BUTTERWORTH DECLINES OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO CANTON COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALAN SCHULMAN'S SLAM ON OHIO GOP - AND - BY INDIRECTION ON HIM. IS HE UP TO THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE OF POLITICS?

There has not been any "new life" on the Republican side Canton city government in many a year.  So when political neophyte Mark Butterworth pulled off a stunning victory over Democratic political warhorse Karl "Butch" Kraus (a staunch union man) in November, 2009, there was hope that perhaps Butterworth could be the leading edge of a Republican renaissance which would result in Cantonians getting better quality of government through a Republican-initiated "check and balance."

However, as he approaches his bid for re-election this November, the SCPR's take is that Butterworth does not have the gumption to be the leading edge of anything in the political world.

In fact, The Report is beginning to think he may not be re-elected as Canton's only Republican councilperson.

He has drawn a equally young Democratic opponent for his re-election bid.  Edmond Mack is an associate with the law firm of Tzangas, Plakas, Manos & Raies, Ltd.  Mack impressed The Report with his vigor and acuity at this spring's Neighborhoold Associates Empower Votes (NAVE) primary election event for candidates held at the McKinley Grand.  Specifically, he outlined his plan to accelerate dramatically Canton's program of tearing down abandoned properties.

Butterworth:  "not enough gumption?"

How's that?

It occurred to yours truly that such might be the case growing out of an incident of about two weeks ago or so in which Canton City Council President Alan Schulman launched an attack at a council meeting on statehouse Republicans for the severe cuts on local government funding (including eliminating Ohio's estate tax) that is forthcoming after July 1 (this year - fiscal years 2012/13).

In the course of his attack, Schulman "with all due respect" (Hmm?) included Mark Butterworth's name among the Republicans in the sense of a generic "let's include them all while we're at it" type of approach.

At first blush, the SCPR thought the inclusion of Butterworth's name was unfair. 

After the event Butterworth contacted yours truly (left a message) saying in effect that he was steamed about being included in Schulman's remarks.

However, The Report was unable to contact Butterworth (left a message on his home phone) in several attempts to afford him the opportunity to respond in these pages to Schulman.  Finally, at Monday night's council meeting, The Report was able to ask Butterworth for a response (camera in hand).

But Butterworth declined.

Then, in a short conversation, it surfaced that maybe Schulman's inclusion of Butterworth was not so far off the mark (no pun intended) after all.  For Butterworth told yours truly that he supports the local government cuts as austerity (The Report's word) needed to start somewhere.

What a surprise that was!

That got The Report to thinking:  Butterworth, when it appeared Schulman was being unfair to him, did not have the moxie to step front and center.  Moreover, on further examination, when it seemed it was not unfair, where was Butterworth to step forward to publicly defend the Republican caucuses of the Ohio General Assembly for the draconian cuts in local government funding?

Then yours truly started reflecting on some Butterworth actions (in council - e.g. his charter government initiative), inactions and conversations and is coming to the believe that Butterworth may be a politician who does not  have the "courage of this convictions."

As far as the SCPR is concerned, the political luster is off Butterworth.  It does not appear to The Report that he has a steely quality about him that he needs to make an impact on the quality of Canton local government that Cantonians receive.

A lamentable turn of events.  Canton needs a vigorous Republican presence on council as a check and balance to Democratic politics playing into government and as a check on Healy administration excesses.

With Bill Smuckler leaving council on December 31st, apparently only Mary Cirelli and Greg Hawk will be left to protect Cantonians from Healy and his allies on council.

Even if he is re-elected, Mark Butterworth has shown the SCPR that he is not up to the task!

(VIDEO) CANTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALLEN SCHULMAN BLASTS "THE REPUBLICANS" FOR CANTON'S ILLS! LOOKS LIKE HE THINKS HEALY'S GOING TO BE RE-ELECTED, NO?

It was amazing to see:  Canton City Council President Allen Schulman (council meeting of June 6th) defending Mayor William J. Healy, II!

The Stark County Political Report believes that Schulman (who at one time was rumored to be considering a run against Healy) has concluded that Healy is going to be mayor of Canton for another term - and being the political pragmatist he is - has determined that he is going to find a way to work with Healy to make him, Canton and the "all but Butterworth" Council look as good as they possibly can.

