LISBON — Columbiana County residents are being asked to renew the 1% sales tax for another five years and this time the ballot language will reflect that it’s a renewal.

“This is not a political issue — it’s a citizen support issue. It’s a continuation of an existing sales tax to continue to provide the essential services to the citizens of Columbiana County,” Commissioner Tim Ginter said. “It’s the fairest tax.”

The ballot language this time includes the word renewal in parentheses as part of the title, then this statement and question: “The Board of County Commissioners of Columbiana County proposes the continuation of an existing sales and use tax of one percent (1%) for the purpose of providing general revenue for the county, for a period of 5 years, commencing on Jan. 1, 2026. Shall the resolution of the Columbiana County Commissioners proposing a continuation of an existing one percent (1%) sales and use tax, be approved?”

The 1% sales tax represents $14 million of the general fund and is by far the largest contributor to the general fund, which is used to operate most of the county offices and operations that people rely on.

The county general fund pays for every office in the courthouse, all the courts, the sheriff’s office, housing of prisoners at the privately-operated county jail, veterans services, the board of elections, the coroner’s office, the probation department, the prosecutor’s office and criminal defense for indigent defendants. The courthouse offices on the first floor include the auditor, treasurer, recorder and commissioners, along with Probate Court.

The 2025 appropriations approved for the general fund in November totaled $23,096,694, based on estimated revenue of $23,099,230. Imagine slicing $14 million from that total. That’s what would happen if the 1% sales tax went away.

According to figures from county Auditor Nancy Gause Milliken, the total sales tax income for 2024 totaled $21,423,016, with the 1% sales tax generating $14,281,881 and the .5% permanent sales tax generating $7,141,135.

In 2023, the 1% sales tax generated $14,468,375 and the .5% sales tax generated $7,234,685 for a total of more than $21.7 million.

So far this year through March, the 1% sales tax has generated $3,912,899 and the .5% sales tax has generated $1,953,799, which is an increase over the same three months last year. Through March in 2024, the 1% raised $3,682,084 while the .5% raised $1,841,078.

Milliken said she estimated $11 million for this year’s 1% and $6 million for the .5%, explaining that she always estimates low because “we never know what’s happening with the economy.”

Besides the sale tax, the general fund revenue includes fees collected by the various offices, including the auditor’s office which collected $1.6 million in fees last year with an estimate of $1 million for this year. Investment interest income totaled $4,448,108 last year, with an estimate of $1 million for this year. The casino tax revenue totaled 1.4 million, with an estimated $1.2 million for this year. Gas royalties totaled just $54,000.

The biggest portion is the sales tax and she said all of the revenue streams can be unpredictable, including the sales tax which is dependent on the economy.

“We cannot operate in this county just on the fees,” she said.

“When you take away the largest portion of our revenue, it means we would have to cut back in the general fund,” Milliken said.

Property transfers, recording of deeds, sending out of tax bills, vehicle title transfers, issuance of marriage licenses, filing a lawsuit, reporting a crime to the sheriff and prosecuting criminals all affect the public and all depend on the sales tax.

“I was here back when we didn’t have the sale tax, when bills came in and we couldn’t pay them,” Milliken said, adding they had to pick and choose which bills could be paid. “My job is to watch that cash balance. If we don’t have cash to pay bills, then we can’t pay them.”

She also pointed out that the general fund is the biggest source of revenue that the commissioners can appropriate for operations. All the rest of the funds that are on the books have been set up for specific purposes, such as Job and Family Services, mental health board, the health district, the engineer’s office and the Board of Developmental Disabilities.

“All these funds set up by code or for grants can’t be touched,” she said.

She doesn’t want to see departments close down with less operating hours and less people. She said it would no different than a taxpayer’s home budget if they lost their job or a source of income and had to cut spending.

Ginter and Commissioner Roy Paparodis attended a recent press conference held by the Columbiana County Republican Party and Democratic Party chairmen who urged residents to vote in favor of the sales tax, with commissioners thanking them for their support.

“It’s the fairest tax. A portion of the tax collected is from outside the county,” Commissioner Roy Paparodis said, explaining that people from other counties shop in Salem and other parts of the county and internet sales also count. “We can’t operate our government without it.”

If the sales tax fails, he said “the fact is we may have to go with less people.”

“We just wouldn’t be able to do business in the manner that everybody is accustomed to. We would have to do the same with less,” Paparodis said.

During a recent commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner Mike Halleck said imagine something as simple as getting a car title. That might take longer if cuts have to be made.

“People know we need it and we appreciate their support,” he said.

In talking about the county’s finances, Halleck said this county is one of the best, if not as good as any other county, operating with one of the smallest budgets per capita of any county in Ohio.

He addressed what he called a “gang of anti-anything” that he said has permeated some people in the county and he doesn’t understand the reasoning.

“I’ve heard all types of folks that are uninformed about how county government operates. No matter who your officeholders are, you’re still going to have an expense to run the county,” Halleck said.

“There’s no question a couple of offices need to do a little better with their budgets and we’re continuing to address that,” he said.

Halleck pointed out that the county continues to get good grades during state audits of the county finances.

Now that the ballot language includes the word “renewal” in the title and makes it clear the county is asking for a continuation of an existing sales tax, he said, “I feel confident people will support us because they understand it’s a renewal.”