STARK COUNTY'S VERY OWN "SWALLOW A CAMEL; STRAIN AT A GNAT," TO WIT: CHARLES SNYDER: STARK CITIZENS FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE & CANDIDATE FOR THE FAIRLESS SCHOOL BOARD

UPDATED TO INCLUDE VIDEO OF CONLEY SPEAKING ON "POINTS TO PONDER"

The Stark Citizens Right to Vote members like to say:  "we are not anti-tax."

And one of the group's members is out to prove it in spades.

Which member?

Charles Snyder, a chief spokesman for the group, that's who. 

How's that?

Well, he and the Stark Citizens are saying that the County sales tax is "a money grab." (to quote Stark Citizens Right to Vote fellow-Snyder spokesman Craig Conley)

Here is a video of Conley accusing the Stark County commissioners of doing a "money grab" with the imposed sales/use tax.
On the other hand, Snyder, who is a candidate for the school board in the Fairless school district, tells the SCPR that the Fairless system rivals Northwest in financial desperation and therefore he is a supporter of an additional levy for the Fairless schools.

Well, what are the facts?   (this is special for group member Tom Marcelli).  Marcelli has a terrific skill of getting his facts (as do other members of the Stark Citizens) wrong and confusing "an opinion" as being represented as facts. 

On the tax increase that Snyder says he supports:

Construing "the facts" most favorable to Snyder et al, he (having told the SCPR he supports the efforts of Fairless school officials to get a levy passed) would cost property owners in the Fairless system "on the average" at least $291 per year in increased taxes over the next 5 years (using the information from the 9.5 mill issue that was rejected 2 to 1 by Fairless voters in May, 2009).

Note that the average 2007 value of a Fairless school district home is $116,721 (2007).  So the actual average cost would probably be over $300 a year.


On the sales/use tax increase.

The average income per family for Stark Countians in 2000 (according to the census) was $47,747.  Using this figure, which clearly gives the benefit of any doubt to the anti-sales-tax folks, Stark County families will pay $119 per year in additional taxes.  Very few of us believe that that Stark families will actually pay $119 per year in additional taxes.

So Snyder's Fairless tax clearly outstrips the sales tax (calculated to benefit the Stark Citizens argument) nearly $3 to $1.

This blog will surely cause pain to the et al in the Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote Committee and the inconsistency of member Snyder.

The SCPR thinks the group (except for Snyder and his parochial interest) is anti-tax through-and-through (kind of like a "you can indeed have something for nothing" mentality), even if the tax is for a justifiable purpose.

Snyder is an aberration who is out taking care of his square inch in Fairless where he is a "certain" beneficiary of the public service to be rendered.

Snyder may or may not benefit from a "fixed" 9-1-1.  He may or may not benefit from the provision of essential government services by Stark County.

But again, he does have a definite and certain benefit to be gained by a financially viable Fairless school system.

The SCPR loves to sift through the agendas of the various players in these public issues.

On the county's side, there's the part where certain county officials use taxpayer money to support family, friends and political loyalists with public jobs set aside for such purposes.

Final take of the SCPR:

The "cost of the tax" position is bogus.  Snyder proves this with his hypocrisy.  And, the worst case scenario boils down to about 33 cents a day per Stark County family - on average - in increased sales taxes paid.


The analysis should be:

Does 9-1-1 need fixing?  If so, Is the plan a good one?  if implemented, Is it going to be free of doling out political favors to the family, friends and political loyalists to Stark County's political class?

Does Stark County need more money to provide "essential services" that Stark Countians demand of their local government.  If so, is the money going to be dedicated to critical needs?  If approved, do I trust Stark County officials to keep the money out of the hands of the family, friends and political loyalists that make up Stark County's political class?

The Stark Citizens Right to Vote Committee deserves the praise of Stark Countians for having called the Stark County commissioners on having imposed the tax.

But they have mismanaged the "sales job" on why the sales tax of 25 cents on $100 of purchasing should not be retained.

"Let it be written; let it be said!"

IS THE "STARK RIGHT TO VOTE COMMITTEE COMING UP SHORT? SUCCESS/FAILURE - HOW DOES IT IMPACT FIXING 9-1-1 AND STARK POLITICS , IN GENERAL?

Michael Mouse, a former Canal Fulton councilman, told the Stark County Political Report (SCPR/The Report) about a month ago or so that given the way the Stark Right to Vote Committee (which he was once a member of) was going about collecting signatures, they would need 20,000 to 25,000 signatures to get the 13,950 signatures needed to get the group's "repeal" of the Stark County commissioner imposed 0.50 sales/use tax (January, 2009) on the ballot.

Even if the initiative gets to the ballot box, the group will have a head-to-head fight with nearly every county official on the actual repeal issue. Such has been the prediction of Stark Commissioner Todd Bosley.

The SCPR remains skeptical that the Stark Right to Vote Committee will get the necessary 13,950 valid signatures for the fight at the ballot box to materialize. Some 15,500 (unvalidated by the Stark County Board of Elections) have been collected so far. (9-1-1 committee sticks to 2011 dispatching plan, Kelli Young, The Repository, July 9, 2009)

If they are successful, one has to wonder whether nor not Stark County Board of Elections deputy director Jeff Matthews will lead the Committee in fighting for repeal.

Why Matthews?

On Tax Day, Tea Day Matthews appeared on stage of WHLO's Matt Patrick Show (on location) to urge resistance to the tax. This is the same Jeff Matthews who is the chair of the Stark County Republican Party. Apparently, he in cahoots with party operative Jason Wise (president of the Massillon Republican Club) want to make the imposed sales/use tax an issue in upcoming Stark County elections.

The SCPR believes that Matthews has a conflict-in-interest. Being an official at the Board of Elections (BOE), his unit of government has gone to the Stark County commissioners for more money when the ability to complete all the BOE's legal obligations on holding Stark County elections.

So now he wants to help financially hamstring county operations?

There are interesting days ahead. If the Stark Right to Vote Committee successfully get their initiative on the ballot and gains a repeal, then the 9-1-1 reorganization plan will be in great jeopardy and general Stark County government operations will likely go on life support.

There is one more possible consequence of a victorious Stark Right to Vote Committee effort.

It could spell defeat for Commissioner Todd Bosley when he runs for re-election in 2010.

Fixing 9-1-1 was a key to Bosley defeating the then incumbent Richard Regula in 2006. Should 9-1-1 not get fixed given that Bosley will surely be in the lead in fighting the repeal forces, then Bosley faces a tough re-election battle in 2010 - with one caveat.

What is the caveat?

Can the Stark County Republican Party come up with a viable candidate?

This is not an insignificant question.

Chairman Jeff Matthews and his predecessor Curt Braden (Stark County Republicans) have through their weak leadership undermined the Stark GOP's ability to compete countywide.

What Republican would want to wage political warfare with Todd Bosley with a weakened Republican Party in support?