STARK COUNTY'S NEW COMMISSIONER: BILL SMITH, A PROMISING ADDITION?

VIDEO

Commissioner Bill Smith

Auditor Alan Harold

to

N.L. Construction of Canton

"We Will be Watching!"

At the end of 2015, then Stark County commissioner Thomas M. Bernabei resigned his commissionership in order to take office as mayor of Canton having been elected as a political independent in November.

Bernabei, as the SCPR sees it, was a linchpin of regaining public confidence in the operations of county government,  in working closely with former Canton mayor Janet Creighton, also elected as Stark County commissioner in November, 2010, as the county was in the process of recovering from the theft of upwards of $3 million from the county treasury by former chief deputy treasurer Vince Frustaci (publicly identified by law enforcement authorities on April 1, 2009).

Of course, nobody is irreplaceable.

Nonetheless, I was skeptical that either of the candidates for the Bernabei vacated post were up to filling the void of quality leadership left by Bernabei's departure.

I was sure that former state Representative Stephen Slesnick (Democrat, Ohio House, the 49th for eight years; term limited out as of the end of 2016) was not up to the task.

Slesnick was "Mr. Where-Are-You" as far as I was concerned in gauging the effectiveness of Stark County-based Ohio General Assembly members.  Because he was so utterly ineffective, he seemingly avoided at all cost, any interaction with The Stark County Political Report (SCPR).

Like so many politicians, Slesnick had gotten used to the "public tit" and in order to continue his political/governance addiction focused on the vacated by Bernabei seat to continue his heretofore ineffective public officeholder-self on the Stark County public.

But what about his Republican opponent; namely, Bill Smith of Canton Township.

Could he approximate the first-rate county leadership that Bernabei provided Stark County as commissioner?

The results of the Slesnick/Smith matchup:

A look at his biography suggested that he might be somewhat of an answer.

Bill Smith lives in Canton Township with his wife Diana, to whom he has been married since 1975.  They have two married children who also live in Stark County; Bill and his wife Amy and Jennifer and her husband Jerry.  Together they enjoy nine beautiful grandchildren.  Bill graduated in 1974 from East Canton High School and has been in business at Smith’s Waco Market since 1976. After purchasing the store, he and Diana lived above the store for several years as the business grew. Bill also manages several commercial properties through Smith Properties and owns Mary Ann's Donuts Cafe in Canton South. 

Bill has been a Hot Air Balloon pilot since 1988 and holds a Commercial/Instructor rating in Lighter-than-Air, Hot Air Balloons.  He has served on the Hall of Fame Balloon Classic Committee and is the field announcer for the event.
Bill served as a Canton Township Trustee from 2002 through 2016, and is a past member of the Canton South Jaycees; Canton South Athletic & Band Booster Clubs; and a past Board Member of the Canton South YMCA.  He has served on the Canton Local Long Range Planning Committee as a Levy Chairman, as well as, on a variety of other levy committees.  Bill is an Honorary Board Member of the East Central Ohio Food Dealers Association where he served as Chairman of the Board and on several other association committees. 

Bill enjoys helping people and is honored for the opportunity to assist the people of Stark County as a Commissioner.

At yesterday's regular weekly (Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m.), Smith demonstrated that he has the potential to be a straight talking, "hold'em accountable" commissioner.

The occasion?

Commissioners were considering a Stark County auditor's office awarding of a contract for the remodeling of the office complex housed for the most part in the Stark County Office Building complex located at 110 Central Plaza in downtown Canton, to wit:

After the motion to approve the resolution was presented, moved for adoption the following Smith-initiated discussion took place:



Stark Countians should be thoroughly impressed with just-a-little-over-six-months as commissioner Bill Smith having done his homework and quite willing to go the public record with a message to N.L. Construction that the company will be closely monitored

Unlike prior boards of commissioners (for example: including the likes of Todd Bosley,  Tom Harmon, Jane Vignos ["imposed" a 1/2 cent county sales tax in 2008] and Steve Meeks), from  January 1, 2011 on, the county has had a pretty good quality of commissioners.

Only Pete Ferguson  (a really nice guy) as a commissioner in the Bernabei era seemed to me to be lacking in minimal basic effectiveness as a commissioner.

