Coalition against anti-fracking group reforms to fight ballot measure

YOUNGSTOWN

A number of local political, business and organized labor officials and groups have re-formed the Mahoning County Coalition for Job Growth and Investment in an effort to again defeat an anti-fracking ballot initiative in the city.

The group announced it was reorganizing Wednesday, a day after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2 decision the county board of elections exceeded its authority by rejecting the initiative to the May 8 ballot.

The court ordered the board to place the proposal back on the ballot.

The proposal calls for a ban on fracking and anything related to the extraction of fossil fuels in the city.

Youngstown voters have rejected similar ballot measures six times going back to 2013.

Read more about the effort in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.