WHO ON CANTON COUNCIL OWNS THE HEALY GENERATED $3.7 TO $5 MILLION PROJECTED 2016 BUDGET DEFICIT?

HAS HEALY DUPED COUNCIL?

OR

IS COUNCIL A FULL PARTICIPANT IN THE DUPING?

"ENCORE" VIDEOS

COUNCIL PRESIDENT

ALLEN SCHULMAN

ON

STATE FUNDING CUTS

MAYOR HEALY

ON

THOUSANDS & THOUSANDS

OIL & GAS JOBS

COMING TO AREA

Fiscal Year 2016 (Canton) and fiscal year 2017 (Massillon) budgeting could bring political infighting among council members to a new high.

In Massillon such a scenario might be averted with the infusion of new revenues if a primary election results in an increase in the city's income tax revenue which would the first since 1977, except for a parks issue passage.
Canton has no such hope on the immediate horizon.

However, there is some background noise in the context of exploratory discussion of ways and means to increase the financial pie in the Hall of Fame city.

Two carryover Canton councilpersons who have lead the fight against outgoing Mayor William J. Healy, II (overspending?) budgets have been 26 year councilman Bill Smuckler (at-large) and current finance committee chair and Ward 1 councilman Greg Hawk.

Here is a listing of councilperson voting records going back to the 2012 budget:

2012

2013

2014

2015

And, of course, inbound 2016-2017 councilpersons Jason Scaglione (Ward 3 councilman-elect) and Tom Harmon (at-large councilman-elect) are exonerated from ownership of the arguable projected deficit of $3.7 million to $5 million.

One of the primary defenses that the Healy administration and supporting councilpersons have to charges of fiscal irresponsibility in formulating and passing budgets since 2010—2011 and the onset of deep, deep, deep cuts in State of Ohio local government funding in the form of:

• huge reductions in the local government fund itself, 
• termination of revenues to Ohio political subdivisions with the elimination of the Ohio Estate Tax, 
• cessation of the utility tax, and
• shortfall from promises of hold harmless of monies to local governments as a consequence of the elimination of Ohio's tangible property tax with the passage of a replacement corporate taxes (i.e. Commercial Activities Tax [CAT]).

A source tells the SCPR that Canton has with the maturing of the foregoing listed cuts sustained losses of some $6 million annually (with the full implementation of the state funding cuts) gross and passage of the casino tax which only recently has developed of history for Canton of offsetting the loses with about $2 million for a net annual loss of about $4 million or so.

A 2014 Columbus Dispatch article (LINK) is a good summary of what has happened to Ohio local government funding since the onset of the Kasich administration.

From that piece, this quote from Cincinnati councilman and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate (2016) P.G. Sittenfeld:

And, locally, Canton City Council president Allen Schulman on February 15, 2013:

And, of course, both Sittenfeld and Schulman are right.

But the political reality is that there are three more years of Kasich and the hostile-to-Ohio's-urban areas if not to local government finances in general coupled with an equally if not moreso anti-city Republican heavily dominated Ohio General Assembly which includes Stark County's:

• Scott Oelslager (Republican—29th Ohio Senate District),
• Kirk Schuring (Republican—48th Ohio House District), and
• Christina Hagan (Republican—50th Ohio House District)

Which means, of course, that the likes of Sittenfeld and Schulman are deemed in Columbus as being some sort of political white noise to be dismissed out-of-hand.

In Canton, Massillon and other Stark County financially strapped local government venues, the "blame-Columbus" routine has played out.

Roads not getting repaired, fire houses shut down, safety forces' vehicles being unsafe overwhelms blaming Columbus, no?

Since the state cuts have been become the new fiscal reality in Stark County, local governments overspending their revenues should now be deemed by the voting public as a case of councilpersons, trustees and board of education members being fiscally irresponsible, no?

And in Canton that appears to mean - on balance in voting "yes" on "since the full onset of state local government cuts" Healy administration budget proposals; the following councilpersons, no?

• Ward 2 councilman Thomas West,
• Ward 4 councilwoman Chris Smith,
• Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher,
• Ward 6 councilman David Dougherty,
• Ward 7 councilman John Mariol (except 2013),
• Ward 8 councilman Edmond Mack,
• Ward 9 councilman Frank Morris, III
• Councilman-at-Large Jimmy Babcock

It could be that the foregoing councilpersons bought "hook, line and sinker" this hyped up presentation by Mayor Healy on March 1, 2012 in his post annual State of the City Address press conference about the thousands and thousands of jobs that the oil and gas industry might be bring to Canton and Stark County which of course suggest significantly higher tax revenues for Canton.

Accordingly, who has to worry about vetting budget proposals?

Here is Healy spewing out unbounded optimism about thousands and thoursands of jobs coming to the area.



But it wasn't long until the Healy-hype was following apart.

(LINK)

(LINK)

The Report finds it fascinating that this now exiting mayor as of December 31st has seemingly had a mesmerizing affect on most of the councilpersons listed above.

Interestingly enough, seven of the eight (not Babcock) who joined in a lawsuit as the window dressing for Healy to deny Mayor-elect Thomas Bernabei (the man who Healy fired as chief-of-staff and service director in January, 2009) the right to change his political affiliation from Democrat to "independent." 

 (Stark Dems subsequently withdrew)

The change part of his plan and mission to right all that is financially and economic development (i.e. producing net gains in Canton income tax paying jobs) wrong with Canton and thereby has or currently prevents Canton from delivering to Cantonian residents/taxpayers:

• Full strength policing services,
• Full strength fire and EMS services,
• Needed infrastructure repairs/reconstruction,
• For example:
• Streets and roadways,
• Removal of abandoned residential housing,
• Storm sewers
• Implementation of the Canton Comprehensive Citywide Plan (study cost of $350,000; opposed by Councilman Morris),
• Having capital for infrastructure improvements in relation to linking the Hall of Fame Village Project (HOFVP) with downtown Canton, 
• Financing need infrastructure improvements in the neighborhood of the HOFVP, and 
• Enhancing/fostering the development of the Market Square Project,

Now with the park levy being defeated in the November 3rd election, will Canton have to be dipping into general fund revenues perhaps to the tune of $3 million annually to keep the parks system afloat?

A source tells the SCPR that the deficit picture in Canton is likely to get worse before it gets better.

