For Trumbull commissioner: Heltzel, Hill and Polivka

Democrats in Trumbull County need a program to keep track of the candidates, so heavy is the interest in the races for Trumbull County commissioner. There are 11 Democrats in the races for the Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 commissioner terms. Two Republicans are vying for the Jan. 2 seat, and one is seeking the Jan. 3 seat.
The vastness of their numbers, the commonality of the themes that run through their campaigns and the fact that while many were well versed, none spoke with a great deal of passion, made for a difficult selection process.
At the end of the day -- more accurately, at the end of a week of interviewing the candidates and poring over their questionnaires and our notes -- we arrived at endorsements in each of the races.
First, though, the cast of characters, so to speak.
Who is running for what
Seven candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for the four-year term that begins Jan. 2, 2005.
In alphabetical order they are:
Joseph J. Angelo Jr., 48, of Warren, the incumbent, seeking his fourth term. He is a former member of Warren City Council and owned Joey's Grill in the basement of Warren's Park Hotel.
David C. Cook, 58, of Warren, a former hotel manager.
Reginald F. Giancola Jr., 48, of Niles, who is serving his seventh term on Niles City Council.
Paul E. Heltzel, 58, of Niles, a lawyer and former Trumbull County assistant prosecutor.
Melissa M. Long, 66, of Cortland, a former Cortland mayor and city council member.
Dr. John D. Robertson, 57 of Warren, an administrator and counselor at Kent State University, Trumbull Campus.
The endorsement
Eliminating the incumbent from the mix was easy. First, Angelo chose not to subject himself to the interview process. Second, we understand why.
It is far easier for Angelo to duck an interview than to answer questions about such things as why he was oblivious to purchasing policies that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being wasted and several indictments; why would he and fellow commissioner James Tsagaris collude in the secret hiring of a new county administrator, and does he really expect anyone to believe that $4,000 in campaign money was snatched from the pocket of his pants without him knowing it?
We're certain that there are people who will vote for Angelo. He has strong name recognition and the power of the incumbency going for him. But there is no good reason to vote for Angelo. He had it within his power to help make the lives of Trumbull County residents better, and he failed. Any of the six candidates seeking to replace him would be an improvement.
But of those six, two especially stood out for us as the candidates who could best help change the climate at the Trumbull County administration building: Robertson and Heltzel.
Robertson presented a very detailed plan for improving the county, but Heltzel made a stronger case for how he would work on the three-member board to protect the interests of Trumbull County taxpayers. It is worth noting that whatever happens in this race, Tsagaris -- Angelo's alter ego -- is still going to be around for a while.
We're endorsing Heltzel.
In the Republican primary, the candidates are:
Michael Colello, 51, of Cortland, a millwright at Johnson Rubber and a Mecca Township trustee for 10 years.
Arno A. Hill, 51, a tool and die maker at Delphi Packard Electric since 1972 and the mayor of Lordstown from 1992 through 2003.
People in the candidate-interviewing business are used to having candidates say they are running to restore credibility and integrity to government, and most of the time it's just campaign boilerplate. But in this case, with both candidates stating that goal, it has a ring of truth to it, given that they are seeking to replace Angelo. Between the candidates, a choice had to be made, and ours was for Hill, based on the former Lordstown mayor's stronger r & eacute;sum & eacute; in the area of economic development.
Jan. 3 term
Four candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for the Jan. 3 term vacated by Michael O'Brien after he was elected mayor of Warren.
They are:
Donald J. Barzak, 37, of Kinsman, an insurance agent and owner of the Barzak Agency since 1995 and a Johnston Township trustee since 1990.
Gwen Logan, 46, of Farmdale, a teacher in the Maplewood and Badger school districts since 1995 who formerly worked in the law office of her husband, Andrew, before he became a Trumbull County Common Pleas Court judge.
Daniel E. Polivka, 41, of Warren, who works in the family business, Polivka Surface Engineering, and who was named to the open seat in January. He served as a Warren ward councilman and councilman at large from 1983 through 2003.
John A. MacKenzie of Warren, who did not respond to a Vindicator questionnaire or attend the editorial board interview.
The Republican candidate in November will be Phillip O. DeCapito of Cortland, who is unopposed in the primary.
While we have not always agreed with Polivka during his tenure on Warren City Council, we believe he would be the best candidate to make the difficult choices that will have to be made to balance the county's budget and to stand up against the competing interests that seek to maintain the status quo.