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Tax revenues show what county governments receive to operate
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka wants people to shop locally for two reasons: to support businesses and support the county government.
“We still have to get the message out there,” he said. “We are trying to make government as efficient as possible.”
The latest sales-tax revenue figures released by the Ohio Department of Taxation report revenue generated through April and distributed to county governments in June.
Sales and use tax is on most items, including employment services, lawn care, fitness memberships and dry cleaning. Several items are exempt including food and prescription medication.
Trumbull County’s sales-tax revenue in April at the rate of 1 percent was $2,118,486. That’s compared with the $2,301,581 generated in April 2015.
In fact, just one of the Mahoning Valley’s three counties saw a sales-tax revenue increase during April and that was Mahoning County. The county generated $3,952,852 compared with $3,025,522 generated in April 2015.
The county’s tax rate of 1.25 percent became effective April 1, 2015.
The tax-rate hike of 0.25 percent was needed to compensate for losses in revenue from the state, from investment income and from housing federal prisoners in the county jail, county officials have said.
Columbiana County generated $1,343,267 in sales-tax revenue for April at the rate of 1.50 percent compared with $1,514,961 generated in April 2015.
Sales-tax revenues for January through April show increases for Mahoning and Trumbull counties and a decrease in Columbiana.
The tax-rate increase in Mahoning County led to a jump from $11,577,704 generated during January-April 2015 to $14,708,132 generated during January-April this year.
Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti explained those extra funds received from the increase go strictly to the sheriff’s office, the prosecutor, the 911 call center and the coroner’s office.
“This really helps stabilize the county, which is what we have been trying to do for quite awhile,” Traficanti said. “It’s nice to see that we are in the black as opposed to the red.”
Trumbull County’s revenue from January to April was $8,725,942. That’s compared with $8,523,322 generated during the same period in 2015.
“That’s good news to hear,” Polivka said of the increase.
Polivka and the county commissioners in October 2015 launched the “Shop Your County” campaign to encourage residents to spend their money locally.
In Columbiana, sales-tax revenue went down from $5,548,062 during January-April 2015 to $5,399,488 during the same period this year.
Mahoning County also has a 0.25 percent tax for the Western Reserve Transit Authority.
WRTA saw a sales-tax revenue increase year-over-year in April from $747,391 to $790,644. From January-April, WRTA received sales-tax revenue of $2,940,312. That compares with $2,869,376 generated during January-April 2015.