What has not been fully factored in for FY 2016, according to the source, is the full impact of the loss of some 400 Nationwide Insurance jobs and income tax revenue loses for Timken jobs moving out of the city.

Of great concern to some Canton councilpersons is that a interim temporary budget to get FY 2016 off and running is coming from what those councilpersons think is a fiscally irresponsible lame duck Mayor William J. Healy, II.

Given the projected $3.7 to $5 million project full FY 2016 budget, the question is on the part of critics is: how can council as a whole possibly be considering passing yet another Healy proposed budget?

As for Mayor-elect Thomas Bernabei, he is the one who during his successful campaign to unseat Healy alerted the Canton public that all was NOT well with Canton finances.

That the number could be as high as $5 million is indication that Bernabei was not in to hyperbole (so common in electioneering) when he projected $3 million in campaign statements.

It is amazing to the SCPR that Bernabei was willing to wade into the obvious fiscal mess that Canton now finds itself in running for mayor.

But if anyone can provide the leadership to bring Canton to fiscal responsibility over the next four years, it is Bernabei who has a track record of having done so as interim CEO as the Stark County Area Transportation Authority (SARTA/2009) and in conjunction with is fellow commissioners (Creighton, Ferguson succeeded by Regula) as one of three commissioners with his election in November, 2010.

Short term what Canton will need is the undivided attention of members of Canton City Council members working with Mayor Thomas Bernabei vetting each and every outlay of funds so as to put the sparse Canton revenues to their most effective use.

Long term the goal will be to restore trust in Canton City government that the city lives within its means and merits being entrusted with more taxpayer dollars so as to be in a position to deliver quality basic services to the city's citizenry.

Such is something that the SCPR thinks that a working majority of Canton's councilpersons have not done heretofore.

Some councilpersons might argue that had they known Canton was headed for a $3.7 to $5 million 2016 budget deficit they would have voted differently on the budgets leading up to the upcoming 2016 budget, but were they duped by a slick talking mayor into thinking all was well.

One of the points made by several councilpersons on the election of Bernabei as mayor is that the mayor is really not that much of a factor in Canton government decision making inasmuch as Canton has a strong (LINK to council minutes containing Councilperson Smith's comment) council form of government, to wit:

It they really believe that the mayor in the end has to bend to the will of council, then it appears to the SCPR that they have been will participants in the Alice in Wonderland 2012—2015 which spent like money

Accordingly, council-as-a-whole now owns the problem that they followed Healy on as he led them down the primrose path.

In a practical sense, they will now have to acknowledge that forthcoming reductions in city services were precipitated largely by the strong council's failure to be strong in sufficiently vetting the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 budgets and council's failure to recognize the onset of a net loss of income tax revenues inherent in the exchange of relatively high paying jobs (Nationwide and Timkens) for low paying jobs like the Healy administration touted VXI telemarketing jobs.

It will be interesting to see how council's consistent year-in, year-out majority budget endorsers handle a problem that is largely one of their own making whether as being a "dupee" or a willing participant in the 2012 through 2015 "smoke and mirrors" budgets.

So much for the rhetoric of being a strong council, no?

#5 - THE SCPR "BOTTOM 10" (I.E. WORST) STARK COUNTY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION ELECTED OFFICIALS

UPDATED:  2:40 PM

This blog is the sixth in a series of 10 blogs until the tenth one in which The Stark County Political Report will name the absolutely worst Stark County political subdivision "elected" official.

Indeed, we have reached the midpoint of the list most viewed of any series that the SCPR has ever done in the blogs' seven plus years of existence.

To those elected officials who have captured the SCPR's attention enough to have made the list: CONGRATULATIONS!

For those readers who are just catching up with the list, here are links to the previous three selectees:

• #10, Plain trustee Louis Giavasis,
• # 9, Jackson trustee James N. Walters,
• # 8, Canton Local School District BOE president Dave Brothers,
• # 7, North Canton City Council president Daniel "Jeff" Peters,
• # 6, Canton Councilman Jimmy Babcock,

To be sure, there are some pretty bad "un-elected" ones, but the SCPR's focus in this series is of the "elected" variety.

The Report has asked readers to weigh-in as to whom will achieve the dubious distinction of being Stark County's worst from among the list of county, village, city and board of education officials who have convinced their respective constituents to vote for them.

Interestingly enough, one respondent to yours truly's request that readers send their guess to tramols@att.net has successfully figured out the name of the official who will be blessed in a few days with the unveiling of the absolutely worst - in the opinion of SCPR - Stark County political subdivision elected official.

For those readers who want to join the elite group of successful guessers, here is a clue:

The "winner" is NOT a member of the Maier Massillon Political Machine (MMPM).

We all just heard a sigh of relief - didn't we? - from Kathy, Johnnie, Jr., Phil, George, and the like.

However, some of those devotees to the MMPM need to keep their fingers crossed in hopes that they will place somewhere in the remaining four slots.

Remember, none of them made the top spot.  Sorry guys!

Better luck in the next quarterly report.

Today's honoree is Stark County's top escape artist who over his 7-1/2 years as mayor of Canton has survived one self-inflicted scrape after another, and another seemingly on into infinity; namely, William J. Healy, II.

In order to accomplish his Houdini-esque feats, he has had to be Stark County's slickest politician ever, no?

When one looks at his campaign finance reports, it is interesting to see some of the names that appear on his latest list of contributors, to wit:

And Healy's to them:

The SCPR has a high regard for Councilpersons Mack and Mariol, especially Mack and his power of discernment, and therefore find it interesting that Healy has apparently convinced them that he - the mayor - is the real deal and is on way to solving Canton's many problems.

The Mack and Mariol justifications for having helped Healy defeat Kim Perez in the recently concluded Democratic primary are of the "hope and a prayer" variety to the SCPR.

As the SCPR understands Mack's and Mariol's rationale in connecting with the Healy mayoralty campaign is that they feared that Perez as mayor would undo all the work that Canton City Council has invested in the rebuilding of Canton.

While councilpersons ought to work with the executive branch for the betterment of Canton, making financial contributions to Healy's campaign is tantamount - the SCPR thinks - to an endorsement with the way Healy has been or, if not that but rather going forward, will administer the city.

