Passage of sales tax issue crucial to future of WRTA

Passage of sales tax issue crucial to future of WRTA

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams could not have picked a worse time to ignite a firestorm with suburban communities over the controversial issue of water.

In two days, voters throughout Mahoning County will go to the polls and one of the questions they will answer is this: Is the Western Reserve Transit Authority important to the economic and social well being of the community?

To us, the answer is clear: Given the area’s demographics, public transportation is a must.

Therefore, we urge voters to approve a 0.25 percent, five-year sales tax that would be used to finance WRTA’s operations.

Rejection of the tax, according to WRTA Executive Director James Ferraro, could result in the discontinuation of this important service.

That would be a major blow to the county’s reputation, and would be devastating for the hundreds of residents who depend on public transportation.

There is no denying that passage of the sales tax depends on the voters who live outside the city of Youngstown — while a majority of the riders live in the city.

Hence, our concern about the firestorm ignited last week by Mayor Williams when he told The Vindicator that he wanted employees of suburban companies that use city water to pay income tax. The township in which the companies are located would share in the tax revenue, while the surcharge paid by the water users would be reduced.

Negative reaction

The reaction from trustees in Boardman and Austintown and from residents in those communities was immediate — and negative. The plan was seen as a money grab by the financially challenged city.

There already is talk in the suburbs about ways to block Youngstown. By and large, trustees are reflecting the opinions of their constitutents, who would be voting on the WRTA issue.

We urge residents of Boardman and Austintown and other suburban communities that don’t seem to care about public transportation to think about the greater good and not to link the WRTA to the water issue.

There is too much at stake, not only for people who have no other way to get around, but for the county at large. A rejection of the sales tax will exacerbate the divide that now exists between Youngstown and the suburbs.

In addition, there are companies, such as the call centers, in the suburbs that have come to depend on city residents to fill jobs that pay salaries at the lower end of the scale.

In January and February, the WRTA held public meetings throughout Mahoning County to explain the reason for the sales tax request — and to demonstrate to non-Youngstown residents that it isn’t only the city that benefits from public transportation.

In previous editorials we put forth all the arguments for the continuation of the WRTA and why the agency cannot survive on the revenue generated by the two levies that are paid only by Youngstown property owners.

Our support has not waned.

We urge passage of the 0.25 percent sales tax.

That said, we renew our call for a regional discussion about public transportation — and urge an evaluation of the many agencies and private companies that are now providing such service.

The reason for such an evaluation is cost. Consider: When the WRTA discontinued some routes on weekends and evenings, the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services was forced to pick up the slack. It has been estimated that it costs JFS $800 a month per client for taxi or van-type transportation, compared with the cost of a monthly ticket from WRTA of $38.

These are all public dollars, which is why we ask area federal and state elected officials to facilitate the regional discussion.

Duplication of public services is a waste of taxpayer money.