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"Business, Labor, Elected Officials Support Sales Tax"
"By Dennis LaRueBOARDMAN, Ohio -- Business, organized labor and the Mahoning County political establishment this morning came out in force to endorse Issue 2, a measure that would make the 0.5% piggyback sales a continuing levy.The tax generates some $13 million a year, roughly a third of the county's operating budget.Even with renewal of the 0.5% tax -- Thomas Humphries, Larry Fauver and George Tablack stressed the tax is not an increase -- Mahoning County will not have an easy time paying for essential operations, county Auditor Tablack stated.County commissioners have been "doing an excellent job in managing funds," Humphries, president of chief executive officer of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, declared. Labor contracts have been negotiated such that employees are paying directly for the costs of their health care insurance.Organized labor supports Issue 2, Fauver, president of the Greater Youngstown Area AFL-CIO Council, explained, because county employees, many of whom belong to AFSCME and the Teamsters union, shouldn't have to worry about job security. Moreover, Mahoning County is on the move with the growth at Youngstown State University, the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and other economic development initiatives that are beginning to bear fruit."We've got a lot of things going for us in this valley," Fauver stated. Seventy percent of the county budget goes for law enforcement -- maintenance of the county jail and its operations and the 911 emergency service. To slash other essential programs so the jail can be maintained would hurt economic growth.Failure to pass Issue 2 would put the county under "fiscal watch" early in 2005 and later next year place the county in "fiscal emergency," Tablack stated. The projected $13 million deficit would cause the state to intervene and appointed officials to run the county. Without the 0.5% sales tax, the county would be $70 million in the hole in four years, he elaborated.Why does Mahoning County devote so much to law enforcement? "It's our crime rate," Tablack said. "We can't choose whether to be in the criminal justice system." It costs $67 a day to house a prisoner in the county jail. While the county charges the United States for housing federal prisoners in its jail, thereby recouping some of its expense, defeat of Issue 2 would mean Mahoning County would no longer play host to federal prisoners and be compelled to send its miscreants and accused miscreants to other counties' jails.That would add to the county's expenses and debt, which one day would have to be repaid, Tablack pointed out. "A federal judge would not permit prisoners to be released into the streets," the auditor said.Armed with these facts, Tablack spoke for Humphries, Fauver and others at the table, "We trust you to make the right decision."Issue 2 has been endorsed by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 141 (representing county sheriff's deputies), AFSCME United, the Greater Youngstown Area AFL-CIO, the Western Reserve Building & Construction Trades Council and the regional chamber.On hand from the business community, in addition to chamber officials, to show his support was Frank Hierro, Youngstown area president of Sky Bank.From organized labor, in addition to Fauver, were Don Crane, president of the Western Reserve building trades; Jim Burgham, secretary-treasurer; Joe Halas, business agent for Local 847 of the glaziers union; Dave Knickerbocker, business agent for Local 66 of the operating engineers union; Tom Warga, business manager for Local 125 of the International Laborers Union; Rob Bernat, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 377; and Glenn Kountz, president of FOP 141.Among the county officials present were Commissioners Ed Reese and Dave Ludt; Prosecuting Attorney Paul Gains; Engineer Dick Marsico; Clerk of Courts Anthony Vivo; Recorder Ron Gerberry; Sheriff Randall Wellington; Treasurer John Reardon; acting administrator Joe Caruso; and the administrator for emergency services, Walt Duzzny. Representing Boardman Township was Trustee Tom Costello; representing Youngstown was Rufus Hudson, second ward councilman; representing Campbell was Mayor John Dill; representing Struthers was Mayor Dan Mamula.Contact Dennis LaRue at [email protected]"