Youngstown’s current, former law directors file as Dems for judge

February 7, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown’s current law director and former law director will face each other in the May 7 primary for the Democratic nomination for a Youngstown Municipal Court seat.

Law Director Jeff Limbian, who also serves as city prosecutor, and Martin Hume, the previous law director during John A. McNally’s four years as mayor, were the only two Democrats to file for the judicial seat. Hume is currently an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor.

The incumbent, Renee M. DiSalvo, a Republican appointed by then-Gov. John Kasich to fill a vacancy starting Nov. 5, 2018, also filed to run for a full six-year term. She was the only Republican to file for office in Mahoning County.

The filing deadline was Wednesday for partisan races on the May primary ballot. The candidates need to be certified by the board of elections.

May 6 is the deadline to file as independent candidates. Aug. 7 is the last date to file nominating petitions for nonpartisan races such as boards of education and township trustee.

Also in Youngstown, Victoria Valentin, Ra’Cole Taltoan and former police Chief Jimmy Hughes are running in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Ward council seat that incumbent T.J. Rodgers currently holds. He’s not seeking re-election.

Councilman Nate Pinkard, D-3rd, is also not running for re-election. Seeking to succeed him in the Democratic primary are Denice Necie Neal Davis, Samantha Turner, Denise Davis Pusey and Darian Rushton.

Incumbent Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th, and Councilwomen Anita Davis, D-6th, and Basia Adamczak, D-7th, didn’t draw primary election opponents.

Councilman Julius T. Oliver, D-1st, will face Bryant Youngblood Jr. in the Democratic primary, while Councilwoman Lauren McNally, D-5th, will be challenged by Jim Cerimele.

While there’s only four tax issues on the May 7 ballot, one of them is countywide – a 0.75-percent, five-year renewal sales and use tax to fund the criminal justice system. The tax raises about $25 million annually and makes up 86 percent of the budget that funds the sheriff’s, prosecutor’s and coroner’s offices, as well as dispatching services.

In Trumbull County, Democrat Doug Franklin will be unopposed when he seeks a third four-year term as Warren mayor this spring.

His safety-service director, Enzo Cantalamessa, however, may not be in that role if Franklin is re-elected. Cantalamessa is running for Warren law director against longtime incumbent Greg Hicks.

Franklin was first elected mayor in 2011 and was re-elected to his second term in 2015. Dennis Blank, a Warren native who returned to the city after retiring from his publishing career, opposed Franklin in the 2015 general election. No other Democrat or Republican has filed for the seat.

Franklin also served as Warren councilman for 14 years. He was safety service director eight years under then-mayor Michael O’Brien.

“I am proud of the accomplishments over the years,” Franklin said in a press release. “Together, with our citizens and our workers, we have made consistent and constant growth as a city. We have invested in our neighborhoods and our local business community. We have brought in new companies that have provided new opportunities.”

“I am running again to continue making Warren an even better city,” he said. “In every decision or action I take, I never forget that it is about the families of Warren. It is the reason I continue to serve in public office.”

Meanwhile, Niles City Schools will be returning to voters in the primary asking for a 5.6-mill, 10-year renewal levy to raise $1.3 million annually.

It follows an attempt in the November election to get approval of a more complicated type of levy called a substitute. It was the first time a substitute levy had been proposed in Trumbull County.

A substitute levy is a way to replace two existing levies and turn it into one, but Niles also asked voters to make the levy permanent.