Youngstown money woes: Just how real are they?

Youngstown money woes:Just how real are they?
EDITOR:
I've heard our mayor on radio talk shows and read articles in The Vindicator, and I'm fed up and confused! First, the city wants to put police in one-man cars. Don't they care at all about their safety and how much longer it will take to respond to a call? If I were a police officer and was sent on a dangerous call, I'd wait for a backup. In the meantime someone may be dying or killed. That must not matter to city officials.
Second, the mayor is complaining about holiday pay and pay for police going to court. I don't know anyone who doesn't get paid for working holidays, so why should police and firefighters be any different and not get holiday pay? I doubt the mayor works holidays, and he is probably paid on a salary basis, not hourly. I'm also sure police and firemen would rather be with their families on holidays instead of working, but they don't have a choice. As far as court time goes, don't you need police to testify in court to get a conviction? Would the city rather see criminals go free and our streets even more unsafe than they already are?
I hear the mayor on radio talk shows telling what the police and fire departments need to give up, but I never hear from anyone from the departments on these shows. Why not have the mayor and a representative from the police and fire departments together? I would like to hear both sides of this issue.
Finally, I'm hearing once again the threat of layoffs within the police and fire departments if they don't agree to no raises. Has every other city official not taken a raise this year? I doubt it, so why should they? They have families to support just like the rest of us. The city scared us in 2002 to pas a tax for safety forces, so where is that money going? No new police or firemen have been hired since the tax was passed. Who's lining their pockets with that money? I thought the government was weeding out the corruption in Youngstown, but apparently the job is not done. The residents of Youngstown need to make their voices heard and tell this city we want answers. We need our representatives from Columbus to pay a visit to Youngstown and look into this matter. The time has come. Where is our money being spent?
CATHY HUPP
Youngstown
Work on Albert Street showshow quickly things fall apart
EDITOR:
Three years ago, Albert Street received a major face lift -- new curbing along with new (not patched) sidewalks and a completely resurfaced road. The median strip was cultivated and reseeded. It may not look like it now, but it was done.
If potholes were part of the project, we got a good deal. I can't imagine a road less than 3 years old having so many potholes as we will find now on Albert Street.
I once questioned the need to completely rehabilitate that street when there were other streets in the area in more dire need. It was explained that Albert Street was considered one of the "gateways" to Youngstown with state Routes 62 and 7 passing through. As you turn on Albert Street coming from the north you are struck with the view of the skeletal remains of what used to be the old Republic Rubber plant. This is not a view that I would want to see on a postcard saying "Having a good time, wish you were here."
I think someone got short-changed on this project, and I believe I speak for anyone who has purchased a license plate, a drivers license or a gallon of gas because I am certain that there has been government funding and we all had a stake in that project.
JOHN FARCAS
Hubbard