Friday, May 08, 2009

Jim Rome Show Smack-Off Results

For the past three years I've posted the results of the Jim Rome Show Smack-Off. Given my anemic posting rate lately it would be wise to just let it go this year. But in really bugs some people I don't like very much which is a perfectly good reason for doing pretty much anything. Here goes the countdown to the King of Smack:

    10. Jay Mohr
    9. Terrence in Sierra Madre
    8. Rachel in Houston
    7. Josh in Grand Rapids
    6. Trapper in Dana Point
    5. Iafrate
    4. Greg in Vegas
    3. Vic in NoCal
    2. Mike in Indy
    1. Brad in Corona
This marks the first time a rookie caller won the event. I didn't care for Brad's call, but at least Jeff in Richmond can't boast about having the shortest time in the jungle prior to winning.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Today in Akron Legal News

In today's column I consider the recall effort. For the most part I discuss the merits of Change Akron Now's arguments only to say that they mostly come down to policy disagreements, which generally aren't considered the stuff of a recall campaign. Mostly the column considers whether Akron should consider raising the threshold for getting a recall on the ballot. Surveying the recall laws in major cities in Ohio reveals that Akron has arguably the lowest threshold. This is from the column:

  • Cleveland uses 20% of the total vote in the last municipal election.
  • Parma uses 25% of the total vote in the preceding municipal election, as does Toledo, whose mayor is also fighting a recall effort.
  • Dayton bases its threshold on the number of registered voters in the city. A recall effort needs 25% to reach the ballot.
  • Columbus also sets the threshold as a percentage of registered voters, requiring 15%. As an additional barrier, Columbus does not allow petitions to be circulated; they are posted in firehouses and the city clerk’s office so that interested citizens must go to the petition to sign.
  • Youngstown doesn’t peg the threshold to any variable, instead having set the threshold at a constant 5000 registered voters, which currently amounts to about six percent of the total population.
  • Neither Canton nor Cincinnati currently allows for a recall, though the local NAACP in Cincinnati is currently spearheading a drive to add recall provisions there.
(BTW, if you want to follow the Toledo recall story, my friend Lisa Renee's local blog Glass City Jungle is a good place to start.)

From there I make arguments in favor of a higher bar. Irate comment coming from Mendenhall in 3, 2, 1. . .