Columbiana Co. officials OK tax ballot language

By D.a. Wilkinson

LISBON — Columbiana County officials want to make sure its proposed continuation of a 1 percent sales tax is clear to voters.

The commissioners on Wednesday approved ballot language that was sent to the county elections board, which will then send it to the secretary of state’s office for approval.

The 1 percent sales tax brings in $12 million a year, or about 44 percent of the county’s general fund.

Voters twice have approved collecting the 1 percent sales tax.

But last November, the secretary of state’s office had the issue described on the ballot as an “additional” tax, which was technically true. Counties get some state funding but then have to ask voters to approve additional funds.

Some 62 percent of county voters in November defeated the issue. The Mahoning County commissioners had a similar problem.

Penny Traina, the president of the commissioners, said the wording the commissioners sent to the county elections board is what the commissioners want to see on the ballot.

“We want to make sure the language is clear and concise,” she said.

The proposal reads, in two parts:

“The Board of County Commissioners of Columbiana County proposes the continuation of an existing sales and use tax of one percent (1%) for the purpose of providing general revenue for the County for a period of five years, commencing on Jan. 1, 2011.”

The second part reads, “Shall the resolution of the Columbiana County Commissioners proposing a continuation of an existing one percent (1%) sales and use tax, be approved?”

Hoppel said he understood that the basic proposed language for the upcoming election had come from the secretary of state’s office.

Adam Booth, deputy director of the Columbiana County elections board, said he was not sure if the state would allow the repetition in the second part of the proposed ballot.

Kevin Kidder, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, said he believed there was a legal issue in calling the issue a “renewal” but calling the issue a “continuation” was permissible.

The deadline for putting the issue on the ballot is 4 p.m. Feb. 18.

The county also collects a 0.5 percent sales tax that brings in about $4 million a year.

wilkinson@vindy.com