LISBON - Columbiana County commissioners, along with cities, villages and townships, should brace for another round of state funding cuts in 2013.
Officials recently learned the county's combined state Local Government Fund allocation for 2013 has been cut by 23 percent, to $2.24 million, which is on top of the 29 percent reduction that occurred this year.
The county's combined allocation this year is $2.93 million, of which half - $1.48 million- automatically goes to commissioners. The commissioners' 2013 allocation will be cut by $340,000 to $1.12 million,
The other half of LGF money is allocated based on a distribution formula approved by the cities, villages and townships in the county. Under the distribution plan, every community receives a base amount of $15,000, regardless of population, with the remaining money allocated on a per capita basis.
This was done to protect the smaller villages and townships that barely receive more than the $15,000 base rate. As a result, the smallest communities will experience a significantly less reduction than those with larger populations.
For example, the tiny village of Summitville (population 135), which received $16,237 this year, will see its LGF allocation only reduced by $434 in 2013. On the other hand, Salem is the largest city in the county, and its LGF allocation will drop by $39,449 next year, to $88,246.
The following is a list of communities and how much LGF funding they are estimated to lose in 2013:
Townships
Butler, $11,591
Center, $11,200
Elkrun, $15,033
Fairfield, $13,381
Franklin, $2,243
Hanover, $10,572
Knox, $14,222
Liverpool, $12,981
Madison, $10,251
Middleton, $10,825
Perry, $14,597
Salem, $9,853
St. Clair, $25,522
Unity, $12,824
Washington, $3,057
Wayne, $2,611
West, $10,601
Yellow Creek, $6,834
Cities and Villages
Columbiana, $18,340
East Liverpool, $35,908
East Palestine, $15,143
Salem, $39,449
Hanoverton, $1,309
Leetonia, $6,284
Lisbon, $9,048
New Waterford, $3,971
Rogers, $760
Salineville, $4,205
Summitville, $434
Washingtonville, $1,453
Wellsville, $11,357
Unlike communities, LGF funding will increase by 2.6 percent in 2013 for the nine public library districts that lie entirely or partially in the county, from a combined $3.10 million to $3.18 million. The following is the projected 2013 LGF allocation, by library:
Alliance, $10,263
Columbiana, $632,737
East Liverpool, $465,875
East Palestine, $353,135
Leetonia, $250,086
Lisbon, $399,672
Minerva, $14,534
Salem, $712,423
Wellsville, $348,705
