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Warren council gives reading to tax increase for November ballot
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Residents of Warren who may have learned from the news media Monday or Tuesday that the city is proposing a half-percent income-tax increase for the November ballot got almost no explanation for it at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
Council, which discussed it publicly for the first time at Monday’s Finance Committee meeting, gave a first reading Wednesday to legislation that would put the tax hike on the ballot.
Council finance committee Chairman Eddie Colbert, sponsor of the legislation, announced that he will have a finance committee meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, followed by a 6:30 p.m. “special call,” where council members are likely to give a second reading to the legislation.
He expects council to give a third reading soon after Tuesday so that the proposed increase can make it to the Trumbull County Board of Elections by Aug. 10 if council approves it.
Council President Jim Graham urged the public to attend Tuesday’s meeting to learn more about the proposal and participate in the discussion.
But Warren resident Greg Greathouse decried the pace at which the tax-increase proposal was being introduced and considered.
“This very idea of an increase in the tax rate in this city should be presented to council and the entire city in a series of meetings where all aspects of the measure need to be discussed,” he said.
“We the people need the administration to know this process should play out over the course of the next several months, rather than having it rammed down the throat of council as an emergency.”
The legislation was introduced as an emergency so it could take effect immediately after council would approve it and the mayor signs it, rather than 30 days later. That is so it can meet the Aug. 10 deadline for the fall ballot.
Auditor Vince Flask said Wednesday the new tax would raise $3.5 million to $4 million annually.
“The only reason it’s being requested as an emergency is because of the lack of planning by the administration,” Greathouse charged.
“This is not anti-Doug Franklin,” Greathouse said of the mayor. “I like Doug Franklin. I think everybody in the room likes Doug Franklin, but the lack of planning on the administration’s part does not constitute an emergency for me and these good citizens of Warren.”
Greathouse received a loud cheer for his remarks.
Councilman Eugene Mach said the city could “justify” having an operations department of 99 people to plow roads, maintain parks and otherwise take care of the city, but it only has 22 people.
“We are far below what we could justify,” he said. “There’s been a lot of cutting over the years, a lot of people not replaced, so there really is justification for this tax proposal. It’s not wasted money.”
Resident Alexandra Bodie said if the tax increase is approved, it will deliver the message “that we are not welcoming and we do not want start-ups and new businesses coming into our city.”