Official: Columbiana Co. crime is up

By D.A. Wilkinson

The county this year already has passed the number of felony cases from 2007.

LISBON — Columbiana County Prosecutor Robert Herron said crime is up in the county, and he needs more money to fight it.

The crime rate is “trending ahead of last year,” he told the county commissioners Wednesday.

There were 297 felony cases in 2007. So far, he said, there have been 298 felony cases this year.

The prosecutor said that because of the downturn in the economy, “there’s no reason to think that will be a reversal” of the trend.

Herron said he expects his office will run out of money in mid-December, but it’s likely the commissioners will find enough money to keep the office going.

The commissioners met with Herron in the first of a series of meetings they will have with officeholders through November to determine spending in 2009.

Herron’s office will spend $1.3 million this year. He’s asking for $1.8 million next year.

County Municipal Court now has three attorneys handling 4,818 traffic cases — with no secretary. He wants to hire a secretary to ease the workload.

The prosecutor’s offices haven’t been rewired since the 1970s before computers were common. Keeping modern business machines working has been a problem, he added.

Herron also brought up the problem last year.

“That needs to be addressed, for sure,” said Commissioner Jim Hoppel.

County Auditor Nancy Milliken said sales tax receipts are ahead of collections last year. “We’ve been fortunate. It’s up a little,” she said.

The one-percent tax brings in abut $8 million a year, and the half-percent tax brings in about $4 million a year. The tax receipts make up the bulk of the county’s general fund.

Some offices, however, including Milliken’s and the treasurer’s office are behind in fees. She hasn’t totaled the drops.

She is waiting to see if the county is going to meet its estimated revenue this year. “Is it going to be close? You bet,” she said.

The county spent $18.3 million last year, and the appropriations for this year totaled $18.8 million.

The commissioners can pass appropriations for 2009 at the end of this year. They also can pass a temporary funding measure for the first few months of 2009 to see if revenue will be tight.

wilkinson@vindy.com