CANTON MAYOR HEALY DEFEATS STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESTABLISHMENT. GONZALEZ ON HIS LAST TERM AS PARTY CHAIRMAN? SEE STORY OF HOW A SCPR SOURCE SAYS HEALY FACED OFF AGAINST GOV. KASICH AT A OML EVENT.

UPDATED:  03/07/2012 AT 11:00 AM

The Stark County Political Report has long maintained that there is no more accomplished politician in the county than William J. Healy, II.

And last night he took a huge step towards realizing what appears to the SCPR is his longer term quest to achieve control of the Stark County Democratic Party in defeating the party establishment candidate for  29th District State Central Committeeman.

In defeating Slesnick, Healy showed that he can attract Stark Dem votes across Stark County better than a person (i.e. Slesnick) who holds office over a broader area than just the city of Canton.

In fact, Healy reached into Jackson Township and Massillon where Slesnick supporter Jackson Fiscal Officer Gonzalez and Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. were unable to deliver enough of the vote for their candidate to stave off the Healy challenge.

More than making a loser out of state Rep. Stephen Slesnick, The Report believes Healy severely damaged the Stark County political standing and credibility of Chairman Randy Gonzalez and former Chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. with the incoming class of precinct committee persons elected yesterday.

Why does Healy seem bent on taking over the organized Stark Dems, anyway?

Answer:  He is not content with "merely" being mayor of Canton.  He has bigger political fish to fry.  And to be in a position to convince the Ohio Democratic bigs in Columbus that he should be considered for higher statewide office, he must show his political might and muscle in his home area.

A story surfaced yesterday as related by a SCPR source regarding Healy has the mayor describing himself in a "heroic" role at a Ohio Municipal League of Cities event at which Republican Governor John Kasich made an appearance.

As Healy told it to locals, he got up and challenged the governor on his local government fund cuts to date which have severely hurt most Stark County local government.

The governor response, according Healy, the source says:

"You haven't seen nothing yet, you might be looking at a complete dry up of local government funding come the next Ohio fiscal year [2014 - 2015]."

While defeating Slesnick in and of itself is not nearly enough catapult the mayor into big time Democratic politics, it certainly raises his value to Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern in his drive to remain as chairman.

Redfern recruited Healy to run because the likes of Gonzalez, Maier and other Democrat across Ohio are questioning the quality of Redfern's leadership given the Democratic loses of all statewide offices in the bloodbath elections of November, 2010.

A demand has been made that Redfern step down as chairman and a showdown on the matter will be taking place within the next several weeks now that a newly elected state central committee is set to take office.

Healy could be in a position to help Redfern save his job.

Whether or not Redfern retains the chairmanship, Healy for his own personal political ambition needs to increase his political base in Stark, if he is to develop the resources in terms of manpower, material and money to move to the next political level.

In order to complete his conquest in Stark, Healy will have to work hard to elect precinct committeepersons favorable to him and/or convert current Gonzalez/Maier supporters to come over to his side.

A key post-election analysis will be on the make up of the new class of precinct committee persons as both Healy and the Gonzalez/Maier forces appeared to have locked horns in a number of contested races in precincts across Stark County.

Moreover, each side undoubtedly recruited loyalists to run in uncontested areas of the county.

But there still will be a block of those elected that will be fair game to side with Healy or Gonzalez/Maier as issues requiring votes of the central committee come up over the next two years.

It is widely believed that Canton Treasurer Robert Schirack will be retiring soon and a battle could be on the horizon as to who replaces him.

Think that city of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II doesn't have a great deal of interest as to who that might be and just might want to dictate who it will be?

Having his man/woman in place in Canton City Hall at the treasurer's office would probably be a very good thing for the consummately politically ambitious William J. Healy, II!

