It'll be happy trails for Stark Parks after voters passed a 1 mill, eight-year property tax levy that was on the ballot as Issue 55.

Voters OK'd the levy with an unofficial vote of 86,514 to 82,577, according to the Stark County Board of Elections.

"It was close," Stark Parks Director Bob Fonte said. "If you think about it, we were competing against the 32 other tax issues on the ballot around the county, and that adds up. Not everyone voted for every levy, but everybody had to choose between us and several others."

The levy includes a .5 mill replacement and .5 mill increase. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $30.63 a year.

North Canton Patch talked with resident Adam Romans, who cast his ballot at the North Canton Civic Center Tuesday. Romans said he mostly turned out to vote in the presidential election, but he also said he supported the Stark Parks levy.

"They've done such a great job in the area, I want to make sure they are able to continue to do what they desire to do there," he said.

Fonte said Stark Parks always has been careful about how it spends taxpayer dollars.

"We're grateful for the support we received," Fonte said. "It was a very challenging time to pass a levy. ... We'll continue to work to make (Stark Parks) more valuable and to be very diligent and conservative about spending the money."

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