COLUMBUS — An Ohio Elections Commission panel found Thursday there is probable cause Brunswick Mayor Dale Strasser may have violated Ohio campaign rules.
Mayoral candidate and current At-large Councilman Gary Werner, who filed the complaint with the Elections Commission, represented himself at Thursday’s hearing before the three-member Probable Cause Panel.
Strasser, who did not attend, was represented by Columbus lawyer J. Corey Colombo.
Werner claims three statements Strasser made in a campaign letter are not true. The panel decided there is probable cause the statements are false. A full hearing is set for Oct. 29.
“It was good to know that we weren’t just looking at this through tinted glasses,” said Werner, an attorney.
“This is just a first step in a process,” Strasser said Monday.
In a letter sent to residents, Strasser accused Werner of attempting to “buy” votes. He has said Werner’s claim he will take no salary as mayor is “buying votes” since Brunswick residents pay his city salary.
Strasser currently earns $13,095 as mayor.
In the letter, Strasser also said Werner proposed a joint economic development district agreement between Brunswick and Hinckley Township that would “rob (Brunswick) of thousands of … tax base dollars” and proposed the income tax increase that voters defeated in November 2007.
Werner said he was involved with the agreement between Brunswick and Hinckley and the income tax increase, but wasn’t the one who proposed them.
“Of all of the accurate things that could be said of these two things, he picked up two things that just weren’t true,” he said Monday.
Strasser said he didn’t lie in any of his literature.
“The facts are right there,” he said.
Philip Richter, executive director of the Ohio Elections Commission, said if it is found Strasser made false statements, the commission could send a letter of public reprimand to Strasser, refer the case to the Medina County prosecutor or do nothing beyond the finding.
Werner said he’s “prepared” for the next hearing, “and I think that there’s enough evidence to substantiate these charges.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Strasser said.
Contact Maria Kacik at (330) 721-4049 or mkacik@ohio.net.