Sorry guys, I don't see Healy as anything other than being a "smoke and mirrors" mayor as long as he is in office using political manipulation as his preferred tool

Of course, when they threw their lot in with Healy they did not know that Tom Bernabei's "independent" candidacy was coming.

If Bernabei makes it to the ballot, are they going to be sticking with Healy?

Stay tuned on that one.

Another thing to note about Healy's campaign finance reports is the erosion of Stark County Democratic officials and public figures contributions from his 2014 Annual Campaign Finance Report.

Go back and review the 2015 pre-primary list published above.

Now look at the 2014 report:



Quite an erosion, no?

In the 2015 report about 60% of the contributors were from outside Canton and approximately 25% were from outside Ohio.

Interesting, no?

The SCPR holds the distinction of having totally frustrated Hizzhonor in being unaffected by his "carrot and stick" approach to politics.

Healy has ignored, yelled at and sweet talked yours truly; all to no avail in his quest to influence what appears in these pages about his comings and goings as mayor of the Stark County county seat.

The latest episode in the rocky relationship going back to the beginnings of his administration occurred at Canton City Council meeting of May 11th.

Here's the video.

The way the SCPR assesses his turning ugly on the 11th has to do with his realization that "the [being mayor] gig is up" if his former service director and chief of staff (his very first one) Tom Bernabei makes it to November's ballot as an "independent."

Who knows, the guy might be back to sweet talking next week?

Rather than bore readers with a recitation of all his self-inflicted political injuries, here are a few links to blogs the SCPR has done since January, 2007 about the mayor.

What's worse for Stark Countians living within the boundary of Canton is that despite his many, many, many "spins" about the good things happening in the Hall of Fame City during his tenure as mayor, it appears to the SCPR that at best is stagnant if not continuing to slide.

There are pockets of Canton which have a poverty rate in the range of 40% which has persisted if not increased during William J. Healy, II's reign as the city's chief executive officer.

The streets and roadways are an absolute mess.

Demolition of abandoned residents lag.

Healy plays with Canton's crime rate numbers as if he were playing volleyball with them.

The mayor loves to take folks aside and say something like this:  "I can't tell you the specifics because negotiations are at a sensitive stage, but we are on the cusp of a REALLY BIG economic development job producing deal."

And nothing or very little materializes.

Healy has had nearly eight years to right the Ship of State Canton, but has failed to do so.

Accordingly, he is richly deserving of being ranked #5 on the SCPR 10 Stark County Worst Elected Officials list.

WILLIAM J. HEALY, II: A LIFESAVER FOR THE OHIO DEMOCRATIC PARTY?

A POTENTIAL GOVERNOR?

 VIDEO

MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II

2015 STATE OF CITY PREVIEW

How times have changed in State of Ohio and City of Canton politics.

Back in 2009 Ohio's Democrats were riding high with Ted Strickland firmly ensconced (elected in 2006) the governor's chair and the Democrats (2008 elections) in a majority in the Ohio House of Representatives for the first time in many, many years.

Moreover, Ohio now had a Democratic attorney general (which proved to be a disaster),  treasurer,  and secretary of state.  Only Mary Taylor as state auditor survived as a statewide Republican (non-judicial).

Stark County Democrats were chirping too.

Youngstown area Democrat John Boccieri had seized the day (November, 2008) and carpet bagged to Alliance (since losing in 2010, he has returned to Mahoning Coungy) in Stark County and from there launched a campaign to defeat Stark's home grown then state Senator and Republican J. Kirk Schuring for the right to succeed the retiring Ralph Regula as 16th District congressman, when "all of Stark County" was in the district.

But the ship of state in the Democratic bastion of Canton was in danger of sinking.

Just barely a year after taking office in defeating Republican Janet Weir Creighton in November, 2007, the William J. Healy, II administration seemed to be on the brink of heading to bottom of the sea of political oblivion.

Healy, who had once bragged to the SCPR that the Democratic National Congressional Committee in the lead up to the 2008 congressional elections had offered to fund a Healy for Congress campaign with $1 million, was on the cusp of being a one term Democrat in a city with a nine to one Democratic voter registration majority that had a history of electing Republicans.

He had brought Canton Democrats (in terms of executive leadership) out of the depths of despair at their inability to convince Canton voters that the Democrats had chief executive officer capability.

In the past 40 years (pre-Healy) Democrats had only held executive office 8 years.

And in January, 2009 with the firing of the well thought of Thomas Bernabei (a former councilman and law director) as his chief and staff and service director; many thought that Healy was destined to be a failure and at best a one-term-mayor.

Many deemed him to be all mouth with his talk of being a business entrepreneur and having an MBA from the highly touted New York University Stern School of Business.

What followed with his taking the helm of Canton in 2008 was a seemingly unending series of one controversy, after another controversy, after another controversy, any one of which could have been the salvo which brought Ship Healy to the bottom of the sea of political oblivion.

But he survived each and every one of his self-inflicted blunders.

As readers of the SCPR know, The Report has bird-dogged Healy each step of the way.

Healy is now nearing the end of his second full term as mayor and seems unstoppable in his quest to be a Democrat - mind you - who on January, 2016 will be sworn into a third term in Ohio's eight largest city located in the state's seventh largest county and its county seat.

The Ohio Democratic Party (ODP), on the other hand, has experienced the reverse of Healy's political trek.

And it can be traced, the SCPR thinks, to the inept ODP leadership Chris Redfern of Port Clinton.

In early 2012, there was a gigantic battle within the Ohio Democratic Party Central Committee  whether or not Redfern was going to be reelected chairman.  There were election challenges (the primary election, March 2012) across Ohio's counties including Stark as to whether or not a pro-Redfern central committee person would be elected.

Healy was Redfern's man in Stark.  As he was brought to the fore of the Democratic Party by Strickland in 2008.

He was elected and dutifully participated in Redfern's reelection as chairman.

As we now know, Redfern's continuance as chairman proved to be a political disaster in the making for the 2014 statewide elections.

Republicans won all statewide non-judicial offices comfortably, if not by a landslide.

Kasich obliterated Clevelander Ed FitzGerald in the gubernatorial race.

And the Dems managed to lose five seats in the Ohio House of Representatives (including Redfern's very own seat in Ottawa County).

The Democrats did manage to continue to hold 10 out 33 seats in the Ohio Senate, if one calls "treading water" being an accomplishment.

