CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Metroparks commissioners decided today to seek a bigger property-tax subsidy for the 23,000-acre park system.

They will ask voters to approve a 2.7-mill levy when they go to the polls on Nov. 5.

The commissioners approved the ballot language today at a special board meeting.

Roughly 62 percent of the park system’s current $89-million budget comes from property taxes. At the current levy rate of 1.8 mills, the owner of a $100,000 home pays about $64 a year, or roughly $1.20 a week. If the new measure passes, that same home owner will pay $94 a year instead, or $1.80 per week.

It would bring in $74.9 million a year. The current millage rate raises $52.7 million per year.

The levy proposal is considered a renewal with an increase because it renews the current 1.8-mill rate and adds 0.9 mills to offset declining property values.

David Kuntz, the Metroparks' chief financial officer, told the three park commissioners on June 25 that they needed to consider a minimum of 2.6 mills per year for the next decade to maintain existing operating standards.

The current levy, passed in 2004, still has a year to run. But it would be supplanted by any new levy.

If the November ballot issue fails, the overlap would give the park system another chance to pass the levy, Kuntz said.

The 96-year-old park system has never lost a levy vote.

Brian Zimmerman, Cleveland Metroparks CEO, said, "We are working within our means. We've never issued bonds or gone into debt in 96 years."

He said this also marks the 17th year in a row in which the Metroparks got a clean audit by the state.