Sunday, February 1, 2009

DISCUSSION: WILL HEALY'S ARROGANCE DO HIM IN?



It is never a pretty sight, but there are unending examples, in the political history of America, of "political arrogance" that end up doing a politician in.

Are Stark Countians about to witness a local example?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has been a political observer of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II for a number of years.

The Report has had an inkling from the beginning of his political questing in Canton that Healy has a haughty tinge to him. He may now be into full-blown arrogance.

On what basis?

1. Born and schooled in Canton (also Kent State/associate degree) he expatriated from Canton to New Jersey (bachelor degree from Rowan) and then to New York to attend "the Stern School of Business." (Remember "the Stern School of Business" - it's his main claim to fame, before, of course, he became mayor of Canton)

His first time out on the political hustings was to contest the right to be the Democratic mayoralty candidate (he lost narrowly to long term Democrat Bill Smuckler in the primary) against Republican Janet Weir-Creighton.

2. Healy: A man who had never run for anything in Canton or Stark County (remember he had relocated to New York) prior to the mayoralty foray. Apparently, he felt compelled (in the motivational sense) and perhaps entitled to run for mayor of Canton (2003) because his father was a long time state representative for Canton who lost a mayoralty contest to Republican Richard Watkins in 1999.

3. Having lost to Smuckler, Healy decided to take on sitting Democratic state representative Mary Cirelli in the Democratic primary (2004). Healy won.

4. Ineffective in the Ohio House (he probably would say because the Democrats were in the minority - but he was never a major player in the Democratic caucus) he decided to run for mayor again in 2008.

When you have been prepared at the "Stern School of Business," aren't you just wasting your time and talents being 1 of 99?

5. In 2007, he defeats Creighton.

Wow! Canton had not had a Democrat mayor since Sam Purses (1991).

6. After Healy defeated Creighton and took office, he was quick to bash Creighton for leaving Canton in a huge mess.

One has to wonder. Was he setting himself up to be the Sir Galahad of Canton?

7. His campaign name: "Team Healy."

Oh yes, a real team player this Healy. He came out of nowhere to run against two established city of Canton Democrats in Democratic primaries (Smuckler & Cirelli). Moreover, this Democratic team player probably has a much worse relationship with the 100% Democratic council than did Republican Creighton.

8. During all his campaigns Healy had difficulty attracting energized organized labor support, even though he is a Democrat.

From The Report's perspective, Healy - ever the suit, white shirt and tie guy, just didn't seem to fit with workaday folks. Moreover, he took positions on issues important to organized labor that union leadership didn't cotton to.

And he just loved to repeat ad nauseum his business credentials and his masters degree from where? You guessed it. New York University's Stern School of Business.

9. There is a highly officious side to Healy. Remember officiousness is the first cousin of arrogance.

An example of his officiousness: He is known to take people aside and tell them how to dress. Of course, from a man who is the most impeccably groomed and dressed man in Stark County except maybe for Jimmy Babcock.

10. We all know his penchant for firing.

Perhaps, there is a lot of George Steinbrenner (New York Yankee owner - did I say New York) in Healy. When a person is perfection personified in his own mind, it is hard to brook the "merely" near perfect, let's say for example, former Yankee manager Joe Torre and, closer to home, former service director and chief-of-staff Tom Bernabei.

11. Ah, the anonymous letters; the Healy request for an FBI investigation.

The Report has this gnawing feeling that the Healy FBI move was a gambit devised by a person well taken with his own intelligence.

12. There is a report in The Rep today that indicates:

  • Healy will be less of a give-and-take mayor in his relationship with council.
  • Healy has an marked inability to work with those who disagree with him.
  • Healy cannot work with strong administrators; he fires them or they look to leave.
  • He apparently does not trust his own law department to do labor negotiations.
13. Council president Allen Schulman sums it up best in saying that Healy is not a strong mayor BUT The Report add he desperately wants to be and in a twisted, gnarled, arrogane, out-of-touch was has and says he is going to refortify playing the "bull-in-the-china-shop."

We all what a bull leaves behind in the china shop. Wreckage, that's what. Apparently, that will be the consequence to Canton as Healy embarks on his quest to be a stronger mayor.

Kind of like: "Pride goeth before a fall."

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Probably Olsons best piece yet. Healy is so done. All Democratic Officials need to force his resignation.

Anonymous said...

I agree Healy has to go, but martin has many other pieces that compare to this one..... I say Martin Olson for Mayor!

