ALL BUT CERTAIN? MASSILLON IN OFFING FOR 15% "ACROSS-THE-BOARD" CUTS COME APRIL?

LAST UPDATE:  8:00 P.M.

VIDEOS

COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON

SCPR INTERVIEW

ON

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN

=====================

SEGMENT 1

COUNCIL CONSIDERS

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN

=====================

SEGMENT 2

COUNCIL CONSIDERS

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN
 =====================

SEGMENT 3

COUNCIL CONSIDERS

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN
  =====================

SEGMENT 4

COUNCIL CONSIDERS

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN
====================

SEGMENT 5

COUNCIL CONSIDERS

FINANCIAL RESTORATION PLAN
====================
COUNCILWOMAN
SARITA CUNNINGHAM-HEDDERLY
VOWS HER OPPOSITION TO
CATAZARO-PERRY PROPOSED
1.5 MILL REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Since December 19th, 2014 a new Massillon Financial Restoration Plan (Plan) has been in the works for the city.

On December 19th, the development of the Plan has been with the administration of Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry.

On March 9th, the mayor released the Plan to Massillon City Council for its approval or rejection.

On March 19th, council will have had to have acted affirmatively or in rejection of the Plan or provided alternative thereto in order for the Massillon Financial Planning Supervision Commission (Commission) to confirm a Plan at its next regularly scheduled meeting of March 24, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.

From what the SCPR saw at last night's council work session, The Report thinks there is no way council can see it way clear to adopt Catazaro-Perry's proposal.

SCPR Note: Councilwomen Andrea Scassa (Ward 3) and Councilwoman-at-Large Michelle Del Rio-Keller were absent from last night's meeting.

And in sort of way, a council rejection would in a fashion be a case of serving "poetic justice" to the administration.

For in two prior revenue raising efforts by council to get voters to pass an increase in income taxes,

• the mayor has either refused to support the effort (the first attempt, in May, 2013, before Massillon was put in fiscal emergency by the State of Ohio as the mayor's initiative), or 
• she pretty much "sat on her duff" as in the case of the November, 2014 tax levy to the voters proposal,
• both of which were soundly defeated!

Now apparently it is council's turn to play the role of the spoiler which in an ironical sense is likely to benefit the mayor in her 2015 campaign fore reelection in providing fodder to blame Massillon City Council for all the financial woes the city has been experiencing in recent years.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, the failure to resolve Massillon's financial dilemma is all on the mayor's plate and the public should not be buying her  "buck-passing-responsibility-avoidance" that is likely to unfold in her political war for survival against fellow Democrat and opponent for the mayor; namely, J.D. Ress.

Normally, an incumbent mayor should not have a worry in the world at being challenged by a political novice but the word is that the mayor is much more worried about being defeated by the Massillon born, bred and well-known journalist Ress than the the off-in-the-distance challenge that the Democratic primary winner has from Republican Lee Brunckhart in November.

While the SCPR is highly skeptical that Ress can pull it off, Stark County may be about to experience the largest political upset in the history of Stark County politics.

But the analysis of that race for future blogs between now and May 5th.

Now back to Massillon City Council's work session last night.

The structure of today's blog is to go through the video of last night's session in viewable segments (in terms of the length of a given video) and at the end provide the entire video for those SCPR readers who want to take in the session in its unbroken totality.

First, we start off today with a video interview with Councilman-at-Large Paul Manson which is a "summarize tonight's session and where the process now is and what are the potential consequences" interview.

Manson:

• expresses his/council's unhappiness that council has only been given some 10 days to consider the plan which in its essence is a property tax issue of 1.5 mills the proceeds of which are to be dedicated to streets repair and streets department equipment purchasing
• highlights a fundamental disagreement between most council members as the structure of proposed new taxes with the latter favoring an income tax (into the general fund) approach,
• predicts that council will not approve the mayor's plan "as presented,"
• addresses SCPR questions as to whom is responsible for council only getting 10 days to consider a plan in the making over four months,
• discusses the viability of Ward 4 Councilman Shaddrick Stinson's suggestion (last night) of an entertainment tax alternative,
• focuses on the reality that the Catazaro-Perry tax plan has Massillon real property owners paying taxes to support a Massillon government staff of which a significant number are not themselves Massillon property tax payers,
• commented on the absence of Mayor Catazaro-Perry from last night's session (represented by Budget Director and Income Tax Administrator Ken Koher) in that the mayor's presence might have b
• helpful, or
• resulted in a verbal brawl

As an aid to readers of the SCPR to evaluate whether or not it is reasonable for Mayor Catazaro-Perry to desire to raise property taxes in Massillon, The Report has obtained data from the Stark County's auditor's office which shows that Massillon ranks 14th among Stark County's some 100 political subdivision taxing entities in terms of its "effective" tax rate, to wit:

The very first person to say "flat-out" she would not she would not support the Catazaro-Perry proposed 1.5 mill real property tax increase was Ward 1 Councilwoman Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly.

Here is a SCPR video of Cunningham-Hedderly reiterating her opposition.



