MAHONING COUNTY After term, Reese plans to seek a higher post

The commissioner has his eye on running for other offices down the road.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- This is Ed Reese's last term as Mahoning County commissioner.
"I'm not running again," said Reese, a Democrat from Boardman. "Nine-and-a-half years is long enough for one person to have this job. I'm ready to go do something else."
Reese was first elected in 1995, but lost a bid for re-election four years later to Commissioner David Ludt. After eight months out of office, Reese was appointed by the county Democratic Party to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of former Commissioner David Engler in August 1999.
Reese was elected in November 2000 to a full term, which expires Dec. 31, 2004.
Possibilities
Although he's walking away from the commissioners office, Reese isn't giving up on politics. He intends to run in 2006 for either the 6th District congressional seat held by Ted Strickland, or for the Ohio Senate.
"I'm keeping my options open," he said.
In the meantime, Reese said he's looking forward to having more time to spend with his family, which he said has always been supportive.
As commissioner, Reese said he's seen firsthand the impact that budgetary decisions at the state and federal level can have on counties and local communities.
"We get handcuffed by these funding decisions," he said. "I'd like to help change that."
Reese said he's confident that, based on his performance since he's been in office, he could run for re-election to his commissioners' seat and win. But because of his aspirations in 2006, he won't seek the county office knowing he could be leaving if he wins another post.
Reese said he's announcing his intentions now so potential candidates will have plenty of time to line up their campaigns to replace him.
Keeping busy
He doesn't intend to sit idly by as his term winds down over the next 15 months.
"There is still a lot of work to do, a lot of decisions to be made," he said, referring to the county's financial crisis. But he said the county's ever-constricted budget situation is not what caused him to opt against seeking another term.
"It's been like this ever since I took office," he said. "It seems like we were always having to fight to come up with money."
Reese said that between campaigning for county sales taxes, his own candidacy and the party appointment in 1999, he has been through 10 elections during his tenure.
"That's exhausting. It takes a toll," he said.
Reese said that once he leaves office, he'll stay active with the county Democratic Party and will continue to be involved as a local coordinator for the candidacy of U.S. Sen. John Kerry, who is running for president.
He'll also focus on his private business and work for health-care related issues.
bjackson@vindy.com