Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber endorses sales tax

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s board of directors is endorsing the passage of Mahoning County’s half-percent, five-year, sales tax on the May 4 ballot.

“The defeat of the sales tax renewal and resultant loss of tax revenue would be devastating for Mahoning County government and for the Mahoning Valley as well,” said Matt Blair, a Niles attorney who is chairman of the chamber’s government affairs council and a member of its board of directors.

“Having Mahoning County in or near bankruptcy would damage the Valley’s image and make it difficult to attract new business and industry to the area,” Blair said today at the chamber’s office in downtown Youngstown.

The half-percent tax raises about $13 million annually. The county has a permanent half-percent sales tax.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com