2006 Candidates Review

Highlights of Medina Chamber of Commerce Candidate’s Forum 10-19-06 and Gazette, Plain Dealer, and PBS analysis

First of all I'm assuming most of you are taking advantage of the fine public service The Medina Chamber of Commerce offered in hosting the candidates forum at Medina High School, televising it on Cable Channel 37 then replaying it every Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday at 8:30 PM beginning Oct.2 through Nov.6.

Although I consider myself a Democrat with our "lift everyone up as we launch our boat" value system, I still on occasion will cross party lines if a specific Democratic candidate appears unqualified for the job.

However, we are so very fortunate this election to have qualified and superior candidates at every turn.  For a first example, experience on the job along with qualifications and innovation is the best you can ask for in the case of Mary Kovack seeking her second term as Medina County Domestic Relations Judge.

Her opponent Republican Kevin Dunn has been a practicing attorney for 15 years and has represented clients with family, marriage, and crime problems.  This is all well and fine, but he hasn't handled 14,000 cases with all of the heart wrenching decisions involving parent and child.

Democrat Lori Henry had 15 years experience in the office of Medina City Finance Director Wayne Hamilton before being hired by Judge Dale Chase to be the Medina Municipal Clerk of Court.  However, through some manipulations of Republicans in county and state office her clerk's position was changed to an elective office.  So suddenly her political experience began summer of 2006, but her professional expertise is deservedly established and respected.

Opponent Nancy Abbot is and has been Medina County recorder for the past 10 years, an office not up for election this particular year.  Why she wishes to leave the job that her voters'elected her to do only she can answer.  Let our answer be to elect Lori to the job in which she has already proven herself.

Sharon Ray, Republican, is running for a second 4-year-term as Medina County Commissioner.  She can cite her 4-year experience and competence.  Her opponent. Democrat John Dean, can very well cite his business experience running his own security company and his past political responsibilities as a former councilman and Mayor of Gloria Glens Village.  As Mr. Dean points out, what better preparation can you ask for the county commissioner's job.

Michael Kovack, Democrat, as we know is running un-opposed.  This very outstanding public official would justifiably be virtually unbeatable by anyone.  We are glad to have him.

Moving to state races, we have Jack Schira representing our party for state representative for the the 69th House District.  Mr. Schira is a former Air Force Colonel with a Masters in Science from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He is determined to help turn around the disgraceful unconstitutional public school system we have here in Ohio and stop the flow of public money to charter schools which are operated for profit not our children's education.  Schira, has served as a Brunswick Hills trustee and brings needed fresh energy, ideas, and passion into 16 years of Republican arrogance, incompetence, and corruption in the state house.

Most everyone in Medina County is familiar with Republican candidate Bill Batchelder, also seeking the 69th district house seat.  A former state appellate judge he has spent over 30 years in the General assembly.  My concern is, having been away from the legislature for the last 7 years, I see him more as an honorable legislator being over matched by sitting party members whose main mission is to add to the slime in the sewer rather than to help him clean it up.

It is understandable that some candidates were unable to attend the chamber forum.  One such candidate was Betty Sutton, Democrat seeking the 13th District U.S. House seat vacated by Sherrod Brown in his bid for the U.S. Senate.  Our party's leadership and the Medina Gazette consider Sutton to be a very capable legislator to represent Brown's former constituents.  Her Republican opponent is Craig Fulton, currently Mayor of Lorain, and strong proponent for gambling casinos in Ohio.

Also unable to attend the forum was gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland and his running mate Lee Fisher, but both have made themselves very available at events in Medina County as well as throughout the state.  I think we are already well acquainted with the differences between Mr. Strickland and his opponent Ken Blackwell; one being Mr. Blackwell's scheme to out source the operation of our Ohio Turnpike to a private or even a foreign investor.

Another obvious difference is Mr. Strickland's concern for the revival of a healthy public school system and affordable health care vs. Mr. Blackwell's concern for cutting health and survival income to the elderly and the poor in order to provide even more tax benefits to the wealthy.

To return to strong candidates speaking at the chamber forum we have Democrat Jennifer Brunner, endorsed by The Cleveland Plain Dealer for Ohio Secretary of State. Brunner, a former Franklin County Court Judge, is considered one of the state's premier experts on election law and before becoming a judge, was the deputy director for the Ohio Secy. of State.

Brunner’s opponent (Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, Greg Hartman) acknowledges a great need for improving the integrity of Ohio's election system.  One worthy goal is that the Secy. Of State not be involved in campaigning.  Another is to bring more electronic savvy young people into running the election system.

A very critical district for the majority of Medina County residents is U.S. Congressional House District 16.  Incumbent Republican Ralph Regula and Democratic challenger Rev. Tom Shaw both expressed their views at the chamber forum.

Eighty-one-year old Ralph Regula is seeking (if you believe) his 18th term.  He is a resident of Navarre in Stark County.  Already a strong Republican district, in recent years they were able to conscript a major portion of largely conservative Medina County into the 16th district.  Obviously his 36 years in office tell you what Republicans think of him. On the upside he helped establish the Cuyahoga Valley Park System.  On the down side, if you agree with everything George Bush does vote for Ralph Regula.  You may have received a letter from him recently about how things were improving in Iraq.

Rev. Tom Shaw is a Methodist minister from Wooster.  This past summer I spent an evening with him in the Democratic booth at the Wadsworth Blue Tip Festival.  To be very succinct, I will venture that if Sherrod Brown represents your Democratic values such as affordable education and health care, holding to constitutional privacy rights, elimination of huge tax breaks for the rich and an immigration policy that encourages citizenship instead illegal starvation wages, vote for Tom Shaw.

As I said in the beginning, although it is not my normal practice to vote a straight ticket, the quality of our current candidates coupled with the disaster Republicans have made of Ohio and our nation makes it imperative our future well being lies with our slate of Democratic candidates.

Democrat Clair Dickinson, candidate for the 9th District Court of Appeals spoke at the chamber forum along with Mr. William 0'Neil, candidate for one of two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Mr. Ben Espy is the Democratic candidate for the second seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, but was unable to attend the chamber forum.

My lack of knowledge in the legal intricacies ofajudgeship leads me to rely on the expertise of my party's leadership and the much needed partisan balance it offers. I offer my support and vote.

Also from my party's leadership I have heard nothing but high praise for Marc Dann, Democrat candidate running against Republican Betty Montgomery for Ohio Attorney General and Richard Cordray, strong candidate running for Ohio State Treasurer.  Neither was able to attend the chamber forum.  Again they will provide strong leadership and balance.

There are very critical issues that in my opinion we as Democrats need to be mindful of and support.  Issue 2 finally after 9 long years offers a raise in the minimum wage.  I personally do not believe Issue 3's legalized gambling will bring economic health to Ohio but that is a bipartisan issue.  Issues 1, 4, and 5 are also bipartisan issues I will not comment on.

I feel strongly as Democrats we should support our Medina County Home and Medina County Parks levies.  And let us not forget our local fire protection and school levies.

All of this is for naught if we don’t speak our convictions and GET OUT THE VOTE !!!