Vote ‘Yes’ on Mahoning tax and demand accountability

It will come as no surprise to our readers that we unhesitatingly support the passage of the 0.75-percent sales tax in Mahoning County — especially since the entire $24 million that’s expected to be generated will be devoted to public safety.

That said, we’re also aware that many voters view government with a jaundiced eye and believe in forcing the public sector to make the kinds of sacrifices that have become commonplace in the private sector. So we offer this suggestion to those county residents who have misgivings about Issue 1 on the Nov. 4 general election ballot: Vote yes, and then get involved in forcing the keepers of the public purse to justify the expenditure of every penny of taxpayer money.

How do you do this? The same way journalists do: Attend the meetings of the county commissioners who control the general fund, ask to review the public records that detail how your money is being spent, and find out who’s on the public payroll and how they got their jobs.

In other words, demand transparency in the operation of county government.

For decades, this newspaper has led the charge in uncovering waste, fraud and abuse in the public sector in the Mahoning Valley, and oftentimes we’ve acted on tips from concerned citizens.

Imagine what could be accomplished if every voter who said yes to the sales tax began looking over the shoulders of those who are entrusted with our hard-earned dollars.

As we’ve contended on numerous occasions, the days of giving government carte blanche are long gone. The past six years have been especially hard on private-sector workers who have had to ride out the national economic recession by accepting wage freezes, paying more for health insurance coverage — if it is offered — giving back benefits and even working reduced hours.

It has been a grind since late 2008 when the national economy collapsed. If Mahoning County officials have any doubts about the attitude of the public, they should revisit the May primary election when voters said no.

Commissioners Anthony Traficanti, Carol Rimedio-Righetti and David Ditzler had placed on the ballot the renewal of the 0.5 percent sales tax that expires in September 2015. But rather than have it in effect for five years, they sought to make the tax permanent.

Predictable reaction

The reaction of the voters was predictable. Even though the renewal was defeated by 519 votes, the turnout was so low it was difficult to draw any credible conclusions about the outcome.

The November general election will attract a much larger turnout because of the statewide races, led by the contest for governor, which means the challenge facing any public entity seeking an increase or even a renewal of a tax will be enormous.

Thus, the decision by Traficanti, Rimedio-Righetti and Ditzler to not only seek renewal of the 0.5 percent sales tax, but to add 0.25 percent, for a total of 0.75 percent, will be put to the test in this election.

The commissioners believe that committing all the money from the tax to the sheriff’s department, prosecutor’s and coroner’s offices, and the 911 emergency dispatching center will resonate with the public.

We hope they’re right, because if the issue fails again, the county will have just one more chance to place the tax renewal on the ballot. A rejection next May would be devastating to county government.

Although the other 0.5 percent tax is on the books permanently, it would not generate enough money to maintain the services now being provided by the general fund departments and agencies.

Criminal justice, which includes the courts, takes up the largest piece of the general-fund pie, which is why the decision to dedicate the 0.75-percent levy to public safety is a good move.

We urge Mahoning County voters to approve the 0.75-percent sales tax — with the understanding that government will be an open book for any taxpayer to read.