Primary '08

Tomorrow - Tuesday - March 4th - is Primary Day in Ohio. The only contested races we will see in Wellsville is who you want to see run for President or who you want to see run for County Sheriff. Other than that there are a couple of levy issues to be considered. Everybody else who filed for office is unopposed as the candidate in their party in this years primary. We'll see them in November.

On the Republican side we get to choose between John McCain, Mike Huckabee or Ron Paul according to the Youngstown Vindicator. The Democrats get to choose between Barack Obama or Hilary Clinton. According to the talking heads the results of the primaries here in Ohio and in Texas will be a make or break time for the Democratic hopefuls for President. It seems like Hilary's people have been calling all day. She must be worried about us.

On the Republican side there are three candidates for us to consider for County Sheriff. There is Wellsville's Dan MacLean, or Raymond Stone or Jerry Herbert. One of them will be opposing Wellsville's John Soldano in the November elections.

There are two levies to be considered by us village resident voters. The first is a new levy for the CC Vocational school or what most of us call JVS. They are asking for approval for a 1 mill levy for five years for permanent improvements. This is the same levy that got voted down this past November. According to Superintendent Edna Anderson a lot of their nearly 30 year old equipment is falling apart and because the equipment is so old there is no longer replacement parts available.

The other levy to be considered is the one for CC Job & Family Services for their foster care programs. It is a new 1.5 mill levy and will replace the current 0.75 mill levy we are paying. Director Eileen Dray-Barton was quoted as saying they will discontinue the 0.75 mill levy if we voters improve the new levy. It was reported that in 2006 they were short $700,000 in what was spent for care for foster kids. They borrowed from Peter to pay Paul to make ends meet. There was nothing in the papers about how they made out last year. Somewhere I read Ms. Dray-Barton promised that income generated from this new levy will all go to foster care. None of it will be spent for the new offices they are hoping to get out on the hill.

Both levies, if approved, will mean an increase in our property taxes. And that dear friends is all we have to consider when we go do our patriotic duty. The polls open at 6:30 A.M. and will be open until 7:30 P.M. Remember to take I.D. with you. The easiest to use is a driver's license or a state issued i.d. card. You can also use a current bank statement, utility bill, government issued document or pay stub that shows your current address. Any one of those will get you a ballot.

See you at the polls...

ole nib