By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County’s new state representative got a lesson in county government last week from advocates who fight on behalf of counties all across Ohio.
State Rep. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, met with members of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and Wood County’s commissioners to learn about challenges faced by county governments. They wanted to make sure Gavarone, a former Bowling Green City Council member, doesn’t forget about counties as she takes her post in Columbus.
“That’s why I’m here. I want to know what’s going on,” Gavarone said to CCAO officials.
The top priorities right now include replacing voting equipment, preserving sales tax, responding to the opiate epidemic, and funding infrastructure.
Gavarone said she has a special interest in opiate and mental health issues, which are putting demands on county jails and child protective services.
As much as 70 percent of the jail population has some type of addiction or mental health issues, according to John Leutz, CCAO legislative counsel.
“Wood County’s not exempt, that’s for sure,” Wood County Commissioner Doris Herringshaw said.
“I look forward to working with you on this,” Gavarone said.
She was cautioned by CCAO officials that it takes more than verbalized support to move issues like this forward. It takes financial support as well, said Brian Mead, policy analyst with CCAO.
“If it’s a passion for you, fund it as well,” Mead said. “It’s not going to succeed if there’s not funding for it.”
Counties also need help funding new voting equipment, which was purchased after the “hanging chad” controversy with punch card voting machines.
“We’re now to the end of the useful life of that equipment,” said Suzanne Dulaney, executive director of CCAO.
The goal is to have the next generation of electronic voting machines in place by the 2020 presidential election.
“We simply don’t have the money to pay for this ourselves,” Dulaney explained.
Wood County has 500 voting machines, plus another 100 for backup. “When you start pricing out 500 machines, it can be a very high number,” Herringshaw said. “It’s not in our budget.”
Wood County Commissioner Joel Kuhlman estimated the new equipment will cost at least $1 million.
In the past, when county boards of elections used punch card machines, the price was much cheaper and there were few maintenance expenses. Now counties must pay for climate control storage for the electronic machines.
“That total cost of elections is tough for people to understand,” Mead said. “You didn’t need an IT department for punch cards.”
Counties are asking the state to help by paying 85 percent of replacing the voting machines.
“The state really has been a partner with us in the past,” said Cheryl Subler, managing director for CCAO. However, with term limits in place, few state legislators are aware of the history of support and they “get skittish” about what they see as “new” funding requests, she said.
The group also talked about state’s decision to charge sales tax on Medicaid MCOs, but not other MCOs. That decision is costing Wood County approximately $1 million, Kuhlman said.
And across the state, counties are struggling to keep up with repairs to roads and bridges. Wood County uses its revenue from casino taxes to help with infrastructure costs, but with 450 bridges in the county, the casino tax revenue doesn’t go far.
Gas tax revenue, which counties use for road repairs, has dropped with more motorists using fuel efficient vehicles. The state has not increased the gas tax rate since 2003, and motor vehicle license taxes haven’t been bumped up since 1987.
“Every county is struggling with that,” Herringshaw said.
So the CCAO is asking state legislators to pass a bill that would authorize additional local permissive motor vehicle license fees.
Dulaney also mentioned that water and sewer funding needs to be restored. “What’s our plan to catch up? We kind of fell behind during the recession,” she said.
Meanwhile water and sewer infrastructure across the state is in serious need of improvements. So CCAO is asking the state to allocate additional public works bonding capacity to provide grants and additional funds for water and sewer projects.
The county officials also took advantage of the time with Gavarone to explain the far-reaching responsibilities of county governments, from workforce development and tax abatements, to providing infrastructure.
“You guys are at the forefront of economic development that a lot of people don’t see,” Subler said to the Wood County Commissioners.
“They have their fingers on everything,” Mead said.
Gavarone was appointed to take the state representative seat previously held by Tim Brown for the remainder of this year. She and Democrat Kelly Wicks will face off in the Nov. 8 election to see who takes the seat in January.
