A closer look

If Franklin County commissioners agree to extend the temporary, quarter-cent sales tax as proposed, taxes won’t increase, but they also won’t decrease as they would if the temporary sales tax was allowed to expire. Franklin County’s total sales tax is 7.5 percent, second-highest in Ohio behind Cuyahoga County’s 8 percent. Of that 7.5 percent, the state keeps 5.75 percent, Franklin County gets 1.25 percent, and COTA gets 0.5 percent. If the temporary sales tax expires at the end of 2018, the sales tax in the county would fall to 7.25 percent. That means:

The first phase of the jail being built on Fisher Road on the West Side is planned for 870 beds. The second phase would increase that to 2,400 beds but was supposed to be built later. Combining the two phases, Wilson said, would save $50 million.

The additional money from the proposed permanent sales tax is needed to continue Franklin County programs, Wilson said, including:

• Promoting alternatives to expensive jail stays for those who need addiction or mental-health treatment as the opioid epidemic rages.

• Providing food, housing, charitable pharmacy and other human services as a “safety net.”

• Continuing the promise to provide environmental stability for the county.

Franklin County, with 1.3 million residents, is Ohio’s largest, and it’s expected to continue growing. “In general,” Wilson said, “more people, more services.”

State cutbacks also forced Wilson to make his proposal.

“We’re also dealing with a situation we didn’t foresee,” O’Grady said.

One-third of the $60 million annual revenue from an extended sales tax would replace $21 million that Franklin County lost when the federal government told the state it no longer could charge sales tax on Medicaid managed-care organizations.

The commissioners have the power to make the temporary sales tax permanent without going to voters. Under Ohio law, however, county voters could petition for a referendum to remove the tax.

O’Grady said that Wilson’s recommendation also is prudent because it helps with planning, prepares for economic downturns and keeps Franklin County competitive in attracting and growing business.

Wilson is preparing to finalize the budget for next year. The 2017 budget shows that Franklin County spends $440 million to provide services to the public and has $177 million in cash reserves. Without extending that sales tax, the cash reserves would be gone by 2022 and there would be a $15.8 million deficit.

By law, commissioners have to hold two public hearings before deciding on Wilson’s recommendation. The commissioners plan to hold three: on Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19. Each will be on Floor 26 of the Franklin County Administrative Building, 373 S. High St. They are expected to be held after 9 a.m. commission meetings, but that hasn’t been finalized.