It was a devastating blow to Healy challenger Bill Smuckler when Schulman decided to head to the sidelines for the Healy/Smuckler face off held on May 3rd.  For the political tea readers, Schulman's exit from being involved in that race should have been a clear signal that he concluded that Smuckler could not win.

The Report believes Schulman continues to be as disgusted with Healy as he ever has been, but Healy has proved to be a survivor and Schulman (who is running unopposed for a new term as council president) appears to be on a mission to make the best of the situation.

It has to pain Schulman as to what has happened to the Stark County Democratic Party in the wake of the Frustaci scandal that wormed out of the Stark County treasurer's office beginning on April 1, 2009.  Sculman has been a major financial backer of Stark's organized Democrats ever since he has become a well-heeled personal injury attorney.

The SCPR believes that the pain could get even more excruciating for Schulman in 2012.  On the accompanying video he talks about how things will get worse - financially - for the city of Canton.  And that will be painful for him and Healy and the near unanimous membership of council.

But how will he and his fellow Dems feel if Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero and Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson's successor (i.e. McDonald, Ream among a number of rumored candidates) go down in 2012.  It could happen.

Moreover, over Democrats could lose control of the commissioners office.  Even if Tom Bernabei runs, he may not win.  Pete Ferguson could be vulnerable, too.

Readers will remember that had not a third candidate entered the Bernabei/Walters contest, the number indicate that Republican Walters would have won.  It could be that Bernabei will not run again.  Under this scenario, the commissioners put a 0.5 sales tax on the ballot in November and it gets defeated.  Who would want to be commissioner with no money to govern with?  Not likely Tom Bernbei.  If a defeated levy effort materializes, look for Bernabei to quickly abandon any thought of running for re-election.

Ferguson has fashioned himself as a DINO (Democrat in Name Only) and though - in the opinion of the SCPR - not an effective (he does try) county leader likely has a good chance to be re-elected.  But he too would be prone to bow out if a November levy effort fails.

So it is not a pretty picture for Canton/Stark Democrats.  And nobody probably feels the pain as sharply as Canton City Council President Allen Schulman!!!

Here is the video of Schulman defending (sort of) Healy and blasting the Republicans:

REPUBLICAN BUTTERWORTH RUNS INTO DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL BUZZSAW? IS FORMER WARD 8TH COUNCILMAN KARL KRAUS LOOKING TO TAKE BUTTERWORTH OUT IN NOVEMBER, 2011?

Former Canton Ward 8 Democratic Councilman Karl "Butch" Kraus and Mark Butterworth are not the best of friends.  Kraus had worked hard to become Ward 8 councilman and finally succeeded in 2005 when he defeated Republican Rosemary Diamond.

After only four years on council, he was surprisingly defeated by newcomer Republican Mark Butterworth in 2009 by a mere 14 votes.

Butterworth's victory seems to have been a case of getting out his voters whereas Kraus seemed to assume that he would win.  After all, he had defeated Republican opposition in 2007 by about 64% to 36%.

Now Republican Butterworth is stirring up a fuss on council with his "let's vote on a city charter movement."

Democrats (except maybe Bill Smuckler - who is playing mayoralty politics with the issue) are happy with the way things are and are not about to make it easy for Butterworth to get Canton voters the right to vote on whether or not Cantonians want a city charter.

The SCPR caught up with Kraus on September 7th at the Democratic conclave to select a new county treasurer and put several questions to him.

First, was he going to take Butterworth on in 2011 to regain the 8th Ward seat?

Answer:  no!

Amplified answer:  "I am running for council-at-large."

Well, this makes sense.  Councilman-at-Large Bill Smuckler has announced he is taking on Mayor William J. Healy, II.  So there will be a vacancy.

Second question.  Does he support Butterworth's effort to get the charter government issue before Canton voters.

Answer:  Not as an action by council.  "Let him [Butterworth] go out and collect the necessary signatures," says Kraus.

The Stark County Political Report that Kraus' statement is indicative of the general council attitude towards Butterworth's initiative.  At the same September 7th Democratic meeting, Council Judiciary Committee Chairman Tom West told The Report, in effect:  "Where 's the beef!"

