Boardman Township will have three, particular candidates on the May 8 primary ballot; and there will be two tax issues presented to the electorate, including a $49 million, ten-year request for additional property tax revenue for the Boardman Local School District.
      In addition, all seats in both the Republican and Democratic party camps are on the ballot for precinct committeemen.
      State Sen. Joe Schiavoni, of Boardman, is seeking the Democratic party nomination for Governor of Ohio; Larry Moliterno, 427 Gardenview Dr., a Boardman Township Trustee, is running for a seat as a representative in the Ohio Legislature; and Dan Dascenzo, 7768 Silver Fox Dr., is a Democratic Party candidate for judge on the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas.
      Ohio Governor
      Schiavoni has received very good reviews from around the state of Ohio in his bid for the governorship. However, despite serving ten years in the Ohio Senate, he is a relatively unknown in the race for governor. Six candidates are on the ballot in the Dem camp for governor, where party loyalists seem to support Richard Cordray and his running mate, Betty Sutton.
      Cordray served under President Barak Obama as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, from 2012 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, Cordray variously served as Ohio’s Attorney General, Solicitor General. and Treasurer.
      Schiavoni’s campaign has received endorsements from State Sen. Sean O’Brien, Rep.Glenn Holmes, Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, Rep. Michael O’Brien, the Canton Professional Educators’ Association (CPEA), Communication Workers of America #4300, International Association of Firefighters #312, Ohio BATs education group, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and the Western Reserve Building Trades Council.
      Ohio Representative
      In the Democratic Party race for a seat as the 59th Ohio House of Representative, Boardman Trustee Larry Moliterno and Poland Township Trustee Eric Ungaro are engaged in a battle that has sparked voter interest.
      Moliterno has campaigned as a candidate looking to meet with all people and agencies in an effort to address issues facing the 59th district, while Ungaro has narrowed the focus of his campaign to his political party and his unionism.
      In this race, the question seems clear---Vote for a candidate willing to work with everybody to get things done, or vote for a candidate clearly attached to his union membership as a member of a teachers’ union.
      Common Pleas Judge
      Dan Dascenzo and Anthony Donofrio are on the May 8 Democratic party ballot for the seat on the Mahoning County Common Pleas bench currently held by Judge Lou D’Apolito, who is retiring due to age restrictions.
      “For the past nine years I have served as your Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Magistrate. I’m a husband and father of two sons. This community is my home. It’s where I grew up, went to school, and learned the value of hard work and family,” Dascenzo says, adding “I learned that honesty and integrity define a person. And I understand how important it is to a community to elect a good judge. Someone who will ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods.”
      Members of the Donofrio family have been elected judges for a combined 47 years, and the candidate’s candidacy touts his family has served all that time “without a hint of controversy.”
      Boardman Local School Levy
      The Boardman Local School District is seeking voter approving of a 5.8-mil, 10-year tax levy designed to bring-in about $49 million over the life of the levy.
      School officials say the additional money is needed in order to overcome cutbacks in state subsidies that has created projected deficit spending of an estimated $3.4 million by the end of the current fiscal year.
      Since 2012, school officials say funding from state subsidies has declined by some $25 million.
      During the past 13 years, enrollment in the Boardman Local Schools has dipped by some 800 students, while expenditures have increased by an estimated $10 million to $11 million.
      So, as the record reflects, it costs more money to educate less children.
      Approval of the school levy, over the ten year span, would cost the average homeowner upwards of $6000 in additional taxes.
      Boardman Township Levy
      Boardman Township will have a 2.9-mil, five-year tax issue on the ballot for current expenses.
      According to Township Administrator Jason Loree, the 2.9-mil issue will replace a 3.2-mil levy that generated $1.2 million per year. If approved, the $2.9-mil issue will raise about $2.7 million annually, and increase taxes about $67 per $100,000 of valuation, Loree said.
      Trustee Brad Calhoun made the following comments on the township’s replacement levy:
      “With the replacement, the $100,000 the home owner will pay an additional $11.50 per half.
      “Why a replacement?
      “Loss of local revenue funds, loss of Tangible Personal Property revenue, loss of the estate tax revenue. Over a five year forecast, the Township has loss nearly $11 million. The last ‘new money’ was approved in 2011 and we met every commitment made to the residents and more, eight years later and a loss of $11 million, we decided to place a replacement levy on the ballot to solidify our budget going forward. We have balanced the budget every year while improving services to our community. The community has spoken loud and clear to the elected officials about maintaining strong police and fire departments.
      “A $23 investment per year by the home owner will allow us to keep moving in the right direction as we aggressively look to improve roads, update zoning codes/enforcement, and quality of life issues.
      “Why did we decide to decrease the 3.2 levy with a 2.9?
      “After reviewing our five year business plan and analyzing our financial forecast we believe a 2.9 replacement levy is all the tax dollars needed to maintain a balanced budget for next five years.
      “The past eight years we have been transparent and maintained an open dialogue with the community. We have presented the needs and goals in our five year business plan that has been renewed and updated annually. Taking care of those dollars entrusted to the Board is always a priority and this replacement levy will cost an additional $11.50 per half next year for a $100,000 home. This levy will allow Boardman Township to continue to operate efficiently and maintain customer service as our residents have always enjoyed. We continue to be proactive in collaboration with other communities and always look to seek grant dollars for paving, zoning, fire and police.
      “Boardman Township has aggressively asked state legislators to release money from the rainy day fund to reduce the burden on property owners. We seek every opportunity to write grants and the past few years the township has secured millions of state and federal dollars to support township services.
      Local Option Issues
      There will be two local option liquor issues on the May 8 ballot.
      In Precinct 8, Fast Trac, 7103 Lockwood Blvd., is seeking approval of beer and wine sales for carryout. as well as Sunday sales; and in precinet 9, Buckeye Auto Wash, 6123 Market St., is seeking approval of beer and wine sales for carryout, as well as sale of intoxicating liquor on Sunday between the hours 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. and midnight.