Smith's comments in terms of his intention to follow the "on-the-job" performance record of N.L. Construction (i.e. will N.L. complete the contract at the $367,601 bid-awarded specs) seem to imply that a completion at the $367,601 will determinative of whether or not commissioners should approve future N.L. "lowest bid" in the event that there are future contract bids in which N.L. comes in as the lowest bid.

Smith is obviously skeptical witness his comments in the video above that N.L. will actually complete the remodeling at its $367,601 bid.

The SCPR was able to come up with one instance in which N.L. was low bidder on a Stark County Metropolitan Housing Authority (SCMHA) "put out to bid" contract and, when, the company was not awarded the business, it sued.

Eventually the SCMHA settled with N.L. for $88,000.

Smith's initiated discussion pre-vote on the resolution observations (e.g. "We will be Watching") based on his research into N.L.'s performance history set the tone for Auditor Alan Harold in promising to assist the commissioners in ensuring that Stark County taxpayers get quality work at the bid price.

The SCPR commends Commissioner Smith for his demonstration of due diligence and his willingness to go "on-the-record" with his reservations about where N.L. Construction will end up in terms of staying within the $367.601 it bid.

Yesterday's action suggests to the SCPR that former long time Canton Township trustee Bill Smith is "made of the right stuff" to be a county commissioner and seems to have the potential to a highly effective commissioner.

And it appears that Stark Countians made "the right choice" in last November's general election.

But it is still too early to tell conclusively.

Stay tuned to the SCPR for your best opportunity to see how Smith and Stark County political subdivision elected officials actually do on the job.

(VIDEOS) ARE OLESLAGER, SCHURING AND HAGAN HEADING TOWARDS A CONFRONTATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OVER DEVASTATING LOCAL GOV'T FUND CUTS?

 VIDEOS

Prosecutor John Ferrero 

tells

Stark County Police Chiefs 

to 

Harass

Stark County Delegation

to 

Ohio General Assembly

on

Local Gov't Fund Cuts

-------------------------------------------------------

SCOG Administrator

Don Archer

Paints

Bleak Picture

on

Financial Future

of

Canton-Stark Co. Crime Lab 

   

-------------------------------------------------------- 

Canton City Council 

President Allen Schulman

Chastises

Stark County Legislators

on

Local Gov't Funding Cuts 

  

Yesterday, the SCPR attended a Stark County Police Chiefs meeting with representatives of the Stark County Council of Governments (SCOG) Executive Committee.

The Topic?

The threat to the continued existence of the Canton-Stark County Crime  Lab (Crime Lab/CSCCL) due to draconian cuts to local government funding at the hand of the State of Ohio through Ohio Legislature budget cuts over the past several years.

There is in place an agreement that Stark's cities, villages and townships will annually allocate 9% of their local government funding to SCOG in order to fund the Crime Lab.

Here is Crime Lab administrator Don Archer providing the police chiefs with a very graphic description of the dire condition of the lab's financing.  



In 2014, the CSCCL faces a $500,000 short fall.  And  if one goes back to the heyday of Crime Lab funding (2007), its budget has taken about a three quarters of a million dollar ($750,000) hit because of the huge State of Ohio reduction in its distribution from the Local Government Fund.

There were some calls at the meeting for dipping into sales tax revenues being generated from the passage In November, 2011 of an 0.5% issue.  Waynesburg Chief of Police William Bath took the position that the police chiefs supported the sales tax issue, at least in part, because of a promise that a significant part of the Crime Lab's monies would come from the revenues it generated. 

If the commissioners were to specifically earmark sales tax money to the CSCCL, then it would mean less money for the sheriff's department, the prosecutor's office, and other Stark County criminal justice units for which the tax issue was designed.

In effect, Ohio's cut on local government funds forces taxes be raised in one form or another at every level of Stark's local government.

Yes "local tax increases" forced by the Ohio General Assembly:  Be it the county (sales tax), township (road, fire, Park and EMS levies), cities and villages (income tax increases).

And get this.  What has happened to the money taken away from local communities?  The State of Ohio has used the money to balance the state budget.

