Avoid lavish spending, Mahoning budget director advises county officials

YOUNGSTOWN

Despite the $8 million increase in revenue to Mahoning County resulting from Tuesday’s passage of the 0.75 percent sales tax, county officials should propose only necessary items and avoid lavish suggestions in their budget proposals, the county budget director said.

“As we move forward, I want everyone still to think accountability of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it,” Audrey Tillis, budget

director, told the county commissioners Thursday.

“We’re not at the point that we can have luxury offices, but we are at the point that we can at least move our government forward now, proactively, and not be reactive and not go backwards,” Tillis said.

Tillis made her remarks as the commissioners prepare to conduct hearings on 2015 budget proposals for county departments.

Voters, by a narrow margin, renewed a 0.50 percent sales tax and added 0.25 percent to it for five years, for a combined total of $24 million in annual revenue.

The 0.75 percent sales tax is dedicated entirely to the sheriff’s department, prosecutor’s and coroner’s offices and 911 emergency dispatching center.

“There’s no ambiguity here” as to where the money goes, said David Ditzler, chairman of the county commissioners.

Although he disagreed with him on the county’s purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place, Commissioner Anthony Traficanti praised outgoing county Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, who was defeated after nine years in office by Republican political newcomer Ralph Meacham.

Sciortino lost Tuesday’s election under the cloud of his being under indictment in the criminal case related to Oakhill.

Read more comments at the meeting in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.