As he should have done in the light of the devastation of the Ohio Democratic Party - overall - during his reign as chairman, Redfern resigned on November 4, 2014, immediately after the crushing results of the election were known.

Now Ohio's "organized" Democrats are left with the task of "picking up the pieces."

The "picker-up-in-chief" is to be David Pepper, the Ohio Dems' unsuccessful attorney general candidate in 2014.

So where is Chairman Pepper to look for help in reconstructing the Ohio Democratic Party?

How about William J. Healy, II, mayor of Canton, Ohio?

Healy has had a few additional blunders since being elected in 2011 by a plurality, not a majority; namely:

• losing Warren Price as his service director and chief of staff after a falling out,
• taking command of a Canton police car and acting the "cop on the beat,"
• trying to change the rules of the Stark County Crime Lab to bring in "under the existing rules" unqualified director of the lab, and
• "mistakingly" (according to him) using a Canton Community Improvement Corporation credit card for personal purchases which he reimbursed for

But nothing else of late.

Hold your breath, please.

It could be that he is finally maturing as Ohio's eight largest municipality chief executive officer.

In 2014, he was president of the Ohio Municipal League.

In recent Canton City Council meetings he has taken to bragging about how Canton is pulling itself up out of the ashes of devastating events (i.e. the Great Recession of 2008, draconian State of Ohio funding of local government cuts and the like) and is now on a track to be one of Ohio's great success stories as "a comeback city."

Here a video from Monday night (January 5, 2015) of his sharing the latest good news:

• on Canton unemployment being down to record low levels and concomitant income tax revenues being up for 2014, and on
• economic development and increased hiring within the city

Being the modest man he is (as to be noted in the video), Healy does not single himself out has having effected the turnaround.

But politics being what they are, the SCPR can see that maybe going forward he will increasingly take credit for matters improving in Canton and that maybe, just maybe he can do the same for Ohio.

There was talk that he might be a statewide candidate (i.e. for Ohio treasurer) in 2014.

So he does have interest in higher political office.

However, Ed FitizGerald proved that one cannot run for governor as a "smoke and mirrors" candidate.

And the SCPR assessment of Healy is that as of January 8, 2014 such is what Healy pretty much would be.

However, he registers an impressive majority win in the May 6, 2015 Democratic Primary election (he likely will not have an Republican opponent in the general election) and then builds on reelection with documented achievements going forward and thereby showcasing Canton as an authentic comeback city, it could be that he is a person that Pepper and Ohio Democratic Party shakers and movers look at as "to the rescue" leader in the statewide party.

Recently it has been announced that the Pro Football Fame complex is in for a major expansion.  Healy is fully behind the effort and has with council approval pledged $5 million in seed money into the project.

His administration seems to be on the verge of finalizing financing to assist in the reconstruction of the Onesto Hotel in downtown Canton as a showplace residential site.

Scores of eyesore houses are being removed from Canton's neighborhood landscape.

Major corridors (12th Street and Mahoning Road) have been or are in the process of being rehabbed.

All of which, the SCPR thinks, are precursors to what the Canton Comprehensive Citywide Plan (asked for by the mayor and approved/funded at $300,000 plus by council last year) will pick up on and expand upon when it is published within a few months.

Such have the potential to be the cornerstone of an "authentic" Canton turnaround.

Back in January, 2009 The Stark County Political Report was counting Healy out.

All Healy has done since is to politically survive and therein become the envy of 9 life cats.

He may now be ready to surge beyond survival and thrive politically.

Time will tell.

In the meantime, does anybody doubt that ODP Chairman David Pepper will be keeping one eye on third term as Democratic mayor of Canton, Ohio William J. Healy, II as a potential Party standard bearer in 2016?

(VIDEO) COUNCILMAN SMUCKLER HAS A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE 12TH STREET CORRIDOR PROJECT OVERBID THAN MAYOR HEALY DOES. IS ANYBODY SURPRISED?

News broke at Monday's Canton City Council meeting that bids on the 12th Street Corridor Project (from Mercy Medical Center to the Mahoning Road Corridor Project) came in $4.5 million over estimates by the Canton Engineering Department.

One of the councilpersons who had a reaction was - who else:  Bill Smuckler, councilman-at-large who is upset that 12th Street's sorely needed repairs as a consequence of "the problem" will be delayed by about six (6) months.

Moreover, Smuckler's upset goes deeper than the delay.

He told the SCPR in a conversation last night that he thinks that the Healy administration knew that the project would be overbid so that the administration can include an "in the talking stages" City of Canton Bond Issue proposal of some $18 million (to be repaid over ten years or so) including money for repairing Canton's streets, including, of course, needed additional money for the 12th Street project.

Smuckler says that most of council object for the simple reason that the life of repaired roads is some 7 to 12 years (depending on traffic volume), and that spending bond money on street repairs is an imprudent thing to do.

There was no hint of any such plan by Major Healy in the following interview done by the SCPR yesterday afternoon.



However, in an off-camera discussion with the mayor immediately after taping the session, Mayor Healy did share with The Report his frustration with Councilman Smuckler.

Healy projected to the SCPR that he thinks Smuckler is in "full political battle dress" (The Report's characterization, not Healy's) and that Smuckler's opposition to and/or criticism of various Healy administration proposals/projects are evidence of same.  Since taking office on January 1st, they include:

• the development of a long range plan for Canton at the cost of $350,000,
• the Bond proposal, 
• the Perez/Smuckler plan to end Canton's reduced income tax credit for Cantonians working outside of Canton, and
• the 12th Street Corridor project
• SCPR Note:  Councilman Smuckler gives the mayor high marks for having engineered the 90/10 split between federal/state-City of Canton funding of the project which will probably end up having so a $20 million or price tag to it.

And are borne of what Healy is convinced is Smuckler's plan to run for mayor in the 2015 Canton Democratic primary.

For a refresher, here are a couple of SCPR videos of Councilman Smuckler speaking of his opposition to the Healy administration to paying the $350,000 for the work up of a long term plan for Canton:





If Healy is correct and Smuckler (who neither confirms or denies that he will run for mayor) runs again, it will be the third time the two have run against each other.

In 2003 Smuckler bested Healy in the Democratic primary and went on to lose narrowly to Republican Janet Creighton (now a Stark County commissioner) in the 2003 general election.

