SHORTLY AFTER THE ELECTION, STARK COUNTY TREASURER ALEX ZUMBAR SUGGESTED TO THE PRESS THAT LAKE'S UNIONTOWN POLICE LEVY EXPANSION MIGHT HAVE HAD A FATAL FLAW IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. ALSO, DID TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE ELECTION?

UPDATE:  10:30 AM

The Report has just obtained information to the effect that the Stark County auditor's office is effectuating the voted in millage on Lake Issue #6 (Uniontown Police District expansion) by direction of state of Ohio taxing authorities unless, of course, a court order to the contrary is issued out of the pending Stark County litigation.

ORIGINAL POST

Today, Stark County Common Pleas Judge John Haas will be holding a hearing on a lawsuit filed by a group of Lake Township citizens to invalidate the November 8, 2011 vote approving expansion of the Uniontown Police Department.  (Yours truly lives in the Uniontown Police District (UPD) and voted for the levy which, if passes court review, will result in a property tax reduction for UPD residents)

The SCPR recalls that once the story broke that the ballot language had faulty language yours truly and another person from Stark County media engaged in some banter with Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar.

Zumbar is charged with mailing out property tax bills to with either the $4.50 or $0.45 per thousand assessment as determined by others to Lake Township residents beginning with tax year 2012.

Yours truly was surprised to hear Zumbar suggest (being careful to disclaim that he was not a lawyer) that, despite Lake Township attorney Charles Hall's (in the media) assurance to the contrary, he thought there may well be a problem in collecting at the rate of $4.50 "for each one thousand dollars of valuation ... ." on Lake Township's Issue 6 given that the clear language on the ballot was $0.45 "for each one thousand dollars of valuation ... ."

The Report asked Stark County Auditor Alan Harold what he thought of Zumbar's musings.

Harold (who has a role in adding the assessment to tax bills) declined any comment which The Report thought was a little bit strange in light of the fact that Harold (to his credit) was not shy in offering that he would not permit former Stark County Treasurer Gary Zeigler to use county equipment (e.g. telephones, computer et cetera) until he posted a bond on resuming the office of treasurer after being reinstated by the Ohio Supreme Court on June 25, 2011.

Strange?

Yes, the SCPR's take on Harold is that every "i" had better better be dotted and every "t" had better be crossed before he would act to allow/implement anything that had questionable legality to it.

Apparently, the fact that the Stark County Board of Elections certification was enough for Harold, to wit:

The interesting thing about the Issue 6 controversy (other than on the merits of the issue itself in terms of being for or against it) to the SCPR is the unbelievable number of government employee reviewers who missed the errant language, to wit:

• Lake Township attorney Charles Hall,
• Lake Township trustees,
• Stark County prosecutor's office,
• Stark County Board of Elections personnel, and the
• Ohio Secretary of State.

Moreover, the SCPR has heard of suspicion and speculation that local officials (at the township level) may have known about the mistaken ballot language and elected not to stop it from going to the ballot notwithstanding such alleged knowledge, apparently, on the assumption that there would not be a court challenge to the validity of the vote and, if there was, Ohio Supreme Court case law would save the day on its ultimate validation.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, Lake Township residents for sure, and Stark Countians to boot ought to be awfully upset.

The Report's opinion is that no matter what the case was, that is to say:

• all those taxpayer paid for government eyes failed to find this fundamental flaw and thus demonstrating that they are not taking their work seriously enough in the sense of concentrating and focusing on legal matters they scrutinize, or
• someone in the chain (as speculated) knew of the flaw and thereby had time to fix it or have it withdrawn for another election cycle.

The SCPR thinks it does not speak well of the the quality (in the sense of "due diligence" examination) or, perhaps, rectitude of government officials (if the speculation of prior knowledge is well-founded) that the flawed language got voted upon.

The Stark County Political Report believes that there will be political consequences for Lake Township Trustees Ellis Erb and Galen Stoll - no matter what the cause for the errant language making it to the ballot - come their next election cycle, should they decide to run for re-election.

