Mahoning commissioners approve $34M 2016 general fund budget

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County commissioners this morning approved general fund spending totaling $34,067,135 and justice fund spending of $27,495,661 for 2016.

These numbers compare to $33,624,378 for the general fund and $24,751,159 for the justice fund adopted a year ago for 2015.

In approving the 2016 allocations, the commissioners appropriated all the revenue currently certified by the county budget commission for the general fund.

In the justice fund, however, they allocated $570,059 less than the $28,065,720 in certified revenue for that fund.

The budget commission consists of the county auditor, treasurer, and prosecutor.

The general fund consists of the courts, board of elections and central functions of county government, such as the auditor’s, treasurer’s, recorder’s and commissioners’ offices.

The justice fund consists of the prosecutor’s, sheriff’s and coroner’s offices and 911 emergency dispatching center.

The commissioner’s also passed a resolution to place a new 1-mill, five-year senior services levy on the March 15 ballot, which would generate about $4 million a year countywide.

The deadline for submission of such measures to the board of elections is Wednesday.

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