In 2007 Healy defeated Smuckler and then went on to trump Creighton in November, 2007.

So it will be interesting to see whether or not Healy's certainty materializes.

Smuckler tells the SCPR that he has to walk a tightrope in his relationship with the mayor and that consequently he has found himself not speaking out when he felt he needed to because of his concern that he would be dismissed as a politically inspired crank.

He shared with The Report a conversation he had with Healy's safety director Andrea Perry yesterday about the same of the SCPR/Healy interview.

In the conversation Smuckler and Perry were exploring ideas how he could get on board with various Healy administration proposals.  He says he is willing to consider working to bridge over differences with the mayor but he wants to meet with Healy, Chief-of-Staff Fonda Williams and Perry in a neutral setting (i.e. not on the 8th floor of city hall nor in council chambers).

When Smuckler told The Report of his suspicion that the overbid scenario was one orchestrated at the mayor's direction for the ulterior motive of getting funds for the project from Bond money, The Report was skeptical.

Of course, SCPR readers have read blog, after blog, after blog of how utterly political The Report thinks William J. Healy, II is.

So why would The Report be skeptical on Smuckler's take on the deeper significance of the overbid?

A very good question, indeed!

Only time will tell as to an answer on Smuckler's suspicion.

We shall see in due course.

(VIDEOS) FRANK MORRIS & CHRIS SMITH TO BE NEW CANTON COUNCIL LEADERS?

 VIDEOS

ALL VIDEOS ARE NOW POSTED

"An Aspiration Meeting of Canton City Council?"

EXECUTIVE SESSION VOTE
POSTED AT 07:13 AM 
 
(POST - SESSION VOTE)

POSTED AT 08:20 AM  

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

COUNCIL WOMAN CHRIS SMITH

"First Female/African-American Leader of Council"

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

COUNCILMAN-ELECT RICHARD HART

'His Role as a Politically Independent Councilman"

=================== 

 

COUNCILMAN FRANK MORRIS

"Consensus New Majority Leader"

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

COUNCILMAN KEVIN FISHER

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

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

COUNCILMAN JOHN MARIOL

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

====================== 

COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

======================= 
 

In a August 30, 2012 blog the Stark County Political Report dubbed Canton City Council's newest members as being "the four young turks."

The Report is pleased that these members (Frank Morris - Ward 9, Edmond Mack - Ward 8, John Mariol - Ward 7 and Kevin Fisher - Ward 5) have taken to "the young turk" description.

For the expression is meant as a high SCPR compliment indicating their energy, zeal, vision and persistence in what appears to be a dogged determination they have to slowly but surely bring Canton back to a semblance of her former greatness.

While "not young enough" to be included in the 'young' aggregation, Councilman-at-Large elect Bill Smuckler and Councilman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) are empathetic with the aspirations of "the four young turks" and are likely to join forces with the four in critical votes determinative of the direction that Canton city government takes going forward.

A key councilman and, perhaps - a pivotal factor - is likely to be former Republican Canton city councilman Richard Hart who was elected "at-large" this past November.

It could be that Hart will be a difference-maker between "the four young turks and their allies" and a bloc of remaining councilpersons; which the SCPR dubs as being "the Smith bloc," namely;

• Jimmy Babcock, at-large,
• Tom West,Ward 2,
• a candidate to be leader this time around,
• Jim Griffin, Ward 3,
• former "assistant majority leader,"
• Chris Smith, Ward 4,
• likely to be voted "assistant majority leader," on January 6th,
• David Daugherty, Ward 6
• the former leader who wanted to be leader again,

Hart could join either bloc of council persons on "key" issues that come up on council, but the SCPR expects him to side mostly with Morris-led bloc.

Council President Allen Schulman will likely continue to be tie-breaker when a tie vote occurs.

It seems to the SCPR that "the young turk coalition" will not want a question to come out a tie because in The Report's view, Schulman in his votes over the past two years - in The Report's perception - have been mostly with the Mayor William J. Healy, II administration position (which also, more or less, is supported by "the Smith bloc).

Last evening Canton City Council met under what the SCPR in what President Schulman termed as being "an aspirational meeting" to determine a consensus of who is going to be council's next majority leader and assistant leader.

The prospective new leaders are:

Frank Morris (Ward 9) as "majority leader:" also known as the vice president of council.

Chris Smith (Ward 4) as "assistant majority leader:" also known as first vice president.

It appears that neither the SCPR,  Matt Rink of The Repository, nor the general public may have been afforded the necessary pre-meeting notice to have been a properly called and conducted meeting.

The Report opted not to file an objection because the meeting held in "executive session" on the motion of David Daugherty was pretty much an extension of "informal" discussions which have gone on among the various players for majority leader (Morris, Daugherty and West) pretty much from November 7th (the day after this fall's general election).

It should be disturbing to the Canton voting public that Leader Daugherty moved to go into executive session on the matter, that is to say:

A vote as to whether or not to go into executive session the vote breakdown?

As seen in the SCPR video (see below) of the session:

• For:
• Babcock,
• West,
• Griffin,
• Smith,
• Daugherty

• Against:
• Hawk,
• Fisher,
• Mariol,
• Mack
• Morris

Here is video on Daugherty's "lets' go into executive session" motion vote.

 Here is the post-executive session video.



Hmm?

Five (5) to five (5).

A harbinger of things to come, no?

And guess how Allen Schulman voted?

You've got it:  with "the Smith bloc."

No surprise here to the SCPR.

While The Report likes Schulman and thinks he does a superlative job in terms of civilities, courtesies and his "citizen-friendly" demeanor amply demonstrated in the "public speaks" segment of council meetings, there is little doubt with The Report that substantively he is more or less aligned with the Healy administration viewpoint.

The SCPR sees Schulman as one of Stark County's most zealous small letter "d" democrats (he being, perhaps, Stark County's most "liberal" Democrat) and all that the small letter "d" democrats connotes which includes among a large list of democratic values the value of "openness."

Last night was an opportunity for Schulman "to put his money where his mouth is" on democratic values and The Report thinks that he failed that test and denied the Canton citizenry the opportunity to see exactly what Councilman Daugherty wanted to hide from the public.

The Report asked Schulman for an interview after last night's meeting to ask him on camera - under critical questioning - the reason(s) for his siding with closing the meeting to the public.  However, he declined to be interview.