ELECTION DAY BLOG (UPDATED THROUGHOUT DAY) - STARK COUNTY/OHIO KEY TO MAKING ROMNEY GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE? OTHER TOPICS: GOP SHERIFF RACE, GOP STATE COMMITTEEWOMAN FACE OFF, DEMOCRAT STATE COMMITTEEMAN CONTEST

UPDATED AT 1:00 PM

1. Analysis of GOP presidential primary (a Stark County/Ohio perspective),
2. Local Republicans:  Who will win the Sarah Brown/Beth Williams face-off for 29th District for Republican State Committeewoman?,
3. For sheriff:  Who will be the GOP standard-bearer in a three man race?
4. Local Democrats:  Political heavyweights Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II and Stephen Slesnick (and, parenthetically William Smith) vie for 29th District Democratic State Committeeman, who comes out on top?
5. The Stark Democratic precinct committee flap:  the Healy/Gonazalez battleground for ultimate control over the Stark County Democratic Party.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Stark County could well be a key as to whether or not former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney surfaces after today's SuperTuesday (10 primary states, 1 caucus state) Republican primary as the de facto nominee for president.

Ohio is in the "too close to call" category for most political pundits as Ohioans go to the polls beginning at 6:30 this morning.

Ohio is classic in terms of political topography as to whom among Romney and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (PA) will ultimately as the nominee.  Newt Gingrich and Libertarian-esque Republican Ron Paul are "also rans" in Ohio.

The Buckeye state as well as Stark County has urban, suburban and rural political constituencies which make the Romney/Santorum race intriguing.  Romney does well among Republican urban/suburban voters whereas Santorum appeals to rural voters and, where they have a strong presence, Tea Partiers and strong social conservatives.

It appears that most of the Stark County Republican political establishment is lining up in the Romney camp (e.g. Stark County commissioner Janet Weir Creighton, Stark Board of Elections member and former Stark GOP chairman Curt Braden and Jane Timken of the highly regarded Stark County-based Timken family).

The SCPR projects that it is likely that Romney wins Stark and that such indicates, perhaps, a statewide victory.

STATE/LOCAL LEVEL

REPUBLICAN 

BROWN V. WILLIAMS - 29TH DISTRICT STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEEWOMAN 

Both the Democratic and Republican state political party organizations have big political fights going on as to who will be the party chairman going forward.

On the Republican side, Governor John Kasich has let it be known that he wants Kevin DeWine replaced as party chair.  Normally, when the word is dropped that the governor wants a change in the leadership in the state party, the non-anointed existing chair gracefully steps aside.

But not state GOP Chair Kevin DeWine.

He wants to stay notwithstanding Kasich's wishes on the matter.

DeWine wants to stay so badly that he recently pushed through a state central committee rule that even if elected in today's primary, candidates who had not voted in two consecutive GOP primaries will not be seated on the committee.

Stark County, The Report, is told by an area Tea Party official, has the potential with one of its candidates, to collide head on with the DeWine orchestrated rule.

The Ohio Tea Party sides with Governor Kasich on his desire that DeWine step aside and has recruited candidates across the state to challenge for GOP state central candidate.  Included in the recruitment list is a Stark Countian.

As the SCPR sees The Tea Party might as well as saved itself the effort in putting up a candidate to challenge prominent Stark GOPer Sarah Brown.

It would be quite a political coup were Tea Party candidate Beth A. Williams to defeat Brown.

Sarah Brown is in the judgment of The Report is the penultimate (i.e. next to Stark County Commissioner Janet Weir Creighton) Stark GOP woman.

Brown, the wife of Stark County Court of Common Pleas Judge Charles E. Brown, Jr., has been a member of the Alliance City Schools Board of Education, Alliance City Council, the Ohio Ethics Commission and state central committeewoman for the 33rd District.

With the constitutionally required decentenial redistricting of Ohio House and Senate districts, Alliance (where Brown lives) has been shifted from the 33rd to the 29th District.

Her Ohio Tea Party endorsed Opponent Beth A. Williams who works at VXI Global Solutions of Canton (a customer call center recently lured to Canton by Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II's administration) is not in the same league with Brown.

