VOTE411 Voter Guide

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Planning for the future economical growth Help address the funding issues with possible property tax lost

looking to get grants and other possible funding options without raising taxes unless i get voter approval first

My priorities are to make sure residents are provided services they are accustomed to without raising property taxes.

I also want to create a vision plan for Austintown to grow our community with new, viable businesses and new home development, to sustain our existing tax base.

I feel that I bring a wealth of knowledge of how township government works. I have over 20 years of experience working in township government, 10 as a police officer and 12 as a township trustee. This experience is very valuable as Austintown’s current administration, the 3 trustees and administrator have a total of just over 10 years combined total.

While serving as trustee from 2010-2022, I was able to bring ideas and programs to the township that saved Austintown valuable and noticeable dollars within departments. Examples of these ideas and programs were over $300,000 in training to our police department by returning our reserve program, assisted in obtaining over $1,000,000 in grants to purchase fire equipment such as firetrucks and life saving equipment, and worked with community businesses to obtain free bullet proof vests for our officers, a DARE car for our police and students, and got new dress uniforms donated for our fire department honor guard to name a few. I was a founding member of AGE which helped to start our senior center funded solely on donations.

While candidates vying for this position may bring ideas to the table, I feel this is not the time for “on the job training”. Austintown is in a period of transition and needs experience and leadership now more than ever. They need a trustee with a proven track record of results and who can lead Austintown to the future. Please consider returning me, Jim Davis, to help lead Austintown to that future.

If elected to another term, I plan to work closely with our new department heads. We have a young and energetic group stepping into multiple positions, and I want to support them in any way possible to benefit our community.

As a Township Trustee, our ability to directly bring in business or revenue is limited. However, we can make a significant impact by pursuing grants and funding opportunities at the state and federal levels. Over the past four years, our team has successfully done this, and I am committed to continuing to work alongside my colleagues to secure every possible resource to strengthen our community.

I would begin by focusing on improving communication, both internally and externally. It’s important to find affordable and effective ways to keep all of our residents informed, while also making sure our department heads and team members are always on the same page. Strong communication leads to greater efficiency and better service for our community.

Secondly, as I mentioned, I will continue to work closely with my colleagues to pursue every grant and funding opportunity available. As trustees, we don’t operate as individuals — we work as a team of three, along with our administrator and department leaders. Every voice matters, and together we can make decisions that truly benefit our community.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Strengthening Emergency Services and Community Infrastructure: My top priority is to ensure our community is safe and well-prepared for emergencies. This means providing our first responders with the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively. I also want to keep improving our roads, parks, and public facilities to make Austintown a great place for everyone to live.

Fostering Economic Growth and Community Connections: My second priority is to support local businesses and create opportunities for families to come together. I believe in building a stronger sense of community through events like summer movie nights, Austintown Community Day, and other family-friendly activities that bring us all together.

I’ll continue to advocate for Austintown at both the state and federal levels, just like I did during my first term. Townships' primary source of funding relies heavily on property taxes, and with inflation driving up the costs of services, we must ensure that our local government has the resources it needs to meet the demands of our community without putting an additional burden on its residents. I understand the financial pressures facing working families, and I’m committed to fighting harder than ever at the state level to secure more funding for local communities like ours.

A key example of my advocacy is my work on the legalization of recreational cannabis in Ohio. When the state attempted to keep funds intended for local communities from the 10% tax on recreational cannabis sales, I rallied support from neighboring counties to advocate for returning those funds, and we succeeded. This experience showed that when we come together, we can achieve significant results that benefit our community. Additionally, I’ve been actively addressing the Local Government Fund (LGF) issue. Communities used to receive about 4% of this fund, but over the years, the state has reduced it to approximately 1.25%, resulting in a loss of millions of dollars while keeping the difference for themselves. I will continue to fight tirelessly to restore the LGF back to its original 4% so that our community has the necessary resources to thrive and improve the quality of life for all residents.