The SCPR has known for some time that a consensus had been reached among Canton's councilpersons that Frank Morris and Chris Smith are to be the new leadership of city council and that a lot of wrangling has occurred among council members to get to the consense.

Moreover, the SCPR also has known that Daugherty was not going down easily.

The Report's take on Daugherty is that he only has himself to blame.

Over the past two years of SCPR coverage of Canton city council, there is a good sprinkling of blogs featuring Daugherty which indicate a surly, "inconsiderate of others' feelings" (including the general public when citizens use council's public speaks forum, when he has substituted for Schulman) demeanor.

Hardly, what one wants of a leader of council, no?

One can only imagine what he is like when not in the public view and not on camera?

Hopefully, as far as the SCPR is concerned; residents in the 6th ward will find an alternative to Daugherty come November, 2015.

Which is a shame.

Because the SCPR is told by a number of his fellow councilpersons that David Daugherty is a very bright guy who has provided high quality substance in terms of policy and practice.

But the guy needs to learn civility, courtesy and how to deal effectively and with political maturity with those with who he disagrees.

The SCPR did take advantage of last night's session to talk with "the four young turks, prospective new "assistant majority leader" Chris Smith and new councilman-at-large Richard Hart "on camera."

Here are those interview.

First, Chris Smith, who is breaking ground as the prospective new assistant majority leader as being the first female and African-American as a leader of Canton Council.



Second, Richard Hart and his perspective on his role as the only non-Democrat on council.



Third, Frank Morris, the expected to be elected at council's next regular meeting (January 6, 2014) majority leader.



Fourth, Kevin Fisher, Ward 5.



Fifth, Edmund Mack, Ward 8.



Sixth, John Mariol.



Canton mayor William J. Healy, II will be challenged as never before by the 2014-2015 version of Canton City Council with "the four young turks" who have learned their political lessons well over the past two years.

He can choose to fight with them (which the SCPR predicts he will do) or seek to find "common ground."

The Report would like Healy to "turn over a new leaf" and demonstrate a political maturity that he has never seemingly shown before.

But if he does not, the SCPR is confident that the new leadership of Canton City Council will forge ahead with programs, practices and policies that bode well for the future of Canton.

(VIDEOS) HEALY & NORDMAN CONTINUE TO "DUKE IT OUT" OVER CANTON SAFETY FORCES: A TEST OF WILLS?

VIDEOS

HEALY/NORDMAN "BLOW-OUT"

JUNE 17, 2013

(AN ENCORE PRESENTATION)

------------------------------------------

NORDMAN (PUBLIC SPEAKS)

AUGUST 26, 2013

SAYS CITY RANKS 62 OF 100 WORSE CRIME CITIES

NORDMAN (SCPR INTERVIEW)

AUGUST 26, 2013

REVIEWS PROGRESS TOWARDS GETTING TO 175"

REACTS TO COUNCILMAN WEST 

ON 

"STAY OUT OF WARD 2"

-------------------------------------------

ADDRESSES SHERIFF MAIER'S

FAILURE TO GET

STARK COUNTY JAIL TO

501 BEDS

---------------------------------------

Canton mayor William J. Healy, II "may have met his match" in his face-off with Canton citizen extraordinaire Bruce Nordman of the Vassar Park area of Canton.

Face-off?

Indeed!

For those who haven't seen it, it is an absolute must to see the SCPR video on Nordman and Healy screaming at one another over the issue.



Months ago in an appearance at Canton City Council (Council) and using the Public Speaks forum provided for on Council's agenda, Nordman started demanding that Canton officials beef up police force strength to 175 officers.

He came armed with data he collected from Canton records showing a correlation between the number of arrests and the number of police officers on the CPD staff.

Nordman pointed out that the "Zero Tolerance" mayor of Canton had let police strength slip since his taking office on January 1, 2008 and strongly implied that rather than solve the crime problem in Canton, the mayor's inattention to the slippage of law enforcers on the streets of Canton is part of the rampant crime problem that currently besieges the Hall of Fame city.

After an absence of a couple of Council meetings, perhaps, some thought that Nordman had given up his fight with William J. Healy, II.

Nordman had, "after all was said and done," gotten Council to agree to pass a non-binding resolution committing the city to apply current general fund monies (a little over $1 million) spent on Canton's parks to beefing up Canton's safety forces (mainly police) if Canton voters pass a proposed four mill levy dedicated to the parks on November's ballot.

It might be reasonable to think that for what can be done right now, Nordman is at "Mission Accomplished," no?

To think that Nordman would go away on such a modest achievement is not to know Bruce Nordman.

He was "back with a vengeance" at Council this past Monday.

Here he addresses Council (at the Public Speaks portion of the meeting) with his primary point being that Canton ranks #62 of the top 100 crime ridden city in all of America.  Of course, he attributes the ranking to the dropoff in numbers of police officers patrolling Canton's streets.



A major, major point that Nordman makes that the Healy administration has never debunked (in the SCPR's assessment) is that because of the Canton Police Department's (CPD) staffing problems, a large part of the Canton crime goes unreported simply due to the fact that the department cannot physically deal with the volume of actual crime.

The "unreported factor" makes official reports (emanating from the FBI or wherever) suspect.

One such report probably is closer to the truth than claimed either by the city administration or its critics.  It shows that the crime rate - overall - has not changed much.  This report shows a "slight" tick downwards, but which is likely not statistically signifcant.

By any measure, Canton's crime rate is way above the Ohio average and the U.S. level and therefore by definition is totally unacceptable.

The question becomes:  What is Canton doing wrong in controlling crime?

The answer, according to Nordman and his Group 175 :  Too few police officers staffing the CPD.

Group 175 under Nordman's leadership is determined to get Canton police force up from its 150 officers to 175.

Healy apparently feels Canton crime is at "tolerable" levels (undoubtedly, he wishes that Canton was crime free) and therefore does not want to put more money into safety force personnel increases.

Nordman did do somewhat of a shift at Monday's meeting in his bring the staffing of the Canton Fire Department into the equation for remedying the total deficiency in safety force involvement in Canton which means not only police but also the fire department and EMS operations.

Some Cantonians believe that the Healy administration was to force Canton out of the ambulance business and compel those in need to use private ambulance service.

