Editor:

Oneida County is lucky to have two good candidates for judge. I support John O’Melia not because he is my partner, or because of his name, but because:

1. John is hard working. Nearly every weeknight and weekend he is at the office.

2. John is honest and is always ethical.

3. John is a problem-solver. Many people are procrastinators; John thinks outside the box and gets the job done.

4. John is modest and patient. Some judges are self-important and intolerant. John is a people person who cares and who will listen.

5. John was born and raised in Oneida County. He has the northern Wisconsin common sense, which provides the background which will enable him to make fair, decisive decisions.

6. John has practiced law in seven area counties before innumerable judges, giving him invaluable experience on how different judges run their courtrooms.

7. It is good to have judges with varied backgrounds; not just from the District Attorney’s office. The Wisconsin Statutes contain 995 chapters, of which 12 apply to the criminal code and 12 to criminal procedures. Of the cases filed in Oneida County, more than half were merely traffic citations and forfeitures, which usually result in defaults or no contest pleas. The number of criminal misdemeanors, traffic and felonies is only 13 percent of the total cases filed in Oneida County. Thus, there is no appreciable advantage that a “criminal” law specialist may enjoy over a “civil” law specialist.

Please vote April 3 for the best candidate.

Todd R. McEldowney, Rhinelander