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Mayor, council lock horns
On the side
Taking aim: I recently received a couple of emails about two former members of the U.S. House — one critical and one in praise.
The National Republican Congressional Committee sent an email about ex-U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, a Democrat from St. Clairsville, criticizing his vote in favor of the health-care bill. This is the second critical email I’ve received about Wilson from the NRCC, which is apparently a bit nervous about him possibly running for a House seat next year.
The other came from Democrats for Life of America praising ex-U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, a Democrat from Erie, Pa., for her vote in favor of the health-care bill. The email mentions her leadership in passing a provision to keep those up to the age of 26 on their parents’ health insurance.
Evaluating gaming: Freshman state Rep. Sean O’Brien of Brookfield, D-65th, was appointed to the Joint Committee on Bingo and Skill-based Gaming, which will work with the Ohio Casino Control Commission to evaluate the state’s gambling laws. The committee will evaluate statutes and rules governing the operation of bingo, instant bingo, and skill-based Internet gaming machines, and recommend changes.
The relationship between the Youngstown administration and city council members is crumbling with no signs of improvement.
The problem has festered for months; mostly private shots with an occasional minor and/or subtle public complaint.
But in the past few weeks, largely as a result of city budget hearings, the criticism is out in the open.
Members of city council say their proposals to move more money into demolition, street repaving and to hire a chief city planner and a park and recreation director are largely ignored by the administration.
Administration officials counter by saying they know how much money is available and how best to spend it.
Council took a stand Wednesday that could likely lead to a veto from Mayor Jay Williams regarding the hiring of police officers.
Council took $555,000 from the police department’s $1.3 million overtime budget and move it to wages and benefits to hire 11 new officers.
This was done despite recommendations to not do it by Williams, Police Chief Jimmy Hughes and Finance Director David Bozanich.
Council defers to the administration too often, members say.
“We’ve been doing this year and year and never getting what council asks for,” said Councilwoman Janet Tarpley, D-6th.
Williams was at a conference in Detroit on Wednesday when council approved the budget.
On Thursday, he had plenty to say about council’s decision.
“It was misguided and arbitrary,” Williams said. “You can’t just look at a number, shift it to a new column and it will work.”
Even if the 11 officers are hired in July — something that Hughes and Williams said is impossible — the $550,000 is twice the amount needed for those cops for even half a year.
Earlier in the week, Williams criticized city council for focusing only on cuts to the administrative branch.
Discussing cuts to the judicial and legislative branches are “political taboo,” Williams said. “I don’t see the same level of openness from the two other branches of government.”
Council members should have to “justify” the $10,000 each member receives annually — half for travel and the other half in “discretionary funding,” used to provide money to local organizations, Williams said.
Council President Charles Sammarone, who hasn’t used his travel money in years, returned it to the general fund before Williams’ statements.
Apparently the public comments got the attention of some members of council.
Councilmen Paul Drennen, D-5th, and Jamael Tito Brown, D-3rd, each gave back $4,000, split evenly between discretionary and travel.
Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th, gave back his $5,000 travel budget, and Councilman DeMain Kitchen, D-2nd, gave back $2,000 of his travel budget.
With tension in the air, the further budget discussions between the legislative and executive branches could get nasty.