Thursday, October 18, 2018

NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM: HAAVISTO & WEST - THE 49TH OHIO HOUSE DISTRICT

UPDATE:  FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH - 2:48 PM

Video of Haavisto response to "A bit harsh, no?" commentary and The Report's rejoinder
&
Canton League of Women Voters  bio, question and answer for both Haavisto and West

STARTS OFF LET'S SAY "NEIGHBORLY"
THEN
TURNS HEATED



One of Canton's greatest strengths is its "neighborhood associates."

And last night the Aultman/Raff Road Neighborhood Associates did themselves proud in sponsoring a candidates forum feature 49th Ohio House District candidates Thomas West (LINK, incumbent Democrat) and James Haavisto (LINK, Republican challenger).

While others (much of the Stark County commercial/governmental/political establishment) say that Canton's resurgence as a viable Ohio urban center is dependent on the success of the $1 billion plus Professional Football Hall of Fame village expansion project (HOF-VP; begun in 2014), The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) says that an accurate gauge of the overall health of the Hall of Fame City has always been and will continue the be "the quality of the city's neighborhoods."

While 2121 George Halas Drive is within city limits, the core and heart and soul of the city is in associations like Aultman and Raff Road.

If properly put together, the HOF-VP will put millions of dollars into Canton's neighborhoods so that visitors have an opportunity to marvel when "all hands are on deck" for the well being of the entire community and not just a part of it.

It appears that the Market Square project which is likely to cost $11/12 million if ever completed through three phases will be a gaudy-esque entertainment piece out of character with the 3rd Street NW and Market Avenue North area of Canton.

Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei and his "right hand man" J.R. Rinaldi are doing the hard, drawn out work of restoring Canton's neighborhoods to a look where folks seek out to live in.  (see Bernabei comment on the vital role of the SCF Neighborhood Project in the appendix to this blog)

And that is where the likes of the president of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the publisher of the Canton Repository and their ilk hang out.

The Repository was out in "full-force" at Tuesday night's League of Women Voters Issue 1 forum on Tuesday evening; but nowhere to be seen last night in a core location of Canton's neighborhoods.

A SCPR "Hats Off!" to the


for hosting at the Babe Stern Community Center located on 13th St SW an opportunity for citizens of the 49th Ohio House District to see/hear/question the candidates for the office the two year term of which begins on January 1, 2019.


The Report also does a "shout out" to Councilman Jason Scaglione (Democrat - Ward 3) one of Canton's most hands-on and therefore "effective" councilpersons who not only "talks the talk" but "walks the walk" through Canton Ward 3.   He is a refreshing change from his predecessor who liked to say "I just love being a councilman" but did not nearly approach the level of Ward involvement that Jason Scaglione expends.

Scaglione seemingly is in every Ward 3 sited event that the SCPR covers and, he was, last night.

Although only in office since January 1, 2017, he is proving to be a "model" councilman.

A question.

Why was nobody from:
  • Canton government administration,  
  • Canton councilpersons
  • Massillon councilpersons, and 
  • Bethlehem, Canton, Pike Township trustees (core parts of the 49th) (Note:  A small portion in the south of Plain Township is also in the 49th)
not in attendance last night?

Many elected officials talk neighborhood health but seemingly only show up in their respective neighborhoods when their personal election/re-election are at stake.

Readers of The Stark County Political Report know that Cantonians/Stark Countians can depend on The Report covering these very important base-level local events which provide their citizens with an "up close and personal look" at significant happenings going on in their neighborhoods.



A popular refrain at Canton neighborhood association events is "Howdy Neighbor!"

It was refreshing to see former Canton mayor and current Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton greet the 150 or so Cantonians/Stark Countians who showed up
  • at the Stark Community Foundation's 14th Annual Neighborhood Candidate Forum  on October 8th at The McKinley Grand
with a hearty "Howdy Neighbor!"


One of the major disappointments of last night's event is that neither candidate (in this blogger's recollection) made mention of what either had done or would do from a state government standpoint to support Ohio local neighborhood resurgence.

There was talk and back and forth discussion about guns and incumbent 49th District representative Tom West House Bill 479.  (LINK)

There was talk about the ripping away of massive amounts of local government funding by state of Ohio government at the hand of the Republican supermajority controlled Ohio General Assembly (which 48th and 50th Ohio House Republicans Kirk Schuring and Christina Hagan and 29th Ohio Senate Republican Scott Oelslager all supported) and Republican governor John Kasich.

There was talk about the huge amount ($2.5 billion or so) in Ohio's "Rainy Day Fund."

West wants to shake some of the money free to help local communities.

Haavisto suggested the fund needed to be larger and never did describe a specific situation in which he would support spending from the fund.

