Pursuing lead-paint lawsuit wasn’t in Ohio’s best interest

Pursuing lead-paint lawsuit wasn’t in Ohio’s best interest

EDITOR:

I write in response to last Sunday’s editorial about my decision to dismiss the state’s lead paint litigation.

These are judgments about which reasonable people can disagree. When the lawsuit was originally filed, the legal landscape was more favorable — a similar case had been won by the State of Rhode Island, and dozens of cities had filed their own lawsuits. But the situation changed dramatically over the past two years, as the Rhode Island Supreme Court unanimously overturned that verdict, the city of Toledo had its lawsuit thrown out, and every other Ohio city dismissed its own case. So although the editorial suggested that we would have won our case, that result was much less likely now than it would have seemed two years ago.

The decision to dismiss this case was not taken lightly, and we carefully considered the risks and benefits of pursuing it. Given the adverse legal rulings nationally, the state would have expended enormous resources on an uphill battle with diminished prospects of success.

We strongly agree that exposure to lead paint is a serious problem. Joint efforts for education, prevention, and early detection of lead sources have greatly reduced the cases of lead exposure in Ohio. The Department of Health records that between 1999 and 2007, hundreds of thousands of children have been tested for elevated blood levels, with the numbers falling from 8 percent to under 2 percent. Our education and prevention programs are working.

The Department of Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program funds six comprehensive lead poisoning prevention programs around Ohio, including one at the Mahoning County General Board of Health. We think the paint industry can continue to make a difference on this front by helping fund these critical programs, and we will be pressing them to do so. These efforts, along with federal and state laws on lead exposure prevention, are the best way to reduce and eventually eliminate lead poisoning in Ohio. We made the judgment that those at risk — and Ohio’s economy — would be best served by focusing on public/private partnerships to address further problems from lead paint exposure.

RICHARD CORDRAY

Ohio Attorney General

Columbus

Take a look at Canfield facts

EDITOR:

This letter is to clarify information in a letter last Sunday from a Canfield resident and parent. It is important to set the record straight.

When Mr. Zambrini was hired by the board to fill the position of superintendent, it was he who recommended his salary remain at the rate that he was paid as assistant superintendent. The superintendent prior to that time was paid $93,991 and seven years later Mr. Zambrini’s salary is currently $3,634 higher. At that time he also recommended eliminating the positions of assistant superintendent and curriculum director to reduce expenses. Canfield School District is the fourth largest in Mahoning County while his salary falls into the middle tier of county superintendents’ salaries. It is important to note that Poland’s superintendent has a different contract status (retire/rehire program) than Canfield’s superintendent, which accounts for the differences in salaries.

The members of the current and past boards of education have set high standards by which we measure the academic, fiscal, and staff performance of the Canfield School District. By comparing ratings on the State Local Report Card, per pupil expenditures ($1,834 per pupil less than state average), and property taxes compared to those paid in other communities, it is apparent that Canfield residents do receive a high dividend for their investment made in education, as well as a great value with the employment of Superintendent Zambrini and Business Manager Archer.

The board of education encourages constructive criticism, which brings the opportunity to improve. Despite differences of opinion, we do strive to provide the best educational program while living within our means.

The allegations of wrongdoing and/or a lack of oversight are both inaccurate and false. Student data and state financial reports document the academic success and fiscal accountability of the school district.

We welcome and expect our community members to “keep an eye” on us, and invite all residents who have questions to meet with us to review data. Detailed information is easily available through Ohio Department of Education’s Web site: www.ode.state.oh.us.

ADRIANNE H. STURM, president

Canfield Board of Education

When he’s released, Jim can live anywhere he wants and talk as much as he wants

EDITOR:

In Todd Franko’s Feb. 15 column, he writes about the stares and finger-wagging he received from Cleveland Plain Dealer Columnist Connie Shultz.

Such behavior might lead one to think the columnist from Cleveland never learned that staring and finger-wagging is downright rude.

In my opinion, she bruised her reputation as a journalist by stating that Jim Traficant’s release from prison should not be celebrated, and he should be encouraged to shut up and move quietly on with the rest of his life. Since Jim Traficant was an American when he went to prison and will be an American when he is released from prison, he has every right to exercise his freedom of speech. As for celebrating his release from prison, I believe anyone being released from prison after serving his time has good reason and a right to celebrate.

While I will always admire bright strong women with a junkyard dog’s bite, I believe a really smart, strong woman has the skill of going for the jugular while appearing to be nipping at a softer part of the person’s anatomy.

Even though Jim Traficant commands more attention than many serial killers, he does not qualify to be a poster child for our Valley’s negative image.

Possessing a vivid imagination has made me often wonder if those who have such a passionate dislike for Jim Traficant would be happy to see billboards of him scattered throughout the city with the following pictures. A picture of Jim wearing horns, a tail and a pitchfork with the words “The devil made me do it.” Or perhaps a picture of him bent over being spanked with a big paddle, with the reading “I’ve been a baaaad boy.” Another one might be a blindfold covering Jim’s eyes, and duct tape covering his mouth with the caption “I promise never to see, hear or speak evil.”

But I wonder if those who resented the front page coverage of T-shirts for Jim Traficant would be satisfied even then.

As a proud and lifelong resident and reader of The Vindicator, I have found it to be a factual, informative, interesting and fair-reporting newspaper.

I strongly believe that words are powerful tools and those whose profession requires their use must be careful in expressing their opinions.

MARY LOU JURINA

Youngstown