City Council Advances Sanitation Tax

[AllanY2525]

Face the reality - the city government has LESS money coming in (adjusted to
today's dollars) than at just about any time in the last 75 years - and yet it is
still expected to provide the same services and maintain or even IMPROVE
the built environment and infrastructure, level of services and quality of
life with less money - all while downsizing the city's infrastructure to get to
a point where the city CAN afford to maintain what it has with the tax base
it has.

EVERYONE wants to see more demolitions, continued improvements in the city's
infrastructure, increased police protection, better roads,  blah blah blah... the only
problem is, NOBODY expects to have to pay any more in taxes or bills than what
they already are in order to help make all of this happen.

This is not a realistic expectation.   There are less than half as many working,
tax-paying people in Youngstown today - so obviously the cost, per-taxpayer
for doing all of this is going to go up.  Simple mathematics and economics
dictate that this is the new reality of modern times for Youngstown.


I do not claim to be any kind of expert in city finances, government grants,
etc and nor would I ever even try to make such a claim...

It's a complex situation, and a huge task that has to be done - I totally GET
that.  It costs a TON of money - I totally get that, too.  People are struggling
financially in these economic times and I also get that, loud and clear.


** HOWEVER  **


For all of those who are against the idea of using the surplus water funds to keep
up the demolitions - thereby helping to improve neighborhoods, property values,
safety, crime rates and overall quality of life in the city so that MORE taxpayers
will want to live in Youngstown, own a home in Youngstown and thereby help
carry this burden


Inquiring minds would like to know......


WHAT'S YOUR SOLUTION?


The owners of many, many vacant houses in Youngstown have DIED. 

The businesses that once owned many of the vacant commercial
structures in the city CEASED TO EXIST LONG AGO. 

I see valid arguments on BOTH sides of this issue...but I still gotta give
the city a couple of brownie points for at least TRYING to be creative in
continuing to address the issue of demolitions in the face of decreasing
funds - "be it right" or "be it wrong".

I see nothing wrong with volunteer Reservists helping out with city
demolitions, as we [ the tax payers ] are paying them, regardless of
what they are doing, as long as they are still in the military - and they
VOLUNTEERED to do this.

[jay]

We hear about demolishing houses, but the city also wants to demolish many dilapidated commercial structures. 

Here is another reason why this sanitation tax is unfair.  Existing commercial properties will have their water rates reduced; but because they have private waste haulers, they will not have to pay the city's sanitation tax.

Individual home owners will end up paying the sanitation tax to demolish commercial properties, but commercial property owners will not.

[Towntalk]

I fully agree with you my aging friend who are you old buggers to think that just because you're older than dirt that you should get any kind of exemption? You're already robbing us young adults every month with your bloody Social Security. You old critters leach off us young whipper snappers all the way to the old folks home then again pick our pockets to pay for your keep. Enough is enough!

[jay]

The mayor's sanitation tax calls for a homestead exemption for the elderly.  How much is the exemption and why should seniors not pay the full amount of this tax.

The bulk of this sanitation tax proposal will fall on the shoulders of our younger residents and it will make it less likely that they will want to remain in the city.  The City of Youngstown already has the highest income tax rate in the area.

[Towntalk]

Be assured my sincere friend that if this were to be placed on the ballot that I would seek your good council for advice on how I should vote, but in the meantime, I am sincerely happy that that increase would not affect me so that I might use that money for better purposes such as dining out at one of the locally owned restaurants along Mahoning Avenue. I do crave a good Ghost Pepper Hot Sausage Pizza. My Beloved Cousin make a Hot Sauce that is so hot that only the bravest of the brave dare even taste a single drop of it. It is so hot that she has to wear rubber gloves just to serve it.

[jay]

Your apartment complex uses private trash collection so, therefore, it does not pay a city sanitation fee.
If your apartment complex doesn't pay the current sanitation fee then the apartment complex will not pay the sanitation fund tax increase.

If it were possible, your 90 unit complex should pay (90 X $10.00 per month X 12 months) $10,800 in new sanitation fund taxes.

[Towntalk]

Jay, I can only speak for myself but I do pay a MONTHLY WATER FEE where I live and in a YEAR'S TIME I pay $240.00 in water fees. There are 90 apartments in this complex so in a years time the tenets pay $21, 600.00 in water fees to the City of Youngstown. If the tax is assessed do you not think that the owners of complexes such as mine will not pass the addition on to the tenets the next time their lease is up for renewal? I can't speak for YMHA complexes, because the bulk of their income come from the state and federal government. I suggest that before you use generalities that you do a little on line research when it comes to privately owned complexes. Also many of these complexes are outside the city limits that use city water, but will not be charged that fee.
Also in our complex trash is picked up by a private hauler just the same as is done by businesses.

[jay]

First of all, I don't believe that this new tax should be added to the trash collection fee because it will be used for another type of activity (demolition) which should come out of the general fund.

This demolition tax will probably not be paid by everyone.

In large apartment buildings, for example, the utilities are included in the tenant's rent.  Each tenant usually doesn't pay a water bill or a separate trash collection fee.  The landlord pays one water bill so all of the tenants will not be assessed the demolition tax.

[Towntalk]

Jay I sent you a link that spoke to an earlier attempt to "tax" garbage collection but you saw fit not to comment on it. Apparently you feel that trash collection should be FREE, or at best that the question should go on the ballot to let "We the people" vote on it. Lets just do away with City Council and have EVERYTHING decided by "WE THE PEOPLE" no matter how trivial or urgent it might be.
READ THIS LINK PLEASE!
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oRdJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nIMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4029%2C4084366

[jay]

Evidently the people of Youngstown must like the new sanitation tax.  Not one citizen spoke against it at the council meeting.
Note - The citizens of Youngstown are so apathetic that they don't even attend city council meetings.

[jay]

Youngstown City Council held the first reading of the sanitation tax at its meeting on Wednesday.