joining in a petition for the submission of said question shall sign such petition in the elector's own handwriting, unless the elector cannot write and the elector's signature is made by mark, and shall add thereto the township, precinct, or ward of which the elector is a resident. Such petition may consist of as many parts as are convenient. One of the signers to each separate paper shall swear before some officer qualified to administer the oath that the petition is bona fide to the best of the signer's knowledge and belief. Such oath shall be a part of or attached to such paper. The judge upon receipt of such petition shall deposit it with the clerk of the court of common pleas.

No signature shall be taken from or added to such petition after it has been filed with the judge. When deposited such petition shall be preserved and open to public inspection, and if it is in conformity with this section, it shall be valid, unless objection thereto is made in writing by an elector of the county within five days after the filing thereof. Such objections, or any other questions arising in the course of the submission of the question of combining said courts, shall be considered and determined by the judge, and his the judge's decision shall be final.

Sec. 2301.02.  The number of judges of the court of common pleas for each county, the time for the next election of the judges in the several counties, and the beginning of their terms shall be as follows:

(A) In Adams, Ashland, Fayette, and Pike counties, one judge, elected in 1956, term to begin February 9, 1957;

In Brown, Crawford, Defiance, Highland, Holmes, Morgan, Ottawa, and Union counties, one judge, to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955;

In Auglaize county, one judge, to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 9, 1957;

In Coshocton, Darke, Fulton, Gallia, Guernsey, Hardin, Jackson, Knox, Madison, Mercer, Monroe, Paulding, Vinton, and Wyandot counties, one judge, to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957;

In Morrow county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, and one to be elected in 2006, term to begin January 1, 2007;

In Logan county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, and one to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 2, 2005;

In Carroll, Clinton, Hocking, Meigs, Pickaway, Preble, Shelby, Van Wert, and Williams counties, one judge, to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953;

In Champaign county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, and one to be elected in 2008, term to begin February 10, 2009.

In Harrison and Noble counties, one judge, to be elected in 1954, term to begin April 18, 1955;

In Henry county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin May 9, 1957, and one to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 1, 2005;

In Putnam county, one judge, to be elected in 1956, term to begin May 9, 1957;

In Huron county, one judge, to be elected in 1952, term to begin May 14, 1953;

In Perry county, one judge, to be elected in 1954, term to begin July 6, 1956;

In Sandusky county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 10, 1955, and one to be elected in 1978, term to begin January 1, 1979;

(B) In Allen county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin February 9, 1957, the second to be elected in 1958, term to begin January 1, 1959, and the third to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 1, 1993;

In Ashtabula county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, one to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 1, 1961, and one to be elected in 1978, term to begin January 2, 1979;

In Athens county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, and one to be elected in 1990, term to begin July 1, 1991;

In Erie county, four judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1970, term to begin January 2, 1971, the third to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 2, 2005, and the fourth to be elected in 2008, term to begin February 9, 2009;

In Fairfield county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, the second to be elected in 1970, term to begin January 1, 1971, and the third to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 2, 1995;

In Geauga county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1976, term to begin January 6, 1977;

In Greene county, four judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin February 9, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 1, 1961, the third to be elected in 1978, term to begin January 2, 1979, and the fourth to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 1, 1995;

In Hancock county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, and the second to be elected in 1978, term to begin January 1, 1979;

In Lawrence county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, and the second to be elected in 1976, term to begin January 1, 1977;

In Marion county, three judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1976, term to begin January 2, 1977, and the third to be elected in 1998, term to begin February 9, 1999;

In Medina county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1966, term to begin January 1, 1967, and the third to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 1, 1995;

In Miami county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, and one to be elected in 1970, term to begin on January 1, 1971;

In Muskingum county, three judges, one to be elected in 1968, term to begin August 9, 1969, one to be elected in 1978, term to begin January 1, 1979, and one to be elected in 2002, term to begin January 2, 2003;

In Portage county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 1, 1961, and the third to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 2, 1987;

