Published: Thursday, August 17, 2006
Elections background check sunk
One councilman said the proposal is 'biased' against black men.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — Paul Pancoe stormed out only seconds after the city council meeting adjourned, furious that most of his colleagues voted against his proposal to require criminal history checks for those seeking city elected positions.
"You've got five gutless council members here," Pancoe, D-5th, said of the five who voted against his legislation, as he headed for the elevator Wednesday. "People say they want change, but it's just talk."
For a year, Pancoe has sought legislation making the background checks mandatory for those running for city elected posts before they file as candidates.
City law department officials have repeatedly stated Pancoe's proposal can't be enforced. Also, law department officials wrote in a May 1 letter to Pancoe that the proposal would discourage some from running for office because the background checks would include arrests, and not just convictions, of potential candidates.
Besides Pancoe, the only other councilman to vote for the proposal Wednesday was Michael Rapovy, D-5th. Rapovy said the proposal wasn't enforceable, but hoped it would attract attention from the Ohio Legislature and compel that body to pass a state law.
State law doesn't forbid felons from running for elected office, but they can't hold the job unless they get their criminal record sealed or get a presidential pardon, says the Ohio secretary of state's office.
Pancoe's proposal was in front of council Wednesday for its third and final reading. Council had approved it 4-3 on its first two readings.
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, switched her vote, saying more thought was needed on the proposal before it could be approved.
Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, opposed the plan from the beginning, saying it's a "biased ordinance." Gillam said when it comes to getting arrested on trumped-up charges and getting pulled over by police while driving for no legitimate reasons, black men are at the top of both lists.
That means those black men would have criminal records even though they didn't do anything illegal and wouldn't run for elected office fearing the media would publicize their past run-ins with police, he said.
After the meeting, Pancoe said the rejection of his proposal would encourage felons to run for elected office. It also shows "what type of people we have on council," he said.
Other actions
Also Wednesday, council:
Authorized the board of control to enter into an agreement with the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp. for the cleanup, remediation and demolition of five buildings on West Federal Street. The buildings, between the Youngstown Business Incubator and the Semple Building, will be the home of the Youngstown Technology Center.
U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he secured $248,000 for the center in the U.S. Senate's Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies appropriations bill.
Authorized the board of control to enter into a development agreement with Management Parking LLC and Youngstown Wick Building Real Estate Partners LLC. The companies, primarily owned by Lou Frangos of Cleveland, plan to spend up to $13 million to convert the Wick on West Federal Street and Realty on East Federal Street into housing complexes over the next year.
The city would provide the companies a no-interest loan for $4 million to be paid in 18 months as long as an irrevocable letter of credit is obtained from a bank. The city would also give the companies a 100 percent, 12-year real property tax abatement as well as waivers of water and waste water tap-in fees and building permit fees.
Authorized the board of control to enter into an agreement with the CIC to demolish the former State Theater and Armed Forces building and turn those properties into a parking lot. The CIC hasn't agreed to give the city the two buildings.
Permitted the city to borrow $11.9 million to pay its portion of the construction of the city-owned Chevrolet Centre. The city borrowed that amount last year on a one-year bond. That one year expires Sept. 8. The legislation allows the city to borrow the money again for another year.
skolnick@vindy.com
Thursday, August 17, 2006
One councilman said the proposal is 'biased' against black men.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — Paul Pancoe stormed out only seconds after the city council meeting adjourned, furious that most of his colleagues voted against his proposal to require criminal history checks for those seeking city elected positions.
"You've got five gutless council members here," Pancoe, D-5th, said of the five who voted against his legislation, as he headed for the elevator Wednesday. "People say they want change, but it's just talk."
For a year, Pancoe has sought legislation making the background checks mandatory for those running for city elected posts before they file as candidates.
City law department officials have repeatedly stated Pancoe's proposal can't be enforced. Also, law department officials wrote in a May 1 letter to Pancoe that the proposal would discourage some from running for office because the background checks would include arrests, and not just convictions, of potential candidates.
Besides Pancoe, the only other councilman to vote for the proposal Wednesday was Michael Rapovy, D-5th. Rapovy said the proposal wasn't enforceable, but hoped it would attract attention from the Ohio Legislature and compel that body to pass a state law.
State law doesn't forbid felons from running for elected office, but they can't hold the job unless they get their criminal record sealed or get a presidential pardon, says the Ohio secretary of state's office.
Pancoe's proposal was in front of council Wednesday for its third and final reading. Council had approved it 4-3 on its first two readings.
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, switched her vote, saying more thought was needed on the proposal before it could be approved.
Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, opposed the plan from the beginning, saying it's a "biased ordinance." Gillam said when it comes to getting arrested on trumped-up charges and getting pulled over by police while driving for no legitimate reasons, black men are at the top of both lists.
That means those black men would have criminal records even though they didn't do anything illegal and wouldn't run for elected office fearing the media would publicize their past run-ins with police, he said.
After the meeting, Pancoe said the rejection of his proposal would encourage felons to run for elected office. It also shows "what type of people we have on council," he said.
Other actions
Also Wednesday, council:
Authorized the board of control to enter into an agreement with the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp. for the cleanup, remediation and demolition of five buildings on West Federal Street. The buildings, between the Youngstown Business Incubator and the Semple Building, will be the home of the Youngstown Technology Center.
U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he secured $248,000 for the center in the U.S. Senate's Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies appropriations bill.
Authorized the board of control to enter into a development agreement with Management Parking LLC and Youngstown Wick Building Real Estate Partners LLC. The companies, primarily owned by Lou Frangos of Cleveland, plan to spend up to $13 million to convert the Wick on West Federal Street and Realty on East Federal Street into housing complexes over the next year.
The city would provide the companies a no-interest loan for $4 million to be paid in 18 months as long as an irrevocable letter of credit is obtained from a bank. The city would also give the companies a 100 percent, 12-year real property tax abatement as well as waivers of water and waste water tap-in fees and building permit fees.
Authorized the board of control to enter into an agreement with the CIC to demolish the former State Theater and Armed Forces building and turn those properties into a parking lot. The CIC hasn't agreed to give the city the two buildings.
Permitted the city to borrow $11.9 million to pay its portion of the construction of the city-owned Chevrolet Centre. The city borrowed that amount last year on a one-year bond. That one year expires Sept. 8. The legislation allows the city to borrow the money again for another year.
skolnick@vindy.com
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Paul Pancoe stormed out only seconds after the city council meeting adjourned, furious that most of his colleagues voted...
More Stories from Sun, Aug 20, 2006
