Friday, October 29, 2004
Some candidates for the position say they'd abolish it.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- For the record, the Ohio Recorders' Association is in favor of its own existence.
"We think recorders are important and here to stay," said association President Ed Kirk, the Allen County recorder.
No shock there, perhaps, but several political candidates and incumbent recorders have a surprising take this election season on whether the office they seek is even necessary.
"The recorder's job is a cushy job, and it's government money being wasted," said Lake County Recorder Frank Suponcic, who won in 2000 on that platform and is seeking a second term Nov. 2.
"I know that doesn't sound like a good campaign strategy, but it's true."
Challengers for the recorder's seat in Cuyahoga and Geauga counties are also on the "elect me, I'm unnecessary" bandwagon.
In Cuyahoga, challenger Tim O'Malley favors turning the record-keeping responsibilities over to another county official, perhaps the auditor, and even incumbent Patrick O'Malley has said he wouldn't mind if the position was axed.
Keeping records
Patrick O'Malley's county Web site provides a history of the recorder position that asserts the position was in place by 1795 under the Northwest Ordinance.
County recorders today still keep primarily property records like deeds and mortgages, although O'Malley's site lists 135 different document types. None of the candidates has suggested eliminating the office staff of the recorder, just the elected position.
Geauga County Republican challenger Don Bagley said he would eliminate the recorder position -- if he could.
"I realize that only the legislature could do it, but I'd like to see the position of recorder eliminated entirely and the operations put under another office," Bagley said.
Incumbent Geauga Recorder Mary Margaret McBride disagreed.
"The Geauga County recorder has been an elected office since 1836, and we currently adhere to 1,000 sections of the Ohio Revised Code," she said. "The recorder is very necessary."
Firm belief
But Suponcic said four years in office have confirmed his belief.
"I don't have any idea how anyone could attempt to fabricate a position that this is a full-time position," he said.
His opponent, Democrat Ann Radcliffe, said that means Suponcic "shouldn't bother to run for a job he doesn't believe in."
"What a recorder does -- deeds, mortgages and assessments -- are all history," she said. "I don't think people who want to eliminate it really understand the position."
Suponcic, however, said eliminating his $62,000-a-year position and those with varying salaries in 86 other Ohio counties -- only Summit's administrative government system lacks a recorder -- would be a good start to cutting into a state budget awash in red ink.
"Ohio is bleeding red like Curt Schilling's ankle," Suponcic said, referring to the blood-soaked sock of the Red Sox pitcher who won Game 2 of the World Series on Sunday night.
"Get rid of us and save some money."