AUSTINTOWN — A five-year, 2.22-mill levy to raise additional funds for police department operations in the township was approved Tuesday by voters.

According to complete and unofficial results from Mahoning County Board of Elections, the measure passed by a margin of 52% to 48%.

The levy will bring in $2 million per year to support police operations.

Trustee Chair Bruce Shepas thanked the voters, saying the township vows to keep providing the level of service residents expect.

“We would also like to thank the hard-working men and women of the Austintown Police Department who have endured a difficult financial situation over the past year and have continued to provide the same great service with less resources,” he added.

Trustee Robert Santos said he was “at a loss for words with gratitude” for the voters, who he said “showed they definitely back the blue.”

David Yohman, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 126, thanked voters, saying “We deeply value the trust you have placed in us and remain committed to earning it through dedicated service — every call, every shift, every day.”

He said officials know it was a hard choice for residents, some of whom are struggling financially, but vowed the township would use the funds efficiently.

A similar measure was defeated last year and would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $85 per year. This year’s levy will cost that same homeowner $77 per year and will generate $600,000 a year less than last year’s ask.

Last year’s 2.4-mill continuous levy failed by a margin of 52% to 48%.

Police Chief Valorie Delmont, along with trustees, have said they’ve made all possible cuts to the budget without compromising service but maintain that costs continue to rise.

Shepas has said health care costs are expected to rise by 30% to 40% and department staffing is at a 30-year low.

This year alone, the department has lost eight officers and three dispatchers to retirement or better paying job opportunities, Shepas said previously.

Trustees agreed earlier this year to cut the department’s police dog program, which saved $10,000 this year and will save $20,000 next year. Officials said private donations will keep the program afloat through December.

Significant other cuts have been made to the department since the last levy failed, officials have said, explaining about $200,000 was cut under former chief Robert Gavalier and about $100,000 more has been cut under Delmont.

About 72% of the department’s budget is made up of personnel costs, according to township Administrator Mark D’Apolito, and the department’s union said the financial outlook has made the hiring of good candidates difficult.

Delmont has said that low staffing puts a strain on scheduling and retention, leading to burnout and low morale.

Younger officers are now staffing shifts and dealing with the same call volume they handled in 2023, she has said.

In order to keep patrol shifts staffed, the department has pulled officers from the Mahoning County Drug and Human Trafficking task forces.

Detectives, who would otherwise be handling investigations, are spending more time patrolling the township, officials said previously.

Grants have helped supplement the department’s budget, officials have said, but they’re not sufficient to maintain optimal service.

Austintown has also revised its fee schedule and increased revenues for the dispatching services it offers to other agencies, which officials say, has helped improve the overall financial picture.