Bazetta trustees oppose water rate and sale tax increase

Bazetta Township Trustees sent a clear message to the Trumbull County Commissioners during Monday night's meeting when all three voted to oppose any tax increase.
“We’re passionate about standing up for our residents and their wallet,” Trustee Mike Hovis said. “...once [the commissioners] take action then it's too late.”
The idea of a water rate and sales tax increase has been thrown around while commissioners look to balance this year's budget. Commissioner Denny Malloy spoke to the trustees after they made their stance firm and feels they’re jumping the gun.
“There is no water increase that's on an agenda, there is no sales tax increase that’s on an agenda and if it did come through right now I know I would vote no,” Commissioner Malloy said.
After budget requests came in $14 million dollars over what the county general fund could give out, the commissioners are tasked with finding a balance.
They floated the idea of increasing the sales tax since they have one of the lowest rates in the area. On top of that, because wholesale water prices have increased for some, the sanitary department suggested the idea of a water rate increase.
“We don't want to raise any taxes and we don't want to raise any water rates so we charged our sanitary engineer and their department to go back and sharpen the pencil and see what we can do,” Commissioner Malloy said.
“I believe there's other ways to cut and that's what the sanitary engineer needs to look at,” Trustee Hovis said.
Malloy said these are just ideas and the board has no plans to vote on a water rate or sales tax increase.
The commissioners do need to finalize this year's budget by March.