Imposition of sales tax will not be taken lightly

While the narrow defeat -- less than 2,000 votes -- of the 0.5 percent sales tax in the November general election might lead Mahoning County commissioners David Ludt and Edward Reese to conclude that their imposing the tax won't be fatal, we believe otherwise.
With Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock deadset against imposition, a 2-1 vote will cause the anti-tax forces in the county to immediately circulate petitions for a referendum. And once notice of the referendum is received, the county would be blocked from collecting any revenue the 0.5 percent would generate.
In addition, the anger such a move would trigger could jeopardize the county's second half-percent sales tax, which is up for renewal in 2007.
We are well aware that Mahoning County government is on a fiscal precipice as a result of $14 million being drained from the treasury, but the solution isn't for elected officials to go against the will of the majority.
Tough decisions
As Commissioner Sherlock noted in a statement to The Vindicator, "The voters of Mahoning County have spoken in the past election and to now impose the tax would be a slap-in-the-face to the voters who exercised their constitutional right to vote on this issue. Instead of imposing, Mahoning County government needs to 'get it.' That means the voters want to see county government reflect the tough decisions being made in the private sector during tough economic times."
We can hear it now from her detractors: Sherlock is leaving office in December and this is simply her parting shot at those county officials who over the years were critical of her.
Commissioner Reese is also departing on Dec. 31. Both he and Sherlock chose not to seek re-election and will be replaced by Anthony Traficanti and John McNally IV.
But Reese and Ludt should give serious consideration to what their colleague is saying and to the recommendations she has made for winning the hearts and minds of the electorate. For instance, why would they not see merit in forcing county employees to make their own contributions toward their public pensions, instead of expecting county government to put in the employer's and employee's share?
Indeed, with Traficanti and McNally taking office in a couple of weeks, they, along with Ludt, should be the ones to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the various county budgets to identify wasteful or unnecessary spending.
By showing the taxpayers of Mahoning County that they are committed to reducing the cost of government, the commissioners next year will be in a strong position to place the 0.5 percent sales tax on the ballot next year -- with confidence.