City can’t help with county jail money problem

The city will do “everything in our power to work with” Mahoning County to keep the jail open, but don’t count on Youngstown providing a financial bailout, its mayor says.

The city doesn’t have the money to match previous payments — $654,078 last year and $1,120,237 in 2008 — it gave the county to house Youngstown misdemeanor inmates, Mayor Jay Williams said today.

“That’s a position that has not changed,” he said. “Our financial condition has not changed since we started these discussions.”

Is there a solution?

“At this point, I don’t know,” Williams said.

The city’s contract to pay for its prisoners expired Feb. 28.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com