Village tax plan irks union leader

The village needs more money to stay attractive to GM, the mayor said.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
LORDSTOWN -- A union leader at General Motors' car plant said the village should not be trying to balance its budget on the backs of plant workers.
Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112, said he's against a proposed income tax increase and hopes two councilmen who are affiliated with the UAW will work to stop it.
Councilman Jim London works at the car plant in the GM complex and is a Local 1112 member, while Councilman Mike Sullivan is a GM retiree and chairman of the retirees committee of UAW Local 1714 at the fabricating plant.
Graham said he's open to meeting with village officials but doesn't have plans to do so. Mayor Michael Chaffee tried to arrange a meeting with Graham two weeks ago but the two missed each other.
"I don't know if he was looking for a buy-in or what, but he's certainly not going to get a buy-in from me," Graham said.
Chaffee said he had been trying to meet with Graham about the tax proposal and still would like to meet with Graham and Jim Kaster, president of Local 1714 at the fabricating plant.
Graham said other municipalities in the area don't have a massive manufacturing plant like GM but still are able to afford government services.
Defending increase
Sullivan said the village has cut its work force in the road and parks departments but still needs more money.
"There isn't any choice if you want to keep the same services or something close," he said.
Chaffee said village officials are trying to keep Lordstown attractive to GM and other companies by properly maintaining its roads, bridges and sewers. These companies rely on just-in-time delivery, which requires such maintenance work by the village, he said.
Kaster said he didn't want to take a position on the proposed tax increase until speaking with Sullivan. He expects the councilman to meet with union officials and explain the issue.
Considering doubling tax
Council is considering raising the income tax from 0.5 percent to 1 percent.
Members of council's finance committee said an increase should be considered because of reductions in the work forces at GM and Intier Automotive have left the village without enough revenue. Intier has a plant in Lordstown that makes seats for cars produced at the GM plant. Council members also said the village would be hurt by cutbacks at Delphi Packard Electric, which has plants elsewhere in Trumbull County.
Cutbacks at these manufacturing plants could cost the village between $750,000 and $1 million a year, officials said.
shilling@vindy.com