Mayor Rich Blankenship is on the right track when it comes to trimming the city’s budget, but the mayor will likely have to cut much deeper to get the city back on firm financial ground.

The mayor has proposed a variety of changes that would be a step in the right direction. These include pay freezes for nonunion employees, an adjustment to the amount of employee contributions for pension plans and changes to how the city handles its public dumpsters.

All these are opportunities for this city to refocus on the priorities and that is serving the citizens.

Ironton isn’t in the creating jobs business. Ironton isn’t in the dumpster and recycling business. Ironton isn’t in the retirement and financial planning business. Although the city should certainly take care of its employees there is a line that has to be drawn and it is long past time for public sector employees to be treated on the same level as those who work in the private sector.

This leads to perhaps the biggest opportunity for change and that is the city’s health care insurance. This is a key opportunity and the time is now because the city is currently negotiating with its three unions.

Health insurance has continued to increase at double-digit percentages for years, yet very little of this has been passed along to employees, especially those who work under union contracts.

That has to change now.

The city faces some tough decisions that will likely take sacrifice, compromise and communication.