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State casino, local tax issues energize this off-year election
YOUNGSTOWN — A $30-million-plus campaign to legalize casino gambling at four locations in the state is the hottest item on Tuesday’s ballot in the Mahoning Valley — even though the area wouldn’t get a casino if the issue passes.
The state constitutional amendment, Issue 3 on the ballot, would permit Las Vegas-style casinos to be built only in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.
“Issue 3 is driving a lot of people to vote,” said Thomas Mc- Cabe, director of the Mahoning County Board of Elections. “We’ve received a lot of requests for absentee ballots from those who are for and against it.”
Both sides, particularly those supporting the casino measure, have sent numerous mailings to residents. Commercials, including one from each side made specifically for the Valley, air constantly on television.
A number of local politicians — most notably Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, Mahoning County Democratic Chairman David Betras and county Republican Chairman Clarence Smith — have campaigned against the issue.
Though the gambling initiative is attracting the most attention, there are plenty of other issues and races on Tuesday’s ballot of interest to voters, local elections officials say.
“Issues of interest” in Mahoning County, McCabe said, are two that were flying under the radar until recently: a half-percent county sales tax and a library renewal levy.
The sales tax made front-page news recently when county commissioners and county Prosecutor Paul J. Gains complained that the ballot language wasn’t accurate and they didn’t get a chance to review the language before it was finalized.
The language was approved by the Ohio secretary of state’s office.
As for not reviewing the ballot language, it turns out a clerk at the elections board failed to follow past practice by mailing the language to not only the county but to all political entities with tax issues on Tuesday’s ballot.
Even so, the county sheriff’s office, at the request of county commissioners, is conducting a criminal investigation into the failure to provide the ballot language to county officials.
The sales-tax proposal is for a continuous period, raising $14 million for the county a year. It’s been on the ballot before as a five-year renewal.
There is some confusion with the library’s 1-mill, 5-year renewal levy to raise $3.8 million annually.
The library levy uses “Reuben McMillan Free Library,” the rarely-used official name of the library, in the body of the ballot language.
Library officials had wanted “Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County,” the name it commonly uses, included in the ballot language.
The library tax-levy ballot language, without “Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County,” was also approved by the secretary of state.
The library is airing a television commercial explaining that the ballot issue listing Reuben McMillan Free Library is to fund the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
Among candidates, the Boardman trustees race is attracting interest, McCabe said.
The seven candidates for two seats include the incumbents, Kathy Miller and Robyn Gallitto, as well as ex-Trustee Thomas P. Costello, Brad Calhoun, Ed Aey, Gary Rosati, and Pat Laffey.
In Trumbull County, the issues of note include: a pair of county $5 vehicle license taxes, a 9.9-mill, 10-year additional levy for Liberty schools to raise $2.3 million annually, and an 8.4-mill bond issue to borrow $8.4 million for building improvements in the Weathersfield school district, said Kelly Pallante, the county board of elections director.
Three countywide issues in Columbiana County are attracting attention, said Kim Meeks, that county’s board of elections director.
The issues are:
U A 1-percent, 5-year county sales tax renewal to raise about $8 million a year.
U A 0.75-mill, 5-year renewal levy for abused, neglected and dependent children to raise $918,000 annually.
U A 0.2-mill, 10-year replacement levy for the county cancer detection clinic to raise $238,500 a year.
skolnick@vindy.com
ELECTION DAY
Information
Polling hours: The polls are open Tuesday in Ohio from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Polling locations are open in Pennsylvania from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Early voting: In Ohio, early voting can be done in person at your county board of elections Monday until the close of business, typically 4 p.m. Ballots sent by mail to your board of elections from within the United States must be postmarked no later than Monday and must arrive at the board no later than Nov. 13 to count. Ballots sent by mail to boards of election from outside the United States must be postmarked by Tuesday and have to arrive at the board no later than Nov. 13 to count.
There is no early voting in Pennsylvania. The commonwealth has absentee voting. The deadline for absentee voting from those within the United States has passed. Ballots sent by mail to county boards from outside the United States must be postmarked by Monday and must arrive at boards no later than Nov. 10 to count.
Source: Ohio secretary of state and the Pennsylvania department of state