IN THE REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE CATEGORY. STATE REP TODD SNITCHLER (50TH) CO-SPONSORS HB 400 WHICH COULD COST STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS 248 MILLION SMACKAROOS.. REALLY?

The bad news for Todd Snitchler is that he did a politically stupid thing and allowed his named to be placed on Ohio House Bill 400 as co-sponsor.  The good news for Stark Countians is that the bill does not have "a snowball's chance in Hell" of becoming law.

For if it did, according to a column written by Akron Beacon Journal statehouse reporter Dennis Willard this past Sunday, it could cost Stark County schools upwards of $248 million.

How does $248 million translate to cuts to Stark K-12 students?  About $4,000 per student according to one of Stark County's chief education officials.  Bill Stetler, superintendent of Northwest schools (a part of Snitchler's 50th Ohio House district) says that Northwest spends about $7,700 per student.  So a $4,000 cut would leave the district with $3,700 or so to educate with.

How do you like this quote from Snitchler from the Willard piece:

Rep. Todd Snitchler, R-Lake Township, who is seeking re-election, co-sponsored the Adams bill. He said it is not perfect, but many elements are worthy of discussion.

''For us to just maintain the status quo and not look at other viable solutions is foolish,'' Snitchler said.

Let me get this straight.  Cutting state revenues by 44% which has the prospect of resulting in $248 million in state education funding in Stark County is one of a number of viable solutions?

The SCPR is beginning to believe that Todd Snitchler is so much of a true believer (the extreme right of the Republican Party) that he gets trapped in his ideology and makes some really dumb moves.

Sponsoring this bill was one.  And this one could be a back-breaker for his re-election bid.

At the very most, it might be an offset to Todd Bosley having voted (as Stark County commissioner) to impose a 0.50 of of one percent county sales/use tax as well as a $10 per plate county-added license plate fee.  Snitchler better be hoping and praying for an offset.

Democrat Todd Bosley will have daily campaign crucifications of Snitchler on the potential devastating impact that Snitchler apparently was willing to subject Stark County school districts to.

Several weeks ago, yours truly and Snitchler had an e-mail conversation to the effect that Snitchler was denying that he called Bosley "Taxing Todd" at the annual Stark County GOP McKinley dinner on February 4th.

To paraphrase:  "Martin, why would I do that?  After all, my first name is Todd.  People might confuse the two of us.  That would be stupid for me to have done."

Answer:  "Todd, politicians do dumb things all the time and then deny they did them."

In the case of House Bill 400, signing on was a dumb and irrefutable thing Snitchler has done.  He has now put himself on the defensive and if Todd Bosley is anything he is a political opportunist.  He will make Snitchler pay, and pay and pay some more.

And there is another dumb thing Snitchler has done.  Again, this is right in line with his right wing ideology.  He did back on April 15th (Tax Day, Tea Day) what all Republican rightists were doing:  condemning the stimulus package.

A word to the wise for Sntichler.

If he wants to be re-elected 50th Ohio House state representative, he'd better be finding his way to the political center and doing so at breakneck speed!