‘Public trust be damned’
The headline, while bordering on the profane, reflects the attitude being displayed by public employees in Mahoning County now that a 0.75 percent sales tax renewal/increase is money in the bank — for the next five years.
Indeed, voters who said “yes” to the tax issue in the Nov. 4 general election — they barely outnumbered those who voted “no” — were still trying to decide if they had done the right thing when confronted with news that deputy sheriffs are on the verge of getting a pay raise.
Then they were told by the press that county Prosecutor Paul Gains believes his employees deserve a salary boost, and that some members of the county board of elections want to give the staff a raise.
There could be others.
That’s why the headline is so appropriate. A violation of the public trust doesn’t seem to be a big deal for those slopping at the public trough.
But, county officeholders and their employees cannot be blind to the fact that the “Justice Tax,” as it was sold to voters, was approved by a whisper: 33,890, “yes”; 32,642, “no”. In other words, even though county commissioners Anthony Traficanti, Carol Rimedio-Righetti and David Ditzler and Sheriff Jerry Greene told Mahoning County residents that the $24 million generated by the 0.75-percent tax — renewal of 0.5 percent and an increase of 0.25 percent — would be dedicated to public safety, more than 32,000 residents weren’t impressed.
Out of touch
Why? Because there is a growing belief — with good reason — that the public sector is out of touch with the Mahoning Valley’s economic reality.
While private-sector taxpayers had to deal with the effects of the national economic recession, which caused widespread layoffs, pay freezes and benefit givebacks and suspension of pensions, public-sector workers came through largely unscathed.
Indeed, when it was revealed early this year that more than 700 county employees had received pay raises to make up for having to pay their statutorily required share of pension contributions, residents reacted with anger. They summarily rejected the 0.5 percent sales tax renewal in the May primary.
County government officials were contrite and went to the residents before the general election with a promise to be good stewards of the public treasury.
They weren’t believed by a significant number of voters who seem to be saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
The commissioners clearly understand that voters have long memories, and that if county employees walk away with more money in their pockets, renewal of the 0.75 percent sales tax in five years will be rejected by a wide margin.
They insist there is no money in the 2015 budget for raises, even though some departments are receiving an increase in funding from this year.
However, in the sheriff’s department, a conciliator is reviewing the demands of the union representing deputies and the department’s counterproposal.
His decision will be binding.
So, when the sheriff says there isn’t any money for raises, he knows that he won’t have a choice in the matter if the deputies get their way.
As for Gains, he will receive more money in next year’s budget than he got this year, but it isn’t as much as he had sought when he talked about wanting to give his employees raises.
Board of elections
And then there’s the board of elections, which tried to take care of its staff prior to the May primary; the commissioners deep-sixed the idea.
Now, with the general election still fresh in many residents’ minds, board member Tracey Winbush, a Republican, has resurrected the pay-raise issue.
To his credit, board member David Betras, chairman of the county Democratic Party, has made it clear there won’t be any raises for elections staff in the foreseeable future.
But it isn’t only in government where economic reality means little.
At Youngstown State University, the faculty rejected a tentative agreement that provided for bonuses and pay raises.
Why? Because the trustees and administration want to eliminate long-standing lucrative programs that have been a financial boon for senior faculty.
Given the decline in enrollment with the subsequent loss in revenue, the cuts in state funding for higher education and a $10 million budget deficit, the status quo is not sustainable.
But don’t tell that to the faculty and other employees on campus.
The public sector’s attitude is clear: “Public trust be damned.”