Belinky is setting a standard in ignoring fiscal reality, but others seem ready to follow | VIDEO
Five months ago, Mahoning County Probate Judge Mark Belinky presented himself as the paragon of virtue with regard to the expenditure of public dollars, saying he was well aware of the county’s fiscal difficulties and recognized the need for all employees to do their part to cut spending. Belinky, who was seeking a six-year term in the 2008 general election, pointed out that he was requiring the court’s employees for the first time to pay a portion of their health-care insurance premiums.
We were impressed with the record he had established in his 10 months in office — he had been appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Timothy Maloney — and gave him our endorsement. The voters of Mahoning County shared our opinion.
But today, Belinky has us wondering if we misjudged him.
His threat of a lawsuit against the county commissioners if they do not meet his demand for $915,715 to operate the court for the year is the type of judicial arrogance that we have long criticized. He is demanding $152,856 more than what the court received in 2008. At a time of great economic distress locally, nationally and internationally, no public official should be seeking an increase in funding for his department.
It does not matter to those of us in the private sector that the probate court is so overwhelmed by work that the judge has found it necessary to hire two more people. Belinky should have adjusted the salaries of the court’s 16 employees, including his, to find the money to pay for the new hires.
Juvenile Court
Indeed, his colleague, Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick has shown how officeholders should respond to the county’s fiscal crisis. Dellick has imposed an across-the-board wage cut of 5 percent — after laying off 11 employees — with no reduction in the number of hours they work.
Likewise, Sheriff Randall Wellington cut 10 staff members, while Commissioner Anthony Traficanti has voluntarily taken a 10 percent salary cut. We’re still waiting to see whether his two colleagues, John McNally and David Ludt, will follow suit.
So, what part of the word concessions does Judge Belinky not understand? We’re not impressed by claims that the probate court has been treated badly in the past. It is only right that his employees are now paying a portion of their health-insurance premiums. Many private employees pay a higher share toward coverage that isn’t as comprehensive.
Today’s economic realities demand sacrifice from every public employee, at every level — local, state and national. Taxpayers have disabused themselves of the notion that individuals in the public sector are indispensable. Hence, the increasing number of tax issues going down to defeat.
Judge Belinky should think long and hard before he pursues his lawsuit against the commissioners. Such an action will make an angry electorate even angrier — which isn’t a good idea at a time when the future of the courts and every other county department will be dependent on renewal of half of the county’s sales tax .
Now is not the time to flex the court’s muscle.
Youngstown also faces crunch
Likewise, in the city of Youngstown, this is not the time for the labor unions to play hardball with Mayor Jay Williams.
The mayor has asked most city employees to cut their salaries by 10 percent in order to help erase a $3.39 million operating budget deficit.
But the unions have responded by saying that Williams is jumping the gun because there will be money coming in from the federal stimulus package and there are other cost-saving measures that can be implemented.
Those are Band-Aid solutions to a long-term, intractable budget problem. Youngstown’s population is declining rapidly, its income tax base is shrinking and revenue from the state government is being reduced.
Wages, benefits
Yet, at least 80 percent of the operating budget goes for wages and benefits.
City employees resist wage cuts because they are difficult for entry-level employees to absorb, and also because senior employees want to ensure the highest possible pension payments they’ll receive some day. It’s worth noting that they’ll begin receiving those pensions at rates much higher and at ages much younger than most employees in the private sector.
Mayor Williams has announced he’ll take a 10 percent cut in his salary. That would appear to be the bare minimum necessary to get the city through the year — if everyone joins in.
If there is no agreement on cuts in pay and fringe benefits, deep layoffs will be necessary. The longer a decision on layoffs is delayed, the larger the number being laid off will become.