CICCHINELLI & CATAZARO-PERRY AT IT AGAIN? DO THE REPUBLICANS SEE ANY OPPORTUNITY IT THIS POLITICAL "BLOOD FEUD?"

American humorist Will Rodges once said: "Democrats never agree on anything that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed, the would be Republicans."

Well, Massillon Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr., and Kathy Catazaro Perry are proving that each is a Democrat through and through.

According to a Repository report (Massillon officials vow no layoffs despite budget shortfall) at a Massillon City Council work session this past Monday evening, this is what Catazaro-Perry (Democrat - 3rd Ward - Massillon) had to say about Mayor Cicchinelli:

poor leadership [from Cicchinelli]

We’re trying to lead our residents. We can’t lead because he’s not leading. I’m so frustrated,”

We need the mayor here [at Council work sessions]. If this is a financial crisis, he should be at every meeting, talking to us,”

Cicchinelli's response:

She doesn’t run me,” the mayor said. “I’m not going to be lectured by a political novice. Someone who doesn’t comprehend city government or the balance of power.

But there is more to this story.

And the more is former Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.

How that?

Behind the mayor's back, Maier over recent years has been highly critical of Cicchinelli. Yours truly has heard Maier knocking Cicchinelli numerous times.

Now that Maier is no longer party chairman, the SCPR believes he will "out" as an avowed Catazaro-Perry supporter for 2011.

2011?

That's when the Massillon mayor's office is up for grabs again, and there is little doubt that Catazaro-Perry will be running. The only remaining question is will Cicchinelli run again?

He may not.

Cicchinelli has had an illustrious career as an elected official spanning many years of Massillon politics. Does he need a fight at this stag of his career?

Many would say. "Hey, Frank you have had a great time of it. Go out while you are still ahead in the game."

But those who know Cicchinelli best know that he never backs down from a fight.

So the odds are that if Kathy Catazaro-Perry is spoiling for a political fight with the venerable Mayor, that is exactly what she will get.

Catazaro-Perry had better enter the fray "loaded for bear" (which she probably thinks she already is if the SCPR is right about Maier) for if Cicchinnelli does run, it will be a bitter, bitter fight.

Of course, we all remember that Catazaro-Perry has already lost one fight with Cicchinelli on a recent re-zone attempt to accommodate a Catazaro-Perry pet project (which the SCPR pegged as a preliminary to the main event).

What was that that Will Rodgers said about Democrats?

A further question. Do Massillon/Stark Republicans have the smarts to see that there may be an opportunity ih this fight for them?