ELYRIA — Mayor Bill Grace wants to put another income tax measure before voters to beef up funding in the Police Department, taking their current budget of about $9.8 million and increasing it to more than $12 million. Grace and Police Chief Duane Whitely announced the plan this afternoon at a press conference at Elyria City Hall.

They say a goal of the additional funding is to take the department from 82 to 100 officers.

The proposal, which is complicated in its details, would involve placing a 0.25 percent income tax increase on that ballot with the funds to be generated to go strictly to the Elyria Police Department. The issue aims to increase the existing 0.25 percent police levy to a full 1 percent and repeal the city’s existing 0.50 percent general fund temporary income tax.

This would push the city’s overall tax rate to 2 percent, something city officials have unsuccessfully tried to do many times. Voters have overwhelming said through their votes they do not want a permanent tax.

If passed, each year the additional 0.25 percent increase would bring in about $2.8 million.

Passage of the proposal would also come with simultaneous action by City County to allocate 0.125 percent of the remaining 1 percent income tax for the exclusive use of the Police Department, giving the department exclusive hold on 1.125 percent of the city’s proposed 2 percent income tax.

Read Friday’s Chronicle for more on this story.

Memo from Mayor Bill Grace: