Decision 2024: Mahoning County leaders discuss critical renewal of Criminal Justice Tax

Tomorrow is primary day in Ohio and one levy that county leaders say needs to pass, is Mahoning County's Criminal Justice Tax.

This is a renewal, which means it won't cost taxpayers any more money.

The five-year .75%  sales tax brings in about $32 million a year, which is about 75% of the budget for the Sheriff's Office. The prosecutor's office relies 100% on this tax.

So if it doesn't pass what happens to those departments and could they end up in a world of trouble?

Officials in Mahoning County say the sales tax is keeping the county's justice system running.  If voters are not in favor of continuing to pay the sales tax, services from 911 and the coroners office could be in jeopardy.

The sheriffs office would face severe budget cuts and staffing shortages.

The county prosecutor says it is too soon to say what exactly they would do if the levy were to fail.

"It would absolutely require a reevaluation of those services to determine what was critically important versus something we could put on the side, because we are funded 100% by the sales tax." Mahoning County Prosecutor, Gina DeGenova said.