It is interesting to the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) how well Democratic and Republican party officials take care of themselves, some members of their family and, of course, their staunchest political allies with publicly funded jobs.
It would be one thing if these jobs were with private entities, but it is quite another when the jobs set aside are financed by taxpayer funds which do not seem to be available to the general public or perhaps promotions made on political considerations rather than on merit and merit alone.
Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. appears to be the personification of taking care of one's own in the "public?" jobs realm. And we know, by his own words, how indebted Governor Strickland is to Chairman Maier for being the first county chairman to endorse the governor when Strickland ran for governor.
The Report was given the heads up earlier this week that Maier's brother Chuck, who is also an elected Massillon City Councilman, would be appointed to a position by Ohio treasurer Kevin L. Boyce (who himself was appointed treasurer by Governor Strickland on December 24, 2008).
The same "heads-up" told The Report that a Stark County Auditor Kim Perez relative who held the job that Maier was to get was moving to Columbus for a state position to clear the way for Maier. The Report on Maier turned out to be accurate as Treasurer Boyle at a semi-annual Stark County Democratic Party gathering (presumably invited by Chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr) announced the Chuck Maier appointment.
Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. is the elected Massillon Muny clerk of courts and his wife Debra is the elected fiscal officer of Tuscarawas Township.
Just as an aside. Johnnie was outraged that the Republicans put up a candidate against him last time out. Apparently, Johnnie feels entitled, huh? What is this thing called a democracy anyway? Bah, humbug!
Getting back to Chuck Maier.
Exactly what is a Stark County Ohio treasurer liaison any way?
Boyce does have to run again in 2010. Wanna make a bet? The Report wagers that Chuck Maier will show up Boyce's Stark County phase of his re-election effort as a prime campaign figure. Any takers?
The Report does not know of any other Maier family employment connections to public jobs that suspiciously look like political connections were a factor, but your s truly would not be surprised to learn to the contrary.
And there is clearly a long list of non-bloodline-political loyalists that the chairman appears to have helped get publicly funded jobs without having had to compete with the taxpaying public.
The names and positions are sprinkled throughout the blogs of The Report and The Report will continue to bring these seemingly "politically based" appointments to the public's attention; not only by the Democrat but also by Stark's Republicans. They have their own rich history of using publicly funded jobs for political party spin off advantage.
How long will the public continue to fund Stark county, village, city and township government where there appears to be a "political set aside?"
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