Quick nix of merger surprises officials

Commissioners still will redirect how local bed tax revenue is distributed.
& lt;a href=mailto:bjackson@vindy.com & gt;By BOB JACKSON & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners said they're disappointed Trumbull County has already nixed a proposal to merge the two counties' convention and visitors bureaus.
"I respect their decision, but I still think it was an idea that at least merited further discussion," said Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock. "I would have appreciated it if we could at least have done that."
Sherlock suggested weeks ago the counties combine visitors bureaus as a way of saving money and building a regional approach to promoting the area.
Commissioners also want to take some of the lodging tax revenue that is given to the CVB each year and give it instead to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport for operating expenses.
The county adds a 3 percent tax to the cost of hotel and motel rooms, with revenue set aside for operating the visitors bureau.
Considered tax increase
A recent change in state law gives certain counties the ability to increase their lodging tax up to 2 percent for airport revenue, which Mahoning had considered. However, opposition from hotel and motel operators caused them to scrap that idea.
Instead, commissioners proposed giving 2 percent of the existing tax to the airport, leaving the CVB with just 1 percent for its operating costs.
Mahoning commissioners said that if Trumbull County would do the same thing, their combined revenue would be enough to operate a combined agency.
But Trumbull commissioners said Wednesday that they're keeping things the way they are and will not merge.
Trumbull officials said they are happy with the current arrangement.
"Everything has been going just beautiful the way it is now," said Trumbull bureau chairman Richard Alberini, referring to the relationship between the two boards. "We love them; they love us. It is a two-way street, and we stay independent."
"I'm a little disappointed that they made this decision so quickly," said Mahoning Commissioner Ed Reese. "We just got started talking about it."
Sherlock and Reese said they still favor realigning the distribution of bed tax dollars, even without Trumbull County's partnership.
"I am firm in saying that we will not raise the bed tax," Sherlock said.
"The main thing right now is making sure the airport has money to operate," Reese said. He said the CVB has a cash reserve it can use to help offset the probable loss of bed tax revenue.
Other matters
In other matters, commissioners voted Wednesday to seek a $102,474 Ohio Criminal Justice Services grant. The revenue would pay for equipment that would enable 911 dispatchers to trace calls received from cellular telephones.
When a call is made to 911 from a standard telephone, a computer screen immediately displays information about where the call is coming from, said Joseph Caruso, county special projects director.
That way, even if the caller is too sick or injured to talk, dispatchers still will know where to send help.
But when a call comes in from a cellular phone, that information isn't displayed because the phone isn't tied in to standard phone lines so the point of origin can't be pinpointed. Caruso said the new equipment will change that.
& lt;a href=mailto:bjackson@vindy.com & gt;bjackson@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;