ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Belmont County's sales tax revenues have continued to decline in recent months, coming in $235,000 short of 2008's totals after the same period in the first seven months of the year.
Belmont County Auditor Joseph Pappano delivered the news to commissioners Wednesday during their regular weekly board meeting.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," said Pappano, "but it doesn't look like things are turning around at all so far. We're down $235,000 in sales tax revenues compared to last year for the first seven months, but we were already down last year at that time, you have to remember."
The decline in sales tax revenues for the first seven months of the year translates to a decline in about $16 million in retail sales in Belmont County during that period, according to Pappano.
"We've got to rely on other plans to get us through the year," the auditor said. "We'll have to keep our fingers crossed and hope things turn around by the beginning of the year."
When asked if county leaders believed the local economy was turning around, Commissioner Ginny Favede said she was optimistic, particularly because movement was being made on a number of projects that will make a positive economic impact on Belmont County.
Officials said the Ohio Department of Transportation is taking another look at the proposal for a new Interstate 70 interchange between the Ohio Valley Mall and Ohio Valley Plaza. Plans to develop a new interchange and bridge over the interstate would open up access to available land adjacent to the mall and owned by the mall's operator, Cafaro Company, as well as the proposed St. Clair Commons site adjacent to the plaza, which the city of St. Clairsville annexed a number of years ago with the intent to develop through a private owner.
Favede indicated the access to I-70 and the availability of land for development leaves the door open for future economic growth, and efforts to take advantage of these assets continue to move ahead.
The development of the East Ohio Regional Industrial Park near Barnesville is another sign of hope, Favede noted. An access road is being built, and plans are in place to bring utilities to the site, which can be marketed for private development in the future.
Despite the continued efforts to move forward, one issue that could take the county in a giant leap backward is the cap-and-trade legislation, designed to reduce emissions by industrial plants. The bill recently passed the House and is currently before the Senate for consideration.
"We have to have the U.S. Senate vote down cap-and-trade," said Larry Merry, director of the Belmont County Port Authority. "It will be disastrous for Belmont County and the Ohio Valley if it does pass. It will kill the steel industry, it will kill the coal industry and it will damage our local power plants."
Opponents to the cap-and-trade legislation contend that the measure will not only harm existing industries tied to the use of fossil fuels, but will also cause utilities bills to skyrocket in the future.
In other action Wednesday, the board voted to:
Ayres can be reached at eayres@timesleaderonline.com