The Report believes that there is not a significant difference between Brown and Williams on their support of Governor Kasich's preference that Kevin DeWine step down as party chairman.

Moreover, Brown does not face a challenge to her right to take her "duly elected to" seat in the highly likelihood of her winning election today.

DORDEA VERSUS GROGAN VERSUS WOOD - STARK COUNTY SHERIFF

Former Alliance Chief of Police Larry Dordea will handily win the Stark County Republican Party nomination for the right to run against Democrat and Chief Stark County Deputy Sheriff (Jail Division) Mike McDonald.

Dordea is currently the Hartville police chief and an at-large Republican member of Alliance City Council.

Dordea was the GOP's nominee in 2008.  He ran a spirited and competitive campaign against Sheriff Tim Swanson back then.

All the more politically wiser and experienced for having run in 2008, Dordea faces Republican opponents who lack voter I.D.

Dordea who is generally recognized in the policing community as a proven law enforcement officer who is up to taking over the administration of Stark's countywide policing unit.

John Grogan, former mayor of Canal Fulton (who was involved in a controversy or two during his term) and a lieutenant in the Summit County Sheriff's Department (also marked by at least one controversy), likely will come in third in this race.

If he had a higher political profile and a more populous political base, Beach City Police Chief Jim Wood might seriously challenge Dordea for the right to be the Republican nominee to run in the November general election .

But he doesn't and consequently The Report sees him as no better than second in this three man race.


DEMOCRATS

HEALY V. SLENICK V. SMITH - 29TH DISTRICT STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEEMAN


In all due respect to candidate William Smith, the SCPR does not see him as being in play to become the elected Democratic representative on the Ohio Democratic Party State Central Committee.

Stark County "voting" Democrats could send a powerful message to the Stark County "organized" Democrats that the likes of Healy and Slesnick will not be abided in a political family fight that appears to be taking place between the two by voting for the alternative:  William Smith.

But don't bank on that happening.

Rather this election (together with a number of precinct committee races - see commentary later on in this blog) may determine for the time being whether Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II  (who the SCPR believes has designs of becoming the political boss of the official Stark County Democratic Party) or  state Representative Stephen Slesnick (who The Report sees as a stand-in candidate beholden to Stark County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Gonzalez and his political lieutenant Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., Massillon clerk of courts and former Stark County Democratic Party chairman) is winning what appears to yours truly to be a battle for control of the Stark County Democratic Party.

Healy was beseeched to run for state central committeeman by current Chairman Chris Redfern.

Though Slesnick says he will remain "open-minded" on whether or not Redfern should remain chairman, The Report and many other Ohio-based political analysts including the SCPR believes (and, apparently, Redfern himself a evidenced in getting Healy to run) that there is little chance that Slesnick would ever support Redfern in his attempt to remain party chairman.

Healy is avowedly a Redfern man, through and through.

This race is very difficult to call.

The Report talked to a Canton-based elected official yesterday evening and the official says he is totally freaked out in having to choose between Healy and Slesnick.  He considers both as very capable politicians.

The SCPR, believing Healy to be a much more accomplished politician,  tends to think that he is the the odds-on-favorite to win.  However, Healy's polish as a politician may actually work against him; especially with those rank-and-file voters living out in the townships and villages of Stark County.

Accordingly, the SCPR is unable to call this race.

Post-election The Report will be looking at William Smith's share of the vote in an endeavor to determine whether or not he played "spoiler" for either Healy or Slesnick in the outcome of the race.

THE STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRECINCT COMMITTEEPERSON FLAP

By the hour, the plot seemingly thickens.

Minutes ago yours truly got a telephone call from C. David Morgan regarding the SCPR blogs on an apparently bogus letter that is being generated and sent out across Stark County by someone other than the person him or herself who is running for a Stark County Democratic Party precinct committeeperson slot.

