Stark County's voters rejected a proposed increase in the sales tax which would have meant more funding for the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority.
More than 51% of voters voted against Issue 4.
The levy would have increased SARTA's current 0.25% sales tax by 0.1% for 10 years. This was the first time SARTA has asked for a tax increase in nearly 30 years.
The authority currently receives five cents for every $20 of sales tax revenue. If approved, the levy would have increased that amount to by two cents.
SARTA made service cuts and reductions to its paratransit service Proline last year, which it said was due to rising operating costs.
The agency said it would use funds from the sales tax increase to restore some of those cuts, replace the oldest buses in its fleet and expand its service routes.
SARTA Director of Human Resources Tammy Brown told 精东影业 the transit authority plans to put the issue back on the ballot in November.
