The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) has learned that at or proximate to a regular meeting of a Stark County Board of Elections that Deputy Director Jeff Matthews (also chariman of the Stark County Political Party) told Stark County Democratic Party chairman that Stark County commissioner Todd Bosley had threatened Board of Election finances if Matthews went public with any opposition to the commissioner imposed 1/2% sales/use tax voted on and passed in January, 2009.In his discussion with Maier, Matthews invoked the name of an area Republican elected official as the person who communicated the alleged Bosley threat.
On Wednesday, Matthews took the stage with Matt Patrick of WHLO-AM (640 on your radio dial) and announced he was at the Tax Day, Tea Day - Canton, Ohio rally to join in the protest to national, state and (with an obvious flourish) local taxes.
A audio recording of the Matthews Tax Day, Tea Day comment can be heard at the end of this article.
The Report connected the "middle man" that Matthews identified to Maier. This official owned up to having had a conversation with Matthews cautioning him not to go public with opposition to the sales/use tax for obvious "conflict-in-interest" reasons.
The official emphatically denied that he passed on a Bosley threat to Matthews and that Matthew's attribution was a total and complete fabrication and that, he, the official was not conveying a Bosley message.
The Republican official also pointed out to The Report that on the one hand Matthews
and his bosses at the Board of Elections have a stake in the Stark County commissioners have sufficient revenues to fund regular and "extra" (an extra request was made in the 2008 election cycle) of the board on the one hand.
On the other hand, Matthews, as the chairman of the Stark County Republican Party is recruiting candidates to run against Bosley (2010), Harmon (2012) and Ferguson (2012) and to assist fueling them with campaign issues by making a stink about matters such as the "imposed" sales/use tax.
The Report agrees with the Republican source who quite articulately and forcefully pointed out this obvious conflict-in-interest.
The Report takes the further position that Matthews should resign his board of elections post. If he doesn't, the full board should call a meeting to discuss the future of Matthews as a board employee and move to immediately resolve any conflicts-in-interest!
Conflicts-in-interest is not something the Stark County public will abide.
1 comment:
First, let me point out that if this is a conflict of interest, don't you think you should be blogging about the ones who are blinding the voters with all the conflict of interests in the county? Example, Kim Perez and his brother, who is rumored to run for Sheriff, is the 2nd man in charge down there or in some opinions the first. How about other elected officials hiring family members of their counterparts to do favors for them. Wouldn't this be considered double dipping in a way? They are all banking on the fact they can live off the tax payer’s penny, or in this case, buck! Just ask the Treasurer.
If you want to go after someone for their wrong doings, how about we look and point our fingers at the people in office. Jeff is a citizen, regardless of where he works or the responsibilities he has, and he has every right like you and I to protest whatever he wants. Wouldn't this fall under his First Amendment right?
Plus, as a chairman of his political party, doesn't he have the right to do whatever it takes to get the fire burning in potential candidates to get these lazy, wasteful tax spending idiots out of office? I definitely feel that way and it only motivates me and encourages me more when one, I see a county employee with the guts to go out and protest against the Commissioners, and two to make sure these DOUBLE DIPPERS get out of office.
Plus, where is your article when it comes to conflict of interest with the other chairman and his party. You don't write much about him from what I see. It would be nice to see the other side of these stories.
Also, you ask Jeff to resign his post for something he did, but the Treasurer, who should be overseeing all activity in the treasurers office gets a slap on the wrist when thousands of dollars come up missing because his Deputy, which mind you he should be overseeing, supposedly takes money, isn't asked by you to resign or anyone else for that matter? I think anyone who received a contribution from the former Deputy of the Treasures office should be investigated as well, because I am sure they received some of the tax payer’s money to support their campaigns.
It makes me sick when I hear or see someone talk about another individual who truly goes out and tries to help the county by getting new people and new ideas in place. I wish for one minute it wasn't about the money, signs, post cards, but it was about the message and actions when it came to elected officials. I can tell you this, the ones we have today probably wouldn't be there.
Instead of going after individuals for expressing their rights, lets go after the ones wasting and spending the hard earned dollars we make and pay in taxes in Stark County and get the county moving into a direction that makes people want to stay, gives people opportunity to stay, and can afford to raise a family here. With no jobs, raising taxes, and getting jobs for our "family and friends" with our other elected buddies, isn't giving much opportunity for the ones that really suffer!
And the final thing, whose Bosley? He is unable to do anything to the Board of Elections, and if he tries, he will be wasting more of the tax payer's money because they will end up suing the Commissioners as the Veterans did!!!
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