PART TWO - DEALING WITH THE $8 BILLION DEFICIENT OHIO BUDGET - BOSLEY V. SNITCHLER DEBATE 07/28/2010 ("POINTS TO PONDER" WHBC-1480AM)

Ron Ponder who is a talk show host on WHBC-1480 with his program "Points to Ponder" very effectively managed a debate between incumbent Republican state Representative Todd Snitchler and challenger and Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley and thereby provided Stark Countians who live in the 50th Ohio House District (Marlboro, Nimishillen, Pike, Sandy, Sugarcreek, Perry [part], Tuscarawas, Lawrence and Lake Townships) with a good look at the varying views of the two Todds.

Ponder and his producer and  protege at WHBC, Stephon King, dubbed the debate as "The Battle of the Todds."

Ponder and WHBC are doing a tremendous public service for the Stark County public in doing this debate as well as arranging for a number of debates between Stark County candidates in other races.   Moreover, Ponder is working on putting together appearances by the likes of Governor Strickland and his Republican opponent John Kasich, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman and Democrat Lee Fisher among others.

In today's debate Ponder drew the candidates out on what each would do to solve the projected $8 billion shortfall in the Fiscal Year 2012 - 2013 Ohio budget that is to be balanced by June 1, 2011.

Neither candidate seemed to have much of an answer. 

To sum the offerings up, the SCPR took Snitchler's view to, in essence, be to "cost cut into balance" whereas Bosley's view boiled down to create jobs and "grow the economy into balance."

For readers who want to get a more realistic and complete grasp of what needs to be done, go to the Center for Community Solutions at read Thinking the Unthinkable:  Finding Common Ground for Resolving Ohio's Fiscal Crisis.