It is time to face an inescapable truth.

Friday, September 01, 2000

It is time to face an inescapable truth. Ironton and Lawrence County might be on their way back after a series of rather devastating losses, but in the meantime, it is time to start looking at what we are spending and where the cuts need to come.

This week, Ironton City Council’s Finance Committee got the numbers from city finance director Cindy Anderson – $500,000 down in revenue. That translates to a budget that will finish in the red for this fiscal year and some pretty serious questions about next year.

Ironton City Council members are reviewing this year’s expenses and trying to figure out how to overcome the shortfall, but they are worried about what a new year will bring in terms of revenue loss after the closing of one of the city’s major employers, Ironton Iron.

They think they can save this year, but they bring up a good question. They want city residents to tell them what choice to make for the future.

And they are asking the right people.

People complain about taxes as naturally as they breathe. Nothing will guarantee voter turnout like the hint that there might be a measure on the ballot to increase taxes.

That is fine. If you don’t want to pay more taxes, that is your right and you should get out to the ballot box and say so.

The problem is, people think that they can continually reject calls for more tax revenue and still maintain the services they are currently receiving. Life, and budgets, just don’t work that way.

If Ironton residents truly don’t want to pay more taxes, the only solution is to cut city services. There is no other way to stop a flood of red ink in a city that has just lost a major employer’s tax contributions.

And Ironton City Council and the mayor are not saying that they are not willing to listen to other suggestions. They are asking residents to contribute their thoughts to the debate.

They want to know what you would do to offset the loss of Ironton Iron and still maintain city services at their current level. Or, they want to know what city services you think should be cut.

This is not a snotty challenge from politicians who think they already know the answers, but simply a call to the community to help decide its future.

And we all have a duty to respond.

If you have a comment, send it to: City budget ideas, P.O. Box 647, Ironton, Ohio 45638 or call The Ironton Tribune newsroom at 532-1441. We will take your ideas to city council.