Don't Forget to VOTE! Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the Mary Ann Twp Community Center

VOTER GUIDE Courtesy of Newark Advocate: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/99999999/NEWS0302/71221016

Click on the link above to go to the webpage.  From there you can see candidates biographies, issue positions and answers to five questions. You may also check your voting preferences and print out a sample ballot to take to the polls.

County, Municipalities, and School Districts Elections

3 Licking County ESC Board Joseph Robert Shannon Nonpartisan Licking County ESC Board Write in candidate only. Joseph Robert Shannon This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 54 Incumbent: No Occupation: Ohio Department of Transportation

3 Licking County ESC Board Matthew Clark Nonpartisan Licking County ESC Board Write in candidate only. Matthew O Clark This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 38 Incumbent: No Occupation: Civil Servant

3 Licking County ESC Board Steven A. Slyh Nonpartisan Licking County ESC Board Write in candidate only. Steven A. Slyh This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

3 Licking County Municipal Court Judge Democratic David Stansbury Nonpartisan Licking County Municipal Court Judge Executes judicial functions for Licking County Municipal Court system. David Stansbury This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 42 Incumbent: Yes Occupation: Judge, Licking County Municipal Court

3 Licking County Municipal Court Judge Republican Mark D. Gardner Nonpartisan Licking County Municipal Court Judge Executes judicial functions for Licking County Municipal Court system. Mark D. Gardner This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 54 Incumbent: No Occupation: Attorney in General Practice of Law.

3 Licking County Municipal Court Judge Independent Mike King Nonpartisan Licking County Municipal Court Judge Executes judicial functions for Licking County Municipal Court system. Mike King This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 57 Incumbent: No Occupation: I have been an attorney in private pracitce for over 30 years. In addition, I am currently an assistant prosecuting attorney for the City of Pataskala in the Licking County Municipal Court.

5 Mary Ann Township Fiscal Officer Republican Beth Ann Bodle Nonpartisan Mary Ann Township Fiscal Officer Administers financial functions of township government. Beth Ann Bodle This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 64 Incumbent: No Occupation: Assistant for Tom Bodle Construction Current Fiscal Officer

5 Mary Ann Township Trustee Delbert Ralph Westfall Jr. Nonpartisan Mary Ann Township Trustee A township trustee is a member of the board who administers a township, which is a political subdivision of a county, and in common with most other state officials serves a term of four years. Vote for not more than one. Delbert Ralph Westfall Jr. This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

5 Mary Ann Township Trustee Kevin K. Ferrebee Nonpartisan Mary Ann Township Trustee A township trustee is a member of the board who administers a township, which is a political subdivision of a county, and in common with most other state officials serves a term of four years. Vote for not more than one. Kevin K. Ferrebee This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

5 Mary Ann Township Trustee Leslie Wolfe Nonpartisan Mary Ann Township Trustee A township trustee is a member of the board who administers a township, which is a political subdivision of a county, and in common with most other state officials serves a term of four years. Vote for not more than one. Leslie Wolfe This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

5 Mary Ann Township Trustee Steven Forest Wireman Nonpartisan Mary Ann Township Trustee A township trustee is a member of the board who administers a township, which is a political subdivision of a county, and in common with most other state officials serves a term of four years. Vote for not more than one. Steven Forest Wireman This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

6 Licking Valley Board of Education Kimberly Lynn Christian Nonpartisan Licking Valley Board of Education Vote for not more than 2. Kimberly Lynn Christian This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

6 Licking Valley Board of Education Lydia E. Miller Nonpartisan Licking Valley Board of Education Vote for not more than 2. Lydia E. Miller This is a nonpartisan race.Age: Incumbent: No Occupation: This candidate did not complete our questionnaire.

