UPDATE: 01/07/2009 AT 07:52 AM
This is what Stark County Political Report reader Justine Johnson thinks of Bosley's ability to keep promises
ORIGINAL POSTTodd Bosley made so many promises to my group when we were campaigning for him...well you can imagine. He's weazled out of every single one.
I am thrilled to have discovered your blog. (excerpt from an email sent to SCPR on 01/06/2010)
"A promise made, is a promise to be kept," so says Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley. He tells the SCPR that he is a risk taker (courageous) to do what needs to be done to move Stark County forward and that he is a man of his word.
In November, 2009 outgoing commissioner Tom Harmon made a motion to take money originally committed to centralizing 9-1-1 into a Stark countywide cystem with one dispatch center and a backup and place it in "a county stabilization fund" (aka as a rainy day fund). Commissioner Pete Ferguson seconded and voted for Harmon's motion.
Commissioner Bosley objected on the basis that "a promise made, is a promise to be kept."
Bosley had told the SCPR, after he lost the vote, that he was coming back another day (after Harmon was gone) to restore the money to 9-1-1.
At yesterday's regular commissioner's meeting, he was back.
Commissioners agreed to take a new vote next Wednesday, January 13th.
It will be interesting to see what Meeks, in particular, does, The SCPR believes that Meeks will - by and large - get his marching orders as commissioner from Stark County Democratic Party chariman Randy Gonzalez.
But there is a dilemma here. As Stark County Council of Governments (SCOG) Governance chair, it is in Gonzalez's interest for Meeks to vote with Bosley. However, voting with Bosley could cause Meeks huge blow-back come 2011.
How so?
There will be a huge deficiency of county revenues come 2011.
If Meeks gets "retained" in November, 2010, he will need every penny that is available in the general fund come 2011 to have any chance at all to keep Stark County departments of government afloat. Even though county officials are trying to work out a plan to get voters to approve new taxes come November, 2010; the prospects are dim indeed.
The best that county officials will be able to do is to get a renewal of the 1/4 of one percent sales tax currently on the books set to expire in 2011. However, it is quite thinkable that Stark Countians will not even approve a renewal of the tax.
Now enter another player.
Who is that?
County administrator Mike Hanke.
How so?
The SCPR believes he was the architect of the Harmon move to assign all the remaining money to be collected from the "imposed" tax to "the stabilization (rainy day) fund. Hanke has projected to yours truly that he will have $6 to $7 million in the fund by 2011, if, of course, ALL the remaining "to be collected" from the imposed sales/use tax money is placed in the stabilization fund.
Now that Harmon is gone, The Report believes Hanke is making the case to new Commissioner Meeks to sustain the Harmon position.
In the judgment of the SCPR, Hanke will succeed.
How will losing again affect Bosley's chances in November, if he decides to run for re-election as commissioner?
Bosley can still say to Stark Countians that he kept his promise. That he is a man of principle, conviction and courage. While one might disagree with him on various issues; his staying with the original committee is proof that he can be depended on to keep his word. In short, he is a promise keeper.
Principle, conviction and courage? When was the last time an incumbent Stark County politician ran for re-election on a message of principle, conviction and courage?
How will Stark Countians react to such a campaign?
Will they believe Bosley?
It will be interesting to see!
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