WRTA is a city thing

WRTA is a city thing

EDITOR:

Why would anyone other than those living in Youngstown support the WRTA tax issue?

As the mayor of the Village of Sebring I am opposed to this tax. Why? How will the passing of this tax benefit those residents living outside the city of Youngstown? Busing is not a way of life for those people living in rural or small communities.

WRTA is currently supported by a real estate tax, paid for by the real estate property owners of Youngstown. Why should the remainder of the county be burdened supporting Youngstown’s bus service, with nothing in return? I am told that if this tax issue passes, the current tax will be dropped from those property owners living in Youngstown.

The taxpayers of Sebring pay approximately $70,000 a year now to help support the Mill Creek Park system, from which we get no benefit. I consider this tax issue another Mill Creek for our residents.

I would suggest any persons living outside Youngstown go to the polls and oppose this tax issue.

JOHN W. SMITH, Mayor

Sebring

Bus service helps area

EDITOR:

I’m a Trumbull County resident who’s asking that Mahoning County voters approve the WRTA sales tax that will be on the March ballot in Mahoning County.

The proposed tax rate is a quarter of a percent, which amounts to an average of 17 cents a day for a consumer who buys $25,000 a year in goods subject to sales tax in Mahoning County.

The restored Warren Express route will reconnect fare-paying Mahoning County workers, senior citizens, handicapped folks and students with their Trumbull County jobs, families, and schools. Fare-paying Trumbull County residents likewise will reconnect with jobs, families and schools in Mahoning County. Trumbull County jobs, such as those at West Corporation in Niles, and educational opportunities, such as at KSU Trumbull, will be opened to Mahoning County bus riders.

I have a relative who used the discontinued Warren Express two years ago to commute from his residence in Trumbull County to his job in Mahoning County. The bus stops were fairly convenient for him, bus service was as scheduled, the drivers were helpful, and security at the downtown Youngstown WRTA station was excellent.

ILONA LABUSCH

Niles

Salem council moves to cut director without homework

EDITOR:

Attending the Salem City Council meeting last Tuesday evening, I was impressed with the officials’ reports and with what positive things have been happening in the city over the last month.

However, in his usual arrogance, Mr. Brown, who campaigned as “Salem’s next Mayor,” commended his Rules and Ordinances Committee for their attention and work on the elimination of the safety director position. As I was wondering what work and attention, I asked and found out that only one member of the committee had spoken with either the service or safety director to find out just what their jobs entail and why they felt the positions should not be merged.

And, after comments by a concerned citizen to keep the positions as they are, and with Mr. Brown giving “homework” assignments to the members of his committee to contact other cities to research this issue, this council still gave second reading to the ordinance to merge the positions. Shows they really care about any research being done.

Needless to say, I cannot help wondering why Mr. Brown is considering this action now, for when he was campaigning for mayor he promised the safety director’s job to at least two different people in town. This action is purely political, and if Mr. Brown thinks the citizens don’t see how transparent this is, he is still fooling himself.

With drugs and other problems escalating in Salem, we cannot allow these positions to be merged. One person will be kept busy with the streets/sidewalks problems, and we need the other to address health and safety issues. There should be no need for study or any question about it.

Campaigning and politics is over, let it rest. How the citizens of Salem will be served by this action should be the main criteria.

AUDREY L. JENSEN

Salem