17TH DISTRICT Dems: Do not endorse

Several said they opposed the endorsement policy because they don't trust party leadership.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
POLAND -- Democrats of the 17th District voted against having the Mahoning County Democratic Party reinstate endorsements in primary elections -- a choice that surprised both the group's president and the chairman of the county party's Constitution Revision Committee.
"I'm absolutely shocked," said state Rep. Kenneth A. Carano, the constitution committee chairman and a 17th District member, about the 19-18 vote taken Tuesday. "I really felt it was going to pass this group. This surprised me. I thought this group was in favor of it."
The 17th District, a Mahoning Valley Democratic club, was seen by Democratic officials as one of the two strongest supporters of the proposal. The other group, the South County Democrats, are already on record in support of endorsements.
"I thought it would be more prudent to see what type of an endorsement policy was suggested before voting it down, but that was the decision of the group," said Mark Belinky, the 17th District's chairman, who voted in favor of reinstating endorsements.
Reason for opposition: Several said they opposed the endorsement policy because they do not trust the current party leadership to make the right decisions regarding which candidates to support.
The party eliminated endorsements in 1994 when Michael Morley led the Democrats for Change movement, ousting Don L. Hanni Jr. as party chairman. It was one of the key planks of Morley's platform.
David Ditzler, who took over for Morley in 1999 and supported eliminating endorsements in previous years, said reinstating them now will strengthen the party. Also, the party's precinct committeemen have shown they are in touch with their constituents by appointing people to fill political vacancies who are then elected by voters when their appointed terms expire, he said.
Also, those who receive endorsements will have to pay an assessment fee to the party to fund their campaigns.
"The party is flat broke," said Youngstown Councilman Michael Rapovy, the party's first vice chairman and a 17th District member.
The party will meet with other local Democratic groups during the next month to discuss the endorsement plan. An open forum to discuss other changes to the party's bylaws will be in May, Carano said.
Once the proposals are final, they will be presented to the party's precinct committee members for a vote, probably in June.