JEDDs aren't regionalization and are not good for Valley

JEDDs aren't regionalization and are not good for Valley
EDITOR:
I've recently been accused of leading the charge against the city of Youngstown's pending business proposal with the suburbs in the form of a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD). I've been labeled anti-regionalization, a status quo leader and unreasonable. If protecting the property values in Austintown, wanting to retain our community identity and not going along with a plan to impose income taxes on workers in the suburbs qualifies me for these designations, so be it.
As clarification, a JEDD is not regionalization. Creating JEDDs in areas of established businesses is, indeed, a money grab. JEDDs are taxation without representation. In my opinion, JEDDs will destroy our community. They will not save residents money, they will cost residents money. Regardless of how you spin it. Propose the JEDD concept on undeveloped land in the suburbs, then you may have my attention because then, and only then, do I see a benefit for both parties.
The city imposed a 2.75 percent income tax and businesses left. If you create JEDDs in areas where there's established businesses in the suburbs and impose an income tax, businesses will leave. I do not call that economic development, I call that economic relocation.
I have spoken to business leaders in Austintown who have told me the city's income tax (in addition to the high crime rate and poorly performing schools) was one of the reasons they did not locate their businesses in the city. Impose an income tax on established businesses in Austintown and Boardman, and what makes you think businesses will stay? If the goal is to bring us all down to a common denominator, JEDDs will surely accomplish this. In addition, JEDDs will give the city of Youngstown more revenue to add to its 120 million annual budget in an attempt to fix Youngstown's problems.
In 2004, the water rates were increased by 8.5 percent, in 2005 water rates were increased 5.5 percents. Residents are currently paying a 40 percent surcharge and 66 percent of the income tax currently collected in the city of Youngstown is from suburbanites who work in the city. How much money is enough for Youngstown? Is there a magic number?
What about the problems in the suburbs? Do you honestly believe that by imposing an income tax on 40 percent of Austintown workers (Mr. Bozanich's estimation of Austintown residents who work in established businesses in Austintown) that those same workers will pass any local tax initiatives for police, fire, roads or schools? It's never going to happen. Therefore, our township will become crime ridden and our schools will suffer. Is this the city's definition of regional cooperation?
Mayor Williams' approach has been fallacious. Elected officials in the suburbs would have been happy to be "invited" to the table to discuss ways we could work with Youngstown to improve government and save the residents money. We take exception to being "forced" to a JEDD table that will impose more taxes for suburbanites.
Now let's talk about regionalization. The intended purpose is to save the taxpayers money by combining services without reducing the quality of those services. Doing more with less seems to be the mantra. In my opinion, regionalization will ensure those paying for services will experience a decrease in services and services will be increased to those who don't pay. Youngstown's drain on the suburbs services will be detrimental to our Valley.
Instead of the mayor and finance director of Youngstown playing modern day Robin Hoods, it seems like a reasonable idea for them to look within the city's boundaries for cost saving measures before the octopus (the city) extends its tentacles to the suburbs for profit grabbing. Elected officials in the suburbs were not elected to solve the city's financial woes. If recommendations in the city of Youngstown's 2000 Performance Audit were implemented, the city has the potential to save millions of dollars annually. I don't hear anyone talking about that. Perhaps that's leaders in the city of Youngstown wanting to keep everything at status quo.
LISA L. OLES
Austintown trustee