Monday, February 25, 2008
Mahoning treasurer’s race leaves us almost speechless
We often run editorials in this space urging people to vote, decrying traditionally low voter turn out and pointing out that it is not difficult for a person to vote in the United States.
And, yet, sometimes making a decision on for whom to vote in a particular race is not at all easy. Sometimes it is almost impossible to decide.
The editorial board of The Vindicator found itself in that position in this election after conducting endorsement interviews with the two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Mahoning County treasurer.
Atty. John Shultz is challenging the incumbent treasurer, Lisa A. Antonini, who was appointed to the post after John Reardon was tapped for a position in the Ohio Commerce Department by Gov. Ted Strickland.
Antonini had been deputy treasurer for five years and was a natural enough appointment. Her position as Democratic Party Chairman made the appointment a political given.
Antonini claims that she is running a tight department and that all of the hires she has made have been on the basis of qualifications, not politics. We are unconvinced, at least about the claim that her hires have been nonpolitcal.
And yet, Shultz was unable to make a convincing case for his candidacy.
Bundles, but not of joy
He chose to devote much of his time with the editorial board attacking the practice established by Reardon of selling bundles of tax-delinquent parcels to the highest bidder. His campaign advertising is targeted at the same issue.
He’s using a populist accusation that Antonini is selling off valuable assets at pennies on the dollar and that mortgage foreclosures have been increasing while the bundled sales have been in effect.
On the first point, while it is true that some parcels are sold at far below their value in the bundles that are put out for bid, hundreds of other parcels bring more than they could ever fetch individually or on the open market.
No one is going to bid on bundles that contain 100 percent worthless properties — abandoned lots and vacant buildings that are valued at far less than the unpaid taxes that have accrued.
The suggestion that foreclosure increases are somehow tied to the bundled sales is disingenuous, and that’s the kindest word we can think of. Foreclosures are increasing from coast to coast — a product of pockets of economic stagnation and the infamous subprime mortgage scandal.
The lien sale system isn’t perfect, but it’s not the disaster Shultz implies that it is.
We do not often find ourselves in the position of being unable to recommend one candidate over the other, but so it is here.
We won’t endorse Shultz or Antonini. Our consolation is that the world will not end nor the county collapse if either of these candidates wins. It is one of those truly rare toss-up races.
Whoever wins is virtually assured election. No Republican has filed for the November ballot.