In Ross county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin February 9, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1976, term to begin January 1, 1977;

In Scioto county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 10, 1955, the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 1, 1961, and the third to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 2, 1995;

In Seneca county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 2, 1987;

In Warren county, four judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, the second to be elected in 1970, term to begin January 1, 1971, the third to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 1, 1987, and the fourth to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 2, 2005;

In Washington county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, and one to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 1, 1987;

In Wood county, three judges, one to be elected in 1968, term beginning January 1, 1969, the second to be elected in 1970, term to begin January 2, 1971, and the third to be elected in 1990, term to begin January 1, 1991;

In Belmont and Jefferson counties, two judges, to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively;

In Clark county, four judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 2, 1957, the third to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 3, 1987, and the fourth to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 2, 1995.

In Clermont county, five judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 1, 1965, the third to be elected in 1982, term to begin January 2, 1983, the fourth to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 2, 1987; and the fifth to be elected in 2006, term to begin January 3, 2007;

In Columbiana county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, and the second to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957;

In Delaware county, two judges, one to be elected in 1990, term to begin February 9, 1991, the second to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 1, 1995;

In Lake county, six judges, one to be elected in 1958, term to begin January 1, 1959, the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 2, 1961, the third to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 3, 1965, the fourth and fifth to be elected in 1978, terms to begin January 4, 1979, and January 5, 1979, respectively, and the sixth to be elected in 2000, term to begin January 6, 2001;

In Licking county, four judges, one to be elected in 1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 1, 1965, one to be elected in 1990, term to begin January 1, 1991, and one to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 1, 2005;

In Lorain county, nine judges, two to be elected in 1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, and January 2, 1953, respectively, one to be elected in 1958, term to begin January 3, 1959, one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 1, 1969, two to be elected in 1988, terms to begin January 4, 1989, and January 5, 1989, respectively, two to be elected in 1998, terms to begin January 2, 1999, and January 3, 1999, respectively; and one to be elected in 2006, term to begin January 6, 2007;

In Butler county, eleven judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957; two to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 2, 1969; one to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 3, 1987; two to be elected in 1988, terms to begin January 1, 1989, and January 2, 1989, respectively; one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 4, 1993; two to be elected in 2002, terms to begin January 2, 2003, and January 3, 2003, respectively; and one to be elected in 2006, term to begin January 3, 2007;

In Richland county, four judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin February 9, 1961, the third to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 2, 1969, and the fourth to be elected in 2004, term to begin January 3, 2005;

In Tuscarawas county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1960, term to begin January 2, 1961;

In Wayne county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term beginning January 1, 1957, and one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 2, 1969;

In Trumbull county, six judges, one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1954, term to begin January 1, 1955, the third to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957, the fourth to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 1, 1965, the fifth to be elected in 1976, term to begin January 2, 1977, and the sixth to be elected in 1994, term to begin January 3, 1995;

(C) In Cuyahoga county, thirty-nine judges; eight to be elected in 1954, terms to begin on successive days beginning from January 1, 1955, to January 7, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; eight to be elected in 1956, terms to begin on successive days beginning from January 1, 1957, to January 8, 1957; three to be elected in 1952, terms to begin from January 1, 1953, to January 3, 1953; two to be elected in 1960, terms to begin on January 8, 1961, and January 9, 1961, respectively; two to be elected in 1964, terms to begin January 4, 1965, and January 5, 1965, respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to begin on January 10, 1967; four to be elected in 1968, terms to begin on successive days beginning from January 9, 1969, to January 12, 1969; two to be elected in 1974, terms to begin on January 18, 1975, and January 19, 1975, respectively; five to be elected in 1976, terms to begin on successive days beginning January 6, 1977, to January 10, 1977; two to be elected in 1982, terms to begin January 11, 1983, and January 12, 1983, respectively; and two to be elected in 1986, terms to begin January 13, 1987, and January 14, 1987, respectively;

