At some level, there has to be a basic trust between our layers of government and the people they are supposed to serve. If that trust breaks down, then things start to collapse. That trust has been violated here in Mahoning County, and it will haunt this area for years to come. In the spring of 2007, there was a hotly contested referendum to extend a ½% sales tax to fund our county government. The whole sales tax pitch was couched in terms of insufficient funds to run the county jail as deputies were laid off and prisoners were released from the jail, while the news media cameras watched the bad guys strut out the front door. The sales tax passed, and the jail issue was resolved. But there was a hidden codicil in the deal.
Last Sunday, the Vindicator wrote a front page article about massive salary increases within our County government in the 10 – 35% range, which were granted in the summer of 2007 and made retroactive to January 1, 2007. Immediately after the passage of the tax, the commissioners hired a consulting firm out of Westerville to review the county salary structure, and then got out the checkbook. According the Vindicator, the raises went to “department heads, supervisors, and 911 dispatchers…”
What’s sad is that the public has just found out about it now, after the primary election. The article went on to talk about how the commissioners feel they were justified in granting the salary increases, citing the “study” from the Westerville firm.
Here is the problem, no matter how justified these increases may or may not be, the public has been duped. That is not what we voted for. Now all levels of government in Mahoning County have a problem. For the next 10 years, the difficult task of getting funding for any level of governmental operations from school levies to township operating millage issues to the income tax issues which will be debated as the city attempts to extend its influence into the townships, are doomed. All one has to do is to listen to talk radio to hear “you can’t trust them.” The issue is compounded by taxpayers wondering if these qualified people benefiting from the increases were hired in the first place because of their qualifications or because they knew somebody.
The insensitivity to the severe economic problems of this area is staggering. While the rest of us are struggling to keep our jobs, let alone get raises, these salary increases border on obscene. There is no justification or excuse or explanation or job description maneuvering or classification jumping that can justify the magnitude of these salary increases in any way, shape or form.
The County had a sad story. But there isn’t one of us who lives here that doesn’t have a sad story. The commissioners should justify what they did to the Boardman fire fighters who have been laid off, to the road crews that have been laid off, to the teachers who have gone without raises for over 10 years and whose jobs are being eliminated as schools close down and revise their curriculums to state minimum requirements. These folks are also in the public sector. The problem in the private sector, which ultimately pays the bills, is beyond comprehension. What do you think the chances are of passing any tax increases to take care of any further public problems? No chance now. And if the local politicos think the public will forget, the public won’t. The Vindicator story is now the poster child for defeating any further tax issues, and will be hauled out over and over again.
Last Sunday, the Vindicator wrote a front page article about massive salary increases within our County government in the 10 – 35% range, which were granted in the summer of 2007 and made retroactive to January 1, 2007. Immediately after the passage of the tax, the commissioners hired a consulting firm out of Westerville to review the county salary structure, and then got out the checkbook. According the Vindicator, the raises went to “department heads, supervisors, and 911 dispatchers…”
What’s sad is that the public has just found out about it now, after the primary election. The article went on to talk about how the commissioners feel they were justified in granting the salary increases, citing the “study” from the Westerville firm.
Here is the problem, no matter how justified these increases may or may not be, the public has been duped. That is not what we voted for. Now all levels of government in Mahoning County have a problem. For the next 10 years, the difficult task of getting funding for any level of governmental operations from school levies to township operating millage issues to the income tax issues which will be debated as the city attempts to extend its influence into the townships, are doomed. All one has to do is to listen to talk radio to hear “you can’t trust them.” The issue is compounded by taxpayers wondering if these qualified people benefiting from the increases were hired in the first place because of their qualifications or because they knew somebody.
The insensitivity to the severe economic problems of this area is staggering. While the rest of us are struggling to keep our jobs, let alone get raises, these salary increases border on obscene. There is no justification or excuse or explanation or job description maneuvering or classification jumping that can justify the magnitude of these salary increases in any way, shape or form.
The County had a sad story. But there isn’t one of us who lives here that doesn’t have a sad story. The commissioners should justify what they did to the Boardman fire fighters who have been laid off, to the road crews that have been laid off, to the teachers who have gone without raises for over 10 years and whose jobs are being eliminated as schools close down and revise their curriculums to state minimum requirements. These folks are also in the public sector. The problem in the private sector, which ultimately pays the bills, is beyond comprehension. What do you think the chances are of passing any tax increases to take care of any further public problems? No chance now. And if the local politicos think the public will forget, the public won’t. The Vindicator story is now the poster child for defeating any further tax issues, and will be hauled out over and over again.
Here are some options the commissioners could have taken but chose not to:
1) Level with the public. We’re not stupid.
2) Take a more reasoned approach to the salary increases. If someone can make more somewhere else, then maybe that person should go. The fact of the matter is salaries in this area are commensurate with the cost of living here, which is the lowest in the nation. Only in the public sector do we hear the “parity” argument.
3) Don’t hide behind studies. They should be a starting point, not the end game.
4) Use common sense. How about “3% this year, 3% next year…then we will look at it again.” Sometimes you just can’t pay what people want, but there are always other good people, especially here where the only good jobs are government jobs like these.
I am not sure that the commissioners realize how much damage has been done to the credibility of all levels of government in Mahoning County. I am not sure what they can do to rectify it. The story may fade from the papers today, but will be there for years to come in the voting booths. Trust is not easily regained.
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