ERIC: What are the two sides saying accounts for the results?
DAVID: Well, they are both pointing to the same reason for the outcome - the federal investigation of what appears to be a long-standing system of corruption in county government. Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti says the corruption probe which has resulted in nearly 20 guilty pleas so far "made people pay more attention to county government." Zanotti, a Democrat, helped draft Issue 6 along with Democratic County Prosecutor Bill Mason and Bruce Akers, the Republican Mayor of Pepper Pike.
Harriet Applegate, the top AFL-CIO leader in the region who opposed reform now also said corruption is what gave reform political legs this time out when similar efforts had failed so many times before.
ERIC: What does this mean for the Democratic Party which has dominated politics in this county for many decades?
DAVID: It means they've got some talkin' to do. Right now it is a divided party and many of the most powerful Democrats as it turns out were lined up on the losing side of county reform - Mayor Frank Jackson, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, former Congressman Lou Stokes among others -- all opposed Issue 6. So, it'll be interesting to see how they adjust and whether this internal party struggle continues or is somehow healed.
In any case, the county is in for a lot of change. Issue 6 backers promised that restructuring county government would produce a more efficient, effective, accountable and honest government. They've got a lot to live up.