JACKSON TWP — Space Center Self Storage owner Dennis Spirk expressed his concerns about a flat $800 annual “business privilege tax” to Jackson supervisors at Thursday night's meeting.

The tax is expected to go into a $200,000 capital reserve fund to pay for such projects as road improvements, traffic lights and other infrastructure.

Spirk began his presentation by asking supervisors how many homes are within township limits.

“We'll have to wait for the census to come out in 2020,” supervisor Chairman Trent Geis said.

Township Manager Chris Rearick estimated there are between 2,000 and 2,500 homes in Jackson Township, but didn't have an exact number.

“It was my understanding you were soliciting business to come to the township,” Spirk said. “When the businesses come here ... the businesses — including myself — get slapped with a fine.”

Spirk argued that the township would make more money by applying a tax to everyone, not just specific business owners.

“If there was 5,000 homes and you assessed each homeowner ... $10 apiece, you would have generated $50,000,” Spirk said.

Geis explained the township doesn't know how many businesses have a gross revenue of $150,000 or above. Rearick expects the business privilege tax will generate $60,000 to $63,000.

“Couldn't we have accomplished the same thing by just assessing each homeowner?” Spirk asked.

Rearick said the other option the township had was to raise its real estate tax.

“Most of the tax base is borne on the backs of the residents and the resident incomes of the township,” Rearick said. “The residents are bearing the lion's share.”

Spirk said he's going to appeal the tax through township tax collector, Berkheimer Tax Innovations.

Thursday was the due date for the business tax. Berkheimer calculates the income generated by the tax, while the township will assess the process.