WARREN CITY COUNCIL New tax administrator salary to be approved

Education requirements will likely change, a lawmaker says.
WARREN -- City council has informally agreed to approve a proposed $53,907 annual salary for the position of income tax administrator that lawmakers soon hope to create.
Councilman Bob Marchese, D-at large, proposed the salary during Tuesday's finance committee meeting and said there's a consensus to pass related legislation.
Council in recent weeks has been haggling over the salary, saying an original proposal for $57,854 a year is too high.
Marchese said he believes he also has support to change proposed qualifications for the job.
A committee of financial experts proposed the $57,854 salary and said the tax administrator should at least have a two-year degree in finance or a related field.
The finance committee Tuesday said it will support a measure saying the position requires a four-year degree.
Council says it plans to call a special meeting Wednesday Aug. 22 to consider legislation.
Aims: Proposed ordinances aim to establish the position, set the salary and qualifications and outline job duties, which would include overseeing the income tax department and handling collections.
Treasurer-elect John Taylor will be paid a part-time wage, or $8,883, but a job description and hours have not been outlined.
Taylor has a full-time job as president of Paige & amp; Byrne Insurance.
It has been said he'll handle city investments as treasurer.
Changes to the city's income tax department come on the heels of a state performance audit that's critical of the department, saying it should be more aggressive with collections.
Council earlier this year agreed to cut back hours for the treasurer's post, and current full-time Treasurer Patricia Leon-Games was ousted by Taylor.
Marchese said he's also suggesting the city does away with the position of chief investigator for the income tax department. The position has been vacant for some time, after a retirement, he said.