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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > April > 12 > Entry
Editorial: Anderson is better Greene County pick
2010 ELECTION
Virgil Vaduva has some ideas that are beyond the fringe. As pertinent, he’s running for the wrong office.
He’s challenging Alan Anderson in the Republican primary for Greene County commissioner.
However, his complaints, he said, are not with Mr. Anderson, but with Commissioners Marilyn Reid and Rick Perales. He suggests they have a special relationship with the Dayton Development Coalition that results in their campaigns benefitting, but he can’t explain what he means.
Mr. Vaduva’s views, which he characterizes as more Libertarian than Republican, are most intense about national and state politics. He says taxes are a “violent means” of taking people’s property.
The immigrant from Romania says he has been involved with some Tea Party activists and that he helped start the Xenia Liberty Group.
Specifically, he complains that property taxes in Greene County are too high, though the county commission gets little in the way of property tax proceeds; most of that tax money goes to schools. In an interview with the Dayton Daily News, it wasn’t clear whether Mr. Vaduva understands that.
Considering the issues he’s hottest about, you’d think a legislative office or even a school board seat would fit the Xenia resident who works in information technology better.
He also criticizes the Greene County Children’s Services Board as an example of a government agency that spends too much employing people as opposed to providing direct services. That characterization is bewildering because, of course, the bulk of that agency’s budget is going to go toward people — those who investigate abuse complaints, those who monitor children in foster care, those who screen and recruit foster parents.
Though he’s pleasant, Mr. Vaduva is the wrong person for this important job.
Mr. Anderson is completing his first four-year term. He is earnest, but unlikely to ever grow into the most knowledgeable commissioner. Nonetheless, he has carved out some interests.
For instance, he’s especially focused on the fact that much of Greene County — he says half of the county’s land mass — doesn’t have fast, reliable Internet service and is instead dependent on dial-up.
That’s horribly frustrating for those trying to work at home, for children trying to do school work and for anyone who wants to be part of the 21st century.
Whether Mr. Anderson is bringing together the right people or has found the solution isn’t clear. But he is paying attention to a vexing problem.
Mr. Anderson came into office after he knocked off Marilyn Reid in the primary four years ago. Ms. Reid had long been involved in the Greene County Republican Party and also represented the area in the legislature, though not without controversy. She has a long line of critics for her style and on substance; Mr. Anderson was seen as a more go-along-get-along kind of person.
With a term under his belt, no one would suggest he is going to be the person who leads any bold transformation of Greene County’s ways of doing business, and he isn’t politically courageous.
(Though he should have been defending the Dayton Development Coalition and what it does for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and especially for Greene County, Mr. Anderson was on the side of whacking the money the coalition gets to advocate for the region.)
Mr. Vaduva, who has never attended a county commission meeting, isn’t interested in the work of county government. Sticking with Mr. Anderson is the better choice.
To read two other views on this race, click here.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: 2010 endorsements, Editorials, Ellen Belcher, Miami Valley Politics
Comments
By Rick of Sugarcreek
April 12, 2010 10:59 PM | Link to this
“Mr. Anderson was seen as a more go-along-get-along kind of person.” Yep that is the very definition of a do nothing. And that is what he is doing, nothing.
By joe_mamma
April 13, 2010 8:17 AM | Link to this
Another fine example of the DDN endorsing the candidate they find less repulsive and more likely to compromise with those that believe government needs to be expanded. Again it needs to be asked…why should anyone with conservative or libertarian take any stock in a DDN endorsement? If the DDN wants to save a little money you can send me the races you want to have endorsements for and I will write them…I’ll even include the leftist big government busy body slant. Seriously…you are really predictable.
By Virgil Vaduva
April 13, 2010 3:42 PM | Link to this
I want to thank the DDN Editorial folks for meeting with me. But for the record, I would like to correct a few glaring and I hope, inadvertent errors: I do not live in Cedarville; I live in Xenia, I mentioned this several times during the interview. Dayton Development Coalition is involved in local backroom political deals which are highly questionable, and there is no evidence that DDC has brought in any jobs or has directly benefited Greene County; I mentioned this in the interview. Defending them is not something Alan Anderson should be proud of. I specifically mentioned during the interview that school district taxes are a big part of the “high taxes” problems in Greene County. Most SDs are run by Republicans, which illustrate my point, namely that Greene County Republicans have abandoned their principles of small government and low taxation. I mentioned this during the interview as well. I made the Children Services 2007-2009 budged public - I will let the readers decide and wonder why Dayton Daily News thinks this is an appropriate budget and how they can justify this unheard-of level of bureaucracy. Sincerely, Virgil Vaduva
By Virgil Vaduva
April 13, 2010 3:42 PM | Link to this
I want to thank the DDN Editorial folks for meeting with me. But for the record, I would like to correct a few glaring and I hope, inadvertent errors: I do not live in Cedarville; I live in Xenia, I mentioned this several times during the interview. Dayton Development Coalition is involved in local backroom political deals which are highly questionable, and there is no evidence that DDC has brought in any jobs or has directly benefited Greene County; I mentioned this in the interview. Defending them is not something Alan Anderson should be proud of. I specifically mentioned during the interview that school district taxes are a big part of the “high taxes” problems in Greene County. Most SDs are run by Republicans, which illustrate my point, namely that Greene County Republicans have abandoned their principles of small government and low taxation. I mentioned this during the interview as well. I made the Children Services 2007-2009 budged public - I will let the readers decide and wonder why Dayton Daily News thinks this is an appropriate budget and how they can justify this unheard-of level of bureaucracy. Sincerely, Virgil Vaduva
By Sid in Centerville
April 13, 2010 5:50 PM | Link to this
Vaduva is rebuked for tackling fringe issues while his opponent is praised for knuckling down on slow internet speeds. Hah!
By Randall East
April 13, 2010 7:51 PM | Link to this
So Mr. Anderson is concerned about slow Internet speeds. Hmm, yes I think we should focus on Internet speeds while Rome burns with high taxes and corrupt leadership.
By Kyle Peterson
April 13, 2010 10:02 PM | Link to this
Yes Randall, it is a ‘vexing’ problem. The fact that the editor portrays Mr. Vaduva as a ‘complainer’ sells me on his candidacy. We are all complaining about these ‘go-along’, corrupt politicians; who better to amplify our voices. Perhaps the editor should spend a bit of time vetting the DeWinamic Duo.
By David Esrati
April 14, 2010 8:48 AM | Link to this
It’s amazing what this editorial leaves out- or why they bother endorsing either candidate. Read more here: http://esrati.com/ddn-endorsement-failures/4763/ Interesting stuff about Vaduva that is missed here.
By David Esrati
April 14, 2010 9:36 AM | Link to this
It’s amazing what this editorial leaves out- or why they bother endorsing either candidate. Read more here: http://esrati.com/ddn-endorsement-failures/4763/ Interesting stuff about Vaduva that is missed here.
By Anderson = Reids Proxy
April 15, 2010 11:11 PM | Link to this
it is very clear now that anderson is Reid’s proxy vote. glad to see he cares about SLOW internet speed, I think that’s not the only thing slow….like his thinking. Thanks alan for being spineless and allowing Marilyn reid to continue the reign of terror. what a waste of a commission seat.