In Franklin county, twenty-two judges; two to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; four to be elected in 1956, terms to begin January 1, 1957, to January 4, 1957; four to be elected in 1958, terms to begin January 1, 1959, to January 4, 1959; three to be elected in 1968, terms to begin January 5, 1969, to January 7, 1969; three to be elected in 1976, terms to begin on successive days beginning January 5, 1977, to January 7, 1977; one to be elected in 1982, term to begin January 8, 1983; one to be elected in 1986, term to begin January 9, 1987; two to be elected in 1990, terms to begin July 1, 1991, and July 2, 1991, respectively; one to be elected in 1996, term to begin January 2, 1997; and one to be elected in 2004, term to begin July 1, 2005;

In Hamilton county, twenty-one judges; eight to be elected in 1966, terms to begin January 1, 1967, January 2, 1967, and from February 9, 1967, to February 14, 1967, respectively; five to be elected in 1956, terms to begin from January 1, 1957, to January 5, 1957; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 1, 1965; one to be elected in 1974, term to begin January 15, 1975; one to be elected in 1980, term to begin January 16, 1981; two to be elected at large in the general election in 1982, terms to begin April 1, 1983; one to be elected in 1990, term to begin July 1, 1991; and two to be elected in 1996, terms to begin January 3, 1997, and January 4, 1997, respectively;

In Lucas county, fourteen judges; two to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; two to be elected in 1956, terms to begin January 1, 1957, and October 29, 1957, respectively; two to be elected in 1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, and January 2, 1953, respectively; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 3, 1965; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 4, 1969; two to be elected in 1976, terms to begin January 4, 1977, and January 5, 1977, respectively; one to be elected in 1982, term to begin January 6, 1983; one to be elected in 1988, term to begin January 7, 1989; one to be elected in 1990, term to begin January 2, 1991; and one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 2, 1993;

In Mahoning county, seven judges; three to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; one to be elected in 1956, term to begin January 1, 1957; one to be elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 2, 1969; and one to be elected in 1990, term to begin July 1, 1991;

In Montgomery county, fifteen judges; three to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, and January 3, 1955, respectively; four to be elected in 1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, January 2, 1953, July 1, 1953, and July 2, 1953, respectively; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 3, 1965; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 3, 1969; three to be elected in 1976, terms to begin on successive days beginning January 4, 1977, to January 6, 1977; two to be elected in 1990, terms to begin July 1, 1991, and July 2, 1991, respectively; and one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 1, 1993.

In Stark county, eight judges; one to be elected in 1958, term to begin on January 2, 1959; two to be elected in 1954, terms to begin on January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; two to be elected in 1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, and April 16, 1953, respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to begin on January 4, 1967; and two to be elected in 1992, terms to begin January 1, 1993, and January 2, 1993, respectively;

In Summit county, thirteen judges; four to be elected in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, January 3, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; three to be elected in 1958, terms to begin January 1, 1959, January 2, 1959, and May 17, 1959, respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to begin January 4, 1967; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 5, 1969; one to be elected in 1990, term to begin May 1, 1991; one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 6, 1993; and two to be elected in 2008, terms to begin January 5, 2009, and January 6, 2009, respectively.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, in any county having two or more judges of the court of common pleas, in which more than one-third of the judges plus one were previously elected at the same election, if the office of one of those judges so elected becomes vacant more than forty fifty days prior to the second general election preceding the expiration of that judge's term, the office that that judge had filled shall be abolished as of the date of the next general election, and a new office of judge of the court of common pleas shall be created. The judge who is to fill that new office shall be elected for a six-year term at the next general election, and the term of that judge shall commence on the first day of the year following that general election, on which day no other judge's term begins, so that the number of judges that the county shall elect shall not be reduced.

Judges of the probate division of the court of common pleas are judges of the court of common pleas but shall be elected pursuant to sections 2101.02 and 2101.021 of the Revised Code, except in Adams, Harrison, Henry, Morgan, Noble, and Wyandot counties in which the judge of the court of common pleas elected pursuant to this section also shall serve as judge of the probate division, except in Lorain county in which the judges of the domestic relations division of the Lorain county court of common pleas elected pursuant to this section also shall perform the duties and functions of the judge of the probate division from February 9, 2009, through September 28, 2009, and except in Morrow county in which the judges of the court of common pleas elected pursuant to this section also shall perform the duties and functions of the judge of the probate division.

