CANFIELD, Ohio - Members of the public get to weigh in Monday on a proposal to place a quarter-percent sales tax issue on the November ballot.

The Mahoning County Commissioners will host the first of two hearings on the tax at 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 19, 2021, at McMahon Hall, 7574 Columbiana Canfield Road, Canfield.

A second hearing is scheduled at 11 a.m. on July 22 in the Mahoning County Commissioner’s Hearing Room in Youngstown.

Commissioners say revenue from the sales tax would be used to fund road paving and bridge repair projects throughout the 14 townships in the county.

Commissioners say the proposed quarter percent increase would enable the county to pave a majority of the roads within five years.

County Engineer, Pat Ginnetti says a pavement condition study performed 8 years ago showed two-thirds of all the roads in the county received D's and F's on the grading scale. Some roads have not been paved in over 40 years.

He says his paving budget has been the same for years all while the costs of materials have skyrocketed.