The big day is Nov. 2 - Election Day. Every baby's head in Athens County has been kissed and names have been flying through newspapers for months. It's time to decide whose name you will check off when you get to the front of the line at the polls.
Athens County Commissioner: Lenny Eliason (D)
Although we agreed with Matt Gaiser, Eliason's Republican contender, on many points, we have faith in Eliason's experience. Gaiser sees problems with how the city tries to attract jobs to the area, but that is the problem. Many solutions he proposes are not in his control as a county commissioner.
County commissioners have to build relationships with the people around them. Because Eliason has been one of Athens County's three county commissioners for the past 12 years and serves on the Ohio Board of County Commissioners as a previous president, we feel he is in the best position to strategize with other elected officials in Athens County. He has seen the budget fluctuate during his tenure and can pull from the past to find a solution or quash a plan.
Eliason, however, should examine the balance of power between Director of Economic Development Todd Shelton and the city of Athens. Having a city employee, who could worry about job security if they don't please their boss, overseeing something an elected official could do is far from ideal and should be examined.
Additionally, Gaiser said that focusing too much on entrepreneurs who sell similar products or services, such as restaurants or pizza places, doesn't generate revenue for the county - it just moves funds from one business to another. We need to draw outside money into Athens County.
Ohio's 6th District Congressional: Bill Johnson (R)
There were three additional candidates running for this seat: incumbent Charlie Wilson, a Democrat; Richard Cadle of the Constitution Party and Martin Elsass, a Libertarian. Elsass and Cadle brought many non-traditional issues to the table, in particular working against career politicians and respecting the two-year term.
However, it was Johnson's accountability that pulled us in. Johnson is willing to call out programs that aren't being efficient, such as education. He is adamant that education should be a state responsibility and not federal, citing too much spending on overhead costs and administrators and not enough on students.
Similar to other candidates, Johnson would be in favor of repealing the health care overhaul, but he also had specific solutions. He would focus on creating an incentive for residents to save money to put toward health care, being able to let health care flow between jobs and over state borders and tort reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits. Although we aren't necessarily for repealing the bill, you need to bring answers to the table, not just cite a problem.
Johnson also pushed removing the federal government from small business operations. He wants to address tax cuts set to expire Dec. 31 that he feels would harm businesses should the cuts not be renewed.
Wilson has had his turn; it's time for someone new.
92nd District Ohio House seat: Mike Hunter (R)
Mike Hunter has many points we agree with, from his attitude toward federal spending, to his ideas to support small businesses. However, we almost did not endorse him, despite struggling to find common ground with Debbie Phillips, the incumbent Democrat. In previous Post articles, Hunter was quoted saying he didn't think Ohio University students should vote in Athens: I don't think its fair ... students should be voting where they consider home - and home being the person that is paying the bills.
As a newspaper run by students, we don't agree. A student should be able to choose if he or she is linked enough to Athens to decide where to vote.
Beyond that, Hunter was much more reasonable in his stance toward education, using a story during the interview about a trip to Japan to provide a contrast to Ohio's method of funding schools.
His no-frills job as a State Highway patrolman is most likely what has influenced his call for efficient spending and eliminating temporary budget solutions.
Hunter's reasoning for entering politics is enough to convince us: (Federal spending is) destabilizing world financial markets
Ohio is buying into that (type of spending habit). Money is always the solution - we can't sustain that. Last time all we did was plug (the hole in Ohio's budget) not fix it ... that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me
and that's why I got involved.
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Opinion
