Mahoning County Commissioners may hold public hearings on increasing the sales tax to pay for road and bridge projects around the county.’

Included on Thursday’s meeting agenda is an item to schedule public hearings to discuss placing a .25% sales tax increase on the November ballot.

The idea was proposed earlier this month by Mahoning County Township Association President Scott Showalter who presented the findings of an ad hoc committee looking for ways to pay for road improvements.

Saying the county’s fourteen townships have little, or no funding to repair infrastructure, Showalter says the sales tax increase would enable the county to pave a majority of the roads within five years.

Most of the roads in the townships are under the jurisdiction of the county. 

County Engineer Pat Ginetti says many township roads don’t benefit from state grants because they don’t meet the criteria for traffic numbers. In addition, county road repairs would not have the restrictions mandated under state grants.

If the issue gets a spot on the ballot and voters approve, the current 7.25% sales tax in Mahoning County would be increased to 7.5%.

Showalter told commissioners that every township in the county is behind the idea.