Sec. 3311.053.  (A) The boards of education of up to five adjoining educational service centers may, by identical resolutions adopted by a majority of the members of each governing board within any sixty-day period, combine such educational service centers into one educational service center. The resolutions shall state the name of the new center, which may be styled as a "joint educational service center." The resolutions shall also indicate whether the governing board of the new educational service center is to be formed in accordance with division (B) of this section, in accordance with division (A) of section 3311.054 of the Revised Code, or in accordance with section 3311.057 of the Revised Code.

A copy of each resolution shall be filed with the state board of education. The new educational service center shall be created and the governing boards of the participating educational service centers shall be dissolved and a new governing board established thirty days after the date on which the last resolution was filed with the state board.

(B) The initial members of a new governing board established in accordance with this division shall be appointed as follows:

(1) If two educational service centers combine, each center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall appoint two members to the new governing board and the four members so selected shall select a fifth member within ten days of the date on which the last of the four members is appointed.

(2) If three educational service centers combine, each center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall appoint one member to the new governing board and the three members so selected shall select the remaining two members of the governing board within ten days of the date on which the last of the three members is appointed.

(3) If four educational service centers combine, each center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall appoint one member to the new governing board and the four members so selected shall select the remaining member of the governing board within ten days of the date on which the last of the four members is appointed.

(4) If five educational service centers combine, each center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall appoint one member to the new governing board.

If the members appointed to a new governing board by the governing boards of the combining educational service centers are unable to agree on the selection of the remaining members of the new governing board within ten days, the probate judge of the county in which the greatest number of pupils under the supervision of the new educational service center reside shall appoint the remaining members.

Electors of the new educational service center shall elect a new governing board at the next general election occurring in an odd-numbered year and more than seventy-five ninety days after the date of the appointment of the last member to the initial governing board. Members shall serve for the duration of the term to which they are elected or until their successors are elected and qualified. At such election, two members shall be elected to terms of two years and three members shall be elected to terms of four years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected in the same manner and for the same terms as members of governing boards of all educational service centers. Each candidate for election as a member of the educational service center governing board shall file a nominating petition in accordance with section 3513.255 of the Revised Code.

(C) The funds of each former educational service center shall be paid over in full to the governing board of the new educational service center, and the legal title to all property of the former governing boards shall become vested in the new governing board.

The governing board of an educational service center created under this section shall honor all contracts made by the former governing boards.

Sec. 3311.059. The procedure prescribed in this section may be used in lieu of a transfer prescribed under section 3311.231 of the Revised Code.

(A) Subject to divisions (B) and (C) of this section, a board of education of a local school district may by a resolution approved by a majority of all its members propose to sever that local school district from the territory of the educational service center in which the local school district is currently included and to instead annex the local school district to the territory of another educational service center, the current territory of which is adjacent to the territory of the educational service center in which the local school district is currently included. The resolution shall promptly be filed with the governing board of each educational service center affected by the resolution and with the superintendent of public instruction.

(B) The resolution adopted under division (A) of this section shall not be effective unless it is approved by the state board of education. In deciding whether to approve the resolution, the state board shall consider the impact of an annexation on both the school district and the educational service center to which the district is proposed to be annexed, including the ability of that service center to deliver services in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The severance of the local school district from one educational service center and its annexation to another educational service center under this section shall not be effective until one year after the first day of July following the later of the date that the state board of education approves the resolution or the date the board of elections certifies the results of the referendum election as provided in division (C) of this section.