Winding our way through last night's one hour session (in ten minute video segments), we begin with the open of the session:

SEGMENT 1

• Manson talks about his attempt to get council more time to consider the Plan,
• Informs council he will not be in Massillon past next Monday night,
• That he will make his opinion known on the Plan before leaving,
• Sets out timeline for the Commission's next meeting and the mayor having submitted a council approved Plan to the Commission by March 19th,
• Gets concurrence from council to meet next Monday (March 16th) at 6:00 p.m. for further deliberations on the Plan,
• Discusses the imminence of 15% across the board cuts should council fail to approve the Plan as is or in alternative form,
• Stinson:  timeline for council consideration is unfair,
• Stinson:  Commission really wouldn't implement 15% across the board cuts in that council has done everything asked of it before?
• Stinson:  "As far as I am concerned, if we don't make the 19th we don't make the 19th, we don't make it.
• Lewis: Asks Koher about who put the Plan together and how long it took with the question being the basis of his objection to the dearth of time that council has to consider a somewhat complex plan a long time in the making in a 10 day, more or less, time span,
• Koher: Provides some details on why the delay in discussing a process in which the administration asked Massillon Law Director Perry Stergios his opinion on whether or not Massillon could combine a streets property tax levy with one for police and fire,
• Stergios' opinion was asked for on March 2, 2015,
• Lewis: Administration should have presented a preliminary plan to council so that council had a longer block of time to mull over the Plan.
• Lewis: As things now stand, he doubts he can be prepared on 9 days notice to vote to approve the Plan as submitted by the mayor

SEGMENT 2

• Continuing on with the video of last night's council work session, the conversation picks up with:
• Paul Manson moderating the discussion:
• Cunningham-Hedderly (referring to the compressed timeline - "we are are not Superman,"
• Lewis:  Where are the numbers for this plan which were provided with the "old" plan.  The lack of numbers, Lewis says, is another reason why council cannot deal with the current plan in terms of approving it,
• Koher:  "We'll have those number before Tuesday (which would be March 17th, the day before council's deadline for approving/disapproving of the plan),
• Lewis:  We cannot possibly continue on with this consideration, this plan "is just words, until I see the numbers,"
• Manson:  "I agree.  There is no way I can get on board right now,"
• Chovan:  Clearly gets it in saying that with council not having time enough to thoroughly digest the plan will then be the fall guy for causing Massillon departments of government to be cut 15% across the board,
• Stinson:  "I already have talked to several neighborhood associations in my ward and they already saying no to the property tax,"
• Halter:  She has had anti-property-tax-increase calls,
• Cunningham-Hedderly:  Also cites receiving anti-property-tax calls and reiterates her published comments that she will not support the proposed 1.5 mill levy,
• Starrett:  Asks why is the levy being proposed for the ballot in February, 2016.  She says she is not of a mind to support that timeline IF she were to support a property tax levy ballot initiative,

SEGMENT 3

• Continuing on with the video of last night's council work session, the conversation pickS up with:
• Paul Manson moderating the discussion:
• Manson and others:  talk about a possible conflict with a school levy which, according to Manson was soundly defeated the last time it was on the ballot,
• Cunningham-Hedderly: "Can Massillon do a Sales Tax?"  [Stergios from the audience:  "no,"
• Stinson: "How about a Sin [i.e. entertainment] tax?"
• Stinson:  Brings up whether or not Massillon will receive FEMA grant ($192,000 or so) for safety forces which led to an extended council discussion on that significance of such a factor,

SEGMENT 4

• Continuing on with the video of last night's council work session, the conversation picks up with:
• Paul Manson moderating the discussion:
• Manson:  Initiates discussion of the 1.5 mills as to the duration thereof and the proposal to put the measure on the ballot in February, 2016 and finally whether or not council might not want to abate the street lighting assessment recently imposed,
• Lewis:  Notes that the 1.5 mills is dedicated streets and street department vehicles and initiates a discussion how the plan deals with the need to eliminate a projected $1 million general fund deficit within 5 years,
• Chovan:  Opens up a discussion about staff efficiencies including job combinations, consolidations and outsourcing,
• Lewis:  Queries Koher again on administration measures designed to close general fund projected deficits plans,

SEGMENT 5

• Continuing on with the video of last night's council work session, the conversation picks up with:
• Paul Manson moderating the discussion:
• Chovan:  Asks Koher about selling or leasing of non-essential city assets,
• Manson:  Queries Koher about the fuel usage efficiencies line item in Plan,
• Manson:  Says he has "a hard time supporting this thing" and that council should push for about a month's extension,
• Lewis:  If council members think they are going to reject the administration's plan to come prepared at next meeting (Monday, the 16th at 6:00 p.m.) prepared to discuss alternatives,
• Manson:  Says his alternative is going back to an income tax increase and remove street lighting assessment,
• Starett:  Agrees with Manson on income tax approach and doing something with the street lighting assessment,
• Council members in general:  Discussed the numbers and dynamics of going to an income tax alternative,
• Halter:  Recommended that if council develops an alternative to go with an income tax that the campaign be run by professionals and not by council,
• Lewis:  Talks about the citizens having spoken twice in rejecting an income tax increase and that consequently he is going to have a hard time getting behind a third try of any kind for a tax increase,
• Halter:  Pointed out to her fellows that all city employees have to pay the city income tax but that relatively few pay Massillon real property taxes because many of them live outside the city, and "that," she says "is a hard pill to swallow by the citizens,"
• Manson (and Lewis):  Pose questions to Koher on the actual numbers implied by Halter's observation,
• Starrett:  Raises the topic of if Massillon does the 1.5 mill property tax levy where does that put the city in Stark County political subdivision rankings of the amount of effective millage that residents pay,

At the end of the day, the SCPR agrees with the general sentiment impliedly expressed last night by council members that for council to approve the Plan with only some 10 days to mull it over would be irresponsible.