In other words, Butterworth has not shown substantive reasons why Canton would be better off with a charter.

It's not looking good for Butterworth for getting council to spare him the effort of collecting signatures.

So why is Butterworth resisting going out to get signatures?

While the SCPR doesn't have a problem with charter government, doesn't Chairman West have a good point?

Doesn't the proponent (Butterworth) have to show that there is something to be gained?

SEE VIDEO: WILL THE "CANTON CHARTER MOVEMENT" EVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY? IS ITS COFFIN BEING PREPARED AS WE SPEAK?

Are there five members ("coffin nails?") of Canton City Council poised to vote "no" in putting the matter of whether or not Canton should form a commission to make a proposal for a charter form of city government?

Perhaps.

At last Monday's Council meeting the Reverend C. David Morgan engaged Council in the Public Speaks forum that is available to citizens to address Council?

 

His topic?

The "apparent" naysayers on Council on the charter issue.

Before the meeting, the SCPR spoke with Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio about progress on putting together legislation as requested by Republican Councilman Mark Butterworth in a June 10th communication to Council.

Martuccio said he is working with Butterworth to craft the necessary legislation and things are going well but that there is little doubt that the measure will have to wait until May, 2011 before getting on the ballot.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Thomas West tells The Report he is waiting for Butterworth to schedule "educational sessions" with members of Council before considering whether or not to recommend passage of the measure out of committee onto the Council as a whole to vote on placing the measure on the May ballot.

Yours truly is getting vibes that Butterworth faces a major problem in getting the charter consideration on the ballot.

The Report believes that there is a stealth undertow among Canton City Council members to take Butterworth's proposal under (bury it) in the procedures of Council so that it does not make it onto the ballot.

Butterworth has told The Report that he is confident that he can get the eight of twelve votes needed on Council to pass the proposal on for Cantonians to vote on.

But can he?

In the view of the SCPR, there are a core group of Council members who like the security (with respect to their personal political interests) of keeping things in Canton the way they are.  And, while they will not openly fight reform of Canton city government, the will wage a "secret" war from within the maze of parliamentary-esque procedures to slowly kill the measure.

Sort of like putting nails (at least five of them) in the lid of the coffin bearing the body of Canton Charter Commission one at a time until the coffin is sealed and placed six foot underground.

Pastor Morgan's talk last Monday is clear indication that all is not well with the charter initiative.

Councilman Butterworth is now working carefully with his fellow members in order to secure the needed eight votes. However, he made a huge political mistake in being the sole councilperson to sign on to seeking the legislation.  Perhaps, that political procedural mistake was, in and of itself, enough to make prospective supporters of the legislation "nails in the coffin" preparatory to burying the body of Canton Charter Commission.

The real question remaining is: are there five nails waiting to be driven in the the coffin lid as the final act prior to burial?

Or is there going to be a revival of the body Canton Charter Commission to stand before the voters of Canton?

Here is Pastor Morgan voicing his concern with the "straying" members of Canton City Council.

COUNCILMAN MARK BUTTERWORTH: WILL HE BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER FOR CANTON?

Canton has been in the doldrums for a very long time now.

Just as the long term one-party-rule by Republicans up until Strickland's election (2006) and the takeover of the Ohio House by Democrats (2008) set Ohio behind, so has Canton been severely hurt, in large part, by one-party-Democratic-rule.

The SCPR has been chiding the Stark County Republican Party to come up with some new, energetic and creative leadership for the Hall of Fame city.

It could be that 8th Ward Councilman Mark Butterworth is the beginning of a new wave of leadership (both Republican and Democrat, and perhaps, an independent or two) that will ultimately lead a Canton resurgence. 

While the SCPR does not think in the public interest effective government comes from the structure of government, but from the quality of the officials who staff government; the move to charter government in Canton could be the impetus to attract new and invigorated leadership to Canton.

Micheal Cunnington deserves credit for getting the idea rolling in Canton.  However, because of what The Report perceives his highly partisan bent; he does not appear to be the person to lead a charter government movement.

Mark Butterworth however does.

He is a solid Republican.  Make no mistake about that.  But standing for something is fine as long as the bias doesn't get in the way of the public interest.  The SCPR's take on Butterworth is that he is first and foremost about pursuing the public interest.

