Editor:
It came as no surprise, the Nov. 8, 2000, state Supreme Court ruling that said, in essence, that East Liverpool is entitled to receive additional LGF-LGRAF funds. Its decision was based on the fact that the Columbiana County Budget Commission adopted an illegal alternative formula for the years 1998, 1999, and 2000.
The CBC’s failure to have the old formula (1990) voted out meant that it would still be in force as long as any new proposal fails to be unanimously approved.
Therefore, the process makes it imperative that the CBC exercise good judgment. This means vote out the old before we vote on the new.
Voting out the old formula requires only one dissenting vote. Then if a new proposal fails to receive unanimous support, the CBC must use the statutory formula. This formula is based on relative budgetary needs.
As a result of our Columbiana County Budget Commission’s failure to respect the law, many of our local subdivisions are now looking at paybacks to East Liverpool that they can ill afford.
Charles Clark
Salem, Ohio