The entire Plan development process shows how utterly incommuncative that Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry is with council and therefore the likelihood that council will reject the plan as presented looms large.

The mayor only has herself to blame, no?

Here is the full - unsegmented - video of last night's council consideration of the Catazaro-Perry Massillon Financial Restoration Plan.

(VIDEOS) OHIO'S SHARON HANRAHAN IS MASSILLON'S "DOVE OF PEACE?"

UPDATE: 8:00 PM  "FINAL"

"ENTIRE" COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION VIDEO  NOW POSTED

"ENTIRE" COMBO COUNCIL/COMMISSION

SESSION NOW POSTED

VIDEOS

REACTIONS TO LAST NIGHT MEETING

SHARON HANRAHAN

OMB REPRESENTATIVE
POSTED

=============================== 

 COUNCILWOMAN

SARITA CUNNINGHAM-HEDDERLY

 POSTED

 =============================== 

COUNCILWOMAN NANCY HALTER

POSTED

 ===============================

 COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS

POSTED

 ===============================

 

COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON

POSTED

 =============================== 

 COMMISSIONER MEMBER

ELAINE CAMPBELL

POSTED

 =============================== 

ENTIRE 

COMMISSION/COUNCIL MEETING

POSTED

 ===============================

ENTIRE

COUNCIL PLAN 2 WORK SESSION

POSTED 

Last night "peace" seemed to break out among the participants in Massillon's effort to find a "financial recovery plan" that might eventually bring Tigerland back to fnancial solvency.

But the SCPR must say that Massillon's Iron Lady was the least prone of all "to give peace a chance."

The peacemaker-in-chief was Sharon Hanrahan of Ohio's Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Report believes a breakthrough occurred after the Massillon Financial Planning and Supervision Commission rejected Massillon City Council's first plan at the end of last month.

Hanrahan - post rejection - went to council and apparently gained a different perspective on council's attitude as a result of talking one-on-one with members.

Hanrahan spoke with the SCPR after last night's meeting.


 
 Another commissioner member speaking with the SCPR was Elaine Campbell.



Campbell's son, Matt Campbell, by the way, is the outstanding coach of the football Toledo Rockets of the NCAA Divison 1 Mid-American Conference of which the University of Akron and Kent State University are members.

The SCPR believes that up until that Hanrahan/council meetup, the commission was largely dependent on Mayor Catazaro-Perry for information and perspective on council efforts to construct a financial recovery plan acceptable to the commission and to council.

Both most agree on a plan by April 24th if Massillon is to avoid "across the board cuts" of 15% to all general fund departments of Massillon's government except for the courts on May 1st.

The Report thinks that council will come up with a Plan 2 that likely include a 1.95 or 2.0 income tax rate for Massillon (a rise of .195 or .2).

Why 1.95?

Guess?

Because of Mayor Catazaro-Perry.

Although Finance Committee chair Ed Lewis, IV (Republican Ward 6 [and, the SCPR thinks, likely opponent in the November, 2015 election to the mayor]) believes that the mayor did not last night reject a 2% Massillon income tax rate ballot initiative; The Report thinks she in reality did.

Why is 2% so important?

Because council is resisting the reduction in Massillon's income tax credit that Massillonians get for paying out-of-city income taxes to other Ohio villages and cities in which they work.

From the beginning of the Catazaro-Perry administration when it became apparent that Massillon had to do something to either increase revenues or make expenditure cuts or a combination of the two, the mayor has insisted that part of any fiscal package that she would agree to absolutely must include a reduced income tax credit.

To finance chairman Lewis,  a 2% tax rate (meaning .2 percent) is the key number at which council would be able to avoid an actual implementation of a  proposed .25% reduction the city income tax credit which is part of the package being negotiated between council and the MFPSC.

As the SCPR understands the plan, voter approval of a .195 or .2 increase in the November election would effectively eliminate the credit reduction.

Lewis explains.



And such of turn of events would undoubtedly please Massillon political power broker and Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero (a former Massillon law director) who has adamantly fought (mostly through political proxies) a reduction in the credit.

The political background to all of this is that Ferrero (a least currently) is the arch-political-enemy of Catazaro-Perry prop-ups Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and his "I couldn't exist without you" ally R. Shane Jackson.

Maier is Massillon's clerk of courts, (Jackson is his chief deputy).

Maier is currently executive vice chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party (former chairman 2003 - 2009) and Jackson in the party's political director.

Ferrero immediately preceded Maier as Stark Dems chairman.

And both (Ferrero and Maier) see themselves as dominant players in Massillon city politics.  There are plenty of examples in which they go after one another in the context of Massillon political life.

