VISITORS BUREAU Mahoning Co. awaits OK to take funds for airport

The visitors bureau will seek another opinion on the legality of the expenditure.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners will have to wait a little longer to find out whether bed tax revenue can be used to support the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
The county prosecutor's office has declined to rule on the question, saying it has no legal standing to address how the Youngstown/Mahoning County Convention & amp; Visitors Bureau spends its money.
Even though the visitors bureau receives public funds from a county lodging tax levied by commissioners, it's not considered a county board because it is not organized and controlled by the county, according to Linette Stratford, chief assistant in the prosecutor's civil division.
Because it is not a county board, the prosecutor's office can't render an opinion on appropriate use of revenue from the bed tax, Stratford said.
Commissioners asked for the opinion because they want to use bed tax revenue to pay all or part of the county's share of operating expenses at the airport, which is in Trumbull County. They want to make sure, though, that it's a legitimate use of the revenue.
Attorney general's ruling
Stratford's opinion says the Ohio attorney general has determined that lodging tax revenue can be used for operation of county-owned facilities that are used only for public purposes. However, it's up to the visitors bureau's legal counsel to determine whether the airport would qualify for funding.
Atty. Lawrence Richards, president of the visitors bureau board, said the panel will ask its legal counsel to look into the matter before deciding.
Despite the lack of a definite answer, Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock said she is encouraged by Stratford's opinion and will continue to pursue the lodging tax revenue as a funding option for the airport.
Sherlock said she has requested a meeting with the visitors bureau to talk about the funding issue.
Commissioner Ed Reese said time is running short and commissioners must make a decision soon whether to chip in Mahoning County's share of operating costs for this year.
"We can't continue holding up the airport like this," he said.
Providing a share
Commissioners have talked for weeks about where to come up with $182,000 for Mahoning County's share of operating expenses for the airport. They share the cost each year with Trumbull County, which has already appropriated its share this year.
Commissioners have said they want to find a reliable funding source, other than the general fund, so they can put an end to annual debates over airport funding.
Phil Craig, executive director of the Ohio Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, said local bureaus have some latitude when it comes to spending their money.
"The statute is fairly ambiguous about what a tourism expenditure is," Craig said. "Boards have a wide sway in this matter."
Craig said visitors bureaus generally spend most of their money on marketing. They have an obligation to taxpayers to make "appropriate and correct" decisions for use of lodging tax dollars.
"It's not necessarily a matter of whether the board wants to use its money for the airport, but whether it believes it is truly a legitimate expenditure," Craig said. "It is a very difficult decision that visitors bureaus all over the country wrestle with."
bjackson@vindy.com