Trumbull commissioners increase hotel bed tax to support airport

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners increased the amount of the hotel/motel tax by 1 percent this week in order to provide the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport with about $125,000 per year in additional revenue.

The tax provided the airport with about $225,000 to $250,000 last year. That is expected to climb to around $375,000 annually after the new tax, said Adrian Biviano, county auditor. The new tax is likely to begin collections in April.

In July, airport officials and Mahoning County officials met with Trumbull commissioners regarding airport funding.

Mahoning County officials pointed out the disparity between Trumbull and Mahoning counties in the amount their hotel/motel taxes were providing to the airport, and airport officials discussed the need for more revenue.

The two counties were each providing the airport with about $400,000 in operating revenue per year in 2005, but Trumbull’s hotel/motel tax collections dropped by nearly half in the years since then.

Airport officials have asked Mahoning County to increase its funding to the airport by increasing its hotel/motel tax also by 1 percent.

For the complete story, read Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com