TRUMBULL COUNTY Reasons given for defeat of sales tax

Commissioners say they have not decided how they will react to the tax loss.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- In retrospect, a few lawn signs might have been a good idea.
A measure on last Tuesday's ballot that would have permanently maintained a 0.5-percent piggyback Trumbull County sales tax lost at every one of the county's 274 precincts.
In April, when they imposed the additional tax for one year -- making the total tax 1 percent -- county commissioners announced they would seek to make it permanent through a November ballot issue.
In the spring they held public hearings on the tax increase and convened a panel of businessmen to study it.
However, as the election got closer, there were no advertisements in support of the tax -- no mailings, no billboards, no signs. A campaign committee to raise and spend money on behalf of the tax was never formed.
"There were lots of people who could have, but I guess no one took the time to do anything," said Sheriff Thomas Altiere, who supported the tax, but said he would not have felt comfortable leading a pro-tax campaign.
Indictment
It also didn't help that a county vendor and two former county employees were indicted in September for participating in what prosecutors say was the looting of $400,000 from the county maintenance department over less than four years.
Commissioners were forced to spend more time explaining how the money could have left the building unnoticed, and less time talking about why voters should give them more.
"Commissioners didn't work to pull the county together, and the other elected officials did very little to promote the sales tax," said Commissioner Michael O'Brien. "The maintenance department issue and the criminal investigation obviously did some damage."
Voters from around the county said they rejected the tax for a number of reasons, including: They believe they pay enough taxes already, and they are angry at county commissioners for carelessly spending money.
"They are saying [on radio talk shows] you shouldn't punish the county for the fact that they wasted all that money," said Anna Hirschinger of Fowler. "Well, I'm sorry, you should have been more responsible. I generally vote for tax issues, but I voted against them."
State tax increase
Commissioners say the sales tax chances at the ballot were also hurt by a state tax increase. When the state raised its sales tax by 1 percent, local voters became a lot less willing to raise the local sales tax, too, Commissioner Joseph J. Angelo said.
Several voters said they just couldn't afford it.
"We are on a fixed income; we are retired. So many costs are going up so high," said Bob Pykare of Farmdale. "We have to get our money from somewhere."
Charles Adams of Warren said he prioritized. He voted in favor of a bond issue for Warren schools but against the county tax.
"I didn't want to pay twice," he said.
Commissioners say they are not sure exactly what they will do now. The county will get about the same sales tax revenue next year as it did in 2003 because the one-year imposed tax expires midway through the year.
Angelo said commissioners would consider options, which could include imposing the tax again, putting it on the ballot or trying to live without.
"As soon as a new county commissioner comes on board we will work it out," Commissioner James Tsagaris said. "But I think people have already told us. People are tired of taxes."
O'Brien will leave as commissioner in January, when he is sworn in as mayor of Warren.
Sheriff's department
At the sheriff's department, revenue from federal inmates should be sufficient to bring back all laid-off employees who have not found new jobs, even if the sales tax expires midyear, Altiere said. As many as 20 employees could be brought back, he added.
For the county, the real financial crisis will be in 2005, when the local sales tax will be at 0.5 percent for the whole year. All other things being equal, that would cause the 2005 budget to be about $4 million less than the budget this year.
siff@vindy.com