All of which brings us to a key moment in last night's discussion between the commission and council at their joint meeting.

Newly elected councilperson Megan Starrett (Democrat, Ward 5) works on Ferrero's staff and is perceived to be a Ferrero proxy on council.

It was Starrett who came up with a proposal in the meeting for council to abandon its heretofore insistence that any income tax reduction be sunset to expire on December 31, 2015.

Commissioner member Robert Gessner of Massillon Cable TV had - earlier in the meeting - talked about how an arbitrary sunset date was just that and made no sense.

He argued that council needed to have a change of heart on the matter and tie the retirement of the reduction to rational financial numbers rather than "just pick a date."

Starrett picked up on his plea and that is when the tone of the meeting began to change in a more positive and productive way.

As a consequence "the sticking point" is no longer a "drop-dead date" on the income tax credit reduction.  Now it is increasing the rate 2%.  At least as far as Catazaro-Perry is concerned.

The Report suspects that the mayor's digging in against a ballot initiative of going to a 2% rate is more about the near certainty that a 2% would ensure that the credit reduction never goes into effect and if that happens, her insistence (remember, pretty much from the beginning of her administration) in a reduction in the credit will have been in vain.

So while the SCPR believes that Sharon Hanrahan with her peace-inducing style of leadership has achieved a breakthrough, it is a fragile peace to say the least.

While Hanrahan cannot give the slightest indication that the latent belligerence of Catazaro-Perry is the "elephant in the room" of the commission and council reaching an agreement on Massillon's Financial Recovery Plan; behind the scene she needs to continue what appears to the SCPR to be her good work of bringing the two sides together.

The Report believes that one way or another the diplomatic Hanrahan will trump "it my way or the highway" Catazaro-Perry.

To the SCPR the majority of the commission is sensitive to and prone to follow the lead of the mayor.

A key part of Hanrahan's work is to provide Catazaro-Perry with a face saving way out of her intransgiance.

If last night's movement forward is a true indication as being the fruit of Hanrahan's labors, then Massillonians have reason to believe that "peace may be at hand"  between Mayor Catazaro-Perry and her allies and Massillon City Council.

Other councilperson reactions to the joint meeting include:

Councilwoman Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly.



And Councilwoman Nancy Halter who Hanrahan scored points with in remembering a prior exchange between the two.



Councilman Paul Manson looms large as a factor in the back and forth between council and the commission.



Although lengthy, the SCPR is posting the entire sessions of both the joint commission/council session and the separate council work session on intracouncil discussions of what the content of Plan 2 ought to be.

First, the joint session.

Next, the council planning session video:

(VIDEO) MAIER-JACKSON GROUP (MASSILLON DEMS) FAIL TO OUST HALTER & LEWIS

CATAZARO-PERRY

STILL HAS A

MAJOR HEADACHE, NO?

VIDEO

 MASSILLON

REELECTED INCUMBENTS

"LEWIS"

"HALTER"

"CUNNINGHAM-HEDDERLY"

SPEAK ABOUT THEIR VICTORIES

Massillon Republicans were jubilant last night as they huddled together (along with Democratic councilwoman-elect [at-large] Michelle Del Rio-Keller) at Massillon's Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Henderson Lodge to check out election returns.

From the get-go incumbent Republicans Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly (Ward 1), Nancy Halter (Ward 2) and Ed Lewis, IV were ahead in the vote count and each of them maintained the lead through the final count.

But they were very, very close races.

In the case of Halter and Lewis, the Maier-Jackson (former Stark County Democratic chairman and Massillon clerk of courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and Stark Dems political director and Maier chief deputy clerk of courts Shane Jackson) wing of the Massillon Democratic Party came within 25 votes and 27 votes, respectively; of gaining council support for Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry; a Maier-Jackson political ally to say the least.

"Close, but no cigar" is the adage that best describes the Maier-Jackson effort.

For all their supposed political expertise, Maier-Jackson could not oust the Ward 2 and 6 Republican incumbents.

And, in the view of The Report, their falling short will prove to be a very good thing for a "brighter future" for Massillon given all its current financial difficulties which appears to been "politically induced" by the mayor in her refusal to work with the current council on a "come and let us reason together" basis on the matter of raising sorely needed new revenues.

It appears to the SCPR that only the newly elected (last night) Shaddrick Stinson (Democrat - Ward 4) will be a dependable (vote-in, vote-out) supporter of the Catazaro-Perry administration.

For a political novice, Republican Jim Triner showed pretty well in Ward 4 which is the most Democratic (in terms of registration identity) of all six of Massillon's wards.

But Councilwoman Quenessa Hampton's husband did draw off 72 votes from Stinson that presumably would have gone to Quenessa had she been the Democratic candidate in Ward 4.

Once thought to be in sync with the Maier-Jackson folks, she had a falling out them and The Report is told that they pulled their support from husband Edward as an alternative when it was learned that Quenessa (a member of the military) had to withdraw because the Hatch Act (a federal law) prohibits military (among other federal employees) from holding partisan political office.

Interesting enough, Quenessa made an appearance at the FOP Lodge gathering last night.

