In these tough economic times - especially for public school districts in Ohio -?the idea of sharing services grows appealing.
Just recently, Warren and Fort Frye officials explored the possibility of sharing the expertise of Warren's treasurer Melcie Wells.
On a smaller scale, parents and taxpayers already have learned the benefits of sharing services, thanks to carpooling.
On the statewide level, the office of State Auditor Dave Yost offers help to districts and other local governments around the state on sharing services. Through its Shared Services Idea Center, accessible on the auditor's website, a list of examples has been compiled. This database of information was built with information supplied by individual governments around Ohio, including Marietta and Belpre.
We wonder what other suggestions might be coming in the future. It's a real chance for cities, counties and school districts to change the "we've-always-done-it-that-way" mindset. We hope real savings of taxpayer dollars can be realized through new ideas.
Regardless of the scale- state, county, city, village, schools, or township - money saved through shared services can maximize the impact of existing tax revenue.
