Monday, November 25, 2002
Nothing will happen this year because the Legislature is no longer in session.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A plan to overhaul Mahoning County's four lower courts is set to move forward again now that voters have approved a 0.5-percent county sales tax.
It probably won't happen until next year, though, when the state Legislature is back in session.
The county has area courts in Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring. They handle primarily traffic cases, misdemeanor criminal matters and small-claims civil issues.
The elected judges who preside over them serve on a part-time basis, meaning that under Ohio law they can also maintain a private law practice.
About two years ago, county officials started looking into major changes in the system. They want to make the judgeships full time and reduce the number from four to three.
The county also intends to eventually consolidate the courts into a centrally located facility.
Officials were moving full-speed ahead with the plan, which was endorsed early this year by Ohio Auditor Jim Petro in a performance audit of county government.
Progress stalled briefly so the corrections planning board could meet with officials from Campbell and Struthers and see whether they were interested in including their municipal courts.
What happened
After those cities declined to participate, the planning board opted to move ahead with the original plan. But legislation needed to change from part-time to full-time judges was never introduced in Columbus.
Legislative action is required because judicial terms are regulated by Ohio law.
"I think the commissioners dropped the ball," said Richard J. Billak, chief executive officer of Community Corrections Association.
He's a member of the corrections planning board, which is overseeing development of the restructuring plan.
He said commissioners were to send a resolution of support to state Sen. Robert Hagan, who was then going to introduce the necessary legislation for the changes. But that was never done and the issue was pushed aside.
"It just died," Billak said. "We need to see if we can get this off the back burner."
Commissioner Ed Reese said the problem was uncertainty over the fate of the sales tax, which expires at the end of this year.
Voters rejected a renewal attempt in the May primary election. Commissioners placed the issue back on the ballot in the Nov. 5 general election, and it passed.
"We were financially paralyzed for all those months," Reese said. "We just couldn't make a move because we didn't know whether we'd have any money."
Looking ahead
Now that the tax is renewed for another five years, Reese and Commissioners David Ludt and Vicki Allen Sherlock said it's time to revive the plan.
Mark Huberman, corrections planning board chairman, said it will be a topic of discussion when the panel meets Dec. 3.
"I understand that the tax was a concern because money was everything," Huberman said. "I hope we can resurrect it now that the county has some financial planning ability."
Billak said it's too late to do anything this year because the Legislature has adjourned for the year.
Ludt said he intends to push the issue next year.
"I think with the tax in place, we have a better chance of getting this done," he said.
He said it's an important issue because of the potential savings involved, especially with a physical consolidation.
Petro's audit report said that eliminating the current lease payments and related building costs and going with a centrally located facility could result in savings of about $255,000.
"I'm absolutely in favor of going forward," Sherlock said. "Over the long term, this is going to save a substantial amount of money."
bjackson@vindy.com