Candidates for Portage County Commission Seat Discuss Issues Ahead of Race

Two of the candidates running against each other for Portage County Commissioner return to the polls this November. What are their priorities and qualifications, and what do they want voters to know?

Kathleen Clyde and Anthony Badalamenti are competing for a seat on the commission, which is responsible for several fiscal decisions that are made at the county level. Both candidates spoke to voters during Face2Face, an event run by the Kent League of Women Voters last month, where they addressed Portage County residents’ questions ahead of the upcoming election.

Clyde is the incumbent seeking reelection, and alongside being the current office holder she also previously served in the Ohio House of Representatives for four terms. She ran unsuccessfully for Ohio Secretary of State against Frank LaRose in 2018. She also recently appeared as a keynote speaker for the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Clyde, a Democrat, says that her time as an attorney, as well as her experience representing the House’s 75th district (which includes Kent) gives her the experience to continue serving on the commission if she wins in November.

“Being from here in the county, knowing the county well, having represented it at the state level for eight years,” Clyde says, “having those relationships with leaders at the state level and from other parts of Ohio can be helpful for thinking about what are the best ideas to bring to Portage County.”

Her Republican challenger, Badalamenti, is an Aurora-based chiropractor who previously ran for a commission seat against Democratic Party candidate Mike Kerrigan in 2018 after the death of previous incumbent Maureen Frederick. Kerrigan won, but he resigned one month after election at which point Clyde was appointed.

Badalamenti previously voiced skepticism over the election and resignation that occurred in 2018, and expresses a similar skepticism regarding the upcoming 2020 election. “In my heart, I don’t believe my opponent wants to stay in Portage County. She’s waiting for an opportunity to go to D.C.,” Badalamenti says.

Badalamenti says that his ten years in the U.S. Marine Corps and 30 years as a locally-based medical practitioner provide him with the experience he needs to lead effectively.

“I see people, and we see it all over at all levels of government, that have never had a job other than going to school and then getting into politics,” Badalamenti says. “My opponent has no experience except a little bit of time working in a law office and then going into politics.”

Clyde was born and raised in Garrettsville and now lives in Kent. “I think just knowing the people and the neighborhood and the issues is definitely a requirement, but you can come at that from a lot of different avenues,” she says. “I think my experience has been unique.”

On the issues, Badalamenti says he seeks to address long-standing grievances he has held with how Portage County handles economic issues. “As I’ve watched some of the things happen in Portage County, I haven’t been pleased with decision making, the way they use tax dollars, the lack of continuity, and the lack of really doing anything in the county that meant anything.”

He cited the controversial issue of the sales tax implemented with the goal of funding renovations to the county jail. The project, which was originally approved at $13 million in 2017, was confirmed at approximately $21 million in 2018 when ground on the renovation project was first broken.

 “I’m a conservative leader,” Badalamenti says. “I believe the government imprint should be small and I believe in defending the rights of the population, and being a good steward of the money they honor us to deal with and spend for them.”

Clyde, in contrast, says she is focused on the current COVID-19 crisis and the economic recovery that needs to follow. “I think that people are struggling right now and we need to be both worrying about this pandemic and getting through it,” she says, “but also thinking about, “How can we include everyone on an economy and an economic recovery that will need to happen as soon as possible?”

According to Clyde, the county has worked closely with the public health department in order to oversee a response to the pandemic. “This has included distribution of PPE to healthcare providers, first responders and other residents in need.”

She expressed hope for Portage County for after this November. “I hope that we can work put everything we have into fighting this pandemic and growing our economy in a way that works for everyone. I think those are the top of mind issues for voters and they’re certainly my priorities as well.”