Lorain County holds second public hearing on reinstating quarter‑percent sales tax for sheriff’s office

Lorain County commissioners held a second public hearing on a proposal to reinstate a quarter‑percent sales tax dedicated to the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, officials said Tuesday, asking voters to decide whether to restore a sales‑tax levy that was reduced in 2020.

The proposal would add 0.25 percentage points to the county sales tax and dedicate the revenue to sheriff’s operations, presenters said. Sheriff Jack Hall and county staff described budget shortfalls, described specific line‑item pressures — especially costs tied to prisoner transport, vehicle leases and personnel — and said the tax would reduce General Fund support for the sheriff’s office by an estimated $13 million this year if approved.

The hearing provided the sheriff’s office and commissioners a public forum to explain why officials say a dedicated revenue stream is needed. “On $100, it is a quarter,” Sheriff Jack Hall said, describing the consumer impact. He said the sheriff’s office’s 2025 budget is roughly $31.2 million and the 2026 proposal is about $34 million; the sheriff and staff said the larger $35.5 million figure presented elsewhere includes the proposed prisoner‑transport team.

Hall and a chief deputy walked the commission and audience through key budget items: personnel costs (including pension and health care), equipment leases that were not previously accounted for, fuel and supplies, and a proposed transport unit intended to reduce deputies taken off patrol. Hall said the sheriff’s office spent about $1.1 million last year on prisoner transport and related duties and estimated a dedicated transport team could remove about $750,000 in costs from the sheriff’s operating budget.

Hall and the chief deputy attributed part of the current shortfall to past accounting errors and midyear adjustments: they said the office discovered roughly $1.8 million in spreadsheet miscalculations from the prior administration and that the 2025 budget was cut by about $750,000 from the prior year, prompting additional requests to the commission to cover late 2024 obligations.

Resident speakers asked for broader public education before voters decide. Brian Baker (49822 Greystone Drive) said residents recently faced reassessments and fee increases and urged commissioners to publicize the county’s carryover and shortfall figures. Baker also suggested applying a portion of sale proceeds from the Midway Mall property — a figure he described as $13.9 million — toward the jail fund as a gesture to voters; commissioners and staff acknowledged the proposal as a public comment rather than an adopted funding plan.

Commissioners said the hearings are intended to inform the public before a likely July 1 review and a potential resolution to send the question to voters (a July 15 statutory deadline for making such decisions was referenced by staff). One commissioner said the quarter‑percent tax had been reduced in 2020 and that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds used in the interim had created an “ARPA hangover” once those funds expired.

The hearing closed with a formal motion to end the public hearing; the commissioners voting recorded on the motion was three ayes and the hearing was closed. Commissioners and presenters said additional outreach and education would continue through the summer to explain how the dedicated revenue would be used and to give voters information ahead of a potential ballot question.

The record at the hearing included remarks from law‑enforcement majors who were introduced by the sheriff as overseeing major crimes, special operations, corrections budgeting, training and public engagement; assistant prosecuting attorney Gabe Espinosa was introduced for his role drafting the resolution that permits the levy process to proceed. No formal levy resolution was adopted at the hearing; commissioners treated the session as the second public hearing required for the process and then closed the hearing by vote.