His is another tale of a letter that is being sent out which is obviously the clone of a letter sent out in the name of former Perry Township trustee James (Jim) P. Holmes.

Pastor Morgan, a long time foe of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II, has been precinct committeeman in Canton's precinct 9H.  However, with precinct cost saving consolidation initiated by the Stark County Board of Elections, Morgan decided not to seek the office in his redesignated precinct 9G. 

Not knowing this, Morgan says, Mayor Healy prevailed upon his management assistant Derek Gordan to run in 9G.  

What's more is that long term Stark County Democrat George Mullane (who Morgan says is the uncle of Stark County Board of Elections Director Jeanette Mullane) because of the consolidation also found himself switched from precinct 8B to a reconfigured 9G.

About 10 days ago, Morgan says, he got a letter purportedly (though unsigned) from George Mullane asking for Morgan's support in a format that Morgan says is the same as the Holmes letter (see below) EXCEPT FOR the precinct designation and, of course, the typed, unsigned name of the candidate, to wit:

Holmes denies that the letter was in fact generated by and sent by him.  He says he only came to know about the letter because whoever fabricated it made the mistake of sending a copy to his wife.

Holmes is matched up in Perry precinct 13 against J. Fred Stergios.  Holmes told The Report that Stergios describes himself has being a political enemy of the Maier political machine.

Morgan says that about two days ago he got a letter which sounds very much to him as actually being George Mullane and that it is totally different than the purported Mullane letter of ten days ago.

Massillon political gadfly Scott Graber emailed the SCPR this morning with a copy of a letter he received purportedly from Grace A. McGraner, (his opponent via BOE precinct consolidation) to wit:

This is what Graber had to say in an e-mail to the SCPR yesterday:

they did the same to me.   no notice of pending election sent to Scott Graber, public enemy number one of Johnnie Maier Jr.

The SCPR has other reports of letters going out under the name of precinct committee candidates which fit the description of the Holmes and McGraner letters.

So you have several persons who have received the form letter speculating to the SCPR that they think the letter may have been generated by the Massillon-based Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. political machine.

The SCPR has written going back to last fall that yours truly believes that there is a political war going on between Stark County Party Chair Randy Gonzalez (Maier being a key supporter of him) and Healy as to who, out into the future, will be controlling the Stark County Democratic Party.

Inasmuch as it takes a number of precinct committee elections to change the balance of power within either the Republican or Democratic Party, the seeming political jockeying is no surprise to the SCPR.

It appears that Healy may be trying to change that balance whereas the Gonzalez/Maier forces may be putting up the fight of their political lives right under our noses.

Unlike the Republican presidential election, the Brown/Williams face off and the Healy/Slesnick/Smith contest which will be decided later today; the ramifications of  Stark County Democratic Party precinct contests may not be known or understood in terms of their import for two to four years.

Very interesting political stuff, no?

WHO IS MESSING WITH THE STARK DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT COMMITTEE PERSON ELECTION IN PERRY TOWNSHIP, PRECINCT 13?

UPDATE: 03/05/2012 AT 5:37 PM

(Hear Healy "robocall" in his support in his head-to-head against state Representative Stephen Slesnick - recording is at the end of this update).

Since the SCPR published this blog earlier today, yours truly has gotten a number of contacts indicated that the letter published in Jim Holmes name in far from being limited to just his campaign against J. Fred Stergios in Perry's 13th precinct.

To The Report, that the practice is much more widespread than just the Holmes/Stergios situation is indication that the writer of the bogus "stock" letter of support is looking forward to future skirmishes in what the SCPR believes to be a battle for control of the Stark County Democratic Party (i.e. Healy and his core supporters versus Gonzalez and the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. loyalists) in terms of how central committee members are likely to line up.

Healy's big effort right now is to defeat Slesnick in their "locking horns" battle for Democratic State Committeeman (29th District).  The Olson household received a robocall minutes ago from a Healy supporter (intended for wife Mary, a registered Democrat - yours truly is a non-partisan voter).

