Mahoning commissioners should reach out to voters

It may well be that voters in Mahoning County "understand it by now," as county Administrator Gary Kubic suggested last week in trying to explain why no one showed up last week for a public hearing on a 0.5 percent sales tax that will be on the November general election ballot.
But since the tax renewal was rejected by the voters in the May primary election, commissioners Edward Reese, Vicki Allen Sherlock and David Ludt should worry about such lack of public interest. After all, the conclusion that can be drawn from the rejection of the tax is that a large number of residents do not believe the $12 million it generates each year is needed to operate county government.
Thus, when Kubic suggests that voters "understand it [the tax issue] by now," Reese, Sherlock and Ludt should make sure that what they understand is the truth -- instead of the misinformation spewed by the detractors of county government.
And what is the truth? That the commissioners have been good stewards of the public treasury, and more important, have kept their promises to the taxpayers. In 1999, for instance, when they were promoting the passage of another 0.5 percent sales tax, the commissioners pledged that a portion of the revenue would be used to create an economic development fund. Money from the fund would be available to all communities to match federal and state grants, they said.
Beneficiaries
Voters who want to know if Reese, Sherlock and Ludt have been true to their word need only ask officials in Youngstown, Berlin Township, Sebring, Struthers, Canfield and Craig Beach. They are on the every-growing list of communities that have benefited from the economic development fund.
However, at least 26,000 voters in last month's election chose to ignore the progress that is being made throughout the county. And that should alert the commissioners to the challenge they face in the fall. It would be a mistake to view the 506-vote margin by which the issue failed last month -- 26,613 voted no and 26,107 voted yes -- as an indication that things will look up in November.
The fact of the matter is that misinformation has a way of taking on the mantle of truth unless it is immediately challenged. That is what commissioners Reese, Sherlock and Ludt need to do between now and the general election.
In that regard, we urge them to take their story of Mahoning County government on the road. It is not enough to have one more public hearing -- it is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the commissioners' hearing room -- and then leave it up to the people to "make their voices heard," as Reese put it.
All Mahoning County government officials should make themselves available to the taxpayers and should participate in a series of town hall-type meetings in the evenings. The sessions should be held in early fall.