Such is a form of creative tax increase legislation whereby Ohioans taxes go up at the local level but the appearance is that Ohio is reducing taxes.

Talk is that Governor Kasich who is running for re-election in 2014 is going to push through a tax reduction on the state income tax level during this 130th Ohio General Assembly.

He is depending on an easily fooled electorate buying into the "apparent" tax reduction and ignoring that the cost of government is in reality rising exponentially at the local level.

So who takes the political hit?

You've got it!  Commissioners, mayors, city councilpersons, trustees and board of education members.

Meanwhile, the governor gets re-elected campaigning on:  "Hey, folks, I reduced your taxes!"

One thing you very rarely see among police chiefs (usually very conservative and politically inactive folks, at least in public view) is agitation to get in the face of other public officials.

But yesterday they were exhorted by Prosecutor John Ferrero to do just that each and every time they see a member of the Stark County delegation to the Ohio General Assembly.

He even used the term expression:  "Harass them."



Interesting, no?

If the chiefs follow Ferrero's admonition, it is likely to get the attention of the likes of state Senator Scott Oelslager, state Representative Kirk Schuring, state Rep. Christina Hagan, (Republicans which constitute a super majority in the Legislature) and state Rep. Stephen Slesnick (a Democrat).

As far as the SCPR is concerned Oelslager (a legislator since 1988) and Schuring (a legislator since 1995) for all their combined 43 years in the Ohio General Assembly (switching back and forth between the Ohio House and Senate to get around term limits) have produced relatively little for Stark County.

Yesterday, Commissioner Tom Bernabei said that about 10 years ago Stark County received about $19 million in State of Ohio local government funding.  The projection for 2013/14 is a little over $8 million.

Hmm?

Stark County has gotten cut almost 60% on the Oelslager/Schuring watch going back to 2002/2003.

Wow!

Nevertheless, Stark Countians keep sending them back to Columbus?

And local officials have in the opinion of the SCPR aided and abetted their becoming fixtures in the Legislature in providing public forums for them to appear in the form of council meetings, trustee meetings and the like to make cameo, grandstanding-esque appearances to engage in glad handing with these very same officials.

It has been rare indeed that the SCPR has ever heard a councilperson, a trustee, or a board of education member put either Oelslager, Schuring, Hagan, or Slesnick on the griddle when they make their public relations appearances at about election time.

These four must chuckle to themselves about how they have just fooled the people, no?

Of course, none of the four have the b_ _ _ s to sit down with the SCPR and answer the incisive questions that only yours truly (of all the Stark County media) has for them.

Not on their life would they ever, ever do that!  

For they know that yours truly has the background knowledge of their specific work in the Legislature and the ability to analyze that work or lack thereof and to frame questions the answers to which (if compelled by the SCPR's persistent questioning on point until the question asked is answered) would prove politically embarrassing to them if not make them vulnerable to not being re-elected.

In short, Oelslager, Schuring, Hagan and Slesnick work very hard to avoid accountability to Stark County voters.

The most active Stark County public official in going after the Legislature and specifically after Oelslager, Schuring and Hagan has been Canton City Council president Allen Schulman.  (LINK to a prior SCPR blog)



A few weeks ago he as council president issued letters to federal and state legislators to come to council and explain why local governments are being cut.

Oelslager said he is too busy.  Schuring and Slesnick said they would come, but does anyone believe they really will?  Hagan just totally blew Canton off.  And the congressmen?  No way they are coming to Canton, Ohio!

The SCPR learned today that Alliance is facing up to a million dollar deficit in it budgeting.

Of course, Massillon has felt the crunch too.  City officials (council, not the mayor) have put an income tax issue on to increase it by 0.2% and also reduced the credit that Massillonians, who work outside the city and pay taxes to other jurisdictions, get.

On March 15th, Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry laid off seven (7) from the city's Roads and Highways department because the city was looking at a $600,000 deficit this year.

North Canton is looking at about a $1 million deficit.

Canton citizens are pushing the Healy administration to add 25 or so new policemen to the Canton force to get it up to 175 officers as soon as possible. 

But where is the money to come from in the face of massive cuts that Ohio has visited on the Hall of Fame city?

