Budget-crunched local governments can turn to the state for help collecting unpaid fines and other debts owed to them.

The Ohio attorney general's office -- chief collection agent for state agencies, universities, boards and commissions -- will collect debts for counties, cities, townships and villages if they request assistance, Attorney General Mike DeWine said today.

Each debt must be final and more than $100. One collection method is going after debtors' state tax refunds or lottery winnings.

The new Local Governments Collections Services Program will be operated in the attorney general's Youngstown office.

Taxpayers will bear no extra costs because the program will be funded by collection costs passed onto to debtors, DeWine said.

"I encourage local governments to contact our office to take advantage of this new, helpful program," DeWine said in a statement.