Will Mahoning County raise its bed tax another 2 percent?

YOUNGSTOWN — Area hotel owners are fearful an increase in Mahoning County’s bed tax could hurt their business, but at least one county commissioner favors increasing the tax from 3 percent to 5 percent.

“We need an economic development engine,” said Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti, referring to the Western Reserve Port Authority, which would receive most of the increase.

WPRA, which is funded by Mahoning and Trumbull counties, operates the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna.

The overall hotel room tax here would increase from 12.75 percent to 14.75 percent.

That tax currently consists of a 6.75 percent combined state and county sales tax, a 3 percent county bed tax, and 3 percent bed taxes in Canfield, Austintown, Boardman and Beaver townships.

Righetti said last spring she was opposed to raising the bed tax because of the county’s poor economic conditions.

She said she has changed her mind, however, because she is now convinced that increasing the tax will help the port authority promote county economic development.

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