Mahoning commissioners pass $51.7 million 2010 budget

YOUNGSTOWN — Faced with a long-term, recession-induced revenue decline, the Mahoning County commissioners today approved a $51,728,000 permanent budget for their 2010 general fund, the county’s main operating fund.

This budget is substantially below the $62,841,000 that they allocated a year ago in their permanent budget for 2009.

The sheriff’s department, the largest general fund recipient, received only $11.8 million this year, compared to $16,394,000 last year.

The separate jail medical line item was reduced from $1.8 million to $1.6 million.

The criminal division of the prosecutor’s office was cut from $2.1 million to $1.7 million, and the civil division was cut from $900,000 to $800,000.

Juvenile court, which is the second-largest general fund department, remained constant at $5.5 million. The 911 center remained constant at $800,000.

The budget follows declines in every major county revenue stream, most notably 17 consecutive months of declining sales tax revenues compared to the same month in the prior year.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com