Will North Canton Residents Pass Issue 5? Osborne is Optimistic They Will

North Canton residents have the choice this election to limit health insurance benefits for some city officials and their family members.

And that choice, said Chuck Osborne, should be an obvious one.

Osborne is behind the proposed ordinance by initiative petition that residents will see on their ballots. The proposed ordinance aims to end city-paid health insurance for family members of part-time elected officials and limit city-paid health insurance benefits for individual part-time elected officials.

"I think instantly you can see it’s going to be  money saver for the tax payers," Osborne said. "Not too many people have full family health coverage paid for them by the tax payers and (they) only have to work a minimal number of hours per month."

Osborne had written a letter to the editor after gathering the required signatures to get the initiative petition on the ballot, saying the following:

The City of North Canton has four Ward Councilmembers, three at-Large Councilmembers and a Mayor who all serve as part-time elected officials. These eight individuals attend four meetings per month that last approximately two hours each. In addition to a salary, North Canton’s part-time elected officials receive city-paid health insurance for themselves and their families. The only other community in all of Stark County which provides health care for part-time elected officials is the City of Canton.

City Finance Director Karen Alger said out of eight elected officials, six have health insurance through the city and two do not.

Osborne said the city does not need to pay these benefits to city officials at a time when tax payers are struggling financially.

He added that he's only seen support for his argument so far. He saw that when he was petitioning.

"It was overwhelmingly in support of this issue," he said. "People were really dumbfounded that these kinds of benefits were even being paid."

Looking for more North Canton and Stark County election information? Check out the North Canton Election Guide 2012.