Friday - August 03, 2007

Sheriff Leis:  Sit Down and Shut Up

As a background note, in November of 2006, Hamilton County (Ohio) voters turned down an increase in the sales tax, which was to fund a new jail (a previous post on this subject is here).  On May 30th, the two Democratic County Commissioners, in spite of the voter's recorded preference, raised the Hamilton County sales tax by a half cent.  As of yesterday though, enough signatures were gathered to put this tax to another vote in November.

It has been the stance of this blog, that when the voters tell their elected leaders what to do, they do not have the option, within six months of a vote, to ignore the people's will.  The action of raising the sales tax against the expressed wishes of voters, put Democratic Commissioners Portune (and usually Portune is a decent guy)  and Pepper into the category of George Voinovich.  That category is characterized by an obvious arrogance and general disdain for the wishes of their constituents.

Now Sheriff Simon Leis, usually a respectable Republican, is blatantly ignoring the will of the people and supporting the Democratic majority on the Commission.  Sheriff Leis, just as Portune and Pepper, has expressed his contempt for the vote held in November of 2006.  How arrogant is Leis?  This exchange with the one man who voted against this tax increase is all you need to know:

Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine and fellow Sheriff Simon Leis both Republicans, had words at Wednesday's commission meeting.

The sheriff blasted DeWine for not supporting Democrat Commissioners David Pepper and Todd Portune's sales tax increase to pay for a new jail and safety plan.

The exchange occurred during a discussion about what to do about the 300 overflow inmates being housed in Butler County. Commissioners can't afford to rent space there anymore and want to triple bunk at the Justice Center until a new jail can be built (read the Enquirer story.)

We'll bring you the video from the meeting too as soon as it's available. In the meantime here's some of the exchange:

Sheriff Leis: "DeWine, you've created nothing but serious problems for safety in Hamilton County. I want to tell you that personally. And you'll be the person responsible in the event that a major catastrophe happens."

DeWine: "We don’t need to have a shouting match. You can come to these meetings and yell but the approach that you and the majority of the board has taken is not faring very well."

DeWine said he believes voters should have a say where their money is spent and pointed out that more than 50,000 people - those who signed a referendum petition - agree with him.

" Let’s not have a bullying match," he said.

He asked the sheriff to sit down. Leis refused. He asked again. Leis refused. After several more requests, the sheriff finally sat.

But Leis wasn't done. He continued to blast the commissioner while talking to the media after the meeting.

Leis: "I'm not a DeWine supporter. He's caused major problems in the county. He's caused more problems than any commissioner in my experience. He doesn't make any sense. Everyone knows we need a new jail and now he's submarined the plan."

Sheriff Leis, shut up.  You are embarrassing yourself.  You sound exactly like George Voinovich.  Arrogrant and disdainful of your constituents.  First, you are a Republican. Republicans do not usurp the will of the people, well at least they shouldn't.  Second, Republicans do not raise taxes.  Third, Hamilton County, with this tax, will have the highest sales tax among all our neighboring counties.  Do Republicans want to drive business from an already locally weak economy?  That sounds like something a liberal might do.

Sherif Leis, you are acting like a Democrat.  Hell, you are even aligning with the Democrats and against the people of Hamilton County.  Remember, the people of Hamilton County voted against a new jail.  Maybe you've been in power too long and have forgotten where your power actually comes from.  Your wisdom is not above that of the people, though apparently you and your friends on the Commission believe it is. And that is the definition of arrogance.

Fifty-four thousand Hamilton County voters have reacted against this usurpation and we will have our say once again in November.  So what have you accomplished?  You raised taxes against the will of the people in May, knowing full well that they would react to this highhanded action.  And more than likely, this tax will be rejected for a second time.  So I ask once again, what did you accomplish in financing a new jail? Come November, with your scheme voted down, how will you fund the jail?

Instead of making the hard choices of cutting the budget,  the Commissioners and Leis chose the route of scoundrels, raising taxes and making Hamilton County the king of the sales tax in the Tri-State area.  In other words, the Sheriff and the two Commissioners acted like good little liberals--tax and spend.

When this tax is rejected, you will have to do your job and make tough decisions on where to cut programs to finance a jail that we all agree that we need.  Maybe we could start with the Sheriff's office.  Sheriff Leis, do you really need that helicopter?  A majority of Hamilton County voters don't think that you need to raise taxes and drive consumer dollars and businesses to surrounding counties to build a new jail.

Author: The Lockean
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