Boardman trustees receive guidance on budget crisis

When Boardman Township trustees meet Wednesday to continue their discussion about the budget crisis and explore options for dealing with the $3.5 million deficit, they will have something new to guide them: the results of a state performance audit.

While the audit, signed by state Auditor Mary Taylor, identifies potential savings that, if fully embraced, would result in the deficit being reduced by $1.2 million, it also praises the township for “excellence in several areas.”

These include participation in a safety incentive program, which results in a discount on Boardman’s workers’ compensation premiums; better than average response time by the police department to calls, and an efficient and effective training program; fire prevention activities and a high number of fire investigations by the fire department.

The township requested the audit last year as trustees were trying to persuade residents to approve a 4.1-mill operating levy that would have generated $4 million each year.

Despite warnings of dire consequences if the levy failed, voters said no in November.

That rejection has prompted trustees Kathy Miller, Robyn Gallitto and Larry Moliterno to conduct a series of public and private discussions about the budget and how to deal with the shortfall.

As we suggested in a recent editorial about the Youngstown City School District, which is also bleeding red ink and whose budget has also been scrutinized by the state auditor’s office, the audit findings give public officials the chance to prove to taxpayers that they’re serious about cutting spending before they ask for more money.

Wages and benefits

Because most of government’s operating budget goes for employees’ wages and benefits, the cuts have to come from the payroll.

And no matter how painful, reduction in the workforce must occur.

Boardman trustees have been facing this bitter truth, but now the moment of reckoning has arrived.

On Wednesday, they will have to begin the process of pinpointing where the cuts will occur. Postponing a decision is merely postponing reality.

The state auditor says the $1.2 million in savings could come from restructuring some departments, changing employee health insurance contributions and contracting with neighboring communities for dispatching.

If such recommendations are unacceptable to the employees, then they have a responsibility to put forth their own budget reduction plan.

There are those who contend that the reason voters rejected the 4.1-mill levy last November was because they did not know just how deeply the budget would have to be cut without the additional money. They also say that the number of layoffs was not known.

Thus, they argue, the trustees should place the levy back on the ballot in a special election.

But there is nothing to suggest that the taxpayers have changed their minds.

These are difficult economic times and what governments at all levels are facing today has been the private sector’s bane for years.

Companies, especially those in the Mahoning Valley, have had to do more with less.

It’s the public sector’s turn.