Schulman told the activists to go after their legislators.  But will they follow his direction?

All these cuts are being made in the midst of Ohio having generated a $1.7 billion and trending higher surplus (per Schulman, see video above).

Hmm?

With all the furor in Stark County from many different quarters about the cuts being made in various government services, is life in the hometown about get a lot more uncomfortable for Oelslager, Schuring, Hagan and Slesnick?

Are they about to have to face discordant music for their failure to protect Stark County local government funding?

STARK COUNTY LEGISLATORS: THE HANDMAIDENS OF THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY? DAMNED BE LOCAL CONTROL!

Former state Rep. Todd Snitchler (R - Lake), John Hagan (R - Marlboro) and current representatives Kirk Schuring (R - Jackson), Stephen Slesnick (D - Canton) and state Sen. Scott Oelslager should never ever talk about the virtues of local government/local control in Stark County.

And if they have the brass to do so, they should be called out on it by whomever hears it.

For in various combinations of votes on Senate Bill 165 (2004) and House Bill 278 (2009/2010), they helped gut the ability of Ohio local governments to control what the oil and gas industry does in terms of drilling for natural gas by a process call hydraulic fracking.

A very well written letter on the topic was printed in the Akron Beacon Journal recently.  The writer, Dan Lincoln of the Northeast Ohio Gas Accountability Project (NEOGAP), submitted the letter to the SCPR for an encore publication.

With John Hagan, Schuring, Oelslager and Slesnick voting to strip Stark County's townships, villages and cities of their ability to fully protect "the health, welfare and safety of their residents, it is hard to see how how they can look the residents of Marlboro (Hagan), Canton (Slesnick), Jackson (Oelslager and Schuring) and, indeed, all of Stark County (Oelslager and Schuring) in the eye when they appear in public.

Undoubtedly, they say to their constituents that they are working hard as legislators.

But the SCPR adopts the words of one Michael Mouse (a community activist and council-at-large candidate in Canal Fulton), " I know know you are working hard, but who are you working hard for?"

In the case of HB 278 (2004) and SB 165 (2010), it is obvious that Messers Hagan, Oelslager, Slesnick and Schuring worked hard for the oil and gas industry interests; not for the authority of local government to fend for the health, welfare and safety interests of Stark Countians.

Here are their votes.

HAS STARK COUNTY GROWN "STALE" WITH THE LIKES OF SCOTT OELSLAGER IN THE OHIO LEGISLATURE?

Scott Oelslager has announced he is again doing an "in your face" to the spirit of term limits. He is term limited out of the Ohio House. But he is not about to give up a good thing for himself. He is running for the Ohio Senate for a seat he has already held once.

This is not news to the SCPR. Oelslager told yours truly at the Stark County Fair last Labor Day weekend that he would be running for the Senate. His musical chair capers with Kirk Schuring have been treated in a number SCPR blogs since.

It is very likely that state Representative Scott Oelslager will be elected to the Ohio Senate in 2010.

How can the SCPR say that on May 29, 2009?

Easy.

Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. has "no answer" for Oelslager or Schuring (should he chose to play musical chairs with Oelslager and return to the Ohio House in 2010) at the state legislature level.

It took the more personable (than Schuring), "war hero," highly financed John Boccieri (running amidst a huge Democratic year) to wrestle the 16th congressional seat from the Republicans.

Maier had "political" sweetheart relationships with both Oelslager and Schuring since the days he was in the legislature with them. In fact, he got along better with them than he with Canton Mayor William Healy, II's father (also William but called "Bill" by most).

Maier's politically cozy relationship with Oelslager may be the reason he gave Oelslager a free ride (no opponent in 2008; very weak opponents 2000 thru 2006) for all of his time in the Ohio House.

So why would things change in 2010?

They won't.

Stark Countians are used to Oelslager smiling, talking about solving the problems of school funding because his parents were educators (which proved to make no difference in achievement), riding the horse of his solitary significant legislative success (Open Records) and generally being a dull, vanilla-ish and ineffectual legislator.

Just to pause on Oelslager and the fixing public education funding issue.

At one time in his treatment of the topic, he was saying that the Republicans had fixed the funding problem - citing the millions they added to the funding pot.

