MAHONING COMMISSIONERS Candidates vow to restore trust and fiscal stability

None of the candidates would impose a county sales tax.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The three Democratic candidates running to succeed Mahoning County Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock say their top priorities are to restore trust in the commissioners' office and to bring fiscal stability to the county.
While the three candidates agree on those priorities, Austintown Trustee David Ditzler, Anthony Traficanti of Poland, and William Flickinger of Youngstown disagree as to how they should be accomplished.
Ditzler
Ditzler is the only candidate running for the commissioner term beginning Jan. 2, 2005, with elected office experience. He said the county, which will also elect another county commissioner this year, can't afford to have inexperienced people as commissioner learning on the job.
"I am also running because I believe that to move the county forward we must not become mired in the politics of the past. ... I was one of the few political leaders who openly opposed [former U.S. Rep.] Jim Traficant while others remained silent," Ditzler said in a shot at Traficanti.
Traficanti served as Traficant's regional director for the 17th Congressional District, and was named administrator of the district when Traficant was kicked out of Congress in July 2002.
A jury found Traficant guilty two years ago of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion, and he was sentenced to eight years in a federal prison. Among Traficant's convictions was a mail fraud act of racketeering for having Traficanti and two other former staffers work on his Greenford farm while collected a pay check. Traficanti was never charged with a crime.
Traficanti
Traficanti said the proof that he did nothing illegal was that the clerk of the U.S. House appointed him to run the district office when Traficant was thrown out of Congress.
While he's never held elected office, Traficanti said he developed a broad range of government experience working in the congressional office for more than 10 years.
If elected, Traficanti said he would develop a comprehensive strategic plan that would outline short- and long-term goals and objectives to improve county operations.
"Mahoning County has been bleeding red ink for the past five years, and the present make-up of the board of county commissioners doesn't seem to have a logical explanation as to where the money has gone," he said. "Any government will always have limited resources, but without a proper plan, we are not using tax dollars as wisely as we can."
Flickinger
Flickinger said county officials haven't been fiscally responsible, which has led to deficits. If elected, Flickinger, who is best known to local talk radio listeners as "Hollywood Bill," said he would cut the number of county employees by 25 percent.
To improve the county's financial condition, it needs to encourage the political subdivisions to work together to achieve the common goals of attracting and retaining businesses, enhancing public safety, and making government run more effectively and efficiently, Ditzler said.
"Overarching all of those issues, however, is the very important question of who has the experience, integrity and talent needed to address them," he said. "My position on this issue is clear: I believe I am the only candidate in the race who possesses those attributes."
Sales tax
Ditzler said the county must move toward solid financial footing and to do so, the commissioners must convince county residents that the 1 percent sales tax should be made permanent. But Ditzler wouldn't impose the sales tax, saying to do so would guarantee that opponents would seek to repeal the tax through a ballot initiative, and would probably succeed.
The county should look at tax increment financing, such as what is being done with the Centerpointe project in Austintown, as well as joint economic development districts, which allow two adjoining communities to partner, to improve the local economy, he said.
Traficanti also wouldn't impose the sales tax, saying that decision rests with residents.
"As a commissioner, I will have to restore trust with the community for the people to understand exactly where their tax dollars are going to be spent," he said.
To improve the county's economy, Traficanti wants to focus on three issues: improving the infrastructure, improving the education system, and working with the social service system to reduce the crime rate.
Flickinger doesn't support the county sales tax renewal, much less imposing the tax. He said by eliminating 25 percent of the county's work force and restoring integrity to the commissioners' office, the county will be fiscally sound.
Tim Batton of Canfield is also on the March 2 Democratic primary ballot, but he is no longer interested in being elected. Batton wanted to withdraw his name, but he chose to do so after the deadline to get names off the ballot had passed. He has thrown his support behind Ditzler.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Sam Moffie of Boardman in the November general election. Sherlock is not running for re-election.
skolnick@vindy.com