Incumbents, taxes fare well

By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It was a good night for incumbents and the two highest-profile taxes on the ballot.
Every incumbent won re-election except Judge Loren Popio of Mahoning County Court, who finished third in a tight three-person race, and Columbiana County Commissioner David E. Cranmer.
Diane Vettori, a Boardman attorney, received the most votes in the county court, according to unofficial tallies, defeating Michael Dockry, Austintown Township administrator, by 211 votes. That is less than 0.5 percent, which will result in an automatic recount. Only 1,661 votes separated first from third in the race. Popio was appointed to the seat last year by the governor.
Cranmer, a Democrat, lost by almost 5 percent to Republican Gary L. Williams, the county recorder.
Overwhelming victories
The biggest blowout of the night was state Rep. Sylvester D. Patton's victory over Republican challenger William Sicafuse for the 60th Ohio House District seat. Patton, a Democrat, captured more than 80 percent of the vote.
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court received 78 percent of the vote in his victory over James Callen.
For the first time, voters in Mahoning County used electronic touch-screen computers to cast ballots. There were reports of long delays at the polling booths in Mahoning County, sometimes more than an hour, and a few glitches.
Levy issues
Tax and school levy issues were a mixed bag, but the two biggest tax issues on the ballot -- the 0.5 percent Mahoning County sales tax renewal and the 0.5 percent Youngstown income tax increase -- coasted to victory.
More than 60 percent of those voting approved the county sales tax, which was defeated in May.
More than 63 percent of those voting in Youngstown approved the income tax, which will be used to recall laid off city firefighters and police officers.
Residents in Girard overwhelmingly rejected a 0.5 percent city income tax increase, with more than 71 percent of the vote.
Austintown residents said no to home rule for the fourth time, rejecting it with more than 53 percent of the vote Tuesday. Township trustees enacted home rule in March after it was rejected by voters three times at the polls.
School taxes
Residents in a number of school districts including Canfield, Niles, Columbiana, Howland, McDonald and Brookfield approved school taxes.
But voters in Boardman, Jackson-Milton and Joseph Badger school districts voted against school tax issues Tuesday. Poland school district voters approved a renewal levy, but rejected an additional levy by 54 votes.
The Trumbull Lifelines issue, which was rejected in May, was turned down by voters again Tuesday.
skolnick@vindy.com