For him to banter this official Republican Party line at the time, was disingenuous at the very least. He knew or should have now that as a percentage of the Ohio budget, the funding of education was well under historic highs that had been attained by the Ohio legislature decades earlier.

Both Oelslager and Schuring have been "less than spectacular" legislators (to state the obvious) notwithstanding being the majority and sometimes supermajority most of their legislative careers.

There are plenty of powerful Stark County Democrats that could take on Oelslager. Maier, Strickland, Boccieri, Healy could lean on any number Stark Democratic warhorses to take Oelslager on. But they won't.

These Democratic power brokers will stand aside and let Oelslager skate right back into the Senate.

The SCPR won't want to hear local Democrats make excuses for Strickland in his second administration, to wit: "but the Senate is in Republican hands." No, not for a group that lets Oelslager sail back into the Senate

Ohio and, more importantly, Stark County will suffer because Oelslager continues his undistinguished career in the Legislature.

Undoubtedly, devoted Stark Republicans who will dutifully surface in 2014 to help Oelslager celebrate being in the Ohio General Assembly for 30 years. And that may be the first of many celebrations: thirty-five, forty, forty-five and fifty may follow.

However, those Stark Countians who want to see an effective legislator from Stark County will not be celebrating. They will be lamenting how much Stark has lost because of having this colorless, bland and the unadventurous man represent them.

The Stark Democrats themselves have a unexciting representative in Columbus. Stephen Slesnick of the 52nd, from reports the SCPR is getting out of Columbus, is schlepping around in Ohio House hearings.

Back to Oelslager for a final note.

Indeed, Scott Oelslager is getting to be like yesterday's newspaper; stale news.

But it appears all but certain that Stark Countians will be in for a steady diet of "stale - political - bread" from Oelslager at least through 2014. Maybe longer.

Lamentations, lamentations, lamentations!!!

ARE OHIO STATEHOUSE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CONSPIRING TO RAISE YOUR TAXES?

Are Ohioans (and, of course, Stark Countians) going to be paying more taxes soon?

For sure!

At least $236 million in state services fee hikes that the Democrat Strickland Administration has already gotten the go ahead from Ohio General Assembly Democrats and Republicans to count on them to vote for the fee increase.

Politicians love to raise fees as alternative to the t-word (taxes).

But you and I are not as stupid as they think we are.

Fee increases are tax increases but the they are tax increases in sets of Ohio citizens; not all Ohioans.

To give you an example of who the fee/tax increase falls upon, take the follow description of the $236 million fee increases published on the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants (Ohio CPAs) website:

Gov. Strickland’s 2010–11 state budget proposes to increase fees ... .

The include 120 fee increases include tipping fees for construction projects, a new hospital franchise fee, a doubling of the nursing home bed tax and an increase in the cigarette wholesale and retail licensing fee.

To see whether or not you will have to pay any of the fee/tax increases, CLICK HERE.

Hold on there is more on tax increases.

Yesterday, the SCPR's favorite Ohio Statehouse reporter Dennis Willard of the Akron Beacon Journal (remember Stark County's only countywide newspaper - The Repository - got rid Paul Kostyu, its Statehouse analyst), wrote a compelling piece that indicates to yours truly that Republicans and Democrats are working to set up a tax increase masked so that no one has to bear potential political consequences.

Willard paints a likely picture of how Ohioans' taxes get increased.

He shows that at the end of the legislative session (mind you, the pressure is on because the biennial budget must get passed and signed by the governor not later than June, 30, 2009) with a $8 billion structural budget looming during the course of the budget implementation; the politicians may well devise a scheme to raise taxes.

Because there will be three different budget bills (one each from the Ohio House, the Ohio Senate and Governor Strickland), the Ohio House and Senate will have to appoint conference committees to iron out their legislative differences. The final component is that the Governor, at least with a "wink and a nod," will have to signal he agrees with the reconciliation because of his veto power.

Here is Willard on the possible structure of how a tax increase gets included:

Typically, the conference committee is comprised of the chairmen, vice chairmen and ranking minority members of the Senate and House finance committees, but legislative leaders might decide to pack the panel with lawmakers who are term-limited or from safe districts.