Anonymous said...

I saw healy sitting in the backseat of a car while a city employee was driving him around town. The car couldn't have been worth 5 thousand. It was a terrible waste of tax money. The arrogance will cost him the job.

Anonymous said...

Why isn't the mother of this girl denying any of this? If my child was caught up in this, I would want to set the record straight. Did the Mayor put a gag order on them?

Anonymous said...

HEALY IS A BIGTIME DISAPPOINTMENT. NO MORE OF THIS CRAP! THROW THE BUM OUT AND GET THE CITY BACK ON TRACK!

Anonymous said...

I am one of the contributors to the problems we now have in Canton -- I voted for Healy. Sorry Canton.

Anonymous said...

Well at least Healy had a balanced budget when he came in. I'll never forget him downgrading the former administration for saying she had balanced the budget like it was a given. If's it's so easy balance it Mr. Mayor!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I previously did not know what to think of what's going on in Healy's administration, but today's article was really insightful, especially the comments from Mr. West. What I get from it is that this mayor is definitely rocking the boat and no longer accepting 'business as usual'. And rattling some cages. Can anyone look back on the past ten years (or more!) and say that Canton has been going in the right direction? Have the members of council who have been re-elected worked wonders for our city? The answer is an overwhelming NO. Now we have Healy, who ran on a platform of change, and when he attempts to implement it, gets raked over the coals. I have been frustrated more by council (who really run the show) than with either former Mayor Creighton and Mayor Healy. Yet people keep returning the SAME PEOPLE who are driving the bus to office. And excluding newcomers because they either belong to the wrong party or haven't 'paid their dues'. Canton did not get on the 'Fastest Dying Cities' list using data from the past year. In fact, that data came from several years' past. In addition, we did not get into this budget crisis in the past year, its been a long time coming! ANY Mayor's options are extremely limited when allocating funds, and yes, anyone who gets their budget and/or services cut will scream bloody murder, but the bottom line is somebody is going to get less. Turning this city around is about A LOT more than returning phone calls and sending cards to ward members when someone dies. It is about having a vision, and if you don't, listening with an open mind to someone who DOES. REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU VOTE FOR THE INCUMBANT!

Anonymous said...

I Hate To say it but I think the voting public is going to regret following the anti republican trend caused by Bush and are really going to miss Mrs.Creighton soon... Healy is like Putting a 3 year old behind the wheel of a car
so if he doesnt get his way he is just going to fire everyone... i think this may end up being Cantons first mayor to be impeached lol

Anonymous said...

1) If Healy had the power he would fire all members of council, place an ad on monster.com, and replace them all with like thinking individuals from anywhere but Canton.
2) Did it occur to the 'mighty one' that if highly educated prospective employees got extra points on the Civil Service exam that they would eventually want to be paid more than their less educated counterparts? Negotiations would be a breeze (not) or is that when you have a full-fledged tantrum and fire all union employees?

I could go on but...it's just too easy...what's the saying about looking like a fool and then opening mouth and removing all doubt....this definitely was not damage control.

Anonymous said...

More upstanding Democratic morals. Congradulations Canton on your choice of Mayor...

Anonymous said...

People fired. People quitting like rats leaving a sinking ship. An FBI investigation linked to the Cuyahoga County corruption investigation. Now this. This is not a giant conspiracy. Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. Who knows what is fact, but it certainly doesn't look good.

Anonymous said...

In November Republicans couldn't get a seat in ANY Stark County office let alone the rest of the country. I don't really believe this arrogance is specific to Healy, rather to the entire Democratic party. One by one their arrogance is getting the best of them. How can the Republican Party recover from GW Bush? Just sit back and watch the DEMS self destruct!

Anonymous said...

Everyone that reads this message needs to call the Ron Ponder Show at 10AM this Friday and demand that Healy step down. I plan to be the first caller and after a series of questions about this little girl, I will ask the Mayor to resign! This scum bag needs thrown out on his ear!

Anonymous said...

Please call Healy today and ask him to resign. This will hurt all Democrats if he stays in office. Call today at 330-489-3283.

Call him and demand that he resign immediately!

Anonymous said...

Healy will be on the Ron Ponder show this Friday. Everyone should listen to it. He is going to be asked to resign!

Anonymous said...

GET HIM OUT OF OFFICE.

Anonymous said...

The biggest loser in office today is Jaime Healy. This guy has to be the worst I have ever seen in the last 30 years. It will be over soon.