LEETONIA — The village is in a much different financial situation than when Kevin Siembida began his first term of office in January 2016.

Municipal income tax represents 75 percent of Leetonia’s operational income, explained village fiscal officer Nick Mistovich.

As of Sept. 30, Leetonia had brought in $905,023.32 in income tax, just below the $1 million mark, which they breached last year. This shows that the village is continuing to flourish throughout this economic development process.

The general fund also receives moneys through the village’s real estate taxes ($74,303.81) and earned interest ($74,751.42) as well as Local Government Fund ($31,832.84 and purchased permits), reaching $1,183,278.65.

Siembida’s economic development approach for Leetonia is ambitious, peppered with many infrastructure upgrades and capital projects from the village’s splash pad, which was completed earlier this spring, to ones in the works, like the village’s downtown revitalization project or a community center.

Council as a whole seems to be of the same mindset that it takes investing money to make money. “This council has been good about investing in the growth of Leetonia,” Siembida added. “When you build up your community, the returns pay off with the resulting growth.”

Nearby Columbiana is a prime example of that, the mayor agreed.

Leetonia officials have not really discussed any additional levies, both men explained.

Currently, the village has had to regularly infuse general fund moneys into the cemetery ($36,500) and police pensions ($24,000).This year, another $85,000 went into streets to offset the cost.

Mistovich explained, “Streets cannot exist on its own for 12 months. It really needs the funding from the general fund as do the cemetery and police pension funds.”

Mistovich said currently the city doesn’t have any levies generating revenue for Leetonia’s coffers, and neither he nor Siembida expressed a belief that it would make much of a difference if they did. City officials just live within their means as much as possible, while moving forward as best as they can.

Neither Siembida nor Mistovich thinks putting a levy on the ballot is the answer.

That doesn’t say that increase of cemetery fees haven’t been considered by the parks and cemetery board to help them become less reliant on the general fund.

With a $519,989.21 balance in the general fund, “We are pretty stable financially right now,” Mistovich said. “I came from the private sector, where you pretty much live within your means.”

Leetonia appears to be following the same path as much as any municipality can.

In 2015, Mistovich said the village brought in around $660,000 in income tax. Now thanks to RITA (Regional Income Tax Authority), it is nearly double that.

“The mayor wants to take Leetonia to a new level especially through revitalization and economic growth. Some have even referred to Kevin as a visionary. With those kind of numbers, we potentially can do it,” he concluded.