DISCUSSION: STARK GOP TRYING TO MAKE SALES/USE TAX IMPOSITION A "REFERENDUM ON COMMISSIONER TODD BOSLEY?"

UPDATE: The SCPR stands by the assessment (notwithstanding the COMMENT published below) that in Canton this effort is being used by Stark County Republicans to test the anti-sales/use tax sentiment as a prelude (in the testing the waters sense) to challenge Commissioner Bosley. The Report's source, a high local Republican leader, tells the SCPR that Jason Wise (a Stark County Republican Party operative) is a leader if not THE leader of this event.

The Report is opininizing as to why the local GOP is heavily involved in the Canton event. Nothing in the original piece speaks to the national implications of the event.

Here is the COMMENT referred to:

dr. john has left a new comment on your post "DISCUSSION: STARK GOP TRYING TO MAKE SALES/USE TA...":

I hope you realize this is a non-partisan event. I am a democrat and I plan to attend. I think you, Mr. Olson, need to stop criticizing both parties without really checking your facts. The nationwide tax day tea party coalition is sponsoring all national events happening on April 15th, and it was a requirement for these to be non-partisan.


ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Because the Stark County Republican Party has such little political muscle these days, tha party has gone sub rosa in its efforts to defeat first-term county Commissioner Todd Bosley (Democrat - Marlboro) come November, 2010.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) does know that the Stark GOPers will be looking at the numbers very closely when the repeal effort on the 1/2% sales/use tax imposed by (all Democrat) county commissioners this past January comes to a vote this November, if it makes it to the ballot.

Bosley used an overhaul of Stark County 9-1-1 as the justification as he spearheaded the effort for imposing the tax. The measure will also reise millions annually for the county's general budget.

Leading Stark County Republicans have acknowledged to The Report that they know they cannot defeat Bosley unless they can tie the tax issue as in "albatross around the neck" to Bosley. After all, he narrowly defeated a local Republican star (son of retired 16th district congressman Ralph Regula; Richard) as "the" sunning result of the 2006 general election.

In order to attract a candidate with the financial resources and countywide name recognition to match up with Bosley, the Republicans are trying to get Stark Countians to buy into the tax-repeal movement/Bosley linkage. Party worker and stalwart Jason Wise (who was the Republican candidate against Democrat Nancy Reinbold for Stark County clerk of courts in 2008) is the Republican point man.

So on tax day 2008 (April 15th, of course), Republicans will gather in front of the Stark County Office Building to rally for the tax repeal (petitions have not yet been filed with the Stark Board of Elecltions) in an effort to lure Democrats and political independents into supporting the effort.

If the rally fizzles; so will the effort to run a meaningful candidate against Boslye. If, however, it is successful, then the Republicans will be heartened and Bosley will likely be in the fight of his political life.