Are flyers harassment?

Some people circulating petitions to force a vote on a county sales tax increase say they are being “harassed” by sales tax proponents.

Sales tax proponents say that accusation is absurd.

The 0.5 percent sales tax would build a new jail and fund public safety programs.

Petition circulator Josh Weitzman said he and another circulator were "followed" as they attempted to gather signatures at a weekend festival. The followers handed out these flyers to everyone Weitzman asked to sign the petition.

"It reached the point that I was ready to go to the police and tell them to stop following me," he said. "They're trying to get their message out, but its harassment and intimidation to a certain extent."

But in fact, he didn't call police, and hasn't decided whether he will. After all, is it illegal to hand out flyers?

One of the so-called "harrassers" is sales tax proponent Pete Witte, a Republican who ran for Cincinnati City Council in 2003.

"Harassment? Ouch!" he said, when told of the allegations. All he and fellow volunteers are doing is handing out informational flyers and making sure potential petition signers have both sides of the issue, he said.

"We're encouraging possible petition signers to consider their options and the risk of delaying the kind of safety plan this county has needed for some time," he said. "The goal is to make sure people are fully informed when they're being asked to sign a petition." No harassment or intimidation involved.

Republican Commissioner Pat DeWine (who cast the sole vote against raising the sales tax) says its an attempt to thwart the referendum effort

"It's really sad that my colleagues on the Commission and their supporters have chosen to celebrate Independence Day by trying to prevent the citizens of Hamilton County from exercising their right to vote," he said. "Fortunately, the voters are smarter than that and despite the concerted efforts to block a public vote, I have every confidence the petitioners will succeed in collecting the necessary signatures to place the tax hike on the ballot."

Commissioner David Pepper (who with fellow Democrat Todd Portune, passed the sales tax in May) said the volunteers are doing nothing wrong.

Yes, "volunteers" have been handing out the flyers, he said. And yes, he and Portune have been working (though handouts, e-mail etc) to explain the safety plan to constituents, Pepper said. Yes, they have even used their personal money -- not county money -- to send letters to fellow Democrats.

But "the idea that our attempt to explain the issue is anything other than a first amendment debate is ludicrous," Pepper said.

He likened it to Republicans and Democrats handing out infomation on their candidate slates at the polls on Election Day. There's nothing shady about it.