Lorain County holds public hearing on proposed 0.25% sales tax to fund sheriff's operations

Lorain County commissioners held a public hearing this week on a proposed quarter-percent increase in the county sales tax that would be dedicated to supporting criminal justice services and Lorain County Sheriff's Office operations.

The hearing, opened with a statutory notice and read into the record, centered on the sheriff's presentation of organizational changes, budget pressures and planned programs that the office says the new revenue would support. "We have done a significant change in the organization of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office," the sheriff said, describing a restructured command and new majors overseeing patrol, major crimes, special operations and community outreach.

Why it matters: County officials said the quarter-percent tax would restore revenue lost in 2020 and replace one-time federal ARPA funds that helped balance recent budgets. Commissioner Moore said voters would be able to approve or reject the proposal on the ballot and argued that dedicating the revenue to law enforcement makes the measure more palatable to voters.

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