Butterworth has a tough way to go.  If he were consummately political, he would not have stepped forward with his initiative to have Canton City Council place a charter government initiative on the November, 2010 ballot.  Why not?

 

He was only elected by14 votes in November, 2009 over two term incumbent Democrat Karl "Butch" Kraus, Jr., who is a union favorite and who is likely to run again in November, 2011.

Many situated like Butterworth would just honker down and play it close to the vest and hope to survive another election challenge.

But Councilman Butterworth is not built that way.  He demonstrates to The Report that he is a take charge kind of guy, while sensitive to political realities, and is about formulating a positive agenda for the betterment of Canton.

The Report would like to see Butterworth re-submit his request with a Democrat as a co-sponsor.  But doing so could cause a problem with the timeline for getting the initiative on the ballot.

This eight-ward councilman is optimistic that his charter initiative will make it to the ballot.  He feels he has four votes and that at least four (8 of 12 council votes are needed) persuadable councilpersons remain.

He emphasizes that November's vote is limited to two considerations.  First, shall Canton go about drafting a charter for approval by Canton voters.  Second, if a charter is to be drafted, who (vote for 15) is to staff the writing of the charter document to be submitted for voter approval within one year.

The main criticism of the effort is that the same old tire politicians will write the charter document.

Not true!

No elected official can be a candidate for the charter commission.

Butterworth did have a meeting with Councilman Thomas West who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee last night.  West told Butterworth that he wanted to ensure that all of Council was fully informed about the impact of a charter, if passed by Canton voters.

Law Director Joe Martuccio has also been approached by Butterworth to aid him in putting together a presentation to meet West's concerns.

It could be that the question of whether or not Canton forms a charter commission will come up on November's ballot whereas the question of who shall serve on the commission itself, presupposing a November go ahead, would be on the May, 2011 ballot.

Moreover, there is a consideration that 9 of the commissioner slots would go one each to the wards with the remaining 6 being elected at-large.

Again, the SCPR applauds Butterworth for his initiative and for being a political risk taker.  He has all the traits that good political leaders demonstrate.

Who knows?  Mark Butterworth could be a future mayor of Canton in the making.

MICHAEL CUNNINGTON IS THE WRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW EFFORT TO BRING GOVERNMENT REFORM TO CANTON

Revised at 10:00 a.m.

In a democracy, citizens should always have choices on how to manage themselves.

While the idea of Cantonians considering a change in form of government is attractive and deserving of support and THE STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT DOES SUPPORT A VOTE BY CANTONIANS ON GOING CHARTER, it is important that the leader of promoting such an idea not be a high grade partisan who some may suspect of having an ulterior motive.

The Stark County Political Report believes that neophyte Cantonian Michael Cunnington is such a person.  Accordingly, while the idea of Canton becoming a charter government should, once again, be considered by Cantonians, The Report suggests to those who want to push this notion ask Cunnington to step aside from any leadership role.

Otherwise, the effort is destined to get embroiled in to a Republican versus Democrat fight.

On this score, it appears to the SCPR that The Repository is compromised on the charter matter in terms of its involvement with Cunnington and W.R. Timken, Jr.

The Report believes that The Rep Editorial Board agrees with SCPR's position that one-party-politics is bad for any level of government. That is why the editors say they journalistically attacked the Democratic commissioners on their handling of the Stark treasury/State of Ohio Auditor's office on the one-time secret "letter of arrangement."

The Report can see a carryover agenda (getting more Republicans in office in Stark County/Canton government) on The Rep's part from the county matter to City of Canton charter consideration.

Despite denials, the SCPR believes that Strategic Public Partners' Chair of the Board W.R Timken, Jr. (chairman of the Timken Company board of directors - and a longtime Repository favorite) opened up the doors for Cunnington to get access to the publishing prowess of The Repository to pump for a Canton charter as a way to get more Republicans on Canton City Council.

Michael Cunnington is a former executive director of the Stark County Republican Party who by force of his office engaged in activities virulently anti-Democratic Party.  Moreover, his political associations remain saturated with the Republican perspective.

Obviously, Cunnington is entitled to his political point of view.  But his continuance in a charter initiative leadership role surely would cause many Cantonians (in the light of Canton voter huge Democratic Party registration majority) to "knee-jerk" reject a thorough consideration of a change in Canton's governance structure.