Still others believe that Healy has made a political football out of the Canton Fire Department because the union which represents firefighters (IAFF [249]) endorsed his opponent (Republican Chip Conde) in 2011 and did not endorse Healy political favorites Kim Perez (certain to be Canton's next treasurer) and Councilman Joe Cole (who lost in a record breaking, in terms of campaign monies spent, effort to unseat fellow Democrat Frank Morris in Ward 9.

A number of Healy detractors insist that Healy plays political games with the safety of Cantonians in the staffing of Canton's fire stations.

Healy, of course, outright denies that such is the case.

The question of staffing Canton's law enforcement and emergency forces, the SCPR thinks, comes down to which as among Mayor William J. Healy, II and citizen Bruce Nordman has the greater will power.

While The Report believes that Healy has an ego that surpasses most politicians, it may well be that in "simply a citizen" Bruce Nordman, Healy has "met his match" and more.

The Report did an interview with Nordman after Monday night's Council meeting.

Readers should watch this video in order to get an full and unfettered appreciation of Nordman's determination to force the mayor to do his group's will in beefing up Canton's police and fire departments.



There are not too many Stark Countians (mostly public officials) that engage Mayor Healy that The Report thinks can out-maneuver, out-finesse, and out-power Canton's Master of Manipulation.

While Nordman is not a finesser, he is quite skilled in political maneuvering and certainly demonstrates (see the Healy/Nordman confrontation of June 17, 2013 above) that he has a personal power side to him that is very much the equal of Healy.

The SCPR's experience with Healy is that:

• He first tries to sweet talk one to accepting his spin. 
• If that doesn't work he gives the cold shoulder. 
• His final approach is to start yelling and screaming and getting downright ugly.

Nordman is a "what you see is what you get" type of guy.

If yours truly were a betting man, the bet would be on Bruce Nordman on whether or not Canton gets to the 175 CPD force level.

Undoubtedly, in the eyes of the polished New York University Stern School of Business MBA guy, to get bested by the brusque Bruce Nordman will be taken as the ultimate in humiliation.

It should quite apparent to anyone who has any sort of handle on him, that William J. Healy, II:

• Really does think that he is smarter that the rest of the world.
• Thinks he can stay one step ahead of the rest of us (by whatever means).
• Is supremely confident that In the end the result is always going to be:  William J. Healy, II: "thy will be done."

It is impressive to the SCPR that Bruce Nordman and his compatriot Group 175ers are persisting in putting "the test of wills" question in doubt.

A "test of wills" that the SCPR believes Nordman et al will eventually prevail on.

(VIDEOS) IS THERE A DETROIT LOOMING IN STARK COUNTY?

UPDATED:  To clarify that Alliance income tax increase is subject to voter approval come the November election.

VIDEOS

MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL

COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON

ASKS

FOR A NEW LEVY BALLOT INITIATIVE

COUNCILMAN DONNIE PETERS, JR

QUIZZES

AUDITOR JAYNE FERRERO

ON

POLICE AND FIRE PENSION ARREARS

Today at 10:00 a.m. in Detroit, Michigan an event - beyond belief in 1950 as "the motor city:" the auto manufacturing behemoth of the world reached it high point in population growth - will go down.

That event:

Even though we have all known that Detroit was in trouble with General Motors and Chrysler needing federal bailouts in the financial crisis that hit the country in the fall of 2008, it still was nonetheless shocking to hear on July 18th that this once great American city had filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 9 of the federal bankruptcy code.

Yesterday, it was somewhat jarring for yours truly receive the following e-mail:

The Independent recently reported that the Massillon Auditor's office reported it would not be able to make a pension payment for its employees. Considering that Massillon is running a $2 million plus deficit, is Massillon on the verge of bankruptcy and is it Stark County's version of Detroit?

Actually, Massillon is projecting a deficit of anywhere from $2.5 to $2.7 million.

Of course, Massillon is not alone.

Stark's other two major cities are not in the greatest of shape either.

For Canton, it is hard to know exactly how tough things "really" are.  There you have a mayor who plays volleyball with the financial numbers with one side of the net being "woe is me" numbers and the other being "things are looking very promising" numbers.  Of course, we who are familiar with this Stern School of Business MBA graduate master manipulator are not surprised.  It seems that on a daily basis he concocts "a message of the day" to spread throughout the county depending on his political needs.

The mayor and his manipulations notwithstanding, the SCPR's sense of Canton's finances is that they are shaky at best.

For Alliance, on July 15th its city council voted unanimously to increase its income tax by a full 1/2 percent to 2.5% which by the SCPR calculation will make it the highest rate in all of Stark County if passed in November by the voters of Alliance.

The city is facing a $1 million deficit if the issue does not pass.

All three cities have long passed the high water marks of population growth.

It may appear that Massillon is rebounding somewhat but such is not really the case.  Former mayor Frank Cicchinelli was an aggressive annexer and therefore the seeming population recovery is just that in that its population gains of late are likely do from annexations of peripheral township neighborhoods.

Even before she took office, Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry was asking Ohio's auditor (December, 2011) to audit Massillon finances.  She was refused at the time, however she has renewed her request and it appears that any day now we will know the results of an agreed to audit as to whether or not Massillon is in a "fiscal watch" or "fiscal emergency" which will - if so determined - bring the state of Ohio into the management of Massillon's finances.

During a July 8 Massillon City Council work session there were two interesting discussions.

First, was one initiated by Democratic Councilman-at-Large Paul Manson asking that council consider putting on another income tax levy from 1.8% to 2.0% (Massillon hugely defeated a .3% issue in the May primary election) in light of Alliance (at the time) considering a ballot initiative going from 2% to 2.5% (see Alliance discussion above).



Second, was one between Republican Ward 5 Councilman Donnie Peters, Jr. (not seeking re-election) and Massillon auditor Jayne Ferrero regarding the decision by Ferrero to apply new revenues to arrears in police and fire pension fund payments.  She also brought up other arrearages that Massillon has.



The two of them are further substantiation of the e-mail cited by The Report and the fact of the precarious financial condition of Massillon city finances.

While neither Alliance, Canton or Massillon appear to be at the point of a Detroit-esque financial crisis, one gets the feeling that none of them may be that far away.

Dire finances are becoming more and more common across Ohio.

