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Suddes: Issue 2 Voted Down By Ordinary People

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An Ohio University Journalism Professor and Statehouse News Columnist says even though the labor movement bank-rolled the Issue 2 recall effort, he thinks ordinary people get the credit for voting the measure out of Ohio law.

Tom Suddes was a guest last night on WOUB Television's Newswatch program.

He says he believes voters were concerned for how the law would impact public safety workers.

Suddes says ordinary people thought, "the law was not fair to people like teachers and firefighters and police officers whose services they count on and they respect. So, that was a statement of concern about where they thought the law was headed."

But, he says he doesn't think this is over because Republican lawmakers will likely take up the issue of how public employee pension systems are funded in the legislature.

Suddes says the vote on Issue One, which would have extended the age limit for judges to service on the bench, was a statement on what Ohioans feel about those who serve in elected office.

He says Ohioans believe there should be limitations on terms in office.

"You could argue the age limit being kept in place was one of those ways of limiting judge's tenure," says Suddes.

Issue One was voted down by 62 percent of the voters.