Local Races, Tax Issues, Schools, Marijuana and Reproductive Rights To Be Decided November 7

The presidential election is just over a year away, but Nordonia Hills voters will have a full slate of races and issues to decide on for the November 7 general election. 

Nordonia Hills School Board

One of the most anticipated races will be between three candidates vying for two open spots on the Nordonia Hills City School Board. 

Political newcomer Tim Ellis will face current Board members Chad Lahrmer and Liz McKinley. 

Macedonia

Three open spots in Macedonia city government are filled with unopposed incumbents.

Mayor Nick Molnar will be unopposed on the ballot. Molnar will be joined by unopposed Council members David Finley and Jeff Garvis. 

Macedonia also will have three local issues on the ballot. 

• Issue 24: Voters will decide if the Macedonia City Charter should be amended to allow the Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals up to two alternate members appointed by the Mayor or his/her designee to serve in the event a regular member is unavailable.

•Issue 25

A proposed amendment asking if the Macedonia Charter should be changed by reorganizing Article XIII to reflect the current organization and operation of the Parks and Recreation Department and Parks and Recreation Commission.

Issue 26

A proposed amendment asking shall the Charter of the City of Macedonia be amended to clarify the full-time employees within the City’s Police and Fire Departments that are members of the classified civil service?

Village of Northfield 

Two candidates will be going head-to-head for the top spot at Village Hall.

Incumbent Mayor Jennifer Domzalski will be challenged by former Council member Keith Czerr.

Three candidates will vie for two Council spots. Incumbent Council members Kevin Lewis and Gary C. Vojtush, and newcomer Yulia Gray will be on the ballot for the two Council-at-large spots.

Northfield Center Township 

Northfield Center Township will have two races and one local issue to decide. 

Incumbent Trustee Richard Reville will run against newcomer Samuel Antonio Morgante for one open trustee spot. 

Fiscal Officer Andy LaGuardia will be unopposed on the ballot.

Northfield Center Township

Issue 6: A Proposed Tax Levy (Additional) to pay for police protection will be on the ballot. The money would pay for costs incurred by the Township.

The levy would bring in $544,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 3 mills for each $1 of taxable value. That would amount to $105 for each $100,000 of the county fiscal officer’s appraised value. The levy would run from 2023 to 2024.

Sagamore Hills Township

Sagamore Hills Township will have two races on the ballot. However, each race is unopposed.

Incumbent Trustee John Zaccardelli will be unopposed as will Sagamore Hills Township Fiscal Officer Laura Steimle.

One Summit County-wide Issue 17 will be on each ballot.

Issue 17: A proposed Summit County Replacement Tax Levy

•The replacement tax would benefit the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board by providing community developmental disabilities programs and services for children and adults.

•The tax would cost taxpayers $158 for each $100,000 of the county fiscal officer’s appraised value, for 6 years, commencing in 2024, first due in the calendar year 2025.

•The tax would generate $66,121,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 4.5 mills for each $1 of taxable value.

Two state-wise Issues deal with reproductive rights and the legalization of marijuana. 

State Issue 1 deals with abortion and individual rights: 

•Establish in the Constitution of the State of Ohio an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion;

•Create legal protections for any person or entity that assists a person with receiving reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion;

•Prohibit the State from directly or indirectly burdening, penalizing, or prohibiting abortion before an unborn child is determined to be viable unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means;

•Grant a pregnant woman’s treating physician the authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether an unborn child is viable;

•Only allow the State to prohibit abortion after an unborn child is determined by a pregnant woman’s treating physician to be viable and only if the physician does not consider the abortion necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health;

 and

• Always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy, regardless of viability if, in the treating physician’s determination, the abortion is necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health.

State Issue 2 Would Legalize Marijuana

•Legalize and regulate the cultivation, processing, sale, purchase, possession, home growth, and use of cannabis by adults at least twenty-one years of age.

If passed, the law would become effective 30 days after the election.

For additional information visit https://www.boe.ohio.gov/summit/.