(C) Within sixty days following the date of the adoption of the resolution under division (A) of this section, the electors of the local school district may petition for a referendum vote on the resolution. The question whether to approve or disapprove the resolution shall be submitted to the electors of such school district if a number of qualified electors equal to twenty per cent of the number of electors in the school district who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office sign a petition asking that the question of whether the resolution shall be disapproved be submitted to the electors. The petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the school district is located. If the school district is located in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the majority of the territory of the school district is located. The board shall certify the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition.

The board of elections shall immediately notify the board of education of the local school district and the governing board of each educational service center affected by the resolution that the petition has been filed.

The effect of the resolution shall be stayed until the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition. If the board of elections determines that the petition does not contain a sufficient number of valid signatures and sixty days have passed since the adoption of the resolution, the resolution shall become effective as provided in division (B) of this section.

If the board of elections certifies that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures, the board shall submit the question to the qualified electors of the school district on the day of the next general or primary election held at least seventy-five ninety days after the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition. The election shall be conducted and canvassed and the results shall be certified in the same manner as in regular elections for the election of members of a board of education.

If a majority of the electors voting on the question disapprove the resolution, the resolution shall not become effective. If a majority of the electors voting on the question approve the resolution, the resolution shall become effective as provided in division (B) of this section.

(D) Upon the effective date of the severance of the local school district from one educational service center and its annexation to another educational service center as provided in division (B) of this section, the governing board of each educational service center shall take such steps for the election of members of the governing board and for organization of the governing board as prescribed in Chapter 3313. of the Revised Code.

(E) If a school district is severed from one educational service center and annexed to another service center under this section, the board of education of that school district shall not propose a subsequent severance and annexation action under this section that would be effective sooner than five years after the effective date of the next previous severance and annexation action under this section.

Sec. 3311.21.  (A) In addition to the resolutions authorized by sections 5705.194, 5705.199, 5705.21, 5705.212, and 5705.213 of the Revised Code, the board of education of a joint vocational or cooperative education school district by a vote of two-thirds of its full membership may at any time adopt a resolution declaring the necessity to levy a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation for a period not to exceed ten years to provide funds for any one or more of the following purposes, which may be stated in the following manner in such resolution, the ballot, and the notice of election: purchasing a site or enlargement thereof and for the erection and equipment of buildings; for the purpose of enlarging, improving, or rebuilding thereof; for the purpose of providing for the current expenses of the joint vocational or cooperative school district; or for a continuing period for the purpose of providing for the current expenses of the joint vocational or cooperative education school district. The resolution shall specify the amount of the proposed rate and, if a renewal, whether the levy is to renew all, or a portion of, the existing levy, and shall specify the first year in which the levy will be imposed. If the levy provides for but is not limited to current expenses, the resolution shall apportion the annual rate of the levy between current expenses and the other purpose or purposes. Such apportionment may but need not be the same for each year of the levy, but the respective portions of the rate actually levied each year for current expenses and the other purpose or purposes shall be limited by such apportionment. The portion of any such rate actually levied for current expenses of a joint vocational or cooperative education school district shall be used in applying division (A)(1) of section 3306.01 and division (A) of section 3317.01 of the Revised Code. The portion of any such rate not apportioned to the current expenses of a joint vocational or cooperative education school district shall be used in applying division (B) of this section. On the adoption of such resolution, the joint vocational or cooperative education school district board of education shall certify the resolution to the board of elections of the county containing the most populous portion of the district, which board shall receive resolutions for filing and send them to the boards of elections of each county in which territory of the district is located, furnish all ballots for the election as provided in section 3505.071 of the Revised Code, and prepare the election notice; and the board of elections of each county in which the territory of such district is located shall make the other necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the joint vocational or cooperative education school district at the next primary or general election occurring not less than seventy-five ninety days after the resolution was received from the joint vocational or cooperative education school district board of education, or at a special election to be held at a time designated by the district board of education consistent with the requirements of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, which date shall not be earlier than seventy-five ninety days after the adoption and certification of the resolution.

