Well-known mayor and newcomer vie for treasurer

WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – Voters in Trumbull County will choose a new county treasurer in a race between a former well-known mayor and a political newcomer.

Democrat Jim Melfi and Republican Agostino Ragozzino are vying for the sea.

“I have the enthusiasm, the energy and the desire to contribute,” Melfi said. “I look forward to working in that office with the staff and of course for the citizens of Trumbull County.”

Melfi has spent most of his life in public service serving as Girard’s Mayor for 24 years and as the city’s treasurer for more than 11 years before that.

“You gain a lot of experience. You gain a lot of education and look at the record. The record speaks for itself. So, you want to put that to use on day one,” Melfi said.

This is Ragozzino’s first time running for office.

“I am not a politician. I am a teacher and before that, I was a banker, so I think that’s what we need,” Ragozzino said.

He’s currently a high school math teacher at Warren JFK and previously worked in banking as a branch manager.

“I want to bring accountability and transparency to the office. I also would like to put my educational background my finance background, my accounting background together,” Ragozzino said.

The treasurer is responsible for collecting taxes and is the county’s investment officer. The elected official also serves as president of the Land Bank’s board of directors.

“We did a lot of business banking as branch managers so those conversations are going to be very easy, they’re going to be very fluid,” Ragozzino said.

“I have a vast amount of experience dealing with the Land Bank and putting it to good use in the city of Girard,” Melfi said.

Whoever wins will assume office when the term begins in September, taking over for current Treasurer Sam Lamacusa who didn’t seek re-election.

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