Mahoning sales tax put on May ballot as a five-year renewal

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County commissioners have placed the county’s half-percent sales tax on the May 4 primary ballot for renewal as a five-year measure.

The commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the five-year tax today, after speakers at Monday’s hearing at the Covelli Centre warned against attempting a 10-year or continuous measure in recessionary times.

The voters rejected continuous renewal of the sales tax in November.

The May election is the commissioners’ last opportunity to achieve uninterrupted collection of the tax, which expires Sept. 30.

The voters renewed the county’s other half-percent sales tax on a continuous basis in May 2007.

Each sales tax generates between $13 million and $14 million annually for the county’s general fund, which is its main operating fund.

Dependent on the general fund are the sheriff’s department, courts, prosecutor’s office, board of elections and many other county departments.

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