DISCUSSION: DOES THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL EDITORAL BOARD HAVE MORE ANALYTICAL HEFT THAN THE REP EDITORS?

A downer for Stark Countians, in the view of the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) is that our home county newspaper (The Repository) has a "light weight" editorial board as compared to our neighbors to the north.

An example. In endorsing in the DeHoff/Snitchler race (the 50th House District), The Rep's editorial board made the "mere assertion" that both were outstanding candidates on their way to endorsing Snitchler.

Very little, if any, analysis in this race.

In fact, the editors of The Rep thought so little of the significance of the Stark County Ohio House contests that it lumped three endorsements into one editorial.

The truth of the matter that both DeHoff and Snitchler are marginal candidates who were picked by party bosses (at least in the case of DeHoff; the Ohio Chamber of Commerce in the case of Snitchler) for their perceived loyalty once one of them arrives at the statehouse.

Looking at the Hart/Slesnick part of the The Rep's endorsement there is no anaysis; only reciting of the candidates' history and even this treatment was cursory.

On the other hand look at how the Beacon Journal editors' handled the task in concisely substantiating their pick:

What makes Hart the more appealing candidate is his council experience. He often was the lone Republican. He has a practical, nonideological bent.

Hart initiated Canton's recycling program. At the Statehouse, he would promote recycling statewide, among other things, to curb the flow of garbage into Stark County. Hart has a good grasp of the school-funding challenges. He embraces a shift from local property taxes toward statewide revenue. He favors school-district consolidation to reduce overhead.

The Report talked with both Hart and Slesnick at the Stark County Fair. It was clear to The Report that Stephen Slesnick is no William J. Healy, II and certainly not the equal of Richard Hart in understanding of key issues facing Ohioans/Stark Countians in the upcoming 128th Ohio General Assembly.

Shouldn't it distress Stark Countians that our home county newspaper cannot dedicate more editorial space and analysis than the neighboring Summit County newspaper?