Although yours truly has supported township wide (except 1998, which was merely a proposed incremental expansion into the Greentown area) police levies which have been on the ballot two times before Issue 6 and failed by huge numbers in 1988 or thereabouts, in 1998 (limited expansion to Greentown area) and in 2005, The Report is for spotless elections and, accordingly, admonishes township officials and any other local and/or state officials who were in a position to catch the error and stop the erroneous version of Issue 6 from appearing on the ballot.

Even if Judge Haas (and/or a higher court) ultimately determine that the flawed language is not fatal, the remiss public officials have cost township and county taxpayers a significant number of dollars in getting to a final determination.

Should the decision be that the language is fatally flawed, then the costs to taxpayers will be magnified and Lake Township voters who wanted township wide police protection over and beyond what the Stark County sheriff currently provides will likely have been undermined - for who knows how long - in their endeavor. 

A SCPR "hats off!" to the over twenty-five Lake citizens (minimum of 25 required) who at their own expense and effort and in the interest of being good citizens have taken this matter to court.

They names verifying the petition (292 by the SCPR's count) include:

Janet L. Bishop

William N. Doty

James E. Miller

Cynthia V. Shaffer

William L. McClelland

Michael R. Johnson

Anthony Graham

Elizabeth M. Graham

Daniel L. Mihalik

Patrick Mihalik

Catherine M. Mihalik

James M. Dickerson

Bliss L. Dickerson

Paul Venditti

Robert P. Ramsey

Nancy L. Ramsey

James S. Biddle

Pamela Pelini

Susan Wright

Darrell Wright

Steven M. Landy

Craig Pelini

Jason A. Richardson

Patricia A. Richardson

Shelley L. Landy

Karen B. Plaster

Tina M. Bell

Steven M. Bell

Thomas J. Firestone

Joellen Bergert

Julia Appleby

Michael Zaluski

Jean M. Zaluzki

Kara R. Firestone

Patrick P. Fladung

Chris Kellamis

Mark K. Plaster

Julie A. Sincere

Mary Jane Stryker

Christine Fladung

Michael S. Gruber

Leslie C. Gruber

Charles Sincere

Anne Montgomery

Bryan Schuster

Jennifer Schuster

Becky Taylor

Randy Montgomery

Rebecca Montgomery

Frank Magisano

Deanna Magisano

Janice Thompson

W.H. Thompson

Michael D. Babics

Lynn Hruschak

Lance Runion

Richard Maggorie

Kathi Maggorie

James A. Vega

Lisa Vega

Lillian P. Morrison

Mark A. Esposito

Michael J. Frear

Debra M. Frear

Julie L. Johnson

Robert M. Swope

Susan J. Swope

J. Geoffrey Bishop

Robert Obermiller

Michael Kapas

Albert S. Kilmer

James L. Shaffer

David J. Barrett

Deanna Barrett

Tom F. Cassetty

Chad Baucum

Susan I. Kerr

Gary B. Kerr

Lucille J. Ruble

Glen C. Mori

Gloria Z. Mori

Earl G. McClung

Jo I. McClung

Ronald Fether

Virginia Haas

Arley Kay Deering

Thomas E. Deering

Joseph Deering

Matthew M. McClung

Benard D. Haas, Jr.

Sherry J. Mendoza

Antonio M. Mendoza

Maria A. Brown

Michael L. Brown, Jr.

