DISCUSSION: OLESLAGER IS BEING WHAT A REPRESENTATIVE OUGHT TO BE, HOW ABOUT THE OTHERS?

Several months ago the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) checked out the Ohio Elections Commissions web site.

What a shock!

In the words of Steven Meeks (former Jackson Township trustee and now Region 9 Director for Governor Ted Strickland), the web site a embarrassment to the state of Ohio.

The Report is impressed with Scott Oelslager for responding to a Meeks communication letting Region 9 representatives and senators know about the "citizen unfriendly" Elections Commission online presence.

Oelslager is the only one- not my actual representative/senator (Hagan/Schuring) and not the other Region 9 legislators.

The Report's actual Ohio House representative out to be taking a page out of Oelslager's book. But Scott Oelslager is a mature man who looks out for Stark Countians even if he has been criticized by a given person.

Not John Hagan. He is so utterly insecure as a human being, which carries over into his public responsibilities, that he reflexively violates his duty (which he gets paid to perform) to look after the concerns of constituents - if the constituent has demonstrated the effrontery to challenge him on the issues.

Just imagine John Hagan as county commissioner?

All I can account for with Kirk Schuring is that he is too busy to attend to constituent matters because of his 16th District congressional race against John Boccieri. No excuse though. Snubs like this should factor in to whether or not he becomes Stark County's next congressman.

For the others, they are just in the vicinity and do not have a direct obligation to The Report. But they should care as to whether or not their direct constituents have access to public records electronically.

Recorder Rick Campbell (who, by the way, is on the ballot in November), has done the best job of any area officeholder in making public records accessible to all Stark Countians online.

And, then there is The Repository. Once a year the editors make a big splash about the availability of public records. The editors may even chide candidates for the Ohio General Assembly for not being creative enough and insistent enough on making public records available.
But, except when The Rep has a need, these editors are not to be heard.

Question: Is Scott Oelslager the only legislator in the Stark County delegation who has it right in being attentive to constituents?

DISCUSSION: THE PERFECT FIT?

Of course, Democrat Governor Ted Strickland is obligated to support Democratic candidate Celeste DeHoff who is Tuscarawas Township trustee and Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.'s protege.

But wouldn't it make more sense for Ohio if he were to take a page out of the book of Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman and do what's best for the state (in this instance) over his political party?

Since the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has a huge stake in the success of the Strickland administration plan, doesn't it stand to reason that Strickland would want a solid chamber of commerce guy in the Ohio House to support his economic development efforts - the one one issue in Ohio these days?

Todd Snitchler, the Republican candidate for the Ohio House (50th) has vastly superior chamber of commerce credentials over the Democrat candidate Celeste DeHoff. He's a past president of the Lake Chamber of Commerce and currently president of the Lake Development Corporation which has a very strong association with area chambers of commerce.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) recalls a recent presentation that Snitchler made to the Uniontown Business Association (the non-political, political event it was), outlining how he went to the Massillon Chamber of Commerce for advice on setting up the Lake Development Corporation.

It is somewhat mystifying to The Report why Strickland has turned to the Ohio Chamber.

Hasn't the Ohio Chamber of Commerce had a large role with the Ohio Republican Party (which some say are joined at the hip) in constructing economic development plans over the past 20 years? Haven't those 20 years been a economic disaster for Ohio? Is the Strickland administration so bereft of new ideas that it has to turn to the "old idea" machine?

The saying is: "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten."

Apparently, the Strickland administration has dipped, once again, into the reservoir of stale ideas that haven't worked.

Ohioans and Stark Countians can only hope that Strickland gets lucky and pulls a rabbit out of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce hat.

Who better, The Report asks, to help Strickland than chamber devotee Todd Snitchler? Who does Strickland care more about - the future of state of Ohio or the success of a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House?

What choice do you think he should make?

DISCUSSION: NORTH CANTON COUNCIL SEES DAVID HELD AS BEING AN INEFFECTIVE MAYOR?

No matter how long you have been around the political hustings, everyday seems to bring out something new.

Earlier this week the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) was in conversation with a person in a position to know, claims that Republican Mayor David Held is viewed by Republican-controlled North Canton Council members as being a weak mayor.

The Report is skeptical of this observation.

Held is held (no pun intended) high esteem in his job performance by most area government officials in his capacity of being executive director of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District.

But there are some strong personalities on North Canton City Council some of whom have a great deal of government experience (e.g. Daryl Revoldt - former North Canton mayor and Ohio Department of Economic Development official now serving as Council president) and very likely feel they are the match of, if not superior to, Mayor Held in terms of leadership ability.

So it could be.

North Canton is facing a $650,000 deficit and an unexpected need to raise some $2 million (for street widening to make possible the move of Myers Industries' heavy equipment) to complete its luring of Myers from Massillon.

