The sales tax provides about $14 million yearly
to the county.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The coordinator of the committee promoting the continuous renewal of a Mahoning County sales tax says low voter turnout Tuesday could adversely affect its passage.
"It can't help," said Andy Hamady of Poland, who heads the Committee for Our Future, about low turnout. "It certainly won't be helpful."
Except for Struthers, five of Youngstown's seven wards, Poland and Springfield townships, and those in the Jackson-Milton and South Range school districts, the county's 0.5-percent sales tax and a county Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities renewal levy are the only issues on Tuesday's ballot for the rest of Mahoning County.
"I don't know if people will go out to vote for just the sales tax," Hamady said. "I don't know if they'll get out of their seats to vote."
One concern
Of particular concern to Hamady is there aren't primaries in Youngstown's 3rd and 4th Wards, two of the most-populated wards in the city that have historically supported the county's sales tax issues. With only one candidate for each of those council seats, there is no Democratic primary in those wards Tuesday. There are no Republican primaries in the county Tuesday.
"A lot of people who want to vote for a neighbor or a friend or give a complimentary vote to a council candidate won't have the chance to do so in the 3rd and 4th Wards," he said. "They'll have no [other reason] to come out to vote for the sales tax."
Thomas McCabe, Mahoning County Board of Elections' director, is predicting Tuesday's turnout to be 22 percent to 23 percent.
"I think the sales tax is going to pass, but turnout is an issue," said Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally IV of Youngstown. "The 3rd and 4th Wards have traditionally had strong turnout. I expect those people will go out to vote for the sales tax."
But McNally acknowledges that "it's always a challenge to get people out to vote," including those in townships that don't have any candidates or local tax issues on Tuesday's ballot.
"It's a nonpresidential year, but the sales tax is a very important issue on the ballot," said Commissioner Anthony Traficanti. "We're hoping what's on the ballot will bring people to the polls."
Talking about it
To stress the importance of the sales tax, McNally and Traficanti said the commissioners have met in different parts of the county to discuss the issue.
This sales tax provides about $14 million annually for the county. The county also has a second 0.5-percent sales tax that generates the same amount of money.
Both taxes are for five years each. The tax on Tuesday's ballot would be for a continuous period of time if it's approved.
It's difficult for the county to operate with an on-again, off-again sales tax, McNally said.
During the past five years, voters rejected three county sales tax issues and approved two.
If approved Tuesday, the tax wouldn't add more money to the county's general fund, but would provide stability, McNally and Hamady said.
"You can't have an unstable local economy and expect economic development," Hamady said.
Looking ahead
If the sales tax fails Tuesday, it would jeopardize the county's settlement of a federal lawsuit won by Mahoning County jail inmates two years ago about the facility being overcrowded and understaffed, Traficanti and McNally said.
There is no way to make up a $14 million deficit, and even deep cuts wouldn't be enough to offset that money, they said.
"People understand the crucial nature of this sales tax," McNally said.
The failure to pass the sales tax and a subsequent victory in the November general election would also cost the county about $3 million to $4 million, he said.
If the county has to put the tax in front of voters again in November and it's approved, state law requires a 90-day waiting period from the expiration date of the current sales tax — Dec. 31 — before the county can start collecting sales tax money, McNally said. The money lost would be during the first three months of 2008, he said.
skolnick@vindy.com
Monday, May 7, 2007
The sales tax provides about $14 million yearly
to the county.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The coordinator of the committee promoting the continuous renewal of a Mahoning County sales tax says low voter turnout Tuesday could adversely affect its passage.
"It can't help," said Andy Hamady of Poland, who heads the Committee for Our Future, about low turnout. "It certainly won't be helpful."
Except for Struthers, five of Youngstown's seven wards, Poland and Springfield townships, and those in the Jackson-Milton and South Range school districts, the county's 0.5-percent sales tax and a county Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities renewal levy are the only issues on Tuesday's ballot for the rest of Mahoning County.
"I don't know if people will go out to vote for just the sales tax," Hamady said. "I don't know if they'll get out of their seats to vote."
One concern
Of particular concern to Hamady is there aren't primaries in Youngstown's 3rd and 4th Wards, two of the most-populated wards in the city that have historically supported the county's sales tax issues. With only one candidate for each of those council seats, there is no Democratic primary in those wards Tuesday. There are no Republican primaries in the county Tuesday.
"A lot of people who want to vote for a neighbor or a friend or give a complimentary vote to a council candidate won't have the chance to do so in the 3rd and 4th Wards," he said. "They'll have no [other reason] to come out to vote for the sales tax."
Thomas McCabe, Mahoning County Board of Elections' director, is predicting Tuesday's turnout to be 22 percent to 23 percent.
"I think the sales tax is going to pass, but turnout is an issue," said Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally IV of Youngstown. "The 3rd and 4th Wards have traditionally had strong turnout. I expect those people will go out to vote for the sales tax."
But McNally acknowledges that "it's always a challenge to get people out to vote," including those in townships that don't have any candidates or local tax issues on Tuesday's ballot.
"It's a nonpresidential year, but the sales tax is a very important issue on the ballot," said Commissioner Anthony Traficanti. "We're hoping what's on the ballot will bring people to the polls."
Talking about it
To stress the importance of the sales tax, McNally and Traficanti said the commissioners have met in different parts of the county to discuss the issue.
This sales tax provides about $14 million annually for the county. The county also has a second 0.5-percent sales tax that generates the same amount of money.
Both taxes are for five years each. The tax on Tuesday's ballot would be for a continuous period of time if it's approved.
It's difficult for the county to operate with an on-again, off-again sales tax, McNally said.
During the past five years, voters rejected three county sales tax issues and approved two.
If approved Tuesday, the tax wouldn't add more money to the county's general fund, but would provide stability, McNally and Hamady said.
"You can't have an unstable local economy and expect economic development," Hamady said.
Looking ahead
If the sales tax fails Tuesday, it would jeopardize the county's settlement of a federal lawsuit won by Mahoning County jail inmates two years ago about the facility being overcrowded and understaffed, Traficanti and McNally said.
There is no way to make up a $14 million deficit, and even deep cuts wouldn't be enough to offset that money, they said.
"People understand the crucial nature of this sales tax," McNally said.
The failure to pass the sales tax and a subsequent victory in the November general election would also cost the county about $3 million to $4 million, he said.
If the county has to put the tax in front of voters again in November and it's approved, state law requires a 90-day waiting period from the expiration date of the current sales tax — Dec. 31 — before the county can start collecting sales tax money, McNally said. The money lost would be during the first three months of 2008, he said.
skolnick@vindy.com
Monday, May 7, 2007
The coordinator of the committee promoting the continuous renewal of a Mahoning County sales tax says low voter turnout...
