HARD TIMES EQUAL HARD CHOICES?

A few years ago Tuscarawas Township trustee Celeste DeHoff had caught the eye of the then Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. She landed a job working for him in the Massillon clerk of courts office which, of course, he head as the elected office holder.

Then two years ago, she, as a recent grad from law school and admitted to the Ohio Bar, had another stroke of good fortune in being hired by Jackson Township. A key figure in Jackson is fiscal officer and former trustee Randy Gonzalez who is current Stark County Dems chair and close, close political ally of Maier.

But, alas for her, when economic times get hard for government, even political loyalists are not safe. Her $47,560 is a bit too steep for Jackson Township these financially stressed days. The cut was one of a number to be made within 30 days according to a report in the Massillon Independent yesterday.

One reader of the Stark County Political Report apparently believes the initial hire was a political boondoggle. Witness this comment:

How can you turn such an expenditure into looking like a budget cut when there is no justification for the initial expense? I would be curious to see her work product for this two year project.

DeHoff appears to be on on her way out as trustee in Tuscarawas Township, too.

A source has told the SCPR that DeHoff took out a "blank" petition from the Board of Elections.

Why a blank petition?

Maybe she's trying to sandbag. If so, it's not working. Three non-incumbents have taken out petitions for the two slots up this time (one of which is one currently held by DeHoff).

She got clobbered by Republican Todd Snitchler in her race against him in 2008 for the Ohio House (50th) - in her home area Tuscarawas Township and across the entire district despite huge help from Maier getting big Columbus-generated bucks to put into the race and despite Maier getting the Stricklands, John Glenn, Sherrod Brown and Richard Cordray to come to the district to campaign for her.

Undoubtedly, Maier is grieving over the hard times his political loyalist DeHoff is experiencing.

Don't be surprised to see DeHoff surface on the staff of a Democratic elected official somewhere across Stark County.

Could she be in for another stint at the Massillon clerk of courts office?