Question: Do you find it credible that North Canton Council views David Held as being a weak mayor?

DISCUSSION: GOOD LUCK? WHAT WILL MAYOR HEALY DO TO IMPROVE BOCCIERI'S "GOOD LUCK?"

Yes, Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II wishes 16th District congressional candidate and state Senator John Boccieri "good luck" in his campaign against state Senator J. Kirk Schuring.

The question becomes: What, if anything, will Healy do to enhance Boccieri's luck?

It may turn out that Boccieri needs tons of luck. That is, if you take seriously an area union official's concern about the oomph of the Boccieri campaign.

The Report has taken the position that this race is Boccieri's to lose given the political reality that the voting public is looking for Democrats to support. But its beginning to look like Boccieri's campaign is not taking advantage of the national trend.

For Boccieri to win the 16th, he must get out the Democratic vote in the urban areas of Stark County. If he doesn't, he will not win.

In today's Repository there is a big hoopla news article about Schuring getting some local (Stark County) union support. Stark County Republicans have long been frustrated in their attempts to break through and get some union support.

The whole union thing by Schuring is to make it appear that organized working men and women of Stark County are open to voting for a Republican even in the face of programs and policies that Democrat leaders say are anti-working-person.

This Schuring effort is interesting in light of a high ranking local union official relating some time ago to the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) a contact from local Republican leader Daryl Revolt (now president of North Canton Council) asking for a sit down in order to discuss ways that local Republicans could get consideration for endorsements from Stark County-based unions.

The question is: Will the Boccieri forces sit idly by and let the Schuring camp pull this union caper off?

A countermand to Republican attempt to get union support would be for area Democrats to get chamber of commerce support. The Report believes that this is territory that Healy could wade into on behalf the Boccieri campaign. Healy in his campaign leading up to being elected mayor and even after election has made it clear that he seeks, perhaps even has, a close association with Canton Regional.

The Report sees Healy as the primary Stark County Democrat that the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce will listen to in terms of what candidates they and the parent organization (the Ohio Chamber of Commerce).

Yet another local organized labor leader told The Report that he is sure he could go get ten local business persons who are members of the Canton Regional/Ohio Chamber of Commerces who are willing to publicly say they support John Boccieri and claim chamber of commerce support. The leader dismissed the Schuring effort as an publicity effort and the named union members do not speak for organized labor.

The Report revisits the question posted above. Exactly what will Healy do to help Boccieri achieve good luck?

DISCUSSION: UGLY IS, AS UGLY DOES?

There is a saying: "pretty is, as pretty does." Naturally, the flip-side of this truism is "ugly is, as ugly does."

John Hagan (Republican - Marlboro) is the personification of "ugly is, as ugly does."

Unless a person is a partisan supporter or someone he can latch onto for political benefit as a leech latches on to its host as a matter of life and death, John Hagan is unlikely to give you the time of day.

In the Ohio General Assembly, Hagan attached himself to Larry Householder and Jon Husted (a former and current Speaker of the Ohio House) in the most sychophantic way. Moreover, he has been in the hip-pocket of Ohio's big energy companies (as chair of Public Utilities) as the Legislature considered whether or not to proceed with the deregulation of electric utilities. Because of his campaign contribution relationship with the electricity producing behemoths, Stark Countians are going to be paying dramatically higher electric bills over the next three years.

Hagan as a matter of course blows off "everyday" citizens who ask for his assistance in his role of state representative. Again, to have much of a likelihood of getting attention from Hagan, you must be a partisan-Hagan/Republican) or sympathic, or a campaign contribution supporting person/entity.

A number of years ago, Stark Countians connected to the Ohio Education Association (OEA) went to Columbus to talk to legislators about fixing public education financing. One such person decided to visit Hagan. Short into the conversation, Hagan told the OEA person that he was not interested in hearing their case because they (the OEA) had endorsed his opponent (yours truly).

As readers of the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) know, The Report has been highly critical of Democrat Pete Ferguson (John Hagan's opponent in a race for a Stark County Board of County Commissioners seat) for his non-specificity on areas where the Stark County commissioners could make further spending cuts and changes he says need to made in county government.

John Hagan won't tell The Report what his issues are in his campaign against Ferguson (saying that he doesn't like The Report's take on his legislative work and his conduct as legislator). The Report suspects the truth of the matter is that he has no issues. He is merely looking for another political job since he is term-limited out of the Ohio House.

At least one can say that Ferguson is generally recognized as a friendly guy who will engage anyone that approaches him.

This race is one of the most unfortunate for Stark County voters. Both candidates are seriously lacking.

