Valley's legislators make strong case for re-election
With the state of Ohio facing a $4 billion to $6 billion general fund shortfall in the next biennium, and with the Mahoning Valley battling to keep the Youngstown Air Reserve Station off the 2005 federal base closing list, legislative experience counts for much.
That is why The Vindicator urges voters in the various Ohio House districts with competitive races next month to keep the incumbents in place. Now isn't the time to send individuals to Columbus who would have to spend months learning the ropes.
In endorsing Reps. John A. Boccieri, Kenneth A. Carano, Dan Sferra, Sylvester Patton and Sandra Stabile Harwood for re-election, we are well aware of the argument being made in this election: Mahoning and Trumbull counties are hurting themselves by continuing to send Democrats to a General Assembly that is dominated by Republicans.
But we believe it would be more harmful to this region to have freshman Republican legislators being thrown into the roily political waters.
Prominent Republican
Indeed, our endorsement of Rep. Charles Blasdel, a Republican from East Liverpool, for another term is recognition that the Valley does need someone with a prominent place at the GOP table. Blasdel is being challenged for the 1st House District seat by Democrat Frank E. Rayl Jr. of Salem. Rayl did not accept an invitation to meet with Vindicator editors and writers as part of the endorsement process.
Blasdel says there is no doubt that the next budget cycle will be "most difficult," and that the state's fiscal problems will be exacerbated when the 1-cent state sales tax expires in June.
"What is drastically needed in the state is true comprehensive tax reform" and the continuation of the sales tax, the legislator contends.
Following is a thumbnail sketch of the other races:
U59th District -- Carano is being challenged by Boardman Trustee Kathy Miller, a longtime Democrat who switched to Republican because she was offended by former President Clinton's personal behavior in the White House.
Carano believes that the state sales tax is needed, but says other sources of revenue must also be explored, such as the legalization of casino-style gambling. He, like Republican Gov. Bob Taft, insists that the general fund is already bare-bones and, therefore, cannot absorb a huge revenue loss. Miller, on the other hand, is opposed to the continuation of the sales tax and believes there is fat in the budget. She concedes, however, that she has not looked at the state budget.
U60th District -- Patton is being challenged by Republican Nicolas Keller of Youngstown, a student at Youngstown State University. Keller has never run for office before, but he attracted the attention of the state GOP because of his involvement with the campus Republicans at YSU.
He does hit Patton hard on the issue of the incumbent's plans to run for mayor of Youngstown next year. Had someone with a stronger r & eacute;sum & eacute; and with experience in government challenged Patton, the race could have been closer.
However, given that Patton serves on the State Controlling Board and has some important committee assignments, the region needs him in Columbus, even for a short-lived term.
U61st District -- Boccieri, who is touted for statewide office by Ohio Democratic Party leaders, is being challenged by Republican Randy Pope, who ran two years ago.
Pope is another candidate this year arguing against the continuation of the state sales tax. He contends that cuts can be made in the general fund budget -- even while admitting that he has not looked at the budget.
Boccieri, on the other hand, says he would be willing to extend the life of the sales tax if the Republican leadership in the General Assembly reaches out to Democrats and adopts their recommendations not only for spending priorities, but for increasing revenue, such as closing tax loopholes.
Because of his duty in the Air National Guard -- he is a major who pilots C-130 transport planes out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station -- Boccieri has a unique understanding of the military and economic reasons for keeping the base open.
U64th District -- Former Warren Mayor Sferra is being challenged by Republican Randy Law, who did not appear for a Vindicator interview.
Sferra is highly critical of the way the biennium budget is developed in the General Assembly after it is presented by the governor. He contends that there is little input from members of the House and Senate and that the speaker of the House and president of Senate literally dictate what the final bill will contain. Sferra is right when he says that such a closed system is harmful to the economic health of the state.
U65th District -- Harwood, whose district includes Vienna Township, the home of the air base, has proved to be a hardworking, effective legislator on the fight to keep the facility off the closing list. She has worked both sides of the aisle in General Assembly to ensure that the state does not sacrifice the reserve station so other bases in the state are saved.
She is being challenged by Don Johnson of Hubbard, who concedes that his background as a retired truck driver and a member of the Teamsters give the state GOP a "blue collar" candidate.
Given the challenges facing the state of Ohio and the Mahoning Valley, The Vindicator believes that the people will best be served by the incumbent members of the Ohio House of Representatives.