Fiscal Office FAQs

What taxes do I pay in Boardman?

Boardman Township receives its revenue from Property Taxes paid to the Mahoning County Auditor on property owned in Boardman Township.

Where do I find information about my property taxes?

The Auditor’s website is http://www.mahoningcountyauditor.org

What is the Sunshine Law?

To preserve and encourage openness, the Ohio General Assembly passed the Open Meetings and Public Records acts, collectively known as the Sunshine Laws. More information about what the Sunshine Laws entail can be found at the Attorney General’s website at http://www.ag.state.oh.us

What is a public record?

Unless otherwise exempt, a public record is a record kept by a public office, including but not limited to: state, county, city, village, township and school district units, and records pertaining to the delivery of educational services by an alternative school in Ohio kept by a non-profit or for-profit entity.

A “record” is any item that:

1. contains information stored on a fixed medium (such as paper, computer, film, etc.)
2. is created, received or sent under the jurisdiction of a public office; and
3. documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the office

The determination of whether a specific item constitutes a record will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular item requested. The Ohio Supreme Court has imposed an actual use standard in defining a record. The court expressly rejected the notion that an item is a record simply because the public office could use a document it has received to carry out its duties and responsibilities. Similarly, allegedly racist e-mails circulated between public employees are not records when they were not used to conduct the business of the public office.

How do I obtain a public record?

In order to obtain inspection of a public record, a requester must simply request such access to the public record. Although no specific language is required to make a request, the requester must at least identify the records requested with sufficient clarity so that the public office can identify, retrieve and review the records.