Though the Mike Loudiana (former safety-services director in the Frank Cicchinelli administration) and Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly race was also close (only 42 votes separating them); had Loudiana won, there would have been no comfort for the Maier-Jackson folks because Loudiana is an avowed political enemy of anything Maier-Jackson/Catazaro-Perry.

Perhaps, had Donnie Peters, Jr run for reelection in Massillon's Ward 5, the Republicans would have retained their current 5 to 4 majority control of Massillon City Council.

But he decided to step aside, he tells the SCPR, to devote his full attention to other Massillon civic activities he is involved in.

Consequently, Massillon's "fragmented" Democrats number-wise will have a 5 to 4 majority in the 2014-2015 terms of council.

It does not appear to the SCPR that it is a majority that will in any way, shape, or form hold together along partisan lines when it comes to key votes on council.

They may not even be able to come together to organize council. 

Perhaps either Paul Manson (Democrat, council-at-large) or Michelle Del Rio-Keller (Democrat, council-at-large); maybe both (who also were at the FOP gathering), will join the Republicans to organize the 2014-2015 version of Massillon City Council?

Lame-duck Councilman Larry Slagle (Democrat, at-large) was also in attendance last night at the FOP.

The SCPR did speak with Cunningham-Hedderly, Halter and Lewis after they believed that they had won reelection.

(VIDEO) MASSILLON'S 6TH WARD RACE HOLDS THE KEY TO MASSILLON'S FUTURE?

WARD 2 RACE AS WELL
================

 VIDEO

COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS
STATES HIS CASE
FOR
NOT REDUCING
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ALLOCATION
================================= 

In analyzing the "leadership factor" among candidates for Massillon City Council in tomorrow's election, the Stark County Political Report believes that Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Republican) has those qualities which make him the "candidate of choice" if Massillon is going to recover from its current financial crisis and get back on track to being a city with a bright future.

The folks who fancy themselves as Massillon's most skilled and perceptive "backroom" politicians (former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and Stark County Dems political director Shane Jackson) appear to see the same qualities in Lewis as the SCPR does and want to "nip this guy in the bud" before he gets on a roll.

For if he gets reelected tomorrow in Ward 6 (a predominately Democratic [by registration] ward), by the SCPR's assessment, Lewis is on track to become Massillon's first Republican mayor in many, many of a moon.

In getting elected in 2011, the year in which the Massillon Republican Party astonished all local political pundits in taking a 5 to 4 control of Massillon City Council, Lewis burst onto the Massillon political scene as "the great future hope" of the Massillon Republican Party.

Just take a look at the numbers he rolled up on "incumbent" Democrat David McCune.

His only losing precinct in the 60% to 40% Democratic ward was in 6-C and there only narrowly (about 2-1/2 percentage points).

Granted, McCune, did not distinguish himself as councilman and had a few incidents (e.g. the traffic ticket controversy) which were the equivalent of "shooting oneself in the foot."

The Report's take on Lewis is that he demonstrates that he cares about Massillon's future by paying particular attention to non-politically-exotic things such as infrastructure.

Ignoring infrastructure has proved the undoing of many cities throughout America.

He is making an issue out of a move by the Catzaro-Perry administration to go from a 98% to 2% (operations to infrastructure ratio) to 99.5% to .5%.



At the .5% rate, Massillon will spend the grand total of $59,000 out of a $17.3 million budget on things of an enduring nature.

Some on council want to draw lines with the Catazaro-Perry administration.  Lewis seeks to be a bridge builder notwithstanding how utterly impossible the mayor makes his quest with her abiding belligerent tone.

Should Lewis be reelected, the SCPR considers him to be the likely choice of Massillon's Republicans to take on Catazaro-Perry or her "heir apparent" in November, 2015.

The Report says "heir apparent" because of the many persistent reports that Catazaro-Perry is about to "pull up stakes" and leave Massillon.

The SCPR believes that one of the reasons that the Maier/Jackson duo political operatives are "pulling out all the stops" to derail Lewis is they understand that he has all the tools and qualities needed to become the first Massillon Republican mayor in many an eon.

Whether Catazaro-Perry sticks in Massillon or not, they do not want Ed Lewis to be building a reputation for himself as a springboard for taking her or an alternative on come 2015.

As it is, whomever the designated Maier/Jackson mayor candidate is, she/he will most certainly face an opponent in the May, 2015 Democratic primary.  That opposition could well come from former mayor Frank Cicchinelli.

Democrat Linda Litman is making a determined run at Lewis in Ward 6.

And her pre-general-election campaign finance report shows that she is, in fact, the candidate of the Maier/Jackson wing of the Massillon Democratic Party.

Moreover, inasmuch as her husband John is a vice president of Ironworkers 550, she is getting huge financial support Stark County's trade unions.

Lewis tells the SCPR that his campaign is going well.

However, his pre-general-campaign-finance-report does indicate that he is substantially behind Litman in fund raising.

Perhaps, he is sandbagging and will do better in the final days before election day.

The SCPR believes that it essential for Lewis (followed by Republican Nancy Halter) to be reelected if Massillon Republicans are going to remain a viable political force.

Competitive Republican and Democratic politics is the best way for any level of government to function in terms of ensuring that the check and balance features of our government structure are effectively implemented.

