This blog is a second in a continuing series to share with Cantonians/Stark Countians the substance coming out of a string of meetings that the William J. Healy, II administration is putting together as a forum from which to "brainstorm" Canton's way out of a heightened financial crisis which appears to be just over the horizon because the state of Ohio is about to make sharp cuts to local governments throughout Ohio.
While the SCPR wishes Healy well - not for his personal sake, but for tens of thousands Cantonians and Stark Countians who depend on the city in a number of ways on a daily basis. However, it is "too little, too late" and The Report sees this effort as being more about saving the political hide of the Mayor rather than creating enduring solutions to Canton's financial and economical development woes.
The Report does not discount Healy's political ability.
He may be the most masterful politician in all of Stark County.
Unfortunately, politics are ephemeral and Cantonians/Stark Countians will be left holding the bag after the politicians are long gone.
In this blog the SCPR features Canton Treasurer Robert Schirack and his assistant Chauntelle Skirtich who present data which means absolutely nothing in terms of whether or not Canton is experiencing a financial renaissance.
While Schirack, Skirtich and Healy all issue disclaimers of the meaningfulness of the data, it is presented anyway. Of course, Schirack and Skirtch are merely doing Healy's bidding. Healy's disclaimer is akin to to an attorney asking a question of a witness the answer to which is given but is inadmissible to be considered by a jury in making a determination, does so knowing that the testimony will be ruled inadmissible for the purposes of impacting the jury's decision. Once the answer has been uttered, the attorney has achieved his/her objective.
So with Mayor Healy.
"Don't take anything from this he says, but income tax collections were up $500,000 in January."
Ms. Skirtich makes the most compelling and worrisome point: Corporate income tax collections are down, she says. Being the intelligent person she obviously is, she sees in this number something to be disturbed about, to wit: If corporate profits are down, cost cutting cannot be far behind and taxpaying Canton corporations will be laying off individual Canton taxpayers.
The Shirack/Skirtich/Healy video:
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