The conference committee's work on the budget goes back to the House and Senate for a concurrence vote only — meaning up or down without amendments.

Lawmakers could blame the conferees for any controversial ideas like a tax increase or casinos by maintaining that they could only vote to accept or reject the budget. (emphasis added)

Plausible deniability isn't the best excuse, but it might be the only course for lawmakers to pursue on the road to re-election in 2010.

What to do?

Contact Representatives Slesnick, Snitchler, Oelslager, Schuring, Shiavone and Okey now.

What is the point of the contact?

Not necessarily to object to a tax increase. But to insist that they do an up or down vote on any tax increase.

TRACKING OUR LEGISLATORS SERIES: STARK EDUCATORS LEAVE IN "SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS" BEFORE LEGISLATOR PANEL SPEAKS TO EDUCATION ISSUES. HUM?

Before DeRolf (Ohio Supreme Court case ruling - 4 different times - Ohio funding of public schoos being unconstitutional) became old news, appearances of state legislators before educator groups drew big crowds.

No more!

Last night before a Stark Count "All Boards" session, numbers of educators and board members left before the Stark County legislative delegation members (Oleslager, Schuring, Slesnick, Okey, Schiavone and Snitchler (represented by his wife - but not on the panel) sat down to in panel format to answer questions crafted by and asked by David Kaminski (representing the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce who was formerly editor of The Repository).

The mass exiting should tell these legislators that they have lost all credibility with the education community and probably with the Stark County community at large on solving the Ohio's education problem.

Schuring trotted out his tired old plan to make funding the "first" priority rather than it current "what's leftover" priority. Oelslager joined by Slesnick cited the "bad" economy. Schiavone said he's on a steep learning curve. If Snitchler had been there, he likely would have followed Schivone's lead.

Surprisingly, Oelslager did not bring up the fact that his parents were educators. Oelslager likes to bring up these emotive factors but then goes back to Columbus and does nothing - nearly 24 years now.

Schuring? He's only done nothing for 16 years now.

By any measure, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) says Oelslager and Schuring are monumental failures on fixing Ohio public education woes. This even though both have been in the majority most of their careers and for a number of years in a supermajority (veto proof).

On this coming Tuesday Stark's Fairless, Northwest and Plain school districts will have levy issues on the ballots. Over the years Oelslager and Schuring have liked going to these districts for photo ops. But there are nowhere to be seen when it comes to providing solutions.

Why would anyone in Stark County want to return either to Columbus in 2010?

Oieslager (term limited out of the Ohio House in 2010) has already announced that he plans to switch chairs for the third time (in contempt of the voters' desire for term limits) and run for termed-out state Senator Kirk Schuring.

Schuring has not committed to run to replace Oelslager in the 51st yet again, but don't be surprised if he does.

Again, why sould anyone in Stark County want to return either to Columbus in 2010?

TRACKING OUR LEGISLATOR SERIES: DO OUR OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPS "REALLY" CARE ABOUT "SUNSHINE?"

It is a rarity, but they did it!

Who did it?

The Repository Editorial Board.

What did they do?

Wrote a meaningful editorial.

What about?

Ohio's "open records" law.

What's so special about this?

Follow through, follow through and follow through. That's what!

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) applauds the The Rep's Editorial Board for criticizing (the Ohio Supreme Court's decision State ex rel. Toledo Blade Company v. Toledo-Lucas Cty. Port Auth. - See Courts deal setback to disclosure, April 27, 2009)

But there is a remedy for this "against the public interest" decision against requiring full public disclosure of the bases of actions by public entities when private legal counsel does the investigating. And the solution lies with the Ohio General Assembly.

If Stark County's legislators care, they will amend Ohio Revised Code Section 2713(A)(2) to provide for the situation the Toledo-Lucas Cty. Port Auth. case.

The Report is not optimistic Oleslager, Schuring, Slesnick or Snitchler will do so.

Why is The Report pessimistic?

Because of this group's collective refusal to act when it was pointed out to them that legislation granting public utility companies virtual veto authority over PUCO (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) rate hike decisions. None of these legislators were even aware of this huge loop hole in the legislation.