The Report did a piece posing the question as to who was the least lazy between Ferguson and Hagan (as candidates). The article drew a lot of chuckles, one was a knowing chuckle from a leading Stark County Republican.

Question: Are Stark Countians about to have to choose between nasty uncommunicative person and a nice guy "short on the specifics" for our next county commissioner?

DISCUSSION: OELSLAGER STAYING IN THE OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY? WORKING THE SYSTEM?

The Stark County Political Report (The Report) camped out at the Stark County Fair yesterday afternoon to talk to a number of area politicians running for office this year.

The Report will be running a series of "political tidbits" picked up in conversations with the politicos.

First up is Ohio House member Republican Scott Oelslager revealing to The Report that immediate future political plans are set.

Oelslager will be term-limited out for the third time once he is elected (he's running opposed - thanks to Stark County Democratic chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.) as representative from the 51st district.

He and congressional candidate Kirk Schuring have been playing "musical chairs" with the voters ever since Ohioans approved the term-limits a number of years ago.

Schuring is term-limited in his Ohio Senate seat already and if he loses to Boccieri will have to make a decision on whether or not he tries to trade places with Oelslager once again and runs for the 51st slot.

A couple of other notes from the Oelslager exchange. He thinks that whether or not Ohio House flips from the GOP to the Dems will be a matter of a few seats. Moreover, even if the House stays with the Republicans, Oelslager is optimistic that gubernatorial politics (Ohio elects a new governor in 2010) will not interfere with Strickland's promise to solve the public education funding problem during his first term.

The Report does not share Oelslager's optimism.

Two questions for discussion here.

First, should Stark Countians put a stop to Schuring and Oelslager playing musical chairs and thereby frustrating the intention of the framers of the term-limit constitutional addition?

Second, if the Ohio Republican Party continues to control the Ohio Senate/House after the November, 2008 election; will Republicans (in the context of a gubernatorial campaign) work with Democrat Governor Strickland to keep his first term promise to solve the public education funding problem?

DISCUSSION: WHAT MASSILLION POLITICAL LEADER WILL STEP FORWARD TO SAVE MASSILLON FROM ITSELF?

It's one issue, after another. It's one political fight, after another. There's an ethics investigation going on. What's up in Massillon?

Who, from among the Massillon political class, will step up to wave the magic wand and solve Massillon's may problems.

What are the problems?

First (August 30, 2008) and foremost, Massillon lost its first football game of the season (already? - has Coach Jason Hall started looking for his next job?) this past Saturday (to a Utah team?).

Second, (August 27, 2008) newly appointed interim superintendent of schools John McGrath has called Massillon teachers dishonorable because they refused to ratify a tentative contract agreement reached on June 11th.

Third, (August 25, 2008) Massillon City Auditor Jane Ferrero tells Massillon Council that Massillon general budget will be insolvent to the tune of $550, 000 by year's end and that job cuts and other costs savings measures are needed.

Fourth, (August 25, 2008) Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (also Massillon Municipal Clerk of Courts) embarrasses Stark County public education by having Governor Strickland appoint charter school employee - Tony Townsend - (principal/assistant principal) of Republican David Brennan via White Hat Management, Inc. (Hope Academy) who also is a Massillon City Councilman as a trustee of Stark State College's Board of Trustees.

Fifth, (August 20, 2008) Massillon shares in increased unemployment in July, 2008. From The Rep:

The Canton-Massillon metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties, saw local governments cut back a total of 800 jobs, with 900 jobs coming out of the education sector. The next largest cutback was in retail jobs, with 200 less in July than June.

Sixth, (August 11, 2008) Massillon fails again to auction off part of its Legends golf course in order to generate revenue for city coffers.

Seventh, (July 30, 2008). Cicchinelli/Catazaro-Perry political fight surfaces in fight over rezone of Massillon property.

Eighth, (July 29, 2008). Phase 2 of The Paul L. David Athletic Training Facility is put on hold because:

In interviews with The (Massillon) Independent, David, who is president of the Paul and Carol David Family Foundation, has talked of micro-management, infighting, personal and political agendas, a lack of concern for children.

Ninth, (May, 2008). Massillon Board of Education member initiates Ohio Ethics Commission complaint on the hiring practices of the Massillon City Schools.

We all know know that "a cat has nine lives." But a tenth, eleventh, twelveth, ... .? Because, there are other problems. North Canton raiding Massillon of its business/industry base, annexation fights, labor being unhappy with Mayor Cicchinelli, et cetera.

In the view of the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report), these are indeed tough times in Massillon.

Tough times demand forthright political action.

Who has what it takes to restore Massillon to her former relatively "untroubled" past? Mayor Cicchinelli? Councilperson Kathy Catazaro-Perry? Or, is there a new face on the horizon that can take charge and right the great ship of Massillon headed "true north?"