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Ohio Port Authorities
The State of Ohio allows its Counties to establish Port Authorities
to accomplish their economic development objectives pursuant to
Sections 4582.201 to 4582 59 of the Ohio Revised Code. A Port
Authority is a separate body corporate and politic governed by a
Board of Directors Jurisdiction is to include all of the areas of
the political subdivision creating it. A Port Authority created
solely by a County may have as many members on the Authority's Board
of Directors as the County deems necessary. Each Director must be
either a qualified elector of the County or have his/her business or
place of employment in the political jurisdiction of the Port
Authority for a least three years preceding appointment.
Port Authorities are given broad statutory powers to
participate in economic development projects. Those powers include
the following:
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Ability to acquire, construct,
enlarge, maintain, sell, lease, or operate Port
Authority facilities.
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Ability to make available the use of
any Port Authority facility to one or more persons
or businesses.
-
Ability to issue Port Authority
revenue bonds for the purpose of paying the costs of
any Port Authority facilities
-
Pursuant to Article III, Section 13
of the Ohio Constitution and pursuant to the purpose
of creation or preservation of jobs and employment
opportunities.
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Ability to make application in order
to establish, operate and maintain foreign trade
zones within the jurisdiction of the Port Authority
and to establish, operate and maintain such zones.
-
Ability to promote and publicize the
Port Authority and its facilities.
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Ability to acquire by gift or
purchase, and to hold, lease or dispose of real and
personal property.
-
Ability to accept federal grants to
aid in the construction of any Port Authority
facility.
-
Ability to accept aid or
contributions including money, property, labor or
other items of value.
-
Ability to do all activities
necessary and proper to carry out the powers
explicitly granted in Sections 4582.21 to 4582.59 of
the Ohio Revised Code.
Further, the legislative authority of any municipal
corporation, county, township, school district or other
political subdivision may convey or lease to, or
exchange with, any Port Authority, without competitive
bidding, and on mutually agreeable terms, any property
which is not needed for the purposes of the grantor, to
be used by the Port Authority for its purposes.
The statutes also provide that any county creating a
Port Authority may appropriate and expend public funds
to finance or subsidize the operation of the Port
Authority.
Section 4582.43, Ohio Revised Code, provides that a
county is permitted to cooperate with the Port Authority
in the acquisition or construction of Port Authority
facilities and is authorized to enter into such
agreements, as may be appropriate providing for the
ownership and control of the facilities. Those
agreements may authorize the construction of the
facilities by one of the parties acting as agent for all
of the parties, and can provide for the ownership and
control of the facility by the Port Authority.
The county is also authorized to enter into such
agreements as may be appropriate to provide for
contributions by the parties in such proportion as may
be agreed upon by the County and the Port Authority.
Subject to voter approval, Port Authorities are
authorized to levy a property tax upon the property
within its jurisdiction for all it purposes, including
debt service charges, not in excess of one mill
annually, for up to five years. When the tax is for the
payment of debt service charges, it must be for the life
of the debt
For More
Information, contact:
Diana
Fierle, Assistant Secretary
128 North Prospect Street
- Ravenna, Ohio 44266
Phone: 330-297-3470 Fax:
330-297-3472
E-Mail:
dfierle@portageco.com
Last modified:
December 07, 2006
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