General Election 2014

[Towntalk]

I kinna agree too, but because I'm a contrary old cuss, I gotta do it begrudgingly, if ya get the drift, one thing though, I ain't no antidisestablishmentarian, so I spect I gotta climb up on that old wooden fence and strattle it so ta speak if you know what I mean, because right about now I sure don't. Us old folks aren't too keen on change, don't you know.

[Peggy Gurney]

Totally agree with you Allan on all points.

[AllanY2525]

I'll be waiting  for the elections to see what happens, for a number of reasons:

1) I agree with Peggy on the whole race thing and I've already said it on this board.
Don't care if a public servant is day-glo orange and sunshine shines out of their ###
it's all about serving the citizens of Youngstown to the very best of their ability.  Come
election time, the public can judge them on their performance.

2) As I have also said on this board already - I think that anyone who believes that
moving some imaginary lines on a map is going to ruin their neighborhood by magically
making the riff raff pack up and move into their neighborhood needs to go soak their
head in some cold water for a while and WAKE UP.

Where  everyone (good or bad) lives in the city has nothing whatsoever to do with
where these imaginary lines are drawn on a map......an utterly ridiculous concept
at the least, and lunacy at worst.

3) As far as what happens down the road, I would say wait until citizens have spoken
and let what comes later, come later.

If the pro-five movement thinks that the city council is violating the law(s) regarding
redistricting, they have every right to bring a mandamus (sp??) lawsuit against the
city and have their day in court.  Legal council on both sides can make their arguments
and let the courts decide.

If the city loses, then hooray for the public and hooray for a "swift kick in the a$$"
to city council for being so stubborn and self-serving - maybe it will embarrass the
HELL out of them if they get their heads handed to them in court.

Mayor McNally has already put them in check once regarding the spending of taxpayer
money for outside consultants when studies have already been bought and paid for
and the board of elections (an impartial entity) has offered to do the job for free.

I hope he smacks them on the wrist AGAIN if they keep trying to hire outside firms
to do something that there are already resources to do.  It only makes them look
worse.

[Peggy Gurney]

Exactly.

[iwasthere]

i ignor comments from simon and boles. when they are asked, ' where is thier evidence of anti-race ' in this issue. they cannot show or give evidence.

[Peggy Gurney]

Yeah I read his stuff. And laughed.  It's a sorry thing that these black people play the race card when it suits them.
eh 


I like Yavorcik's editorial in your first link, and agree with him/her.

[Towntalk]

At the last City Council Rev. Simon spoke out on the issue ... On September 7. 2014 Clarance Boles came right out in a letter to the Editor in The Vindicator and came right out and said that it was a racial issue, attacking the white people in the 4th and 7th Wards, then at the last City Council meeting he lashed out at the security in City Hall because they wouldn't let him in.

re: Clarance Boles
http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/sep/14/youngstown-would-do-well-to-reduce-numbe/
http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/sep/07/open-voting-by-committeemen-to-fill-vaca/?print

[Peggy Gurney]

It must be remembered that Rev. Simon is one of the most influential and respected clergymen in Youngstown in the Black community, so their opposition can not be written off by the pro-five group without alienating Black voters, since the pro-five leadership is predominantly White.

He is? hmmmmm....
Regardless, the so-called "pro-five" leadership may be predominantly white, but the group that has been working on this "campaign" has just as many black members as it does white.  (I'm one of the white ones). 

Why is this thread sounding more and more like a racial thread, in and of itself?
Who cares if the good Rev. Simon is black or white, red or purple, orange or neon green?  We certainly do not.

He seems to be the one who is making this a racial issue.
Shame on him.

[Towntalk]

 Since this issue arose, people have been operating under the assumption that once on the ballot, it's going to pass, and throughout the debate, the pro 5 Ward group had made it clear that if it didn't get on the ballot for the November election that they would turn to the courts to force the issue, and as with the Citizens Bill of Rights (Anti-fraking) group, they have implied that they will keep putting it on the ballot, election after election until they have gotten their way.

Now no one suggests that this is not their right, for it certainly is, just as it is the right of those who oppose these charter amendments to say no.

Ever since this whole issue came up thanks to the 4^th and 5^th Ward Councilmen, along with a citizens group led by Phil Kidd, Council has been going back and forth, getting no closer to a resolution, but expending time and money trying to find a solution that would please everyone.

YSU was contracted to draw up a new ward map, but after spending tax payer money on the map, council turned it down.

One ward division map was presented by the Board of Election that would change the boundaries but would preserve the seven wards, and after some changes were made to satisfy individual councilmen, it was hoped that this would be the end of it, but it wasn't, for the pro-five group refused to back down from their position.

Now the Board of Elections said that they would be willing to draw up a new map that would divide the city into five wards, have it done in two weeks, and do it for free, yet now there are councilmen who insist on having an outside company, not even a local company, draw up the new ward map.

Enter a new player to complicate matters. A group of  local clergymen led by Rev. Kenneth Simon of New Bethel Baptist Church located in the 6^th Ward on Hillman Street said that they are opposed to reducing the city to five wards and would use their influence to fight any changes.

It must be remembered that Rev. Simon is one of the most influential and respected clergymen in Youngstown in the Black community, so their opposition can not be written off by the pro-five group without alienating Black voters, since the pro-five leadership is predominantly White.

There are those within the Black community who are already making this a racial issue, and while they are few in number, we have no way of  knowing just what effect they will have on the matter come election day.

Unlike the so called Citizens Bill of Rights issue which really is a non-issue, the Ward reduction issue could, and note that we said could become a civil rights issue very quickly if cooler heads do not prevail and we get the matter resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

Certainly the outcome of the November election could resolve the whole matter to everyone's satisfaction, but the way the Charter amendment has been written, it  has set the stage for some very bitter local elections down the road, and divisions that we should be trying to avoid.

Do we question the motives driving the pro-five group? That must remain for the voters to answer on November 4^th. What happens after the final results are in will tell the tale.

[AllanY2525]

Hopefully, the Mayor can block funding for the study - again.

[iwasthere]

tt, more tarpley speaks and acts the more she makes her sound and look like ct jesture in the king'-s author ct.

[Towntalk]

Here we go again ... City Council is going to spend upwards of $10,000 for an outside company to redraw Youngstown's new ward map when the Mahoning County Board of Elections has told the city that they will do the job FREE and have it done in two weeks, yet Tarpley REFUSES to take them up on their offer and her pals on City Council are going to allow her to get away with it.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE MAHONING COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS MADE THIS OFFER, AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT TARPLEY AND COMPANY HAS TURNED THEM DOWN FLAT WITH NO VALID EXPLANATION.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/sep/19/voters-to-decide-proposal-to-reduce-numb/

[Towntalk]

MAN UP TO YOUR CONVICTIONS

VOTING BEGINS SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

GET OUT AND VOTE

AND DON'T BE A WHINING NINNY

[Towntalk]

VOTING IN OHIO

STARTS SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

GET OFF YOUR SOFA

GET OUT TO VOTE

OR VOTE ABSENTEE


BUT VOTE