Yours truly's impression is that Mary is going to vote for Slesnick, apparently the robocall did not sway her.  Maybe robocalls are not all that effective?

Here is the recording of the call:



ORIGINAL BLOG

Former long time Perry Township Trustee Jim Holmes is hopping mad about a letter sent out under his name which he says he never wrote asking for voter support in his quest to be 13th precinct committee person.

Holmes says that the only way he knew about the letter was that the person who wrote it made the mistake of sending it to his wife Sonia.

Holmes has been the committee person for Perry's 26th precinct but due to the fact that the Stark County Board of Elections has consolidated numerous precincts across Stark County in a cost savings move he and 15th precinct committee person J. Fred Stergios find themselves in the same precinct (the 13th) and pitted against one another in tomorrow's primary election.

Holmes tells the SCPR that he and Stergios have discussed the matter and that he has learned that Stergios in disliked by the Massillon based political machine of Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and there is speculation that Maier and/or one of his political lieutenants is behind the letter in an effort to defeat Stergios.

As far as Holmes can determine, Stergios was not accorded the "privilege" of having a letter written and sent out on his behalf, which, of course makes sense since the letter writer has "apparently" sided up with Holmes.

Another interesting fact that Holmes shared with The Report is that he received notice from Democratic Party officials that his term as precinct committeeman was expiring and that he needed to refile if he wished to continue to serve.  However, he says that he learned from Stergios that he had not received such a notice.

A possible alternative scenario is that the Holmes/Stergios face off is somehow perceived by either a William J. Healy, II political operative or Stark County Party Chair Randy Gonzalez political operative as favoring one or the other in terms of future votes by precinct committee persons on who serves as chair when it comes up again in two years (or earlier, if for some reason Gonzalez were to resign the chairmanship) or on voting for who gets appointed to a political office should an official resign, dies or is otherwise removed.

The SCPR doubts that it is the latter.  More likely it is the former.

The Report continues to believe, despite denials by Healy and those close to Gonzalez, that over the longer term Healy is doing spade work in getting his political allies to run for precinct committee person so that Healy can maneuver into a position of being in control of the Stark Dems.

Anyone who knows Mayor Healy knows full well that anything that is in his path if not under his control is not something he can live with and he embarks on a mission to bring whatever the matter may be under his control.

It could be that the motivation is a combination of the two.  If the conjecture that the Maier political machine is behind the letter, it might be designed to get at Stergios and the thinking might also be that there is no way Stergios would vote for the tightly linked Gonzalez/Maier political alliance if and when there is a contest with Healy and his friends down the road.

In any event, Holmes tells the SCPR that he intends to file a complaint (presumably with the Stark County Board of Elections - BOE and/or law enforcement authorities) with the expectation that the matter will be thoroughly investigated.

In generating the faux Holmes letter, did someone open up a political pandora box that might come back and bite?

Stay tuned!

OUTSIDE THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (ROMNEY COMING TO STARK CO: MONDAY AT 8:00 A.M.), HEALY V. SLESNICK IS THE MOST COMPELLING STARK COUNTY POLITICAL FACE OFF! CAN SLESNICK DERAIL THE HEALY EXPRESS TO THE TOP OF STARK CO. DEM POLITICS?

UPDATE:  MONDAY MORNING AT 1:00 AM

UPDATE:  SUNDAY AT 2:00 PM

Today the Akron Beacon Journal is reporting (Three local mayors sign resolution supporting same-sex marriage) that Mayor Healy (along with Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Stow Mayor Sarah Drew) has signed onto a resolution being pushed by a group which calls it self Freedom to Marry.

The article goes onto state that Healy and his fellow mayors signed onto the following statement:

“As mayors of great American cities, we proudly stand together in support of the freedom of same-sex couples to marry,” the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry resolution states. “We personally know many gay and lesbian people living in our cities who are in committed, loving relationships, who are active participants in the civic life of our communities and who deserve to be able to marry the person with whom they share their life.”