6 Licking Valley Board of Education Shane Negele Nonpartisan Licking Valley Board of Education Vote for not more than 2. Shane Negele This is a nonpartisan race.Age: 37 Incumbent: No Occupation: Life Insurance Underwriting Operations Supervisor

Issues

2 Issue 1: Age limits for judges Ohio Ohio Issue 1: Age limits for judges This proposed amendment would: 1. Increase the maximum age for assuming elected or appointed judicial office from 70 to 75. 2. Eliminate the General Assembly’s authority to establish courts of conciliation. 3. Eliminate the governor’s authority to appoint members to a Supreme Court Commission. If approved, the amendment shall take effect immediately. Vote "YES" A "YES" vote for Issue 1 would change the Constitution of Ohio to increase from 70 to 75 the maximum age to which a person may be elected or appointed judge. ISSUE 1 KEEPS EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTEGRITY IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. Ohio voters last addressed the judicial retirement age more than 40 years ago in 1968. The quality of life and life expectancy rates have changed over time. People are living longer and are still mentally sound and physically capable of serving the public beyond age 70. Judges are the only elected officials in Ohio that have a mandatory age of retirement set by the Ohio Constitution. The majority of other states already have age limits higher than 70 or no mandatory age limit on retirement. ISSUE 1 STILL INCLUDES RIGOROUS JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY. Ohio has safeguard measures in place to protect the public from judges who are not physically, mentally or intellectually able to carry out the duties of their respective offices. The Supreme Court of Ohio has the constitutional responsibility to oversee the practice of law in the state and has one of the most comprehensive disciplinary systems in the nation. Through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, all complaints concerning ethical misconduct and/or mental illness of judges or attorneys are fully investigated. ISSUE 1 CREATES NO ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BURDEN. There is no additional cost for Ohio's taxpayers, to the state, or other funding agencies, as Ohio judges are paid the same amount, regardless of their years of service. Changing the age of retirement does not guarantee that judges automatically get to continue their careers, as Ohio voters will have the final say whether a judge is competent to serve and deserves another term. *** Prepared by Rep. Matt Huffman and Sens. Larry Obhof, Scott Oelslager and Joseph Schiavoni Vote "NO" Under Article 4 Section 6 of Ohio's constitution a person age 70 or older is not eligible for election to a judicial office. The age limit embodied in our state's constitution prevents our bench from being held for decades by an entrenched judiciary. Our judges face election every 6 years. Periodic elections coupled with a reasonable age limit assures that our judiciary remains efficient and productive. Our current system has served Ohio well and the quality of our judiciary has never been better. When a judge reaches 70 they complete their full term in office. A person elected at age 69 can serve until age 75. A retired judge can remain on the bench by assignment. The Supreme Court of Ohio has adopted a policy that allows retired judges to serve until age 80. Issue one proposes to extend the judicial age limit to 75 years. The additional five years will burden our courts with some judges whose best years are behind them. It will also make our pool of retired judges eligible to sit by assignment much older. This will have a negative impact on the quality and performance of Ohio's judiciary. Issue 1 places two other court related proposals before voters for consideration. It removes antiquated constitutional provisions regarding the legislature and the governor's authority over rarely used courts of conciliation and supreme court commissions. These provisions should be addressed separately and not combined with the unnecessary proposition extending age limits for elected judges. Our current system works. Issue 1 attempts to fix something that is not broken and it should be rejected by Ohio's voters. *** Prepared by Reps. Tracy Heard and Mark Okey

