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Local News

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Supreme Court elections: Moyer calls for changes
By JORDAN CRAVENS

staff writer

Ohio Supreme Court elections have become increasingly fueled by campaign finances and partisanship, Chief Justice Thomas Moyer said Monday.

But money and party politics should be taken out of the equation for the justice seats, whose occupants should be unbiased and impartial in upholding the law of the land, Moyer told the Findlay Rotary Club.

Between 1999 and 2007, in states which elect Supreme Court justices, Moyer said $165 million was spent for campaign advertising. That more than doubled the amount spent between 1991 and 1998, he said.

Aggressive questionnaires, which ask judicial candidates to take a stance on "hot-button" issues such as abortion and gay marriage, have also found their way into the election arena, Moyer said.

"These judges know that how they respond to these questions could mean significant dollars," he said.

The increased campaign spending and aggressive questionnaires have helped proliferate negative political campaigns, he said.

However, he said, citizens are not responding to this type of campaigning.

"Surveys tell us voters value the importance of an impartial judiciary," he said.

Recently, Moyer said, he was involved in a 45-member group discussion, composed of people from diverse backgrounds, which looked at ways other states seat their justices.

He said in some systems, a judge is appointed by a committee and then voters have the chance to retain or remove the person from their seat through an election. This eliminates the opponent from the equation, he said, and thus reduces campaign finances.

"If the process works in the front-end, then there should be no need to remove them," he said, although there have been some instances in which justices were removed from office.

Changing the way justices are placed in office would require an amendment to Ohio's constitution. This would be a long process, he said.

Another option considered by the group was public funding. North Carolina uses this system to fund its state judicial candidates' campaigns.

After his speech, Moyer said he would push for reforming Ohio's Supreme Court elections.

He said Speaker Armond Budish of the Ohio House of Representatives and Gov. Ted Strickland have both expressed interest in looking at reform.

"They know we have to take the money out of it," he said.

Cravens: 419-427-8422,

Send an e-mail to Jordan Cravens


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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.