The board of elections of the county or counties in which territory of the joint vocational or cooperative education school district is located shall cause to be published in one or more newspapers of general circulation in that district an advertisement of the proposed tax levy question together with a statement of the amount of the proposed levy once a week for two consecutive weeks, prior to the election at which the question is to appear on the ballot, and, if the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, the board also shall post a similar advertisement on its web site for thirty days prior to that election.

If a majority of the electors voting on the question of levying such tax vote in favor of the levy, the joint vocational or cooperative education school district board of education shall annually make the levy within the district at the rate specified in the resolution and ballot or at any lesser rate, and the county auditor of each affected county shall annually place the levy on the tax list and duplicate of each school district in the county having territory in the joint vocational or cooperative education school district. The taxes realized from the levy shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as other taxes on the duplicate, and the taxes, when collected, shall be paid to the treasurer of the joint vocational or cooperative education school district and deposited to a special fund, which shall be established by the joint vocational or cooperative education school district board of education for all revenue derived from any tax levied pursuant to this section and for the proceeds of anticipation notes which shall be deposited in such fund. After the approval of the levy, the joint vocational or cooperative education school district board of education may anticipate a fraction of the proceeds of the levy and from time to time, during the life of the levy, but in any year prior to the time when the tax collection from the levy so anticipated can be made for that year, issue anticipation notes in an amount not exceeding fifty per cent of the estimated proceeds of the levy to be collected in each year up to a period of five years after the date of the issuance of the notes, less an amount equal to the proceeds of the levy obligated for each year by the issuance of anticipation notes, provided that the total amount maturing in any one year shall not exceed fifty per cent of the anticipated proceeds of the levy for that year. Each issue of notes shall be sold as provided in Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, and shall, except for such limitation that the total amount of such notes maturing in any one year shall not exceed fifty per cent of the anticipated proceeds of the levy for that year, mature serially in substantially equal installments, during each year over a period not to exceed five years after their issuance.

(B) Prior to the application of section 319.301 of the Revised Code, the rate of a levy that is limited to, or to the extent that it is apportioned to, purposes other than current expenses shall be reduced in the same proportion in which the district's total valuation increases during the life of the levy because of additions to such valuation that have resulted from improvements added to the tax list and duplicate.

(C) The form of ballot cast at an election under division (A) of this section shall be as prescribed by section 5705.25 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3311.213.  (A) With the approval of the board of education of a joint vocational school district which is in existence, any school district in the county or counties comprising the joint vocational school district or any school district in a county adjacent to a county comprising part of a joint vocational school district may become a part of the joint vocational school district. On the adoption of a resolution of approval by the board of education of the joint vocational school district, it shall advertise a copy of such resolution in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district proposing to become a part of such joint vocational school district once each week for at least two weeks immediately following the date of the adoption of such resolution. Such resolution shall not become effective until the later of the sixty-first day after its adoption or until the board of elections certifies the results of an election in favor of joining of the school district to the joint vocational school district if such an election is held under division (B) of this section.

(B) During the sixty-day period following the date of the adoption of a resolution to join a school district to a joint vocational school district under division (A) of this section, the electors of the school district that proposes joining the joint vocational school district may petition for a referendum vote on the resolution. The question whether to approve or disapprove the resolution shall be submitted to the electors of such school district if a number of qualified electors equal to twenty per cent of the number of electors in the school district who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office sign a petition asking that the question of whether the resolution shall be disapproved be submitted to the electors. The petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the school district is located. If the school district is located in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the majority of the territory of the school district is located. The board shall certify the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition.

The board of elections shall immediately notify the board of education of the joint vocational school district and the board of education of the school district that proposes joining the joint vocational school district that the petition has been filed.

The effect of the resolution shall be stayed until the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition. If the board of elections determines that the petition does not contain a sufficient number of valid signatures and sixty days have passed since the adoption of the resolution, the resolution shall become effective.

