VIDEOS POSTED
Entire Howard Interview in Appendix
As countywide issues go, the campaign financing report (CFR; pre-election) showing $111,000* in campaign contributions for Issue 1 - the Stark County Education Service Center formulated 1.49 mill property tax levy that 14 of 17 (not Canton City, Canton Local and Perry) Stark County school district voters will be voting on in a little over a week (early voting, absentee voting in progress) in a August 7th special election costing $300,400 is somewhat surprising to The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report).
* NOTE: See entire CFR in Appendix.
As a comparison, the May, 2017 Stark County commissioners' promoted Justice System Sales Tax (JSST, replacing a 1/2 cent tax voted in by Stark Countians in November, 2011) show the following:
Indeed!
The "Keep Kids Safe" (KKS) Issue 1 folks have out-fund-raised the Yes! For Stark (YFS) advocates by more that $2 to every $1 raised by YFS.
With that kind of advantage, one might think that Issue #1 will pass with ease. Maybe even by a higher plurality that for the JSST.
Could it be that the JSST (also a public safety issue) was assigned Issue 1 in the May 2, 2017 election cycle be a "good" omen for Issue 1 on August 7th?
Perhaps.
But the SCPR thinks it is unlikely, if it wins at all, that Issue 1 in the August 7th election cycle, will be a lot closer that 70% plus in favor.
The Report hears that an area informal, unscientific poll involving only several hundred persons (who may or may not being in a voting district or who are unlikely to vote in this election) shows the issue losing about 67% to 33%.
If the issue wins, it is unlikely to be by a 70% to 30% margin. By the same token, if it loses it is not likely it will be by a 67% to 33% margin.
The Report thinks either way, the margin will be much tighter.
For their part, the Keep Kids Safe Committee headed by retired (2016) Stark County Court of Common Pleas judge Michael Hower would likely settle for any margin of victory.
Today, the SCPR sat down with Judge Howard and conducted an exhaustive interview that focused on arguments being made in opposition to passage to the levy.
However, as readers will see, the SCPR provided Judge Howard with ample opportunity to "make the case" for the safety of Stark County school kids. Also a part of levy effort is Brown Local (Carroll), Strasburg Local (Tuscarawas) and Dalton Local (Wayne).
At the end of this blog in the appendix is the "entire" video recording of the SCPR's interview with Judge Howard. Also, in the appendix is a copy of the "entire" Keep Kids Safe CFR and Judge Howard's resume.
Moreover, here are links to previous SCPR blogs on Issue 1 which readers should read to give context to today's blog.
Recognizing that many readers do not have the time to sit and watch the "entire" (in the Appendix) Howard interview, the SCPR will over the next several days be adding "segmented" video of hopefully five minutes or less clips of the questions that The Report posed to Judge Howard.
Here is a list of "opposition to Issue 1" arguments posed to Judge Howard:
Opposition
#1 - Cannot support a "continuing" levy and concomitant "lack of structural accountability"
Opposition
#2 - Public has had its fill with levy efforts
(Perry)
Opposition
#3 - We have our own plan in implementation (CCS)
Opposition
#4 - Do not want to be a donor district (Canton Local)
Opposition
#5 - No "real" opportunity for public to have
input (Fonte)
Opposition
#6 - Taxation without representation (e.g. city districts
do not participate in SCESC elections nor can a city district
resident run for the SCESC board)
Opposition
#7 - $300,400 expense of the "special"
election
Opposition
#8 - Rumors:
1.
School districts who are part of the participating district make up
(14 of 17 Stark County Districts) voting "no" still will
pay the tax although receiving benefits.
2.
School districts opting not to particpate (e.g. CCS, Canton Local,
Perry Local) in the 1.49 mill levy effort will still, if it passes in
an overall vote count, will in the event of overall "yes"
vote covering all the participating districts in the vote be drafted
into participation.
3.
All of Carroll (Brown, Carroll Exempted Village), Summit(Green),
Tuscarawas (Strasburg) and Wayne (Dalton)will be voting Issue #1
APPENDIX
The entire Judge Mike Howard interview on Issue 1 (School Security/Mental Health Resources levy).
Judge Howard's resume:
Judge Michael L. Howard, RetiredStark County Court of Common PleasFamily Court DivisionJudge Michael Howard served for thirty years at Stark County Family Court in Stark County, Ohio, before retiring on December 31, 2016.
Judge Howard worked as an intake officer, Magistrate and Chief Magistrate before being electedJudge in 2004.
As Judge, he presided over both the juvenile and domestic relations cases.
Judge Howard is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Advisory Board, its Justice Consortium, and he servered as a lecturer for the NCTSN Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice. He has contributed to NCTSN trauma reference guides and bench cards designed for judges and juvenile justice professionals.
Judge Howard is co-author of three journal articles: "Children Who Have Been Traumatized: One Court's Response", published in the Autumn 2008 edition of the Juvenile and Family Court Journal, “Complex Trauma and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents Placed in Foster Care: Findings from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network” which appeared in the 2011 special issue of the Child Welfare Journal, and “Trauma Exposure, Psychiatric Disorders, and Resiliency in Juvenile-Justice-Involved Youth” published in the July 2013 edition of Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.In retirement,
Judge Howard continues to act as a community convener, focusing on programs that help children achieve success and avoid delinquent behavior.
Judge Howard serves as co-chair of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, working to make all child-serving systems trauma-responsive. Judge Howard is an active community volunteer serving on multiple boards and committees, including the Stark Education Partnership, the United Way of Greater Stark County, the Early Childhood Resource Center, the Care Team Executive Committee, and the Stark County Bar Association Family Law and Citizenship Committee
Keep Kids Safe CFR (campaign finance report):
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