CANFIELD — Tax abatements were a hot topic at the Canfield City Council meeting Wednesday, as more than 25 people wearing masks attended.

The abatements are proposed for the Community Reinvestment Area, but the discussion was not on the agenda so it was cut short, as explained by council chair John Morvay.

“There’s nothing on the agenda or planned to be on the agenda,” he said, adding there is no intention for the abatements to be discussed anytime soon.

The discussion was held after a CRA Housing Council meeting last week resulted in council members receiving questions about residential abatements.

Among the speakers addressing council members about the CRA abatement was Traci DeCapua, president of the board of education for Canfield Local Schools.

While CRAs are not bad as they can promote economic development, the proposed abatement would “devastate” the school district, DeCapua said.

If the abatement were to be approved by council, it would give tax revenue that would have gone to the district, but DeCapua asked: “At what cost?”

Joseph Knoll, superintendent of the district, also addressed council.

Knoll, citing Ohio Revised Code, said the CRA designation is typically for depressed areas, which Canfield is not, he said. About 70 percent of funding the district receives is from local property taxes, he said.

Julio Williams of the CRA Commission addressed council and the crowd, starting off saying there is “love” for the Cardinal community and school district.

“We want the best for Canfield,” he said.

The move for an abatement is a “big picture” approach for Canfield, Williams said.

The township has built 112 homes in the last several years, but enrollment in the school district has been on a five-year decline. New homes do not necessarily mean an increased enrollment, Williams said.

The abatement program also would be reviewed every two years by council if it was passed, he said.

Mayor Richard Duffet, and Councilmen Bruce Neff, Charles Tieche and Anthony Nacarato said they are against a residential abatement after seeing how it would impact the school district and city.

Morvay, stating he supports the district, reiterated that the abatement would not be discussed unless on an agenda ahead of a meeting.