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SALEM -- For employees of the Salem City Income Tax office, the end of 2020 today is the bittersweet end of their service to city taxpayers.
The Regional Income Tax Agency takes over city income tax administration and collections when the clock strikes midnight.
"I'm glad I had the opportunity to help the people of Salem," longtime city Income Tax Administrator Fred Pamer said.
Pamer, full-time income tax clerk Lori Wilson and part-time income tax clerk Diana Harshman have been working diligently in preparation for the transition. Judy Snyder, who had also worked in the office as a part-time clerk, retired recently.
"I'm very proud of the people I have had working for me," city Treasurer K. Bret Apple said.
Considering the situation, he said they've been doing a great job and they've been very professional, working with RITA personnel. At the end of the day, they're losing their jobs, turning out the lights and shuttering the income tax office at city hall.
"I'm going to miss seeing people and helping them. We've had a lot of fun," Wilson said.
She would have had nine years with the city in March 2021.
Pamer had nearly 37 years, starting Jan. 4, 1984 as the income tax administrator. A native of Akron, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics from Mount Union in Alliance and also had an associate's degree in business administration and economics from Lincoln College in Lincoln, Ill.
He and his wife moved to Salem in 1973 and he worked more than 10 years as a cost accountant at Crane Deming before joining the city income tax office.
He'll start the year retired, joking that his wife said he'll become the caretaker for her cats. He'll take some time to get organized at home and not think about the city's income taxes, although he admitted he'll probably still think about city taxes and the taxpayers.
That was his favorite part of the job, working with the taxpayers and helping people deal with their tax situation. When he first started, he figured he would be dealing with people in Salem. Instead, he's dealt with people in Salem and around the world, from individuals to businesses all around the states and other countries. One day he could be talking to someone in Alaska and another day with someone in Germany.
"I didn't know Salem stretched out so far," Pamer said.
The city first started with a .5 percent income tax in 1960, then raised the tax to 1 percent in 1968. Voters approved an additional income tax of .25 percent which started in 2016 to be used exclusively for streets, alleys, sidewalks, curbs, storm sewers and parking lots.
In Pamer's first year, 1984, the 1 percent income tax generated $1,505,152. In 2018, the tax receipts hit the high mark of $6,740,000. This year's numbers are down a little at $6.2 million.
From 1984 to 2019, he said the income tax office brought in $134 million for the city and after this year, the number will climb to $140 million.
He appreciated the support of the different treasurers he worked under, including the late Ray Dean, who coincidentally served as managing editor of the Salem News for many years, Bob Tullis, Dr. John Conrad and the current treasurer, Apple.
Every year when it got closer to tax time, Pamer would talk with the newspaper to remind taxpayers about filing and about any changes they had to keep in mind. That won't happen in 2021, but he used his closing remarks to issue that annual reminder.
"Remember to file your city income tax return," he said.
Pamer also noted that anyone with questions can contact RITA by phone or online or visit the Youngstown office for help. Taxpayers can also talk to local tax preparers.
Anyone who calls the Salem income tax office extension can expect a message referring them to RITA.
mgreier@salemnews.net