MANSFIELD — Richland County sales tax revenues are trending up in 2019, but the loss of $1.3 million in state money to replace Medicaid managed care organizations sales tax is still being felt.
In fact, Richland County commissioners on Thursday, during a lunch meeting with other elected county officials, cautioned that current spending trends are exceeding revenues.
“We have appropriations totaling $33.4 million,” Commissioner Tony Vero said. “We only have certified revenues of $33.2 million.
“We don’t think it will shake out that way, per se, but right now we are projecting to run a loss for 2019 because of that lost revenue … which is really big … $1.3 million in a $33 million budget, (that’s) significant to a budget our size,” Vero said.
The state last year had funded the state’s 88 counties to make up for the lost sales tax revenue, but that money is not there in 2019.
“The state gave counties last year what they felt we would lose,” Auditor Pat Dropsey said. “They will not do that this year.
“The county (sales tax) has shown growth. We have a decent economy right now,” said Dropsey, who projected just under 5 percent in local sales tax growth for 2019. “Currently, the sales tax is around 3 percent ahead of last year. We are doing OK.”
Vero pointed out Richland County coffers get only 1.25 percent of the current 7 percent sales tax collected, with 5.75 percent going to the state.
Richland County is projected to receive about $1.5 million from the state in local government revenues in 2019. That number was almost $2.8 million just eight years ago and has steadily declined due to changes in Columbus.
Vero said new Gov. Mike DeWine thus far looks to be an improvement over his predecessor, John Kasich.
“The new governor seems to be very cognizant of some of the impact the outgoing governor had in terms of money flowing back to the counties,” he said.
Among other topics commissioners, including Marilyn John and Darrell Banks, discussed during the session with other elected officials were:
— A proposed state budget that would add $60 million annually for indigent legal defense fees, increasing reimbursement to counties to 75 percent from the current 42 percent. That would mean about $450,000 annually to Richland County. Local defense attorneys recently asked commissioners to increase the per-hour rate they are paid for indigent legal work, but commissioners remain reticent.
“That’s not to say we will or we won’t, but we’re not ready to move on that,” Vero said. “We believe indigent defense is 100 percent the state’s responsibility.”
— Discussed proposed changes that could ensue if the state continues with a plan to perhaps get out of the “community control business,” reducing the size of the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and placing more of the burden on counties.
— Discussed proposed Senate Bill 3, which could reform the state’s drug laws and make more of them misdemeanors instead of felonies. Such a move would move more cases into Mansfield Municipal Court and likely greatly increase the number of prisoners at the Richland County Jail.
— Discussed planned improvements at the county courthouse inside and on the law, a discussion led by John, who is overseeing the plans.
Earlier on Thursday, commissioners discussed the fact county Dog Warden Dane Howard is out on medical leave for an undetermined amount of time. The county’s deputy dog warden is also out. Commissioners have asked the Richland County Sheriff’s Dept. to assist during the duo’s absence.
Commissioners also officially removed the “interim” tag from county Emergency Management Agency Director Rick Evans.
