LEVY DEFEAT Campbell to seek union cutbacks

'We have to live within our budget,' the mayor said after a proposed new tax failed.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- Mayor Jack Dill said he'll be asking all labor unions representing city employees for concessions now that the city's proposed new 5-mill, five-year operating levy has been resoundingly defeated by the voters.
In unofficial returns from Tuesday's election, the levy failed by 3,038 against to 1,717 in favor.
"The people really soundly defeated it. What they're telling us is that they're not going to give us any more operating money, and we have to live within our budget," the mayor said Wednesday before city council's meeting.
"We're going to see if we can get concessions that can bring our budget into line" before imposing additional layoffs, the mayor said.
With a projected deficit of more than $290,000 at the end of this year, the city is in fiscal emergency and has a state-imposed Nov. 20 deadline for enacting a balanced 2005 budget.
Laid off
Already laid off by the city are two street department workers, a fire department employee, a water meter reader and a janitor. "We're at bare minimum bones," Dill said.
Another city ballot issue was a charter amendment related to fire protection, which unofficially passed by a mere nine votes, with 2,365 in favor and 2,356 against, and will get an automatic recount from the Mahoning County Board of Elections because of the closeness of the vote.
That amendment would give city council the authority to maintain a full-time fire department, participate in a joint fire district or mutual aid arrangement with surrounding communities or purchase fire protection from another entity.
Firefighters campaigned against the amendment, telling voters it would jeopardize fire protection for city residents.
City officials had said before the election that failure of the amendment could result in the layoff of eight to 11 more city employees, including firefighters. They said the city would not have a volunteer fire department, but likely would form a joint fire district.
Greg Rosile, president of Campbell Firefighters Association Local 2998, the labor union representing firefighters, said he thought many voters were confused by the ballot language. "We'll know in two weeks what's going to happen with the recount and the provisional ballots," he said.
milliken@vindy.com