Back on April 21, 2009 the SCPR did a blog (CLICK HERE FOR A LINK) on Healy campaign reports showing that Healy had received $15,070 from a Tony Dane of Las Vegas, NV known as "an utterly anti-gay basher."

Also, in that April blog, Cantonian Eric Resnick, who was formerly a member of the Canton City Board of Education reference was made by The Report to an email from Resnick, to wit:

The Healy administration has lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support, and a gay cabinet member. There will be, as time goes on, some administration-led legislation very favorable to LGBT Cantonians. I doubt that contributions from Tony Dane will inoculate the mayor from local nut ball gay haters when that time comes.

In light of the Beacon Journal report, one has to wonder whether or not Healy is now considering introducing legislation "very favorable to the LGBT Cantonians?" as predicted by Resnick.

ORIGINAL BLOG

THE REPUBLICANS:  MARCH 06, 2012 PRIMARY

Among Stark County Republicans, the most interesting March 6 primary race is between Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul for the presidential nomination.

In this back and forth race, Romney, in winning Arizona and Michigan on Tuesday, might be building momentum to snare Ohio on Super Tuesday.  Week old and older polls gave Rick Santorum the lead.  However, recent polls show the the two in virtual dead heat with the momentum on Romney's side.

Ohio in terms of importance seems to be right at the top of the ten (10) states who are having either a primary or a caucus this coming Tuesday.

A national political blog, Politico, reports that Romney and a superpac supporting him has spent $3.39 million dollars on Ohio whereas his chief rival and current front runner Santorum has spent only $527,000.

A key Stark County Republican Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton tells the SCPR that she had decided to support Mitt Romney for the nomination.  With the announcement yesterday that former Stark County Republican Party Chairman Curt Braden and party headquarters stalwart Jane Timken will co-chair a Romney for President committee should he win on Tuesday, it appears that the Stark County Republican Party establishment is squarely behind the former Massachusetts governor.

To the SCPR, Romney's support comes mostly from urban/suburban areas whereas Santorum's strength is rural America.  With Canton being Ohio eighth largest city, and Stark County being one of Ohio's more populous counties, it appears that Romney has a good chance to carry Stark.

And if he can get out the vote in the urban/suburban areas in Ohio, he may pull off a Michigan and overtake Santorum in the waning days leading up to March 6th.

Romney must feel that Stark County is a fertile field for him inasmuch as he has a rally set for 8:00 a.m. tomorrow at Gregory Industries located at 4100 13th St SW, Canton, Ohio.

THE DEMOCRATS:  MARCH 06, 2012 PRIMARY

Among Stark County Democrats, the really big race Tuesday is one that most folks wouldn't believe, even political junkies.

It is the question of who is going to be the 29th District (which parallels the Ohio Senate district currently held by Republican Scott Oelslager), Democratic State Committeeman.

A lower profile race is at the Stark County Democratic Party precinct committee person level at which level it appears to the SCPR that Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II has begun a long range campaign to take over the Stark County Democratic Party

AT THE STATE LEVEL

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern is in the fight of his life to retain the chairmanship.  Since the Democrats got "their clocks cleaned" last November, there has been a hue and cry for him to step down.  But Redfern is going nowhere and is, in fact, running for re-election which is to be held shortly after the March 6th primary which selects the committeemen and committeewomen who will be voting on the chairmanship.

The anti-Redfern is sort of a political payback to Redfern who was part of a move to oust Harry Meshel as Democratic chairman after Ohio statewide Democrats suffered a political bloodbath in the 1994 elections.  Of course, we all remember who was perhaps the prime force behind the massive Republican nationwide victory:  none other than current GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

Redfern has apparently concluded he cannot expect support from Stark County's Democratic political leadership and therefore has reached out to Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II to be his man from Stark.  Healy was only too glad to accommodate Redfern who was a big help to Healy in his drive to be re-elected mayor in November, 2011.

