MANSFIELD — It’s deja vu all over again in the Republican Party primary race for Richland County commissioner.
Incumbent Tony Vero meets challenger David Morgenstern in a rematch of the race between the two in 2020.
The race four years ago was not close, as the attorney from Lexington earned his second term in office.
Vero received 70 percent of the primary vote with 7,554 of the 10,757 votes cast, according to the Richland County Board of Elections. He was unopposed in the 2020 general election.
But that loss has not deterred Morgenstern, making his eighth try for a commissioner’s seat, running every two years since 2010.
The primary winner will be unopposed in November since there is no Democratic Party candidate for the position, which pays around $84,000 annually.
What is the role of a county commissioner?
County commissioners make up the general administrative body for county government.
They can perform those duties specifically authorized by state lawmakers and no more.
They are the county government taxing, budgeting, appropriating, and purchasing authority. They hold title to county property. Individual commissioners have no power to act independently. All formal and official actions must be taken by the board of county commissioners acting as a body by majority or unanimous vote.
Commissioners also have a myriad of other responsibilities, including hearing and ruling on annexations, approving drainage improvements through the petition ditch process,
establishing water and sewer districts and making improvements, and providing for solid
waste disposal.
Commissioners also appoint department heads of offices for which they have responsibility
and also appoint members to a variety of boards and commissions.
Commissioners must work with other elected officials and judges in the county to assure
they are properly funded to perform their statutory duties.
Morgenstern: ‘I do not kiss the Republican ring’
Also a Lexington resident, Morgenstern remains an outspoken critic of local GOP leaders. In seven of his eight attempts for the office, the private business owner has taken on an incumbent Republican in the primary.
“I do not kiss the Republican ring,” said Morgenstern, who received 37 percent of the local Republican vote in 2022 when he ran against Commissioner Cliff Mears. “I was endorsed one time by 23,000 Republican voters.”
He was referring to the 2012 general election when Morgenstern lost to then-incumbent Commissioner Gary Utt, a Democrat. Morgenstern received 23,319 votes, but that represented just 43 percent of the total overall vote.
A self-financed candidate, Morgenstern remains undeterred by previous election defeats.
“As long as I am breathing, I am running,” he said with a laugh.
“I would be very productive for our community. Having attended more than 400-plus county commissioner meetings in the last 25 years, I’m the only citizen in Richland County that has the extensive experience to allow me to hit the ground running,” Morgenstern said.
“The only job I want to do is this,” he said. “I will take the politician out of politics. This is the only (elected) office I want. I’m not doing this for financial gain or insurance benefits.”
Morgenstern, if he wins, said he would conduct seminars each year to help residents contest their assessed property taxes, showing them ways to get their bills reduced.
“I would do it for free. I would tell them exactly what to say and how to say it,” he said. “I am very experienced in doing it. I own multiple properties in Richland County.”
He said the recent “State of the County” video released by commissioners was a “free campaign ad” for his opponent, one he said the county paid $15,000 to produce.
“I liked it. I’m seriously thinking about using it in my own campaign ads. All I have to do is insert my sign and add some voiceovers,” Morgenstern said.
What would be his top goals if elected?
“If I am fortunate enough to be elected to represent our county, I pledge to put our county and the concerns of its residents above all else. I would promote smart and balanced growth for our community. I would be a strong and persuasive voice for our county at the state level.
“I would manage county resources effectively and efficiently. I will grow our economy, build a healthier community, protect our homes and families. And I will never forget who I work for — you,” Morgenstern said.
Vero: Richland County has never been in better financial shape
Vero points to the fact the county in 2022 was awarded its highest-ever rating by Moody’s Investment Service, a reflection of the local government’s financial picture.
“The state of the county’s finances, overseeing the budget, and the county’s finances as a whole is the primary responsibility of a commissioner,” he said.
“We made a commitment to the taxpayers in 2016 that we would get the county’s finances in order. We have done that. We have passed a true balanced budget every year I have been in office,” Vero said.
The county ended 2023 with an $8.4 million surplus. Commissioners used it to put another $4.3 million into the county’s capital expense fund, raising the account used for improvements to $12.7 million.
They also added $1.9 million to the county’s “rainy day” fund, which entered 2024 with a balance of $6.9 million.
Commissioners added $500,000 to the general fund carryover, raising it to $8.9 million going into the new year and also paid $1 million toward the $18 million still owed in bond debt for the county jail.
Vero also points to millions of dollars of investments commissioners have made into local communities, “all done without borrowing a cent,” including a water project in Shiloh, the Black Fork Commons project in Shelby, the wastewater upgrade in Bellville, the Westinghouse demolition effort in Mansfield and technology improvements for the sheriff’s office.
“We have saved money by being fiscally responsible and then invested the public’s money where they believe it should be invested,” Vero said.
The commissioner noted the county was well positioned even before American Rescue Plan Act funds began flowing.
“When you have done what you’re supposed to do, you can take those generational monies and allocate them to generational projects,” Vero said. “When you are on sound fiscal footing, you can use once-in-a-lifetime dollars and allocate them to once-in-a-lifetime projects.”
Vero acknowledged Morgenstern has been a frequent visitor to county commissioner meetings.
“He has not requested one single budget document. I would really like to know how much he knows about the county budget or if he cares to know about the county budget. It seems like he is attending just for the sake of saying he attends meetings,” Vero said.
“I have not seen anything from Mr. Morgenstern to indicate that he has any understanding of the depth of the budget or even the administrative functions of the office.”
Looking ahead to the next four years, if re-elected, Vero said he looks forward to completing planned capital improvements, helping lead the effort to get a north central Ohio broadband internet project along U.S. 30, and working to complete the Westinghouse demolition/redevelopment.
“When you make tough decisions, not everyone will be pleased with the decisions you make. But you aren’t elected for a popularity contest. You are elected to safeguard the community’s dollars and make decisions in the best interests of the community.
“I am happy to say I have done that, along with my fellow commissioners.”