A Dayton area newspaper reported earlier this week that 24 Ohio cities are facing fiscal crises.

It might not be Alliance, Canton or Massillon but might it be that sooner than we may think that Ohioans will wake up to a headline:

Cleveland declares Chapter 9 bankruptcy!

WARREN PRICE OUT AS CANTON'S SAFETY DIRECTOR?

UPDATED:  11:45 AM - 07/17/2013

A source tells the SCPR that Price has agreed to stay on as safety director through the end of 2013 at Healy's insistence.

However, The Report has learned that Healy is already sending out administration emissaries contacting possible possible replacement candidates.

As the mayor seems to be a highly whimsical person, who knows when Price will actually move on.

A reader has written yours truly to say that Price is not likely to run against Healy in 2015.  The reader says that Commissioner Tom Bernabei is being targeted to run.

It is hard for The Report to believe that Bernabei would entertain entreaties that he run for mayor of Canton.

ORIGINAL BLOG

It may be stunning news to some Cantonians/Stark Countians, but not to the Stark County Political Report.

The Report is getting indication from multiple sources that Mayor William J. Healy, II's "Jack of All Trades" - Warren Price plans on leaving the beleaguered mayor's administration within 90 days.

Price was not present at last night's council meeting.

And the SCPR is told that "the straw that broke the camel's back" is Healy's playing policeman at Trinity Place on July 2nd.

In a blog of July 8th (LINK), The Report opinionated that the incident was one more example in a string of incidents in his 5-1/2 years in office that the mayor is a "Mister Do-It-All," who, when it suits his political needs, does what he has to for what he perceives as being in his personal political interests.

In the July 8 SCPR blog, yours truly revealed a highly reliable source had shared that Price had been looking for new personal opportunities even before the Trinity Place incident.

While the likes of Ream, Price, Williams and others who serve (or have served) at the pleasure of the mayor may think they are in charge of the particular bailiwicks of their offices, the reality is that to think so is to engage in an illusion.

In time "the light comes on" and disaffection for the mayor sets in.

Consequently, a number of city officials have had their fill of Healy and his intermeddling and undermining and have moved on.

If Price carries through with his reported planned departure, his leaving will leave a gap that may prove to be the proverbial "nail in the coffin" which ends Healy as a viable Stark County politician.

Price's plan, the SCPR, is told is to go into the private practice of law reportedly either with Canton City Council President Allen Schulman (Schulman and Associates, a well known and highly regarded personal injury oriented law firm) or former Alliance city government ally Steve Okey.

Last evening yours truly asked Schulman whether or not Price was going to join Schulman and Associates.

His response?

Predictably:  "no comment."

Beyond Price's speculated leaving of the Healy administration, there is the prospect that Price may be a candidate to unseat the mayor in the Democratic primary that will be coming up in May, 2015 - less than two years away.

We do know that Price has a political side to him. That is, "interested" in running for office.  In 2007, the ran a very respectable race against Republican Toni Middleton (the-then incumbent mayor of The Carnation City), to wit:

Last night Bruce Nordman told The Report that he and his Group 175 are "all-in" in putting together an effort to have Price take on Healy.

Nordman and his Vassar Park centered allies are engaged in a protracted battle with Healy on their insistence that the monies are in city coffers to beef up the city's police force to 175 officers strong.

The SCPR has been impressed with Price and has written (LINK) that Canton would be far better off with a Warren Price-esque person as mayor.

From all yours truly can determine in the many conversations with local political figures about the state of political affairs in Canton city government, Price is viewed as a steady, stable, listening, receptive, get-the-job done type that may not have the political pizzaz of a Healy but who would likely be "what the doctor orders" in terms of bringing Canton out of his economic and social (i.e. the crime problem) despair.

The first of the "parting of the ways" was the firing of the then Canton service director/chief-of-staff but now Stark County commissioner Tom Bernabei (D - Canton) on January 26, 2009.  A little over a year after Healy took office on having defeated Republican Janet Crieghton (also a current sitting Stark County commissioner) in the November, 2007 elections.

At the time preceding the Bernabei firing, the SCPR was hearing story after story after story about how the mayor would do some bizarre things that prompted Bernabei to sit him down and lecture him as if Hizzhonor was a six year old needing correction and redirection.

Bernabei's firing was a stunner but it should not have been.

If nothing else, Healy has a ton of ego and over the longer term he does not brook tongue lashings from anybody.  So while it may have appeared to Bernabei that he could redeem the mayor from "the error of his ways," such is an illusion.  It may take awhile, but Healy will "do whatever it takes" to satisfy his ego needs.  Such is especially the case when he has the actual political power to do so.

Not all that long after Bernabei's firing, seeing the handwriting on the wall; Healy's first safety director Tom Nesbitt (whom Healy recruited from Nebraska where he held an important position with the Nebraska Highway Patrol) quit.

Nesbitt, like Bernabei, was viewed by locals as a highly competent director whom Healy could ill-afford to lose if his administration was to have any chance whatsoever to dig itself out of the economic and "crime rate out-of-control" doldrums.

He, like Bernabei, was a strong leader which this headstrong mayor could not abide.

The SCPR is prone to believe that Warren Price is at the end of the day pretty much his own person in the mold of Bernabei and Nesbitt.

Hence the talk he is leaving.

Reportedly, he wanted to leave within two weeks of the the Trinity Place story breaking.  But the mayor is said to have begged him to stay on for longer and hence the 90 days.

Since his hiring on January 27, 2009, he seems to have been much more patient with the mayor than either Bernabei or Nesbitt.

And he has filled multiple needs (annexation director, chief of staff [March, 2010] and - his last stop - safety director [mere days ago]).

While his salary has climbed from $70,000 to over $100,000 in his multiple roles as service director and chief-of-staff (his initial hire), annexation director and finally as safety director (Healy having thrown Ream "under the bus" in the Canton-Stark County Crime Lab flap (LINK), it appears to the SCPR that the 30% increase over less that five years service is justified.

With Price's conjectured departure, the political parade of William J. Healy, II is definitely being rained upon.

And the rainmaker - with his incident, after incident, after incident on ad infinitum - is?

Hizzonor William J. Healy, II.

Healy for the sake of his personal political survival probably ought to be spending the next 90 days trying to get Warren Price to change his mind, no?