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As we all get into the parade season I was wondering who is actually running for office and what does the public think of the candidates.
Clearly there are the incumbents for council:
1. Brian Wisniewski
2. Ted Hackworth
3. Heidi Riggs
I believe from the local newspaper we all read that Brian may run for Mayor. Have we heard anything about Ted and Heidi? The last I heard they had not made any firm decisions.
4. Brian Sauer:
I have read that Brian Sauer is running. Brian is a lap dog for Fix and I am sure they will be connected at the hip during this campaign. Brian Sauer will save the world by uniting the township and the city and selling the city tax payers down the drain. Much of what he knows comes directly from Fix. As we all saw in the campaign flyers for issue 9 Fix and his boys are not above telling a big lie once in a while.
5. Bob Blair.
His resume includes many years with the State government working in departments like ODOT. However many of those resources are now dried up because Mr. Blair is a Republican and I doubt his name or his persuasion carries?’ much weight anymore. Like the young Mr. Sauer, Bob Blair is promising to united the world. In the case of both of these candidates the city tax payers better hold on to their wallets. Being one like Fix proposed will be very costly to the city. Like Randy Hughes, Bob Blair is proposing a merger. Things that sound good but poorly thought out.
6. Tony Barletta
Tony has been active in many causes for the community over the years. He is mature enough to think issues through and make sound decisions based on the facts of the current issue. Despite being a registered Democrat I think Tony is very conservative in his approach to government.
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Who's running continued
All in all I hope at least Ted and Brian run again for council. They have had a proven record and I see progress in their work. I am not sure Heidi has her heart in council, mainly because she no longer needs the political push from the local Republicans. If Heidi chooses not to run I think a great choice to replace her would be with Tony Barletta.
I have heard a number of rumors circulating about who will run for Mayor. Of course David Shaver is said to be considering another run. However I am not sure he has his heart in the race because of a pending marriage and his dreams of being a Judge were dashed last year. I think many of the issues he ran on in 2003 have been addressed and now he is trying too hard to find issues that should not be issues. Much like Bob Blair and Brian Sauer, all three are making proposals that don?’t pass the smell test. Added to David?’s decision will be his bouts with anger and depression. Can he control his problems and will this control or lack of control mean it will be an issue in the upcoming election?
School board is still out to lunch. I believe Jim Brink and Lisa Reade are up this year and I have not heard a peep out of anyone willing to subject themselves to the board and the abuses it carries. It is a large school district and it takes a lot of money to get your word out and to be successful in a campaign. Will there be anyone willing to do it?
Then we have the Violet Township Trustees and the only one up this time is Weltlich. Judging by his comments and his condescending attitude toward the city he seems to hold total disrespect toward the city and her residents. There seems to be ample proof of his bullying tactics and his unwillingness to accept or respect the opinion of others or their positions. It appears, according to the Dispatch, that the City of Pickerington continues to grow in population. It is very apparent that it will not be to far out before the city voters out number the unincorporated township voters. Having officials in office always trying to shaft the city taxpayers is a growing issue among most of those that live in the city. Unless the mavericks in the township realize this soon there will be a further separation of the powers despite the efforts of Bob Blair and Brian Sauer. Trying to paint the City officials as being uncooperative because they are unwilling to give away the city?’s resources will catch up to these politicians soon. Promising millions in revenues for projects that are only concept at this point is pie in the sky and irresponsible.
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Looking into the crystal ball
As I look into my crystal ball, here?’s what I see.
I think Brian W. is a lock for retaining his seat. Why? He has a track record of looking out for the city?’s best interests. He is always prepared and thorough in his analysis and preparation for defending his side. He has suffered the slings and arrows of the Fix side as they called him names and tried to tarnish his reputation. By not sinking to the level of politics that the Fix side is renowned for, he will be a safe bet to win.
I think Riggs will win. I think she will come in last place, though. She will win because she will not deal with any hard issues and always take the middle ground, tell people what she thinks they want to hear and count on the woman vote. She will also take credit for all the work done by others. She never has done her homework on issues and always relied on others to do the research and analysis and cote with the majority. How can she go wrong is she always goes along? Her heart is no longer in the game because of Shaver not following through on his promises to her to hand her the Mayor?’s office.
I think Barletta will win because he is a fresh face and has been involved and not afraid to speak out for many years now. He has been active and passionate about the city. He also has a stance of staunch defense of the city without being controversial. This will reap rewards in earning him a seat.
Blair and Sauer have absolutely no track record, no personality and nothing to offer the voters. Unless the voters just want a change with no thought of the potential of again having a 7-0 council, they will lose. I know that Sabatino has a couple of years left so we would have a 6-1 council but how different is that? Remember the years we had the 7-0 and even the 6-1 when Shaver got elected. It was pretty much a travesty and a joke and they self-destructed with their power. Fix has put these people up to draw votes from Brian and Ted. Nothing more. They will be well-funded and well staffed but in the long run I think they will lose.
Now Hackworth. Well, what can be said? He?’s done a good job, made some tough calls and at least for the first two years of his tenure, was effective at putting the city back on the right track. However, the last two years of his term have been without any accomplishments. Zero. He entered office, gained a lot, stalled and then stayed stalled. He let issues be dictated to him and spent way too much time in defense and no time on offense. I am sorry to say that I don?’t think Ted will win. His old school campaign methods are antiquated and ineffective. He has no message to bring to the voters. In this campaign the issues will be dictated to him and he will stay on defense. People don?’t want to hear that. I also think that he is playing the get along game with the majority and their manager. I think this approach will backfire because the people he is playing with only know paybacks. A short 5 or 6 month get along with the Fix people will not erase their terms of punishment. They will string him along with promises and like a fish following the worm. He will be pulled out of the water before the election but too late to save himself.
Next: The Mayor?’s race?….
By Prognosticator
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More crystal ball looking
I heard the other day that Shaver has committed to run. He has had a controversial term but not so bad that he would only get 10 votes. People expect some controversy. People expect that things won?’t always be easy. He has been forthcoming, to a degree, about his personal issues and how he is dealing with them. Has he been a good mayor? Not really. Has he been a bad mayor? Not really. He is just kind of there. He had great support early in his term but that support has waned. I think Issue 9 was a huge defeat for him. Oh yes, they won at the ballot box but only by a slim margin. It was a complex issue that I think didn?’t have adequate campaign strategy put forth in support of it. If the mayor and his pals sent out that letter and only squeaked out a narrow victory, the handwriting is on the wall as to his current level of support in the community.
I thought according to earlier postings on this site that you already had a candidate and elected him. How did that subject die off so quickly? Did someone talk to that potential candidate and find out he wasn?’t interested? Too bad. I agreed with the majority of the postings that he was the best candidate and would serve us well as mayor. If that candidate hasn?’t been approached, someone better get hold of him quickly and get the ball rolling. If you don?’t, someone will step up. And you better bet that they will have ties to Fix or his township mentors. Don?’t think for a minute that Fix won?’t put a candidate up against Shaver. That?’s just politics people. And we are talking about the big leagues of politics where Fix is involved.
By Prognosticator
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