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Party lines haven't infected Solon government
(by Sue Reid - February 17, 2010)
Party lines haven't infected Solon government
By SUE REID
The advantage of nonpartisan politics, which is the basis of most local government, is that it allows coalitions to build across party lines, William Angel, associate professor of political science at Ohio State University at Lima, said.
In cities like Solon, where the Democratic Party has made major inroads, it's important to allow ideas to come to the forefront rather than the party, he said.
"The idea behind nonpartisanship is you focus away from party and party identification and place emphasis more on issues and what's good for the city and less on partisan identity," Dr. Angel said.
"Local culture values the nonpartisan nature of politics," he said.
The nonpartisan approach dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. Angel explained.
"It was a time where you had corrupt political machines in charge of cites," he said. "The idea was to take politics out of city government by making them nonpartisan, so elections were nonpartisan."
Dr. Angel noted that politics is about power and power involves some degree of partisan identity.
"You want to make it about what's good for the city, not what's good for the party," he said.
For much of Solon's recent history, the mayor's office was like a game of political pingpong, alternating between Republicans and Democrats. In the early 1970s, Warren Riebe, a Republican, held the seat. He was followed by Democrat Charles Smercina for two years. Mr. Smercina was defeated by Dorothy Portz, a Republican, who served for two years, before he turned the tables and defeated her. Robert A. Paulson, a Republican, was elected in 1987 and held the office for 10 years, when he lost to Kevin C. Patton, who was a Republican but later switched to the Democratic Party.
Mr. Patton's retirement was followed by the election last November of Susan A. Drucker, a Democrat.
The current City Council also has Democratic connections. Councilman Richard A. Bell, the ward leader for the Democrat precinct committee, recently was appointed to the Ward 1 seat. He joins other Democrat Councilmen Lon D. Stolarsky, Robert N. Pelunis and Edward H. Kraus, all of whom are active as Democratic committeemen in their respective wards.
Councilman John T. Scott, who recently announced his resignation, is a Republican, as is Councilman William I. Russo. Recently elected Councilman William D. Mooney is an independent.
"As long as everyone represents their residents on particular issues, what party you belong to is not a factor in decisions that are made," Mr. Bell said. "That's what we've enjoyed in Solon so much, the fact that people work with each other. Who is Democrat and who is Republican gets set aside," he said.
"It's not about party politics but the wishes of our residents," Mr. Bell said.
Dr. Angel said that, while the nonpartisan label does not mean one needs to be "politically celibate," when you are working for the city, it should not be about furthering a party interest. "That is truly how a nonpartisan structure should work," he said.
Author of "Not All Politics is Local," Dr. Angel, who received his doctorate in government from the University of Texas at Austin, once chaired the Democratic Party in Allen County. His 2002 book is a reflective memoir of that time.
Dr. Angel said the city of Lima, in Allen County, is centered in one of the most heavily Republican parts of Ohio. The city's nonpartisan status, though, allows Democrats to compete, as evidenced by the election of David Berger as mayor in 1989.
"He's a Democrat and makes no bones about it," Dr. Angel said of Mr. Berger. "He has been elected with the assistance of red, red Republicans, but they like him because of his ideas and his vision. He continues to get re-elected and is now serving his sixth term." The nonpartisan label of the city "allows somebody not of the right party background to win and promote ideas that may be beneficial for the entire community," he said.
"I'm not the Democratic mayor of Lima," Mr. Berger once told Dr. Angel. "But I'm the mayor, and I have to represent all parts of the city. I can't be an effective mayor if I'm constantly thought of being a Democrat."
It's important for city officials to transcend their party loyalties, Dr. Angel said, and to work with people of different backgrounds.
Nonpartisan labels free up Republicans to support Democrats and vice versa, Dr. Angel said. In addition, it avoids the prospect of nationalizing local races, he said.
"There's so much poison in our national politics these days," Dr. Angel said. "To make local elections too partisan invites the possibility of bringing national issues in local races. City government is about economic development and law enforcement and picking garbage up. It's not about social agendas and abortion rights. I think keeping elections nonpartisan minimizes that possibility," he said.
"I think the nonpartisan structure works only if the community wants it to work," Dr. Angel said.
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