Of course, we are now seeing that the right wing of the Republican Party (the Tea Party crowd) uses those check and balance features to obstruct.

But such is not the case with the majority of Massillon's council.

They work quite well with the four "voting" Democrats presently on council.

If either Lewis or Halter lose (which would mean the Maier/Jackson forces would have a direct voice on council), the SCPR believes that council would not function nearly as well as it does now and Massillon council would take a turn towards greater discord within its ranks.

Not only does The Report see Dave Irwin and Linda Litman as taking their marching orders from Maier and Jackson, but also (differing with former mayor Frank Cicchinelli) thinks that Shaddrick Stinson would for the third leg of that political stool.

If Massillon is to recover from its financial difficulties any time soon, having Maier/Jackson allies on council would be a super impediment to such happening.

Massillon has much at stake in this election.  First in Ward 6 and closely followed by Ward 2.

Will Massillon voters make choices that best serves the "City of Champion's" future?

MASSILLON: IN "POLITICALLY INDUCED" FINANCIAL CRISIS - WHO PREVAILS IN CONTEST FOR POLITICAL POWER IN COUNCIL RACES?

As the SCPR sees it, the "hotbed" election night focus will be on the city of Masillon and its city council races in Wards 1, 2, 4 and 6.

At stake?

Perhaps who will control Massillon city government for the next two years.

It is rare indeed to see a Republican Party organization and key Stark County elected Republicans heavily engaged in a municipal election in Stark County as between Alliance, Canton and Massillon.

A sampling of campaign contributions to those Republicans in competitive races in Massillon is quite revealing:

SARITA CUNNINGHAM-HEDDERLY

• Votes for Women * ($1,000),
• * Votes for Women is a front group for the organized Stark County Republican Party, which like the Stark Dems and its Coalition of Women Voters, dons a political neutral sounding name but only endorses candidates of the Republican Party (Votes for Women) or Democratic Party (Coalition of Women Voters)

NANCY HALTER 

(All Republicans)

• ($2,000) Votes for Women
• ($40) Ward 5 councilman Donnie Peters
• ($20) Lee Brunckhart (2011 mayoral candidate
• ($50) Jane Timken (Stark County GOP official)
• ($50) Stark Co. Commissioner Richard Regula
• ($20) Common Pleas judge Kristin Farmer ($20)
• ($20) Domestic Relations judge Rosemary Hall
• ($20) Stark Co. Commissioner Janet Creighton
• ($20) former Stark Commissioner Jane Vignos
• ($100) Stark Co. Auditor Alan Harold
• ($25) Mayor Pat Fallot of Louisville
• ($40) Judge C. Roland Centrone - Massillon Municipa
• ($40) former Judge Rick Kettler - Massillon Municipal
• ($50) Judge Sheila Farmer - 5th District COA

ED LEWIS, IV

(All Republicans, except where noted)

• ($50) Councilman Steven Tharp, Jr of Brewster
• ($10) Judge Roland Centrone - Massillon Municipal Ct
• ($10) Judge Curtis Werren - Stark Ct of Common Pleas (
• ($40) Judge Rosemary Hall - Domestic Relations Ct
• ($10)  Megan Starrett, Democrat unopposed Ward 5
• ($20) state Representative Maryilyn Slaby

There is no discernable Republican presence in Canton and Alliance, but Massillon is quite a different matter.

And for the sake of competitive politics and the benefit that competition brings to the give and take of government, it has been refreshing to see the resurgence of Republican "urban" political engagement in at least one of Stark's three major cities.

It was a huge surprise when the Republicans took control of Massillon's council two years ago.

However, the takeover was not an accident.

The SCPR attributes the switch to the superb efforts of Ward 2 councilwoman Nancy Halter.

She went out and recruited attractive candidates to run in Ward 1:  Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly, (herself in Ward 2), Ed Lewis, IV in Ward 6 and Milan Chovan at-large.

And they all won!

Nobody had to be more shocked that the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (former Stark County Democratic Party chairman) and Stark Dems political director Shane Jackson.

Fresh off their victory of May, 2013 in ousting 24-year mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. in the Democratic Party primary, they took their eye off the "political" ball and forgot that their Kathy Catazaro-Perry was destined for failure as mayor without majority support in council.

Now they are scrambling to recover.

The Maier and Jackson tandem (in the SCPR's assessment) have candidates loyal to them and "their" mayor in Ward 2 (Dave Irwin), Ward 4 (Shaddrick Stinson) and Ward 6 (Linda Litman).

Stinson seems to be the most likely of the three to make it to council.

The Report is told that Catzaro-Perry herself was out in Republican Jim Triner's stronghold (the area including and surrounding The Legends golf course) to campaign door-to-door for Stinson.

Recently a Stinson campaign representative sat down with Cicchinelli and tried to convince him that as councilperson he would not be a Maier/Jackson captive.

And, apparently, he succeeded.

Cicchinelli declined a request that he put a Stinson sign in his yard, but the impression that The Report gets is that he will personally support him mostly because of his being a Democrat.

Cicchinelli tells the SCPR that he thinks "when all is said and done" Stinson will be his own man on council.

The Report does not agree with Cicchinelli.

