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McNally

By Peter H. Milliken

milliken@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Budget Commission unanimously agreed to add $1.7 million to its revenue certification for the county’s general fund in 2012.

The action will raise the certification from the $47.9 million figure the commission adopted in September to $49.6 million, said John A. McNally IV, chairman of the county commissioners. “That’s the number we’re going to try to budget to,” McNally said.

The budget commission certified $54.5 million in general-fund revenue this year.

The new money is from $925,000 in bond proceeds, a $387,500 increase in sales-tax revenue and a $387,500 increase in fee income in the last quarter of this year, including court fees.

The sales tax and fee revenue gains are increases over September projections.

The new budget figure, however, does not include any projected carry-over from 2011 to 2012. The carry-over now is estimated by Carol McFall, chief deputy county auditor, at $3.5 million.

The budget commission consists of prosecutor Paul J. Gains, auditor Michael V. Sciortino and treasurer Daniel R. Yemma.

McNally said Thursday the commissioners will adopt a full-year budget for 2012 Thursday.

Because of the state Legislature’s decision to have just one primary March 6 rather than the two primaries previously scheduled, McNally said the board of elections allocation will be reduced by at least $300,000. The board of elections requested nearly $3 million for 2012, assuming it would have two primaries.

McNally said he expects the commissioners will provide the veterans’ service commission its full entitlement under state law for next year. That entitlement was about $1.7 million this year, he said. The commission, however, typically returns $500,000 to $600,000 in unused money to the general fund by the end of each year, he said.

He also said he expects the county extension office and soil and water conservation district to get a combined total of $225,000 from the general fund next year, about the same as their total this year.

McNally said he wasn’t sure if the coroner’s office would get its requested new $150,000 digital X-ray machine to replace a 1970s vintage analog machine acquired by the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.

The coroner’s office X-rays bodies before they are autopsied in search of broken bones, bullet slugs, embedded knife tips or crash debris and knee or hip replacements or dental work that could help identify the deceased, said Dr. Joseph Ohr, forensic pathologist and deputy coroner.

McNally said commissioners are obligated by lease agreements to pay $55,556 in increased rents next year for Boardman, Austintown and Canfield courts combined.

On Thursday, the commissioners renewed the Sebring Court lease at the current monthly rent of $6,084, with a 2 percent rent increase halfway through the five-year renewal term.

A recent lower court consolidation study now under consideration calls for retention of Sebring Court, said Colleen Ingram, area court administrator.