Mayors of several Mahoning Valley communities announced their endorsements for the repeal of Senate Bill 5 Friday during a press conference in Warren.
Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien joined mayors from Niles, McDonald and Struthers who strongly support the repeal of SB5, or Issue 2.
"We feel it is unfair, it is unsafe, and it will hurt our cities, our counties and the state of Ohio," O'Brien said.
Senate Bill 5 restricts the collective bargaining rights of government workers.
"I would rather negotiate than dictate. I think it makes for a better environment and this team effort serves the municipalities better," said McDonald Mayor Glenn Holmes.
"In 20 years, I have negotiated 30 contracts. We trust each other and that is a big part of it," said Niles Mayor Ralph Infante.
Officials with Building a Better Ohio, which is in favor of SB5, said the measure would give local communities the flexibility they need to get taxes and spending under control and levels the playing field.
"It's no surprise that these partisan mayors would take the side of the organizations that fill their own campaign coffers. Not only are they ignoring the needs of taxpayers who simply can't afford the status quo, these mayors wish to deny other local governments the reforms that will help them get spending under control. Ohio taxpayers deserve better," said Building a Better Ohio press secretary Connie Wehrkamp in a statement.
But the mayors disagree and said their employees have already agreed to contracts that included pay freezes over the last few years.
"All of the unions have comes to us and basically said 'hey we will work with the city, we understand your situation.' We don't need the state to come in and tell us how to negotiate. We are very capable of doing that," said Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker.
Mayors from Girard, Youngstown and Campbell were not able to attend the meeting Friday, but also endorse the repeal.
