Voters get another chance to say ‘yes’
Ten issues rejected by
voters in November are
on the March ballot.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — “No” apparently doesn’t mean no to a number of government entities and school districts.
Voters throughout the Mahoning Valley will see 10 issues rejected in November back on the March primary ballot.
Thursday was the deadline to submit paperwork to county boards of elections for tax issues, questions and liquor options to get on the primary ballot.
Candidates running in the primary have until Jan. 4 to submit nominating petitions.
In Mahoning County, the Youngstown school district put a 9.5-mill property tax levy back on the ballot for a third try. Voters rejected the proposal to generate $5,291,510 for the district in November as well as in November 2006.
Also in Mahoning County, a 5.6-mill renewal levy for the Jackson-Milton school district that lost by about 1 percent last month is back on the ballot.
A major construction bond issue/tax levy for the Springfield school district that lost by more than 10 percent in November also will be in front of voters in March.
In Trumbull County, Liberty voters will vote a second time on whether to keep their township 911 center.
Township officials changed the ballot language for March to make it more clear that the 1.25-mill levy to raise $283,401 would be “for purposes of operating and maintaining a township 911 system.”
In November, the ballot language said it was for police department “communications.”
Other levies in Trumbull rejected last month and making a return in March include:
UA 2-mill additional fire levy in Bazetta Township.
UA 3.7-mill renewal levy for Joseph Badger schools.
UA 5-mill additional levy for Lordstown schools.
UA 3.15-mill renewal levy for Southington schools.
Columbiana County voters last month overwhelmingly rejected new tax levies for the career and technical center, and the board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
But both are back for another try in March.
The most notable tax proposal making its debut in primary election is a Mahoning County sales and use tax not to exceed 0.25 percent to fund the Western Reserve Transit Authority and make it a countywide transit system.
The sales and use tax would raise about $7.5 million a year and allow the WRTA to expand its bus transportation system.
The tax would replace two property tax levies in the city of Youngstown that provide $2.5 million a year to WRTA.
skolnick@vindy.com
XCONTRIBUTOR: Ed Runyan, Vindicator Trumbull Staff