2 Issue 2: Vote on Senate Bill 5 Ohio Ohio Issue 2: Vote on Senate Bill 5 A majority yes vote is necessary for Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 5 to be approved. Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 5 is a new law relative to government union contracts and other government employment contracts and policies. A "YES" vote means you approve the law. A "NO" vote means you reject the law. Vote "YES" A YES vote on Issue 2 will make long overdue reforms to unfair and costly government employment practices in Ohio, while helping to get government spending under control and making government more accountable to taxpayers. Your YES vote on Issue 2 will: Protect Good Teachers and Improve Our Schools Issue 2 keeps the best teachers in the classroom by ending the unfair practice of seniority‐based layoffs, which forces struggling schools to cut many of our best teachers first. Issue 2 returns control of our schools to taxpayers by bringing increased transparency to teacher contract negotiations. Issue 2 enables schools to retain and reward good teachers by allowing them to base pay raises on job performance. Restore Balance and Ensure Fairness Issue 2 ensures that government employees receive quality health care, but asks them to pay a mere 15 percent of their health insurance coverage, which is still less than half of what the average private sector worker pays (31 percent). Issue 2 asks government employees to make a fair contribution (10 percent) to their taxpayer funded retirement plans instead of requiring taxpayers to provide these pension benefits for free. Many private sector workers get no retirement benefits at all. Issue 2 allows good job performance to be considered when awarding pay raises to government employees. Private sector workers earn their paychecks by doing a good job, and so should government employees. Get Spending Under Control, Retain Jobs, and Protect Taxpayers Issue 2 will save our communities millions of dollars annually, helping them balance their budgets and retain jobs. Issue 2 will protect taxpayers by giving them the right to reject unaffordable government employment contracts. "Issue 2 is the right change at the right time" Vote YES on Issue 2 *** Prepared by Reps, Joe Uecker and Louis Blessing and Sens. Kevin Bacon and Shannon Jones Vote "NO" UNSAFE, UNFAIR AND HURTS OHIO'S MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES UNSAFE Issue 2 puts all our families' safety at risk--making it harder for emergency responders, police and firefighters to negotiate for critical safety equipment and training that protects us all. Issue 2 will make our nursing shortage worse. It makes it illegal for nurses, hospital and clinic workers to demand reasonable safe staffing levels--so nurses will juggle more patients while their salaries and benefits are cut. Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund, Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters say NO on Issue 2 UNFAIR The same Columbus politicians who call for "shared sacrifice" exploited a loophole, giving a special exception to politicians and upper management. Ohio's public employees have already sacrificed--saving Ohio taxpayers over $350 million through concessions, including pay freezes and unpaid furlough days. It's not Ohio values to let firefighters, police and teachers lose their rights and see wages and benefits gutted, while insiders, politicians and people at the top sacrifice nothing. HURTS US ALL Instead of creating jobs to fix our economy, politicians like Governor Kasich gave away hundreds of millions in corporate tax breaks--draining our state budget while Ohio continues to lose jobs--and passed flawed laws like SB 5 to pay back their campaign donors. Teachers, nurses, firefighters are not the reason Ohio's budget is in trouble. Big corporations, their high-paid lobbyists and the politicians they fund are blaming middle class Ohioans for a problem they caused. Issue 2: Another example of the politicians turning their backs on Ohio's middle class. Send Them a Message-- Stop Working for the Special Interests, Start Working for We the People. VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2 Prepared by Michael S. Weinman, Deirdre Ann DeLong, Michael Harrison, and Natalie Y. Wester

