Locals on Boehner: Good job or good riddance

WEST CHESTER TWP. – In some ways the sharp divisions that marked John Boehner's U.S. House leadership mirrored the rifts in opinion about him among constituents here.

The long-time West Chester Township resident - and House Speaker until he resigns in late October - has in recent years increasingly drawn strong reactions from detractors and supporters.

In his home community, the news Friday of Boehner's unexpected departure from Congress isn't changing that.

Lauded by some locals as a savvy Washington power broker who brokered deals good for his home district and country, some other constituents criticized him as an ideological impediment to more conservative Republicans and Tea Party-backed House legislators.

Despite criticism of his Congressional career, Boehner repeatedly and easily won local elections here by wide margins returning him to Washington, D.C.

Fellow West Chester resident and Cincinnati Tea Party President Ann Becker greeted Boehner's pending resignation as good news for conservatives both locally and nationally.

Becker said the surprise move leaves room for "the possibility of a change in culture here in Butler County and Ohio."

"He has always been heavy-handed in his politics here locally," she said.

"He did not fight vehemently against Planned Parenthood funding and a lot of House members were pushed over the edge into not supporting him as speaker."

Becker said there will be many candidates, including conservatives, running for Boehner's seat.

Even though some neighbors in his affluent, gated community of Wetherington differed politically from Boehner, they still praised him as a community member who stuck to his family values and was accessible.

One of Boehner's neighbors in the golf course community says he has chatted up the House Speaker, whom he spotted "wearing a tattered T-Shirt and ball cap," while he was mowing his lawn - an activity Boehner says he enjoys immensely.

Gene Malarsky, a Democrat, said while his politics differ from his influential neighbor he now worries that Tea Party backed conservatives will fill the leadership vacuum created by Boehner's surprise resignation.

"I think John Boehner was a brake in Congress against them," Malarsky said of Tea Party-backed legislators.

He praised Boehner's abilities to compromise in Congress, adding "we become what we are as a nation because of our ability to compromise but the Tea Party is rigidly against compromise."

Across the street from Boehner's local home - one of his two residences, the other in Florida – neighbor Tim Staarmann has seen many times the House Speaker's affection for lawn care but also for family.

"John's a great neighbor and he does love his yard work," said Staarmann. "He has a lot of great values. His family and his (Catholic) faith values are central to him and a lot of the important parts he brings to Congress."

Boehner and his wife Debbie "are just normal folks when they here in town," said Staarmann.

Liberty Township resident Linda Meade backed Boehner during his 25-year Congressional career that saw the local, former businessman rise through local politics to the nation's third most powerful position in the federal government.

"I'm disappointed he is resigning," said Meade.

"Our options are limited now because the country is in a bad state," she said referring to the contentiousness among more traditional Republican Congressional legislators and the rise of the tea party legislators since the 2010 elections.

"He (Boehner) had good intentions but I don't think he was able to accomplish what he wanted," said Meade.

Lloyd Mason of West Chester criticized Boehner for "not having paid more attention to his home district."

"Once he became the House Speaker his district took a back seat," said Mason, who added he welcomed the coming special election to fill Boehner's soon-to-be vacant seat.

"It will be nice to have someone in that position whose first job is to represent the people in this district. I'd prefer having someone not so caught up in the political labeling (Republicans and tea partiers) and their politics but someone who is first for the district," said Mason.

Local political and business leaders spoke fondly of Boehner, some whom have known him for decades.

Joe Hinson, CEO and President of the West Chester and Liberty Chamber Alliance, described Boehner as having "represented our community and nation well."

Hinson said Boehner's experience as a small business owner prior to congress made him a key advocate for business in southwest Ohio and "he has meant a lot to our community."

West Chester Township Trustee George Lang has also known Boehner for years and said the Congressman recently told him "that being the Speaker is like herding cats, and that was just within his own party."

The township is Ohio's most populous, affluent in the region. Earlier this year West Chester was chosen as Money magazine's 30th best community in the nation.

Lang said Boehner – a former township trustee – "helped lay the groundwork for the pro-business community that we (West Chester) are enjoying today.