The SCPR is highly skeptical Cunnington's denial of any charter effort associations with Strategic Public Partners Group (owned by thorough going Republicans)  and its board of directors chairman W.R. Timken, Jr (also chairman of the Timken Company board of directors).

Moreover, the SCPR suspects that Cunnington was the author of the Stark Politics blog which was written "anonymously."  Whoever wrote Stark Politics is clearly a cowardly type.

The Stark Politics blog was about a partisan as blogs get.  It obviously was a Stark County Republican Party effort to bash Democrat officeholders merely because they are Democrats.  To make it appear that Stark Politics had a scintilla of objectivity, its writer would attack - from time-to-time - Republicans who did not share the Republican right wing view of the writer.

To the SCPR, there seems to be a rough correspondence between Cunnington's coming to Stark County via Ohio University to become the executive director of the Stark GOP and the beginning and end (when Cunnington left the Stark GOP) of Stark Politics.

Maybe some day Cunnington will a reincarnation of Bush White House political operative Karl Rove, but he does not seem to be able to cover his political tracks nearly as well has Rove has been able to.

Republican Canton Councilman Mark Butterworth could become of casualty of a Cunnington-led effort.  He has already embraced the idea of Canton going to a charter.  But the fact that Cunnington was one of his prime supporters in Butterworth's successful campaign to unseat, popular with other Democratic members of Council, Karl Kraus, Jr will make Butterworth's introduction of legislation virtually impossible in a body in which Butterworth is but one Republican among 11 Democrats (including Council president Allen Schulman).

First, Butterworth has to get a 60% "yes" vote to get the measure out of Canton City Council's judiciary committee, to wit:

 The SCPR does not see anyway for Butterworth to clear this hurdle.

If he pulls a political "rabbit out of the hat" and gets the legislation through the committee, then he has to get 8 votes out of 12 voting councilpersons.  So the odds jump from 60% to 75%. Whoa!

With Canton mayoral politics at the fore in 2011, Mayor Healy and his challenger Canton Councilman Bill Smuckler will find a way to divide Council over a charter issue as well as many other issues that come before Council over the next ten months or so until the Democratic primary in May, 2011.

The Report believes that Butterworth will be fighting for his own political life in November, 2011 and will have little space for pushing a charter issue.  Expect Karl Kraus, Jr. to try to reclaim the 8th Ward seat.

Butterworth and others interested in this worthy issue should step out of the fray and find a coalition of good government Democrats and Republicans to push a "vote on the charter" issue.

The SCPR believes Butterworth may have committed political suicide in seizing the initiative.  The Report trust not.  Because he has been a terrific addition to Council with his different perspective and his obvious leadership ability.

However, his being talked into introducing the charter legislation (which The Report believes to be the case - despite denials - at the hand of Cunnington) was clearly a "rookie mistake."

Butterworth should admit that he has made a rookie mistake and withdraw the legislation and try to find a way to reintroduce it with a Democratic co-sponsor.

Yes, the citizens of Canton should have an opportunity to vote yet another time on charter government.  Clearly, Canton government is not working.  The Report thinks it is more of a "quality of individual politician" staffing elective office in Canton than the structure of government.  However, charter government does offer more flexibility to tailor to the needs of unique local factors and does more readily invite readjustment in the future with its built-in review function.

So if Cunnington will step aside and if Butterworth will reconstruct his legislative initiative, yes! Canton citizens should have the right to consider a change in their government

These are dire times in Canton much due in the large part, in the opinion of the SCPR, of the destructive, manipulative negative leadership of William J. Healy, II. 

But it hasn't only been Healy, but his challenger Bill Smuckler hasn't exactly been a paragon of "what's good for the citizens" advocate.  He is mainly about "what is good for Bill Smuckler - political."

If any government is to work, it must have effective and confidence inspiring leadership.  Unfortunately, for Stark County, there is no reliable source for dynamic leadership.

In the SCPR's assessment, Leadership Stark County (an effort of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce) is a gigantic failure.

So along with restructuring local governments, the private sector needs also to get its act together and reconstitute its leadership training infrastructure so as to produce substantive people who have the ability to lead!