ELYRIA, Ohio -- Lorain County voters on Tuesday rejected a quarter-percent sales tax increase to support the county’s Sheriff’s Office, defeating a measure that would have generated roughly $13 million annually to bolster law enforcement operations and address projected budget deficits.

Issue 1 failed as 70.21% of voters rejected the sales tax increase, with 41,747 votes against and 17,709 votes in favor, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections. The defeated measure would have raised the county’s total sales tax from 6.5% to 6.75% and added 25 cents per $100 in purchases, or $25 on $10,000 in taxable spending.

County commissioners had argued that the tax increase essentially would have restored a 0.25% sales tax that was eliminated by previous county com

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