DISCUSSION: HOPE FOR STARK COUNTY?

Normally, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) does not like "one-party-government." Especially when the party head is a Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (an old style political boss).

But when the choice is "one-party-government" and having a John Hagan as an elected official, The Report opts for "one-party-government" with The Report being the watchdog.

Congratulations to Doctor Peter Ferguson on being elected.

Readers of The Report will recall that during the election we had very little positive to say about Ferguson because he was not nearly specific enough to assure voters he would be a good choice for commissioner and because party-insiders were telling The Report that he was running a lackluster campaign.

Ferguson was fortunate to be matched up against lame duck state Rep. John Hagan. Hagan. At the end of his campaign, Ferguson did pick it up by detailing how Hagan shafted Stark Countians and all Ohioans in being a major force behind Senate Bill 221. A bill which enabled the likes of American Electric Power (AEP [Ohio Power]) to ask for gigantic rate increases (52% residents; 62% industrial users - over the next 3 years).

So congratulations to Stark County voters for reassigning John Hagan from public official to being "Joe - err - John the Plumber." The Report hopes that Hagan can be Stark County's greatest plumber but encourages him to give up public officialdom. Hagan is devastation in public office to the interests of ordinary people.

Under the leadership of the now "senior" commissioner (in terms of service) Todd Bosley, the board can now get down to the business of working harmoniously to bring Stark County into the 21st century.

A bevy of former Republican commissioners (but the list does include Democrat Gayle Jackson [now a Strickland appointee as a lottery official) over the last several decades has put Stark County in negative territory in terms being "behind the eight ball" on its economic viability front.

The Report hopes that this new board will harmonically work together to pull Stark County of the economic doldrums. Tom Harmon has the potential to be a critical factor is turning things around. But whether or not he can break free of his "old school" political ties to do so, remains a serious question.

The Report encourages Ferguson to look to Bosley for leadership. Bosley's work as Nimishillen Township trustee and in his first two years as commissioner show that he does have an eye properly directed towards efficiencies, empowerment and enlightened, energetic leadership.

With Bosley, Harmon and Ferguson, will Stark County pick up the pace in bringing Stark County into the 21st century as a enlivened poltical entity?

DISCUSSION: WILL STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR JOHNNIE A. MAIER, JR SUPPORT A STARK COUNTIAN TO BE BOCCIERI'S SUCCESSOR?

Who Johnnie A. Maier, Jr (Chairman - Stark County Demcratic Party) will support to succeed John Boccieri in the Ohio Senate may seem to be a "no-brainer?"

But is it?

The Alliance Review reports in today's edition that state Representative Ron Gerberry wants to succeed John Boccieri in Ohio 33rd Senate District now that Boccieri is off to Congress.

So?

Well, so does Stark County's Steve Okey who currently serves as an Alliance City Council. And, Okey served as Boccieri's campaign treasurer.

The rub for Maier is this.

When Maier was state representative from Ohio's (then) 56th District, he was very close to guess who? You've got it. None other than Ron Gerberry who was a fellow Democratic caucus member.

Although only a slice of Stark County is in the 33rd, Stark Countians, one would think, favor Alliance resident Okey.

But is it that easy for Maier? Will he weigh in for Okey? Will he stay neutral?

Of course, these could be a moot questions. Boccieri himself may seek to name his successor a la Phil Giavasis when he left the Stark County Clerk of Courts office for the Canton Municipal Clerk of Courts post.

DISCUSSION: WILL JOHN BOCCIERI BE A ONE-TERM CONGRESSMAN?

Aah - the life of a political blogger.

John Boccieri is not yet sworn in and the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) is already speculating on his next challenger.

An easy one, huh?

Matt Miller of Ashland County.

By 2010, Boccieri will have created a record of voting with the "liberal" Nancy Pelosi and the "right-wingish" Matt Miller will be "chomping at the bit" to take him on.

And, you know what? Miller is likely to get a clear path to the Republican nomination.

Miller, the man who embarrassed Ralph Regula in 2006 and nearly defeated Schuring in 2008, probably already has the campaign machinery geared up and running.

Miller has to be thinking that this seat belongs to the Republicans. You know, the Regula/Frank T. Bow longevity thing.

If this race materializes, it will get ugly. Left/right matchups are always cut throat. It will make the Boccieri/Schuring contest look like child's play.

