The Athens NEWS recaps its Nov. 3 election endorsements

The Athens NEWS supports the election of Randy Morris to the Athens City Council Fourth Ward seat. Morris is running against council member Christine Fahl. Morris, a Republican who has been critical of the Democratic-dominated City Council and administration, will help counter-balance council deliberations that too often are echo chambers for like-minded views.

His voice will be especially refreshing on development and budget issues, where Fahl has opposed reasonable development, including the stymied Stimson Avenue retirement project. Fahl also supports the city's inadequately justified purchase of most of the University Estates development site.

Morris is right to criticize Fahl's support of City Council's efforts to purchase 600 acres of the University Estates development, mainly to protect the city's source of water. The only arguments in favor of this purchase seem alarmist, rather than based on any legitimate threats to a water supply that's already protected by stringent regulations. Plus, there's no money for such a purchase, unless the city puts itself into serious long-term debt or raises taxes. If you're going to go into debt or ask citizens to raise taxes, it seems like hiring more police officers is a better use for that money.

On budget issues, Morris has the right idea in suggesting that City Council do a better job of prioritizing, by explicitly placing safety and street issues at the top of the city's list of goals.

Opponents have twisted Morris' arguments around to suggest that he opposes funding for the arts and recreation. But he very clearly has explained that if there were just so much money available, he would spend it on police, fire and streets before spending it elsewhere. Neither radical nor extreme, this is a sensible way to look at budgeting in a city with dwindling financial resources.

It's long overdue for Athens City Council to have a skeptical voice, someone who will at least ask difficult questions during the mutual admiration society sessions otherwise known as council meetings.

Vote for Randy Morris for Fourth Ward council member.

If state ballot Issue 1 seems like a no brainer, that's because it is. It would allow the state of Ohio to issue $200 million in bonds to provide cash bonuses for Ohio veterans of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

This would be similar to measures that Ohio voters have passed since 1921 to provide bonuses to military personnel returning home from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Approval of Issue 1 would give this generation of Ohio veterans well-deserved recognition for their service and sacrifices to their state and country. The bonuses would also help these veterans transition from the military into civilian life once they've completed their service - help that's all the more needed with the current poor economy.

Vote yes on state Issue 1.

The Athens NEWS urges Athens County voters to reject the Issue 2 amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot that would create a board to control livestock and poultry regulation in the state. The proposal is a thinly veiled attempt to prevent future democratic efforts to strengthen Ohio's weak system of livestock-protection laws.

Issue 2 would create the Ohio Livestock Standards Board, with members appointed by the governor and state Legislature. The categories of membership are ambiguous enough where depending on the political winds in Columbus, the board could easily be stacked with members friendly to the state's agribusiness lobby.

The appointed board would have the authority to set standards for livestock and poultry care, food safety, disease and prevention, supply and availability, farm management and animal well-being. This means, in practice, that the livestock board could trump any future legislation involving livestock and poultry care, or any citizen referendum designed to improve the care of farm animals.

The Farm Bureau's stated concern - that Ohio farmers' ability to operate successfully could be threatened by stricter animal-care rules "“ is valid enough. However, a constitutional amendment that concentrates power in a livestock board, leaving future Ohio voters out of the equation, is not the proper way to accomplish that.

In addition to the anti-democratic nature of Issue 2, credible critics are correct to argue that it's not appropriate to amend the state's constitution for such a purpose.

A disparate coalition of agricultural, farm and environmental groups strongly oppose the measure. They include the Ohio Farmers Union, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association, the Ohio Sierra Club and Food & Water Watch, as well as the League of Women Voters.

They're right about Issue 2. It's an unnecessary, kneejerk over-reaction to fears that outside groups will persuade Ohioans that livestock and poultry need to be treated humanely in this state. However, if Ohioans or their elected representatives can be persuaded that this is necessary, why shouldn't they have that democratic option?

This amendment is a bad move on a number of levels. Vote no on state Issue 2.

We strongly recommend a no vote on State Issue 3 on the Nov. 3 ballot. The measure would authorize a private firm, Penn National Gaming Inc., to build four casinos in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.

While we aren't averse to allowing one or more casinos in Ohio, if they're well planned and serve the taxpayers' best interests, this proposal is basically a gift to out-of-state gambling moguls. Even without all the problems with this proposal, it's a bad idea to engrave in our state constitution a business deal with two particular entrepreneurs.

This plan has many substantial flaws, including a 33 percent tax rate that's substantially lower than the arrangements that other states have with casino owners. Issue 3 also gives casino owners too much protection from competition, and minimal oversight by the state.

In the past, the Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer and other big-city Ohio newspapers have editorialized aggressively against gambling issues (including Issue 6 a year ago). This has echoed the strident opposition to casino gambling of past and current Ohio governors and legislative leaders.

This time around, evidently as a response to the worst economic times in most Ohioans' lives, the anti-gambling moralizing has been at a lower pitch, and some longtime casino opponents are actually suggesting what we've been advocating for several years - that some sort of casino gambling set-up is probably inevitable in Ohio. That being the case, the state needs to work out its own deal, rather than risking an out-of-state, private interloper winning a self-serving amendment.

With Issue 3 enjoying some popularity in the polls, and backers holding a substantial advantage in cash, we hope it's not too late to turn back this bad proposal, and get to work on one that will maximize benefits for Ohioans.

Vote NO on State Issue 3.

We wholeheartedly back Issue 6 on the Athens County ballot Nov. 3. It will provide the local Meals on Wheels program with enough money to continue providing nutritious meals to needy senior citizens in the county. It also will allow the agency to serve many or all of the seniors on the current waiting list for meals, as well as freeing up senior citizen funds for other critical services for the elderly community.

If there was ever a productive and humane use of local tax dollars, this is it.

With the .25-mill levy, an estimated $200,000 will be generate annually, costing someone with a $100,000 house $7.88 per year, not much more than the cost of a super-sized meal at a fast-food outlet.

The funding is needed, according to supporters, to fill the gap between what meals for needy seniors cost to provide and how much money is available to pay for them. The seniors are expected to make up the difference, but often can't afford to do so.

In addition, the program recently lost some $30,000 in Title XX funding from Athens County Job and Family Services. This money paid for a big part of each meal for the 29 senior citizens on that program.

Currently, Meals on Wheels uses three trucks to provide nutritious meals to about 160 homebound seniors each month in Athens County, and at two dining sites where about 75 elderly gather daily, United Seniors of Athens County (Community Center) in Athens and the Glouster 3 Star Senior Center in that village.

Do the right thing for Athens County's needy senior citizens and vote for Issue 6.

The Athens County ballot also includes a five-year 0.5-mill renewal levy for operating and maintaining emergency medical services (Issue 4), and a 10-year 0.4-mill replacement levy for maintaining and operating the Athens City-County Health Department (Issue 5). In Athens, Issue 7 would approve natural gas aggregation in the city. Aggregation is a tool local governments can use to negotiate better natural-gas prices for city residents by joining together into one large buying group. If the ballot measure is passed, the city will be free to negotiate rates and choose a supplier. All eligible residents are automatically included in the approved program unless they choose to opt out.

The Athens NEWS urges a YES vote on all three of these worthy issues (county Issue 3 "“ EMS services; county Issue 4 "“ health department; and city of Athens Issue 7 "“ gas aggregation.