Divisions among county bosses center on Cafaro influence

YOUNGSTOWN —The Cafaro name does not appear on the March 4 primary ballot for any Mahoning County office.

But don’t be misled by its absence.

On the local scene, it’s likely the most discussed name this primary season as county leaders who engaged in an intense battle over the Cafaros seek four years in office.

The Cafaro Co. squared off against Mahoning County to block moving government workers out of the Cafaro-owned Garland Plaza to the county’s new Oakhill Renaissance Place.

The dispute pitted the county’s top bosses against each other. The offices of the county commissioners, prosecutor, treasurer and auditor housed people who supported or opposed the Cafaro interests. Only the auditor is not on the ballot this year.

The divisions among county bosses became the backdrop for several maneuvers to block the county’s purchase of Oakhill.

They appeared in the trial of the Cafaro’s unsuccessful taxpayer lawsuit against the county, and they fill thick binders of paperwork. Some of the trial testimony paints a picture of some current and former county officials linked to the Cafaros.

And now, the latest chapter comes before the voters.

Read more in Sunday’s Vindicator and at Vindy.com