Taxpayers face challenge in figuring out government

Taxpayers face challenge in figuring out government
EDITOR:
Is it just me, or do other taxpayers in Mahoning County feel that many of our present elected and hired public officials are out of control, out of touch and some even harbor delusions of grandeur?
It seems that some time ago a black inmate in the county jail was beaten so badly by a few coerced guards that he was sent to a local hospital for mistakenly hitting a white, female corrections officer. Then more recently, a white city cop was shot to death just a hundred yards or so down the street from the same jail facility, but by a white assailant. The cop killer was quickly apprehended and ended up in the same lockup, but no physical assault was visited upon him. Go figure.
Although Mahoning County already has numerous drug related rehab programs in place for adults, all provided by public money, Mahoning County juvenile court officials have also started a "parents of juvenile delinquents" rehab program. No persons or groups have ever offered the public any evidence that the original juvenile rehab program really works, but we are now going to foot the bill for the parents. This juvenile parents program is being implemented while many libraries are being closed for lack of funding throughout rural Mahoning County. Once again, go figure.
Then there's the fact that Mahoning county officials are spending much time, effort and public dollars to point out that the 0.5 percent sales tax on the Nov. 2 ballot is a "renewal." What they don't say is that if passed, that 0.5 percent will be on the books forever, because it is now listed as "continuous." You got it, go figure.
Last but not least is the fact that this same tax originally passed because the commissioners promised to return some of the tax money to the rural townships. All went well until the Mahoning County auditor said it was a bad idea. This opinion is from the elected official who lowered Youngstown property values and increased rural assessments so much that a refurbished 10 or 12 room mansion on the North Side pays less property tax than a modular house in the country. No one will tell you either before Nov. 2 that the Ohio mandated property increases coming soon will be around the 8 percent bracket. Wow! Go figure.
DAVID METZLER
North Jackson
Brookfield zoning issueis a flawed document
EDITOR:
I had the privilege of using Brookfield's beautiful library recently and looked over the Brookfield Zoning Resolution that was made available to the public. The wording and the errors were identical with the copies from the previous attempts at passing a zoning ordinance in Brookfield. No effort was made to correct even the most blatant grammatical blunders. The high school system should acquire copies and give them to their composition students as an example in how not to write a legal document.
Another problem with the library copy was that two pages were inadvertently (?) missing. The pages in the resolution are numbered 1 through 38. An addendum was numbers 1 through 4 making a total of 42 pages. Pages two and three of the addendum are missing. Page two describes the method of revocation of a permit for sexually orientated businesses. Most important is the oversight of the missing page three. Section 27. Zoning Certificate, the page that describes the zoning certificate (permit) fees. This page also describes that the fees, "may be altered from time to time to meet existing conditions and costs." They may be altered from time to time by a majority vote of the commission." What, without the oversight of the trustees or the public?
LAWRENCE A MOLER
Masury
Don't forget to vote
EDITOR:
We are at a moral cross roads in this country and as election day approaches let us ask ourselves, how would Jesus vote?
Abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, human cloning. Same sex marriage these are the moral issues we have to address as voters.
Also the war in Iraq. Only a crazy person would favor war over peace. Their is no right time or right war, but we are in Iraq and we have to win.
Please support with yellow ribbons and pray for all our military, and don't forget to vote.
God bless America and our brave military men and women.
PAT FEDYSKI
McDonald