Sherlock playing critics like a fiddle

When Mahoning County Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock walks out the door of the administration building for the last time, here's what her epitaph should read: "Beware a female politician scorned."
To say that Sherlock is leaving quietly -- she chose not to seek re-election this year -- is to miss what the controversial commissioner has been doing since the night of the March 2 primary election.
You can almost hear her colleague David Ludt groan every time she opens her mouth. The third member of the board of commissioners, Edward Reese, also did not seek re-election, but his demeanor has been a lot more conciliatory than Sherlock's. That's because Reese did not endure the kind of political attacks directed at Sherlock by self-styled watchdogs of county government.
For years these loudmouths portrayed the first female commissioner of Mahoning County as the Hillary Clinton of local politics. There's no doubt that her intelligence intimidated them. To be sure, some of the criticism was justified and warranted, as when she used the county's credit card for a nonbusiness trip.
But a lot of the slings and arrows aimed at her were nothing more than an effort to chase her from office.
In that, the know-it-alls succeeded, but Sherlock isn't about to fade into the background.
Defeat
Consider her reaction on the night of the primary to the defeat of the 0.5 percent sales tax renewal issue:
"I think it's time to make massive cuts. I think we need to make the cuts and make them now."
Who would be most hurt politically by the "massive cuts" in spending? Ludt, of course.
Since more than 80 percent of the general fund goes to pay salaries and benefits, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to discern the targets of the cuts. Therein lies the dilemma for Ludt.
Remember, Reese is also bailing out, which means he does not have to worry about retribution from county workers. Ludt certainly does -- and Sherlock's expected successor, Anthony Traficanti, will have to. After all, Traficanti made much of the fact that he had the solid support of all the labor unions in the county.
Those same labor unions can be expected to fight any attempt to reduce the compensation of their members in any way.
Traficanti is facing Republican Sam Moffie in the November general election and cannot afford to alienate his labor support. That is why the Democratic nominee has remained silent while Sherlock has talked about "massive cuts" being necessary to persuade the voters that county government is biting the bullet.
Obviously aware that her initial reaction to the sales tax defeat had Ludt and Traficanti (a mutual admiration society?) sweating bullets, Sherlock upped the ante last week.
Here's how Vindicator Courthouse Reporter Bob Jackson characterized the commissioner's position on again asking voters to approve the sales tax:
"Commissioner Vickie Allen Sherlock said Tuesday that county government is 'out of step' with the private sector when it comes paying employees' health benefits and retirement contributions. She believes that is part of the reason voters rejected a 0.5 percent sales tax renewal last week."
One of the things she believes county government should do is standardize the employee contribution toward health-care insurance. In other words, all county employees should pay a portion of the health insurance premiums.
She also wants employees to contribute toward their lucrative public pensions. County government now pays the employees' and employer's shares.
Familiar refrain
If that refrain sounds familiar, it's because WKBN radio talk show host Ron Verb has long been singing it.
Verb, who has been a harsh critic of Sherlock's and has given voice to her detractors, is adamant in his view that government workers can no longer ignore the reality of the private sector workplace.
Thus, he now finds himself with a most unlikely ally, Sherlock.
The commissioner is playing Ludt and Traficanti like a fiddle, and for that she has earned a "You go girl!"
Note: Lest any reader think this writer has been a blind supporter of Sherlock's consider the fact that the word clueless first appeared in this space to describe her knowledge of the job of commissioner when she was appointed by the Democratic Party in 1999. Since then, however, she has shown herself to be a quick study of county government.