LISBON — Columbiana County voters are being asked to renew the 1 percent sales tax for another five years on Nov. 5, with commissioners calling the tax issue the fairest tax.

Everybody pays when they make a taxable purchase, including people who don’t live here, when they shop at stores and businesses in the county.

“About 30 percent of revenues from sales come from outside Columbiana County,” Commissioner Mike Halleck said, explaining that the county borders Pennsylvania and West Virginia. “That’s a plus for us.”

Residents from other counties who shop here also pay the tax, such as those who visit the Salem Walmart from Mahoning County.

Halleck also said the sales tax represents 70 percent of the revenue that comes into the county general fund, which pays for most of the county operations, including the courts, sheriff and other offices in the courthouse such as the commissioners, auditor, recorder and treasurer.

Last year, the 1 percent sales tax receipts totaled $14,468,375 and the half percent sales tax receipts totaled $7,234,684 for a total of more than $21.7 million. The general fund revenues totaled $28.1 million last year.

The half percent is a permanent tax, but the 1 percent must be approved by voters in the county every five years and has been renewed for many, many years.

So far this year, the revenue for the 1 percent sales tax totals $10,758,554 through September. Added with the half percent of $5,379,251 so far through September, the total stands at $16,137,805 with three months to go.

Halleck talked about the past in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the county was basically broke.

“The residents were kind enough to give a sales tax,” he said.

The commissioners have kept the five-year limit so people have a say, keeping commissioners responsive to the public.

“Since then, the county has been able to prosper and do things that we normally would not have been able to do,” Halleck said.

As an example, more deputies have been added to the sheriff’s office, more infrastructure added, more proactive maintenance on buildings and debt has been paid down.

“It has improved the quality of county government to make us more attractive to businesses that may want to locate here,” he said.

The county maintains more than 100 county-owned buildings that have to be kept up.

Regarding the county general fund budget, he explained that about 70 percent covers criminal justice, including the sheriff’s office, the jail and the courts, such as Common Pleas, Juvenile Court and Municipal Court.

Commissioner Tim Weigle also called the sales tax the fairest tax and said the commissioners appreciate the past support the people have given the sales tax. He said he hopes people support the sale tax again this time around.

Other renewal levies

Levy renewals being sought include the following:

— East Palestine Village, road levy, 5 mills, five years, $316,000.

— Yellow Creek Township, road levy, 2 Mills, five years, $76,000.

— Southern Local School District, current expense, 7.84 mills, five years, $1,090,000, and permanent improvements, 2.25 mills, five years, $439,000.

— Rogers Village, road levy, 1.5 mills, five years, $4,000, and EMS & Fire levy, 1 mill, five years, $2,000.

— Wellsville Village, cemetery levy, 1 mill, five years, $29,000.

— Washington Township, Highlandtown Fire Department, fire levy, 3 mills, five years, $108,000.

— Butler Township, road levy, 1.5 mills, five years, $118,000.

— Salineville Village, EMS & fire levy, 2.1 mills, five years, $29,000.

— Hanover Township, fire levy, 1.1 mills, five years, $251,000, and road levy, 1.1 mills, five years, $251,000.

— Perry Township, police levy, 1.5 mills, five years, $140,000.

— Franklin Township, fire levy, 3 mills, five years, $97,900.

— City of Columbiana, fire levy, 2 mills, five years, $303,000.

— Elkrun Township, road levy, 1.5 mills, five years, $66,000, and fire levy, 1 mill, five years, $56,000.

— Center Township, road levy, 2 mills, five years, $73,000.

— East Liverpool City School District, emergency requirements, 5.09 mills, five years, $1,058,000.

— Sandy Creek Joint Fire District, replacement levy, 3 mills, five years.

— Village of Minerva, parks improvement levy, 1 mill, five years.

Local options

Local liquor options being sought include: VFW Post 5647 PVT Tommy Mackall, Wellsville, D6 Sunday sales; and Salem 2A, March TWO, LTD, D6 Sunday sales.