Looking at Stinson's pre-general campaign finance report and Catazaro-Perry connected contributions ($150) and believing as host of Maier/Jackson loyalists must be hidden within the "contributions of $25 or less" (which by Ohio election law does not have to be attributed to specific names) and, of course, the mayor "hoofing it" for Stinson, it does not compute that - if elected - Stinson will forget "who brung him to the dance."

At one time, the SCPR thought that Republican Jim Triner might pull off an upset in this "most heavily Democratic Ward" in all of Massillon.

How's that?

Well, by The Report's assessment, it appeared that when the Catazaro/Maier/Jackson triumvirate turned on Quenessa Hampton when she did show them that she was an independent minded councilwoman (all of a sudden, her military status became an issue and she had to withdraw because of the Hatch Act prohibition on military holding "partisan" political office); interesting, no?) and her husband Edward decided to act as her surrogate in taking out petitions to run as a non-partisan that such was "the perfect 'political' storm" whereby a Republican might just win in the 4th.

All reports are that Edward Hampton is doing very little, if anything, in terms of campaign.  That he did not reach the threshold of $1,000 raised in campaign contributions and therefore was not required and did not file a pre-general campaign finance report seems to be validation of the reported campaign inactivity.

All-of-a-sudden, the 4th is now a Republican versus Democrat race in Massillon's most Democratic ward.

In the opinion of the SCPR, council president Tony Townsend who was formerly the elected 4th ward councilman was the least able of all of Massillon councilpersons that the SCPR has observed in the nearly six years of existence of The Report covering Massillon politics.

It appears to The Report that his close political friends Maier and Jackson finagled a way to persuade Republican Al Hennon to drop his race against Townsend for council president by inducing him to join the Catazaro-Perry administration as safety director.

There was no way Townsend was going to win citywide in Massillon had Hennon stayed in the race.

Apparently, he got elected in Ward 4 by being a Democrat in Massillon's most Democratic ward, no?

To sum it up, given the apparent fade of Edward Hampton as a viable factor, it would be a surprise equivalent to, if not exceeding, the 2011 Republican takeover of council if Triner were to win.

And if Triner loses, then the Republican's control of council evaporates.

It could be that Democrats like Paul Manson (at-large) or Michelle Del Rio-Keller might join those Republicans elected next Tuesday and form an bipartisan coalition and organize the 2014/25 council.

The new council, even if pro-Catazaro-Perryites Shaddrick Stinson, Dave Irwin and Linda Litman are elected, will, in the SCPR's analysis, tilt against the mayor on key votes.

So the "balance of political power" of council will not shift towards the Catazaro-Perry administration even if everything falls her way in the council races.

Sure to be elected Democrats Andrea Scassa (Ward 3, who the SCPR sees as being truly independent), Megan Starrett (Ward 5, a "John Ferrero Democrat"), Michelle Del Rio-Keller (at-large; a likely independent minded, if not somewhat "anti-Catazaro-Perry type) and Paul Manson (at-large, who probably has ties to the Cicchinelli forces in Massillon politics) constitute a bloc of councilpersons who will keep the administration "on pins and needles."

Moreover, the SCPR believes that chances are very good that Halter (Irwin) and Lewis (Litman) will survive the Maier/Jackson inspired challenges and will return to council.

One has to wonder whether or not Stark prosecutor is following through with his promise (reported in a prior SCPR blog) to Halter that he would be supporting her reelection bid.

If so, the support is of the "word-of-mouth" variety he is passing on to Ward 2 Democrats because there is nothing in Halter's campaign finance report to indicate monetary support.

As noted above, in the SCPR analysis of Ed Lewis' campaign finances, Ferrero political loyalist Megan Starrett has made a contribution to him which occurred on July 31st - and - he has reciprocated with a contribution to her campaign on August 24th.

Also notable on Starrett is the fact that Frank Cicchinelli contributed to her campaign.

Interesting, no?

Here is a look at the Irwin and Litman "list of contributors" campaign finance reports.  They make it abundantly clear that these folks are linked-at-the-hip to the Maier/Jackson Massillon political machine.

Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly may even survive in Ward 1 in her race against former safety-service director Mike Loudiana (a Cicchinelli man).

While the Massillon races will be among Stark County's most interesting to watch, the results will not change the "political - balance of power - in Massillon.

The city will continue to struggle with its financial problems (currently placed "in fiscal emergency" by the state of Ohio Auditor) which are, in the judgment of the SCPR, a consequence of the political turmoil that has plagued Massillon city council for some years now.

Look for that turmoil to continue no matter what the outcome of next Tuesday's election.

GOV'T BY CITY COUNCIL IN CANTON AND MASSILLON?

As unrealistic as it seems to the SCPR that such is a viable option for governance, it appears that the city councils of both Massillon and Canton are asserting themselves more and more in ways that indicate a contest with the respective executive branches of government is underway to determine which branch has the major say in the way in which the city is governed.

MASSILLON

At the Monday night council work session "all Hell broke loose" in a battle between Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and several council members over council's effort to reform the structure of the city's parks and recreation board.

Charges and counter charges on truth telling with respect to the tenure of former parks and recreation directors were the order of the night at Monday's session.

