3RD ANNUAL SCPR "LUMP OF COAL" AWARD - STARK COUNTY OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATION: OELSLAGER, OKEY, SCHIAVONI, SCHURING, SLESNICK & SNITCHLER

Here it is Christmas season 2010 with the likes of Trustee Louis Giavasis (Plain Township) and Councilwoman Mary Cirelli (Canton) working hard to make Stark County safe and secure in its fresh water drinking supply only to be undermined by the Stark County Ohio General Assembly delegation. Messers Oelslager, Okey, Schuring, Schiavoni, Slesnick and Snitchler (three Republicans; three Democrats) voting either for Senate Bill 165 (2010) and/or House Bill 278 (2004).

Bills 165 and 278 cumulatively took away what little say that townships, villages and cities across Ohio (including, of course, Stark County) had on the exploration of and extraction of oil and natural gas from beneath our homes and farms.

Republican officeholders in particular deify local government and local control.

Congressman-elect Jim Renacci (Republican, the 16th Congressional District) even said that civil rights should be a matter for local governance during his successful campaign against Democrat John Boccieri this past November. While the SCPR profoundly disagrees with Renacci, The Report is all for a local say in when, where and how oil and gas companies explore for and extract oil and natural gas.

Over the coming months Stark County will be a battleground between pro oil and gas company forces and their endeavor to bring hydraulic horizontal fracking drilling operations and those (including Giavasis and Cirelli) who, while not anti-oil and gas, insist on having a say in making sure that any fracking be done in such a way to protect Stark Countians and our water supply.

The coming week Trustee Giavasis will - at a regular session of the Plain Township Board of Trustees - be offering a resolution that he says is intended to safeguard Plain Township fresh water drinking supply from pollution that some say come from the fracking process.

On January 20th (for pro and anti-fracking forces) and January 27th  (for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources) informational meetings will be held at Oakwood Middle School in Plain Township on the safety of the fracking issue.  The meetings will be hosted by WHBC1480's Ron Ponder of Points to Ponder (10:00 a.m. through Noon, Monday through Friday).

Members of Stark's delegation to the Ohio General Assembly should plan to be present at the meetings to hear what Stark Countians have to say about the votes for Bills 165 and 278.

For the SCPR's part, today's blog bestows the dubious honor of Oelslager, Okey, Schuring, Schiavoni, Slesnick and Snitchler receiving the 3rd Annual SCPR "Lump of Coal" Award for their collective efforts in undermining local government.

SCHURING & SNITCHLER GET IT RIGHT. THE REST OF THE STARK COUNTY OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY DELEGATION "GET CAUGHT WITH HAND IN TAXPAYER'S POCKET?"

The Schuring quote is from his op-ed piece that appeared in The Rep shortly after the vote on the Ohio budget bill in July, 2009.

Today, the Ohio Supreme Court in a 6 to 1 vote, validated the Schuring position.

The man who wants to play musical chairs Schuring and become Stark County's primary state senator (once again); namely,  Scott Oelslager (Republican - 51st), crossed aisles to join Democrats on July 13, 2009 to vote for a de facto $851.5 million to deny Ohioans the right to vote on whether not to expand gambling in Ohio.

Oelslager joined Ohio House Democrats Mark Okey (61st), Slesnick (52nd) and Schiavoni (33rd - the Senate) to deny the basic right of Ohioans to self-determine on the spread of gambling.

Why did Oelslager and the Democrats approve the "usurping the voters" measure?

Because, if they didn't; they would have to join opponents Schuring (R - Jackson - 29th/Senate) and Snitchler (R - Lake - 50th/Ohio House) in an up or down vote on a tax increase to plug a nearly $900 million deficit if voters opt not to allow an expansion of gambling come November.

Voting "up or down" is what legislators should have to do.

So one can only look on Oelslager, Okey, Schiavoni and Slesnick as being "political cowards."

The SCPR applauds Schuring and Snichler for being willing to put their political necks on the line next year less than a year before they have to stand for re-election.

You can be sure that all of the Stark County delegation members (including the "apparent for now" stand up guys) will be working overtime between now and the pre-election break next summer/fall to find a way to avoid voter accountability on raising taxes.

Keep tuned on his one.  A front and center up or down vote on a highly controversial issue may well be in the offiing before the November, 2010 elections!