2 Issue 3: Health care constitutional amendment Ohio Ohio Issue 3: Health care constitutional amendment The proposed constitutional amendment would provide that: 1. In Ohio, no law or rule shall compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system. 2. In Ohio, no law or rule shall prohibit the purchase or sale of health care or health insurance. 3. In Ohio, no law or rule shall impose a penalty or fine for the sale or purchase of health care or health insurance. The proposed amendment would not: 1. Affect laws or rules in effect as of March 19, 2010. 2. Affect which services a health care provider or hospital is required to perform or provide. 3. Affect terms and conditions of government employment. 4. Affect any laws calculated to deter fraud or punish wrongdoing in the health care industry. If approved, the amendment will be effective 30 days after the election. Vote "YES" Protect your health care freedom, preserve your right to choose your doctor and health insurance, and keep government out of your personal medical decisions. Without health care freedom, government can do the following to you: Force you to purchase costly government-defined health insurance. Make you pay more to upgrade your existing health insurance to meet government requirements. Force you to disclose private medical information. Prohibit you from obtaining private medical treatment. WITHOUT ISSUE 3, THERE IS NO LIMIT ON WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN FORCE YOU TO BUY. Your YES vote on Issue 3 will: Protect your health care freedom in Ohio's Bill of Rights. Prohibit government from forcing you into government insurance or medical treatment you don't want. Protect jobs in Ohio's health care industry. Keep doctors in Ohio. Make it harder for government to force you to support the unhealthy lifestyles and choices of others. Reduce government regulations that drive up health care costs. The state of Massachusetts mandates the purchase of government-dictated health insurance, and has the highest health care costs in the United States. A YES vote means: Government should not have the power to force you and your family to buy a specific type of health insurance or health care from another. The freedom to not be forced to purchase government-defined private health insurance is a fundamental right, implicit in the concept of ordered liberty and deeply rooted in our history and tradition. You and your family should never be imprisoned, fined or prosecuted for choosing health insurance or treatment different from government requirements. BIG INSURANCE COMPANIES LOBBY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES. DON'T LET THEM CONTROL YOUR HEALTH CARE. VOTE YES TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. *** Prepared by Christopher Littleton, Joseph Bozzi, Jason Mihalick, Alan Witten, and Steven Carr Vote "NO" Voting "NO" means that health care will be more secure because working families won't be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Voting "NO" also helps protect Ohioans from the risk of losing their coverage or being forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. State Issue 3 is an attempt by some to take away the ability of Ohio to implement health care reforms. Opposing this measure will continue to allow Ohioans to have greater access to health care, maintain certain preventive care options like cancer screenings and it will preserve Ohioans' freedom to choose their doctors. Voting "NO" will continue to make health care more affordable and it will ensure opportunities for the 1.4 million Ohioans who have been shut out of the insurance market because of pre-existing conditions and high insurance costs. Voting "NO" will: Stop insurance companies from excluding people, including children, with pre-existing medical conditions from getting health insurance. Allow working parents to include their children under their employer's health care plan until age 26. Preserve prescription drug coverage and preventive care benefits for seniors, children and parents. Stop insurance companies from imposing annual and lifetime caps on health care coverage. Protect Ohioans from catastrophic health care expenses that result in bankruptcy. Help small businesses provide health insurance for their employees. Make sure everyone takes responsibility to pay their fair share into the health care system for care they use when sick or injured, instead of shifting costs onto people who pay for insurance. Allow Ohioans freedom to choose their doctors. Support the choice of Ohioans - including those with pre-existing conditions - to have access to affordable insurance coverage, lower health care costs and protect seniors' access to prescription drugs and preventive care. Vote "NO" on Issue 3 *** Prepared by Representatives Armond Budish and Mike Foley and Senator Capri Cafaro.

3 Issue 20 Licking County Additional For Soil & Water Conservation Licking County Licking County Issue 20 Licking County Additional For Soil & Water Conservation 0.1 mill for five years for soil and water conservation district programs. The levy millage is 1/10th of a mill for five years. The owner of a property valued at $100,000 would pay $3.06/year, or less than a penny a day. The measure is expected to raise $370,270 per year. Vote "YES" Would generate funds needed to allow district to continue to provide services including: * Helping landowners manage the soil that grows the food we eat. * Helping landowners make better, informed land use decisions. * Helping keep the water in our rivers and streams clean by encouraging the use of best management practices that reduce water pollution. * Helping protect and restore our environment. * Providing education and outreach about the importance of protecting and sustaining our natural resources. Vote "NO" Would constitute an additional tax obligation for county taxpayers.

5 Issue 11 Mary Ann Township Replacement Mary Ann Township Mary Ann Township Issue 11 Mary Ann Township Replacement Approval would okay 1.5 mills for five years for fire protection. Vote "YES" Assures needed funds to maintain township fire services. Vote "NO" Would approve tax burden on township's residents.