It appears that this fight is being won by council and that the end of the Councilman Larry Slagle-led Parks and Recreation Committee deliberation; it will be council (through the Parks and Recreation Board) that prevails on that particular issue.

And, of course, those who have been following developments in Tigerland government circles, know that the council/city executive fights have not been limited to the parks and recreation matter.

There have been the fights between council and the mayor over taxes and the cutting of expenses.

Beyond the issues in and of themselves, it is painfully clear that most of Massillon council does not trust the mayor.

The mistrust and differences on the issues and the role of council in decision making for the city will spill over into the upcoming council ward elections

The "unstated" stakes in the councilmantic races include whether or not the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. led political faction can elect anyone to office and, if he is reelected, whether or not Ward 6 councilman Ed Lewis, IV uses his reelection as a springboard to run against Catazaro-Perry in 2015.

Maier et al are contesting Republican Nancy Halter in Ward 2 and Lewis in Ward 6.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, the Maiers are also vying with Republican Jim Triner in Ward 4.

It appears that stand-in (for Quinessa Hampton - who quit the race because of compatibility issues with her military service) Shaddrick Stinson is trying to distance himself from the Maier faction, but the SCPR is not buying and I believe that, if elected, Stinson would by and large stand with Maier executive government proxy Catazaro-Perry on the important issues (to the administration) that come before council.

The SCPR has learned that the Stinson folks have been making overtures to powerful Ward 4 political factors in an endeavor to retain this seat for the Democrats in one of Massillon's most heavily Democratic wards.

The Report is told by one long time Massillon Democrat that a Republican probably hasn't represented the Ward 4 since the 1950s.

If Quinessa's husband (running as a non-partisan) can be a factor (siphoning off Democratic votes) and if other Ward 4 Democrats can be neutralized, then Triner is in a good position to take Ward 4 for the Republicans.

The Catazaro-Perry administration main hope in staving off the challenge as to who will dominate Massillon city government rests in the Maier faction's ability to elect council members politically aligned with the administration.

So all eyes in November's election should be on Wards 2, 4 and 6.

CANTON

While the SCPR does not see councilmantic challenge of the Healy administration to be as pronounced as in Massillon, there is no question that expected results of Canton's November election will alter the relationship between the mayor and council as a whole.

On key issues, the SCPR sees the more or less "let's challenge Healy forces on council" will be bolstered by the election of Democrat Roland K. Burns, III at large and the return of former councilman and Democrat Bill Smuckler.

While Mayor Healy does rid himself of the troublesome Mary Cirelli (who stepped down from council to run for city treasurer in a losing effort), the reintroduction of Smuckler spells big trouble for the mayor.

Smuckler has a different vision for the city than Healy.

And he has been frustrated in his attempt to become the city's chief executive (losing to Republican Janet Creighton in 2003) and to Healy (in the Democratic primary) in 2011.

So The Report expects him to lead a "let's challenge Healy" majority (re:  key issues) on council.

Smuckler does not trust Healy but, nonetheless, being the practical politician he is and understanding that council in a structural sense is not suited to actually run city government, he will use his power as the de facto if not de jure leader of council to compel Healy to implement policies and practices that are his/council's idea and not Healy's.

The "let's challenge Healy" group should have a 7 to 5 majority post November 5, 2013.

SUMMARY

The SCPR does not see how a city council can effectively govern any city.

Council simply does not have the structure to do so.

The best that can be hoped for is for any council that wants its point of view, its preferred operating model to rule is to convince the executive authority (i.e. the mayor) to become its alter ego.

MASSILLON

There is no hope that such can happen in Massillon even if the Republicans maintain their majority.

Many believe that Kathy Catazaro-Perry is not "the real mayor" of the city.  Rather, they believe, the city is run by Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. who thinks he can run the city like he runs his clerk of courts operation.

Maier, in effect, is the elected executive officer of Massillon's clerk of courts office and his word within the department in the "word of god."

However, that mode of operating "will not play in Peoria" in relation to city council.

But Maier will never ever become a "come and let us reason together" guy.

It is indelible that Maier is an "old school" power broker politician who leaves no prisoners.

So - going forward - a strong and able council with a mind of its own, especially if it continues to be controlled by the Republicans, is likely to be in one battle after another on one issue or another with the Catazaro-Perry/Maier administration.

At one time it looked liked council and Catazaro-Perry were coming together on the parks and recreation issue.

But that The Report now believes was merely a "feint" and beneath it all was a determination by the administration to come out of that fight on top and not having compromised with council one iota.

So the SCPR thinks Massillonians will be caught up in a continuing administration/council battle as who is to prevail in having its way in the running of Massillon city government.

CANTON

The return of Bill Smuckler to Canton City Council is likely to be - in an ironical sense - the salvation of the William J. Healy, II administration.

Make no mistake about it.

Smuckler and his "let's challenge Healy" majority will make their mark, and Healy, (the quintessential "let me live another day" politician) will find a way to allow "the will of council" to affect the priorities of Canton government so long as Healy gets some headline making credit for whatever the manifestation of "the will of council" turns out to be.

Smuckler is quite adept at accommodating egos and therefore the SCPR sees Canton's turning for the better with Smuckler's de facto city of Canton leadership from "his perch on city council."