The three-way race for Portsmouth Mayor headlines a full ballot as voters face Tuesday's election.

Incumbent Mayor James Kalb, who Friday received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, Inc Lodge No. 33 and the International Association of Firefighters Local No. 512 faces Jane Murray, who easily captured the May primary, and late addition, write-in candidate Jerry Skiver.

Murray recently received the endorsement of the Area Political Committee of AFSCME (American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees) Ohio Council 8, and AFSCME Ohio Retiree Chapter 1184, AFL-CIO.

However, at a press conference this week, a man in the audience identified himself as a city employee and said he had never been asked to vote for or against an endorsement, and that it had been a bylaw of his union not to endorse any candidate. Murray told him she was given a form to fill out by the union, then received the endorsement. That endorsement was announced by Carolyn Bishop, chairperson of the Athens Regional committee and president of AFSCME Local 3501.

At a recent Meet The Candidates night, each of the candidates was asked whether he or she support a city income tax increase.

“I'm not in favor of any increase in taxes. I don't think any of you are either,” Skiver told the audience. “But I look at it like this. If there's a plan for the use of those dollars, and the plan is laid out as to how it will be expended and the plan makes sense, yes, I guess I would be in favor of that.”

Skiver's remarks brought a response from Kalb.

“I think it is absolutely necessary that we take a hard look at an income tax increase in the near future, and as Mr. Skiver said, we do need a plan for it,” Kalb said. “And if I'm elected mayor that is exactly what we will do.”

Murray brought a city financial statement to the stand.

“The general fund budget for this year for the city was about $12 million. Right now the general fund is in the negative of nearly half-a-million dollars with three months to go. Murray said. “The city is already in health insurance funds in the negative $150,000.”

Murray called attention to figures she had put in red to show the negative status of the particular fund.

“This is not allowed in governmental accounting,” Murray said. “Do we need a tax increase? What we need is better management of government and more information going to the public, more involvement of the public in the process.”

The race heated up when, during the mayoral debate, Kalb brought up Murray's years in Lexington, Ky. city government, accusing her of misspending funds in reference to a newspaper article dealing with use of government credit cards.

Murray shot back at a news conference this past week, telling those in attendance that she had returned receipts for every card use, and by virtue of it being brought out years later, that the receipts were probably lost after she left the job.

Skiver has chosen to stay out of the mix.

“The lack of trust in the political arena is one of the major problems in this country today,” Skiver told the Portsmouth Daily Times Thursday. “At every level, politicians have broken the trust with their constituents. Voters have been lied to, and been taken advantage of and they resent this. I completely understand. I resent it too.”

Skiver said another key issue in the election is the budget.

“There are two sets of figures. Which one is correct? I believe we need to sit down and plan out a five year forecast that looks at revenue and expenditures and short and long term goals,” Skiver said. “The picture needs to include ways to conserve across the board and come up with innovative ways to provide for the needs of the entire city, as well as being fair to all employees.”

Two Portsmouth City Council seats are being contested Tuesday as well.

In the First Ward, incumbent Councilman Mike Mearan is being challenged by businessman Kevin Johnson. Johnson was also asked about a tax increase.

Johnson was specific.

“I'm one who firmly believes in plan and invest as opposed to tax and spend,” Johnson said. “My concern with providing government with more money at a time when it doesn't know how it's spending what money it has now.....”

Johnson then honed in on the question — “Do I believe that we need an increase? You bet. We've been stuck with that same rate for a long time. And if you look at our infrastructure, we have some major major problems. But I think we need to fix our internal problems first.”

Mearan, a Portsmouth Attorney, said, “Our taxes, as the mayor said, haven't been raised since 1987. Our income tax at the present time is .14. We have proposed to bring it to 2 percent. New Boston's is 2 percent. Columbus just voted 2 1/2 percent. So we are the lowest in the area, and the voters spoke and I respect their decision,” Mearan said. “However, I feel the income tax is a fair way to pay for services as opposed to raising property taxes.”

In the city's Second Ward, incumbent Bob Mollette is being challenged by local educator Nick Basham.

“If you don't have a plan I'm against any form of raising taxes unless we know what it is going for. Just a general — ‘to make the city better' — doesn't count. There has to be an exact plan,” Basham said. “I think if the citizens want better services we're probably going to have to raise taxes. But if there is no plan and they are happy with the services provided, then I'm against raising taxes.”

Mollette said, as far as a tax increase, “I was really disappointed at the last tax increase that they placed on the ballot. I didn't support it going on the ballot. And the reason for that is that they did not provide the information that was needed to be able to convince people that it was needed.”

In the New Boston village council race, two Democrats, Ralph Imes, Jr. and Terry L. Salyers are on the ballot, while supporters of Robert E. Law will need to write his name in.

In that same community five people are asking to be elected or re-elected to the New Boston Board of Education. Nancy Clever, Elaine Newberry Evans, Catherine M. Miller, Jeff Moore and Johnny Whisman are all on the ballot, while patty Fannin is the lone candidate on the ballot to fill an unexpired term.

Two people are to be elected to the Portsmouth City School Board of Education, and two incumbents, Barbara Borden-Gibson and Dr. George P. Pettit, are on the ballot.

Two veteran attorneys are squaring off to replace retiring Judge Richard Schisler in the Portsmouth Municipal Court.

Steve Mowery and James Scott Smith have waged an amiable campaign based on their qualifications, both citing experience as their reason for running.

Two people are running for the Governing Board of the Educational Service Center — Paul Crabtree and Gary Piatt.

The United Scioto Senior Activities (USSA) has a senior citizens renewal levy for all of Scioto County, 16 townships have trustee races, and 14 local communities have tax levies on the ballot.

Several townships and school districts have races going on for local offices as well.

Voters countywide will join the rest of the state in voting on three issues. Issue one authorizes the state to issue bonds to provide compensation to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts. Issue two will create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to establish and implement standards of care for livestock and poultry. And Issue three amends the state constitution to allow for one casino each in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo and distribute to all Ohio counties a tax on the casinos.

Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.