Board certifies ballot

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Board of Elections has certified three state issues, 25 local issues and 10 liquor options for the Nov. 4 ballot.

Also certified Friday was Ralph T. Meacham of Lake Milton, Republican candidate for county auditor. Meacham is replacing Bill Reese, who left the race for health reasons.

Meacham is challenging the incumbent auditor, Michael V. Sciortino of Austintown, who is under indictment in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal conspiracy case.

The three five-year countywide issues certified are: the county’s three-quarter-percent sales tax dedicated to the sheriff’s, prosecutor’s and coroner’s offices and the 911 emergency dispatching center; a 1.85-mill replacement county Children Services Board real-estate tax levy; and a real-estate tax levy for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, which would renew a 1.8 mill levy and add 0.6-mill to it.

The library levy would reduce the overall library tax by 0.4 mill and result in an 11 percent tax cut.

Two more ballot issues, an anti-fracking issue in Youngstown and a proposal to reduce the number of wards in Youngstown from seven to five must be certified by city council and then by the board of elections by Sept. 5.

The next regular board of elections meeting will be at 8 a.m. Sept. 2 in the board offices at Oakhill.