Question: Do you expect Ashland County's Matt Miller to be the Republican nominee in 2010?

VIDEO: PLAIN TWP TRUSTEES PASS AEP RESOLUTION AT INITIATIVE OF LOUIS GIAVASIS

DISCUSSION: HOW MUCH TIME DOES JEFF MATTHEWS HAVE TO FIX THE STARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY?

UPDATED: 11/06/08 AT 1:48 P.M.
Is the Stark County Republican Party in a "Humpty-Dumpty" condition. For a refresher on the nursery rhyme CLICK HERE.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that there is great dissatisfaction with Chairman Jeff Matthews within the high reaches of the Stark County Republican Party.

The Report questions whether or not this is fair?

Yes, the local Republicans did get skunked on all the county races except for a couple of uncontested judgships the uncontested Oelslager House race and the victory by Todd Snitchler in the 50th which Republicans configured in the early 90s to be a "safe" Republican seat.

Matthews only took over the reins of the party less than a year ago. Give the guy a chance? Huh?

If Republicans want to blame anyone, it should be former chairman Curt Braden.

But what good does blaming do?

The first order of business is for Matthews to assemble "no-nonsense" Stark County Republicans in an effort to put "Humpty-Dumpty" back together again. The future political health of Stark County requires a swift, thorough and effective re-working of the party.

Judge Charles Brown would be at the head of The Report's list. Brown is a Stark County Republican who knows how to fix what ails local Republicans. Forget John Hagan, Curt Braden and their ilk. They do not have a clue.

Political competition is essential if Stark County is to re-build itself into a community which comes to be a "flourishing" community.

Can Matthews get the job done?

DISCUSSION: STARK COUNTY SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT STATE REP. ELECT TODD SNITCHLER IS IN THE MINORITY?

The only good thing about the election of Republican Todd Sniticher (Ohio House - 50th) is that he will be in the minority where he can do no harm.

Although Snitchler is brighter than "termed-out" John Hagan, he still is a "true-believer" type, notwithstanding his training as a "critique-enabled" attorney.

Snitchler will genuflect before the right-wing Republican sacred cows of the chambers of commerce as econmic strategists, market forces solve every enconomic/financial problem and the way to reform public schools is to step up the competition through charter schools and vouchers. And, if that is not enough on education, throw in a dash of "creationism" in the curriculum to season the Brennan "let's fix public education" stew.

When the Republicans gerrymandered the 50th to defeat Stark County Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier in the early 90s, they gave birth to a haven for political Neanderthals.

John Hagan, the current lame duck representative, has been the personification of a "Know-Nothing" who merely held the office and followed orders from headquaters.

Snitchler is smarter than Hagan but has an uncanny ability to suspend his rational faculties and kneel at the sight of right-wingish Republican politics.

Stark Countians pretty much ignored Hagan when in office and rejected him countywide in his race against Pete Ferguson.

For veteran Stark County politician Hagan (supermajority/majority member of the Ohio House) to lose by five percentage points to a political neophyte (Ferguson) might suggest to Snitchler that right-wing politics might play well in the 50th, such is not the case in a county won by presidential candidate Barak Obama.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) will be watching Snitchler closely and reporting/analyzing his actions in the Legislature. He does have the cover of being a part of the minority. Anything he does won't matter because Democrats will being moving on their own agenda.

One more thing for Snitchler to ponder, it is very likely that Democrats will be in a position - post 2010 elections - to be in charge of redistricting. It could be a short run for Republican dominance in the 50th?

What relevance does the newly elected Todd Snitchler have to solving the problems of everyday Stark Countians?

DISCUSSION: SO MUCH FOR ENDORSEMENTS?

Indeed, Kirk Schuring was "running scared" as evidenced by his campaign's last minute effort to let the voters know he had been endorsed by The Repository and the Akron Beacon Journal.

When the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) noted this campaign activity, The Report knew instantly that internal numbers at the Schuring campaign told them that he was on a clear losing track.

But the remedy to reverse the trend? Relying on newspaper endorsements? Wow! Certainly veteran campaign folks know that newspaper endorsements are virtually meaningless - to the chagrin of newspaper editors.

For further proof? Just asked defeated Canton mayoralty candidate (2006) Janet Creighton?

When are candidates and their campaigns going to get it on endorsements?