MAHONING COUNTY Officials to act on sales-tax renewal

Waiting until November could cost the county more than $3 million.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners were expected to decide today whether they will ask voters to renew a 0.5-percent county sales tax in March or November next year.
The county has two 0.5-percent sales taxes, one of which expires Dec. 31, 2004. The other was renewed in November 2002 for five years.
State law requires that commissioners advertise and hold at least two public hearings before passing a resolution placing a tax measure on the ballot. The deadline for such a resolution for the March 2004 primary is Dec. 18.
"We're down to the wire," said county Administrator Gary Kubic. "We have to move quickly because we're running out of time."
Kubic said commissioners have not scheduled public hearings yet because they haven't decided which election to target for a renewal effort.
Why timing matters
The timing of the vote is an issue because of a recent change in state law regarding the way taxes are collected. In the past, taxes passed in a fall general election were effective at the beginning of the next year. But now, taxes passed in November won't begin collection until April 1 the next year.
County Auditor George Tablack said if commissioners wait and put the tax on the ballot in November, the three-month lag in collection would cost the county about $3.5 million, something the county can't afford given its already fragile finances.
Tablack said if commissioners decide to hold off until November, he's considering a citizens' initiative to force them to put it on the ballot in March.
"We should not consciously forfeit $3.5 million," Tablack said. "To me, that is borderline misfeasance."
Commissioner David Ludt said he favors putting the tax up for renewal in March.
"We're in dire straits and we need to know one way or the other," Ludt said, noting that if the tax fails in March, commissioners can try again in November.
Awaiting word
Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock said she's still waiting to hear whether there is any hope that the state will change the new collection law. If so, she favors a November vote.
Sherlock said commissioners have been criticized in the past for putting sales taxes on primary ballots when voter turnout is generally low.
Putnam said a change is possible, but probably not any time soon, if at all.
If that's the case, Sherlock said she would go along with a March vote so the county would not lose any revenue from the tax if it is renewed.
Commissioner Ed Reese said Wednesday that he's not sure which way he'll vote.
"We'll meet and talk about it, and then I'll decide," Reese said.
Sherlock said there has been talk of possibly seeking an increase in the amount of the tax, but she's not in favor of that.
"My fear is that it would never stop," Sherlock said. "The next time the budget gets tight, the first thought would be to increase it again and I'm just not going to go along with that."
bjackson@vindy.com