To the SCPR, "Republican" candidate Haavisto appeared as a matter of political perspective to more of a Libertarian than a Republican.

He seemingly harped on  the notion that folks just need "to pull themselves up by the bootstraps" and not rely on government" and his mission, if elected state representative, would be to downsize government so as to force citizens to fend for themselves in nearly any situation that comes along in life.

Kind of harsh, no?

TIME OUT!  A DIGRESSION FROM THE ORIGINAL BLOG

Last night at the Mount Union University Regula Center for Politics Candidates' Forum without specifically naming the SCPR, Haavisto responded to the SCPR's "Kind of harsh, no" comment with this:



Notwithstanding his emotionally charged response, The Report stands by this blooger's assessment that Candidate Haavisto needs to get a grip on the reality that many of us need help whether it be at the hands of family, people of faith, friends OR the government.

Apparently, the purpose of Haavisto emotional outpouring was to highlight "the tough experiences of life" as a qualifying factor to be an elected official.

Haavisto has nothing on this blogger who was one of eight children in a poverty ridden family.

This blogger could also posture that notwithstanding the disadvantages that being poverty stricken, I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and made my own way in life to the point of working full time while getting a undergraduate and law degree and having a successful law practice for 41 years.

But the fact of the matter is that I had enormous help from the people of the United States of America in the form of the GI Bill (LINK:  How the GI Bill Changed America) which enabled me to have the extra financial resource so that I could attain a professional level education.



Sure I took four years out of my life and served my country (USAF-1960 to 1964).  But many Americans before the end of WWII and the Congressional passage of the GI Bill had done so without any "atta boy" thank you.

I will forever be grateful to the taxpaying people of America for providing me with a financial resource to achieve what I would likely have never achieved.

"Life is hard," as Haavisto says but we collectively do not have to make it harder.  That's where this blogger departs from the likes of Haavisto.

Haavisto should be focusing much more on his success as having created, running a number of what he says have been "successful" businesses.  

He should be detailing by chapter and verse what his business experiences will add to the "collective" (there are 99 members of the Ohio House) wisdom of Ohio's legislature.

No doubt about it, having a college/professional degree in and of itself qualifies DOES NOT qualify one for public office.  

But neither does having experienced a "tough life."

Some people buy into Haavisto's seeming "let me administer some 'tough love' to you."  

Haavisto has shared in public how he has done this in his immediate family.  So there is no doubt he practices what he preaches in a highly personal setting.

The SCPR prefers a model suggested by the childhood song sang frequently by this blogger of "When we all work together."

Sure!  Family, the faith community and friends should be major players.

But so should we collectively as a people as taxpaying citizens who have built up a terrific nation in pooling our resources under the guidance of a few in number, even over the span of well over 200 years. wise, gracious and prescient leaders.

For this blogger's part, I will be forever grateful to the nation for helping me achieve professional stattus.

One of the reasons this blog exists is so Stark Countians have fearless journalism to turn to in the way of holding candidates (challengers and incumbents) accountable for their positions on issues and policy matters.

The Stark County Political Report is a "non-commercial, for "public accountability," jounalistic enterprise which, in part, "paying back" to taxpayers the GI Bill investment in Martin Olson.

The SCPR lis not "the official newspaper" of any cause, candidate or public funds seeking enterpise (e.g., the Professional Football Hall of Fame Village Project).  

Leaders of the aforementioned qualities is what we Stark Countians, Ohioans and Americans should be looking to place in positions of public leadership.

The more the SCPR hears from Haavisto, the more the The Report returns to the questions posed by the "A bit harsh, no?" question which he chose to respond to last night.

Apparently, Haavisto's sole purpose in government is to dismantle government.

He seemingly thinks that "being out front about his antagonism to goverment is a virtue that voters in the 49th ought to reward with their votes.

If, "let's dismantle government so that more Ohioans/Stark Countian can experience fullblown "harshness of life is the case with him,  voters of the 49th Ohio House should soundly reject his candidacy for the 49th.

END OF DIGRESSION

West, on the other hand, probably would be tabbed by many as a government interventionist candidate.  His focus last night was on "reasonable" gun control legislation.

The SCPR thinks West could be thought to be a "cradle to grave" advocate.

The Report wants to know:  Where is the middling point?

Neither of the candidates seem anywhere near that point.

While for the most part, last night the candidates were respectful of one another and the audience members, there are spots to be seen in the following video that are a bit "testy."


Here is the video of last night event taken by the SCPR. (46 min)



More information about James Haavisto and Thomas West (Source:  LWV Flyer)



LWV question:


Haavisto answer:


West answer:



APPENDIX (Bernabei on importance of Canton neighborhoods)

Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei on the Stark Community Foundation support for Canton neighborhoods (October 8, 2018).




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