Mahoning commissioners keep faith with the voters

During the general election campaign for the renewal of the 0.5 percent sales tax in Mahoning County, commissioners let it be known that if the issue were approved, they would express their appreciation to the taxpayers by changing the way county government operates.
Seven weeks later and Commissioners Edward Reese, Vicki Allen Sherlock and David Ludt are doing just that. Not only are they keeping a tight rein on the operating budget, but they have dealt with the long-controversial issue of health insurance co-payment.
With regard to the budget, at least two common pleas court judges and county Sheriff Randall Wellington wanted more money than they received last year and significantly more than what the commissioners believed was reasonable in the current economic climate.
Despite threats from the court of lawsuits if their demands weren't met, Reese, Sherlock and Ludt stuck to their guns. Their bottom line: There's only so much money to go around and it's unreasonable for any elected official to be making exorbitant demands. As for the lawsuits, the commissioners can only hope that no court will order them to allocate money the county cannot afford.
It is noteworthy that the general fund budget for 2003 is $10 million less than what was allocated this year.
Lightning rod
The health insurance co-payment issue has been the lightning rod for public criticism of county government because even though a $6 monthly employee payment was negotiated into some union contracts, the money has not been deducted from the paychecks. There are eight county government departments that have a co-payment, but nothing has been done to enforce the plan. Until now, that is.
Collection of the $6 will begin in January, but those employees and all the others in county government had better brace themselves for more bad news.
Reese, Sherlock and Ludt last week implemented a 10 percent co-payment for health insurance premiums for all nonunion employees and for all employees outside the general fund. About 500 county workers will be affected. The 10 percent translates into $62 per month for family coverage and $27 a month for single coverage.
How do the commissioners justify making one group of employees pay so much more than another group? They don't. They intend to negotiate with the various unions to increase the co-payments to the nonunion level.
And before county workers begin grousing about having to pay more for health insurance, we would point out to them that concessions are a way of life in the private sector. Indeed, many companies are not only requiring their employees to bear more of the burden of the cost of doing business, but layoffs and even job eliminations are a reality in today's economy.
As we noted in an editorial shortly after the Nov. 5 general election, the voters of Mahoning County didn't renew the sales tax so there could be a continuation of business as usual.
Changes must be made and Commissioners Reese, Sherlock and Ludt are to be commended for moving ahead. That said, there are other recommendations in the state performance audit that also require their prompt attention, such as the development of an overall job classification plan.