WHAT WILL COMMISSIONER TODD BOSLEY DO?

Originally, Commissioner Todd Bosley told the SCPR that he would make a decision on whether to run for re-election as Stark County commissioner or Ohio state representative (the 50th) by Christmas.

Christmas has come and gone and guess what?  No decision!

Bosley tells The Report that he is torn on which is the right decision for him.

He says that he has always wanted to be commissioner (remembering when his father ran and lost years ago) and it would be difficult for him to relinquish being commissioner now that he has achieved the office.  Stark Countians will recall the stunning political upset Bosley engineered in defeating sitting Republican commissioner Richard Regula (son of former congressman Ralph Regula) in 2006.

Bosley had every intention of running again for commissioner notwithstanding the trouncing the commissioner "imposed" sales/use tax took this past November.  Bosley had joined retiring Republican commissioner Jayne Vignos and Commissioner Tom Harmon (recently resigned) in voting to impose a 0.50 of a percent sales/use tax to fund 9-1-1 being reworked into a true countywide system and to raise money for the county general fund.

With Harmon and Vignos moving on, Bosley would be the only remaining political target this coming November of those who want to vent on somebody for tax having been imposed.

Bosley says he is unafraid to face Stark County voters, if he decides to run for re-election as commissioner.  He maintains that  he has initiated a number of programs and policies that will bear fruit for Stark.  Bosley is confident that he can convince Stark Countians that he has Stark County headed in a positive direction and that the tax shoud not be determinative as to whether or not he continues as commissioner.

Ohio House Speaker shows up at Bosley's home.

Bosley was a surprised as anybody when Ohio House Speaker Armond Budish showed up on his Marlboro Township doorstep.

Why did Budish make this surprise call on Bosley?

Because Ohio House Democratic Caucus polling showed Bosley being the caucus' best chance to take a Republican seat.  Democrats now control the Ohio House 53 to 46.  However, a number of those seats are marginal, to say the least.  The SCPR believes the thinking of the House Dems is that an aggressive offensive effort will serve to preserve their majority.

Commissioner Bosley is flattered by the attention.  But he has a number of concerns about making the run for Ohio's 50th House District currently held by Todd Snitchler (Lake).

One of them is not defeating Snitchler.  Rather his concerns appear to the SCPR to center on being away from his family (Tuesday through Thursday during the legislative session; even longer if he gets into leadership) and his ability to be effective in a 99 member body.

It is far from a sure thing that Bosley will be part of a majority.  And one need look no further than Snitchler to see how ineffective a representative of a minority party is.  

Of course, Democrat Steve Slesnick (the 52nd - Canton), though a member of gthe majority, is not all that effective.  The SCPR  believes because he simply is not leadership material.

Even if Democrats are still in a majority after November, Bosley would be a rookie in the Legislature.  Knowing Bosley as the SCPR does, he would not be a rookie long in terms of moving up.  The Report believes, that if the Dems remain in the majority, Bosley will start off in leadership (he only has 8 years to make his mark because of term limits) and rise to the top levels quickly.

However, as commissioner, he is "top dog" now!

Even the newly appointed Steve Meeks, with experience as Governor Strickland's Region 9 director, a former Jackson Township trustee and one of Stark County's best connected Democrats, would likely defer to Bosley as the "senior" most commissioner.

So how will Bosley choose?

A terrific question!

One that Commissioner Todd Bosley likely doesn't know as of December 29, 2009.