LIBERTY — While other Trumbull County governments such as Vienna and Bazetta have motioned against possible tax increases by commissioners, township officials decided to go in a different direction.

Trustees moved 2-1 at a regular meeting Monday to table action against a county sales tax increase that would affect the township’s residents, which commissioners have discussed potentially doing.

Trustee Arnie Clebone explained that they needed more information on what the commissioners would do before acting on it, noting the change in power.

“We’ve just got two new commissioners; we’ve got to let them explain what they’re doing,” Clebone said.

“Look at that tax that people would come to shop here; there’s a lot of people that come from out of town; that means increased revenue from out of town people. It needs dollars from us.”

Clebone said he’s willing to let the commissioners explain what the increase is going to do before they cut it off.

Trustee Devon Stanley seconded the motion to table because he only had 15 minutes to talk to one of the commissioners before the meeting, seeking more information about the tax.

“I definitely agree that any sales tax is harmful and sensitive,” Stanley said. “It increases the prices and sometimes it dries up business — you start ordering more from Amazon instead of going to the local stores. A store like Walmart, I think, absorbs it no matter what. But it’s not the same group, the local mom-and-pop businesses.”

Stanley said he’d take the same action against the other motion, one rejecting any Trumbull County Water District rate increases that directly affect the township’s residents.

“Until someone’s paying the water rates that the 1,500 of us pay in Girard, I’m not 100% sure of getting on board with that,” he said.