County sales tax renewal should be for five years

Mahoning County commissioners David Ludt, Anthony Traficanti and John V. McNally IV face a difficult choice today with regard to the renewal of the half-percent sales tax that will be before the voters in the May primary election: Whether to keep the tax on for five years, 10 years or for a continuing period. The county’s other half-percent sales tax is permanent, the result of voters saying yes in May 2007.

In that election, we endorsed the permanency of the tax for the obvious reason that it would provide economic stability to county government — at a time of great uncertainty over state funding for local governments. Indeed, in last November’s election, we offered the same justification for making the second half-percent sales tax permanent, but the voters said no.

Thus today, commissioners Ludt, Traficanti and McNally must decide on a course of action that offers the best chance for passage of the issue. Based on what occurred on Nov. 3, we urge them to come down on the side of caution.

It is clear to us that residents of Mahoning County aren’t in any mood to give county officials carte blanche as to control of the treasury. The no vote for keeping the sales tax on for a continuing period was a shot across government’s bow.

Therefore, we believe the commissioners should place the tax renewal issue on the May ballot for a five-year term to not only give it the best chance for approval, but to let taxpayers know that they are not being ignored.

Seeking a permanent tax in the midst of an economic recession that continues to hit the Mahoning Valley harder than just about any other region of the state is not worth the risk.

And the risk is great, indeed.

The half-percent tax expires on Sept. 30, and if residents vote against renewing it, the county will face a financial meltdown. Layoffs will follow, and as the pie charts that accompanied the front page story on the tax in Tuesday’s Vindicator shows, the criminal justice system will take the biggest hit.

The two half-percent sales taxes generate about $28 million, which is 43 percent of the county’s total general fund revenue.

Biggest slice

As for spending, judicial and law enforcement account for 67.89 percent of the general fund, general government claims 26.44 percent, and social services take 5.67 percent.

During the second public hearing Monday on the sales tax renewal at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown, Prosecutor Paul Gains contended that a tax without an expiration date would facilitate long-term budgeting, financial stability and the retention of personnel.

Maj. James Lewandowski of the sheriff’s department noted that the need for a county jail is “not going to sunset in five years.”

They and other county officials advocating permanency are right — on the merits of their arguments. But what they seem to be ignoring is that the taxpayers aren’t about to let county officials off the hook when it comes to justifying their management of public dollars.

A double-digit jobless rate, stagnant wages and reduced benefits, especially in the private sector, add up to a deep economic funk that is reflected in a decline in sales tax revenues.

In the midst of the recession, the people of Mahoning County want to feel that they are in control of something — and the half-percent sales tax is that thing. The defeat of the issue last November should not be interpreted as anything other than voters saying, “We want to be able to hold you accountable for the way you spend our money.”

That’s a powerful message that should guide the commissioners this morning as they vote on a resolution to place the half-percent sale tax renewal issue on the May ballot — for a period of five years.