PERRY TWP., Ohio — Perry Township is known for its roads, but not for a good reason.
"They're just washboards," local Doug Ehert said. "They just beat you to death by riding on them."
Ehert said potholes and bumps are pretty much everywhere in the township.
On Facebook, dozens of other locals said the same thing. Delverne and Miles avenues are described as some of the worst.
Drive around the township, and you'll see potholes in all shapes and sizes.
Some look like they have been patched over the years, but it can still make for bumpy rides. While it may seem like an easy fix, township trustees said it's not.
"You can imagine that money from 1986 doesn't go as far in 2025," Trustee Ralph DeChiara said.
DeChiara said the township has been working off a road levy from 1986. Any levy that has shown up on a ballot since has failed. The latest levy was voted down in November.
"The board of trustees is responsible for giving the residents options," DeChiara said. "We gave them the option a while back to get all the roads paved. The entire 145 miles in 10 years. That was too much of an ask."
Money from the American Rescue Plan Act helped pave 25 miles of roads a few years ago. DeChiara said this year's budget allows for only half a mile to be paved.
A new levy could change that. In May, residents will vote on a new levy that could pave 20 miles per year, depending on asphalt prices. All of it is at the cost of a $2.90 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
"My philosophy is the township is like a house," DeChiara said. "If you don't invest in yourself, it's going to deteriorate. Nobody likes to pay taxes, but hopefully, residents are going to put it into their budgets at home."
That's precisely what Ehert will be doing. The Perry Township property owner said he was for increased taxes to improve roads, but he understood why others may not be supportive.
"I do feel for them," he said. We are getting squeezed at the grocery store, at the gas station."
