Issue 1 is 0.25 percent sales tax increase to fund Lorain County Sheriff's Office

Lorain County voters are being asked to increase the countywide sales tax by 0.25 percent to 6.75 percent on eligible purchases, with the additional $13.7 million raised by the increase going into the county Sheriff's Office budget. That's the request being made with Issue 1, which voters will see on the Nov. 4 ballot. Lorain County has one of the lowest sales tax rates in the state, lower than 84 other counties. Butler, Stark and Wayne also are set at 6.5 percent. With a series of planned spending cuts and budgetary changes in Sheriff Jack Hall's office plus the estimated $13.7 million in additional sales tax revenue, "the Sheriff's Office demand on the general fund will be less," Commissioner Jeff Riddell said. "If the sales tax doesn't pass, we'll have to cut our way into some popular services," Riddell said. Of the current 6.5 percent countywide sales tax, 5.75 is kept by the state of Ohio, county Fiscal Director KC Saunders said. The remaining 0.75 percent stays in Lorain County, with 0.5 percent funding county operations and 0.25 percent approved by voters in 1994 to pay for jail operations. That 0.25 percent no longer is enough to fund the jail, which itself needs replaced — though county officials haven't yet decided how they're going to pay the estimated $115 million cost of a new facility to replace the aging Lorain County Jail on Murray Ridge Road in Elyria. The proposed sales tax increase would go into effect April 1, 2026, if approved. Commissioners could impose it by a majority vote without the input of county residents, but have said they want to let the voters decide. Supporters say the sales tax is a "user tax," paid only by those purchasing goods and services, and that includes non-Lorain County residents. Opponents have said they are taxed enough already, and a statewide taxpayer revolt against property taxes may make the ballot in 2026. The Sheriff's Office budget is $31.2 million this year. It is expected to rise to $35.5 million 2026 due to negotiated salary increases, but Sheriff Jack Hall said he is working on modernizing his budget and halting wasteful spending practices. After eliminating waste and overpriced contracts he said he found when he took office in January, Hall intends to hire a dedicated "transport team" for jail inmates. Spending $1.1 million will eliminate the $750,000 annual cost of prisoner transport plus deputy overtime, he said. Grants, discretionary funds from seized assets and forfeitures and donations for special projects will make up additional savings in the 278-member Sheriff's Office, by far the largest portion of the county's general fund spending. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com