Residents: Combine sales taxes

YOUNGSTOWN -- Some Mahoning County residents want the two half-percent county sales taxes to be combined.
County Commissioner John McNally said that's the conclusion he drew from a public hearing Sunday on the taxes.
About 10 people spoke during the hearing attended by about 20. Most of them, including Mayor Jay Williams, spoke in favor of having a continuous 1-percent sales tax.
Williams told commissioners the steady stream of revenue will help the city's fight against crime.
One of the half-percent taxes expires at the end of the year with the second one in two years.
Each of the two sales taxes generate about 14 million for the county's general fund, for a total of 28 million a year, which is more that 57 percent of the county's general fund.
For 2007, the general fund, the county's main operating fund, totals 49.6 million. Judicial and law enforcement spending is about 70 percent of the general fund.
McNally said people are getting tired of dealing with the two levies.
"It's been mind-numbing," McNally said of the uncertainty of a continuous revenue.
He explained that commissioners will be checking with the county prosecutor to determine if a combined proposal can be placed on the May primary ballot.