Does anyone think any one of these legislators have the courage to stand up against American Electric Power, First Energy and Duke Energy?

Unless The Rep's Editorial Board, yours truly and the like keep up the pressure on our Stark County legislative delegation; they, like most public officials, will continue seeking to get from day-to-day; ruffling as few feathers as possible and maintaining a
de facto "the public be damned attitude.

The Report questions the stamina of The Rep Editorial Board.

Outside of "Sunshine Week," they do not do a consistent (let's say an Sunshine-esque editorial at least once a week directed at Stark's legislators) job editorializing in the public interest.

Is that about to change?

Probably not.

But one can fantasize, no?

DISCUSSION: 52ND DISTRICT - DOES AGE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? EASTERDAY , AGE 69 VERSUS SLESNICK, AGE 30?

John M. Easterday (Republican - Canton) has been in business for 37 years.

Stephen D. Slesnick (Democrat - Canton and the sitting "appointed" successor to William Healy, II) is only 30 years old.

At age 69, Easterday makes the point that he is not likely to be a career politician. Slesnick was a surprise nominee coming out of Democratic primary because he did run against a number of career politicians. Does his youth and early political success suggest that Slesnick is on his way to becoming a career politician himself?

Easterday promotes, as an advantage to his candidacy, that he doesn't have to learn by his mistakes; that he as a business person for decades now, knows what works and what doesn't. In effect, Easterday is trying to use his age as a positive.

Slesnick is from a well-known Canton area scrap metal business who has been provided an avenue into business by his family. By virtue of his youth, it stands to reason that Slesnick has much to learn about the "lessons of life" that Easterday claims he has already mastered.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) in reviewing the contestants answers to questionnaires constructed by and published by The Repository (link to Easterday and Slesnick), assesses that Slesnick has a better handle on Ohio issues that impact Stark County. In fact, Easterday failed to respond to the question: "What are the Stark County issues that need attention in Columbus?"

In a previous write-up on this race, The Report noted that Slesnick impresses as a sitting "appointed" representative by his virtue of his initiative in communication with constituents and the media on his early work in the Legislature.

Easterday has a huge uphill climb to best Slesnick in November - a task that The Report believes in not doable; provided, of course, that nothing lurks in Slesnick's past or in his conduct through November 4th that dramatically changes the complexion of the 52nd District contest.

The Report believea that this contest's outcome is a safe bet for Slesnick and he will be focusing on helping Celeste DeHoff in the 50th to take away a Republican seat.

It makes sense for Slesnick to do so. If the Democrats gain control of the Ohio House; control will empower Slesnick to make headway on his twin campaign goals of fixing public education financing and Ohio's economical development.

The difference between Slesnick and DeHoff is that The Report looks for Slesnick to be given a leadership role in the Ohio General Assembly whereas DeHoff will not, if she makes it at all.

The questions: Will the Slesnick/Easterday contest devolve into a age issue? Is this a race at all? Will Slesnick be energizing the DeHoff face off with Todd Snitchler?

DISCUSSION: A PROFILE IN POLITICAL COURAGE?

When the story first broke, successor to Canton mayor William Healy, II, Stephen Slesnick didn't know enough to comment on the Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann controversy.

Well, all the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report), "What a Difference a Day Makes."

Now Slesnick has jumped on the bandwagon State Rep. Mark Okey (D-61) started.

What's more, 16th Congressional candidate John Boccieri has gotten much stronger in his condemnation of Dann.

You even have Stark County's ultimate politico, Democratic chair, Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., getting in on the act. With the likes of Maier jumping ship, Dann has to know he is in big, big trouble.

Returning to the Slesnick "Profile in Political Courage," on Friday May 2nd, he told The Repository "I don't know enough about the situation to be able to comment . . . "[w]e have been very busy working on legislation."

By May 5 he was telling The Rep: "I'm right behind the governor, . . . [g]iven the facts are correct, we are all on the same page as the governor." Still kind of mealy-mouthed in the estimate of The Report.

Slesnick is an example of what is the worse about politicians. Mark Okey is a model of "A Profile in Courage."

Among the two, which in your opinion is the the one who exemplifies political courage?