David M. Morgan

Norma J. Morgan

Joshua David Kerr

Edwin G. Lytle

Brenda L. Coblentz

Joseph G. Corbi

Beth E. Penaflor

Patricia A.  Nesbitt

June A. Higgins

Shelby L. Estep

Mark A. Estep

Gail M. Estep

Paul M. Bozman

Lynne M. Bozman

Sidney E. Beardshaw

Donald R. Tuck

Brandon Tuck

Carolyn D. Tuck

Charles F. Myers

Micheal D. Neely

Elizabeth M. Neely

Matthew J. Muriol

James C. Goulet

Michael J. Stackpole

Charles Groves

Gabriola A. Simon

Jon L. Nicholson

Joan M. Rodemeyer

Larry V. Beisel

David S. Simon

Robert W. Freeland

Toni L. Freeland

Evan C. Miller

Larry D. Alltop

Kimberly D. Alltop

Sarah Alltop

John  Rybkoski

Daniel C. Atkinson

Timothy S. Nehlen

Roy P. Yoder

Susan E. Yoder

Beth A. Stover

David L. Stover

Phyllis L. Beisel

Mike Kartler

Donald R. Oscai

Enos C. Kurtz

Donna L. Kilmer

Kirk McCauley

Annelise Waterfall McCauley

Keith E. Rawling

Michael J. Paschke

Patricia Paschke

Jeannette Paschke

Rodney P. Bowsky

Robert L. Kisha

Michelle L. Kisha

Richard L. Sherer

Chad Longfellow

Lawrence J. Hays

Sheree L. Estes

David A. Estes

Gregg L. Pavlides

Bonnie Pavlides

Paul D. DeGarmo

John Ruch

Mark D. Regener

Kyle Bonsley

Alex H. Pavlides

Cheryl E. McKee

Richard L. Whitmyer

Terrance M. Nesbitt

Tonee L. Moreland

Keith A. Sherer

Donna M. Knotts

Denver Bishop

Tony Gingerich

Richard E. Moles

Dawn Thoenen

Jacqueline Moles

Daniel D. Beachy

Celia F. Chandler

Sherri Landis

Randall Spargo

Robert D. Eaver

Alfred H. Raber

William Gingerich

Joseph Gingerich

Harley E. Evans

R. Laverne Wittmer

Eugene Miller

Laverne Raber

Mary Sue Kerata

Ken Kerata

Micheal Kamerer

David L. Claytor

Susan C. Claytor

Ruth A. Miller

David A. Barnes

Valerie Barnes

Randolph Robert Wadley

Michelle R. Lippe

William P. Motler

Julie Fallick

Michelle Michel

Guy K. Michel

J. F. Davis

Sandra R. Langley

Keith M. Fallick

Anita L. Severtis

Ronald E. Servertis

Lena C. Stankus

Craig S. Boyle

Robin Boyle

Valerie Waldorff

Brian T. Nutt

Alison R. Nutt

Franklin D. Leopold II

Carol L. Leopold

Ann Williams

Mark F. Deering

Pamela S. Deering

Michael S. Lucius

Mary Ann Grady

Kathy L. Motter

Michael B. Neville

Kenneth D. Swallen

Pamela H. Grady

Dennis J. Grady

Carol L. Mallamaci

Albert J. Wagner

Jane W. Wagner

Peggy Haney Ingalls

John D. Ingalls

Judy K. Zeiger

Marilyn L. Bennell

Sandra G. Myers

Ron Myers

Daniel J. Hoskins

Ginevra Hoskins

Linda Karlo

Cheryl Andrews

Christopher Andrews

David A. Stanek

Margaret L. Stanek

Joan E. Kress

Roberta A. Vine

Larry K. Mundorf

Margaret J. McClusky

Tirza Huetter

Richard W. Huetter

Marilyn K. Mundorf

James B. McClusky

Leonard P. Bossart, Jr

Charlotte A. Bossart

Shelley A. Johnson

Craig E. Johnson

B. Vincent Dollive

Melinda E. Dollive

Donald Sponseller

Vera M. Sponseller

June D. Wall

Robert D. Wall

Myron D. Draper

Sandra L. Draper

Leo E. Doyle

Rebecca M. Pitea

Victor S. Pitea

Kelley Kinnett

Devora J. Doyle

Margaret A. Batista Bazzoli

Steven R. Wagner

Robert Hiram Bazzoli

James A. Fuller

Janet M. Fuller

Larry K. Graham

Robert Testa

Kathleen M. Gross

George S. Gross, Jr

Lanco Bezek

Kimberly J. Bezek

Janet C. Graham

Susan M. Hunt

Jon S. Hunt

Clarence M. Chandler

Phineas Miller, Jr

Laverne Slabaugh

Patricia A. Testa

Ronald J. Keagy

Donald E. Higgins

Sara L. Chambers

Neal Snodgrass

Barbara N. Snodgrass

Daniel H. LaHaie

Timothy S. Eberly

Carol E. Eberly

Jennifer C. LaHaie

Ann M. Smith