If the board of elections certifies that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures, the board shall submit the question to the qualified electors of the school district on the day of the next general or primary election held at least seventy-five ninety days after but no later than six months after the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition. If there is no general or primary election held at least seventy-five ninety days after but no later than six months after the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition, the board shall submit the question to the electors at a special election to be held on the next day specified for special elections in division (D) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code that occurs at least seventy-five ninety days after the board certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition. The election shall be conducted and canvassed and the results shall be certified in the same manner as in regular elections for the election of members of a board of education.

If a majority of the electors voting on the question disapprove the resolution, the resolution shall not become effective.

(C) If the resolution becomes effective, the board of education of the joint vocational school district shall notify the county auditor of the county in which the school district becoming a part of the joint vocational school district is located, who shall thereupon have any outstanding levy for building purposes, bond retirement, or current expenses in force in the joint vocational school district spread over the territory of the school district becoming a part of the joint vocational school district. On the addition of a city or exempted village school district or an educational service center to the joint vocational school district, pursuant to this section, the board of education of such joint vocational school district shall submit to the state board of education a proposal to enlarge the membership of such board by the addition of one or more persons at least one of whom shall be a member of the board of education or governing board of such additional school district or educational service center, and the term of each such additional member. On the addition of a local school district to the joint vocational school district, pursuant to this section, the board of education of such joint vocational school district may submit to the state board of education a proposal to enlarge the membership of such board by the addition of one or more persons who are members of the educational service center governing board of such additional local school district. On approval by the state board of education additional members shall be added to such joint vocational school district board of education.

Sec. 3311.22.  A governing board of an educational service center may propose, by resolution adopted by majority vote of its full membership, or qualified electors of the area affected equal in number to at least fifty-five per cent of the qualified electors voting at the last general election residing within that portion of a school district, or districts proposed to be transferred may propose, by petition, the transfer of a part or all of one or more local school districts to another local school district or districts within the territory of the educational service center. Such transfers may be made only to local school districts adjoining the school district that is proposed to be transferred, unless the board of education of the district proposed to be transferred has entered into an agreement pursuant to section 3313.42 of the Revised Code, in which case such transfers may be made to any local school district within the territory of the educational service center.

When a governing board of an educational service center adopts a resolution proposing a transfer of school territory it shall forthwith file a copy of such resolution, together with an accurate map of the territory described in the resolution, with the board of education of each school district whose boundaries would be altered by such proposal. A governing board of an educational service center proposing a transfer of territory under the provisions of this section shall at its next regular meeting that occurs not earlier than thirty days after the adoption by the governing board of a resolution proposing such transfer, adopt a resolution making the transfer effective at any time prior to the next succeeding first day of July, unless, prior to the expiration of such thirty-day period, qualified electors residing in the area proposed to be transferred, equal in number to a majority of the qualified electors voting at the last general election, file a petition of referendum against such transfer.

Any petition of transfer or petition of referendum filed under the provisions of this section shall be filed at the office of the educational service center superintendent. The person presenting the petition shall be given a receipt containing thereon the time of day, the date, and the purpose of the petition.

The educational service center superintendent shall cause the board of elections to check the sufficiency of signatures on any petition of transfer or petition of referendum filed under this section and, if found to be sufficient, he the superintendent shall present the petition to the educational service center governing board at a meeting of the board which shall occur not later than thirty days following the filing of the petition.

Upon presentation to the educational service center governing board of a proposal to transfer territory as requested by petition of fifty-five per cent of the qualified electors voting at the last general election or a petition of referendum against a proposal of the county board to transfer territory, the governing board shall promptly certify the proposal to the board of elections for the purpose of having the proposal placed on the ballot at the next general or primary election which occurs not less than seventy-five ninety days after the date of such certification, or at a special election, the date of which shall be specified in the certification, which date shall not be less than seventy-five ninety days after the date of such certification. Signatures on a petition of transfer or petition of referendum may be withdrawn up to and including the above mentioned meeting of the educational service center governing board only by order of the board upon testimony of the petitioner concerned under oath before the board that his the petitioner's signature was obtained by fraud, duress, or misrepresentation.

If a petition is filed with the educational service center governing board which proposes the transfer of a part or all of the te