Who are the Stark Democrats who, apparently, are abandoning Redfern?

Well you can start with the endorsers of state Rep. Stephen Slesnick listed below and add the Jackson clan (i.e. former Stark County Commissioner Gayle Jackson, her son Shane, and Stark County Recorder Rick Campbell, who is married to Gayle's daughter Lisa who is Plain Township chief administrator and who works for Trustee Louis Giavasis [and, of course, the other two trustees] who works for Stark County Clerk of Courts Nancy Reinbold).

A politically tight group, no?

A little bit confusing to the SCPR is the inclusion of Commissioner Pete Ferguson and perhaps Tom Bernabei on the list.  They don't seem to belong.

Ferguson frequently tells yours truly that he does not include himself in the Stark Dems "good ole boy" network and, in yours truly's experience, Bernabei is a bit too much of a independent-minded person to fit very comfortably in a "good ole boy" network.

Moreover, both Republicans and Democrats have high regard for Canton's former long term law director, except maybe for Mayor Healy.

AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

The SCPR believes and has written that Healy is, along with Stark County's union leadership, dissatisfied with Gonzalez's Stark County leadership (the SCPR broke the story of Healy's effort on October 13, 2011 - CLICK HERE FOR LINK) and are waiting for an opportunity to pounce on the chairman and wrestle control of the Stark County Democratic Party away from him. 

One source does a good old fashion belly laugh to yours truly at the thought that Healy thinks for one New York Stern School of Business nanosecond that he has what it takes to take out the Stark County Dem "good ole boys"

But The Report's take on Healy is that he thinks big and don't tell him he can't do something when he sets his mind to it. For example, it is has been clear to the SCPR that Healy is out to take over control of the Stark County Democratic Party over the longer term.

Right now he is denying that such is the case because he understands the political realities that it will take successive party precinct elections to slowly but surely get the numbers he needs to name his choice for party chairman and his choice for party nominees for party appointed public official posts as they come up for filling when an Democratic official holder resigns, dies or otherwise removed from office.

With Tuesday's election he has started his project of party takeover and in due course The Report believes he intends to achieve his objective.

Should any of the countywide running Democrats lose this November (e.g. Bernabei, Smuckler, Ferrero, Campbell, Reinbold, Murthy et cetera), Healy's effort will pick up steam within the rank-and-file of the existing organized party.  Healy will use any such losses (even of avowed Healy political enemies:  e.g. Bernabei and Smuckler) to make his case to those who currently support Gonzalez.

If all the countywide running Democrats win, he will merely continue the long term approach.

For those of us who know Healy well, know there is no quit in Healy and that he is a man of the mind that it is Healy's way, or the highway, pure and simple!

THE HEALY/SLESNICK DYNAMIC: A MEASURE OF HEALY'S STRENGTH WITHIN THE STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ELECTORATE

On the Healy persistence point, one just has to go back two or three years when his administration resembled a shipwreck and nobody thought he could win a Democratic primary race, let alone get re-elected as he did by a comfortable margin; however, not the landslide he likes to claim when in light of  the total vote against him.

No one should underestimate William J. Healy, II.  He has proven he is a political survivor and he will take on anyone, anytime that is in the way of his political aspirations and if he happens to lose (he lost to Smuckler in the Dem primary of 2003) he just redoubles his effort and comes back all the politically wiser for his losing experience.

He is about as slick and manipulative politician that ever has come down the pike. 

Healy, who touts himself as a big union supporter, pulled off having the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and AultCare sponsor a reception for him just prior to his State of the City address last night.

Unions, Chamber of Commerce, AultCare:  strange bedfellows that Healy has cobbled together, no? 

Slesnick, on the other hand, relies on his family name and being propped up by the likes of the Stark Dems "good ole boy" network.  His innate communication and political skills are virtually non-existent. 

Since he does have the support of the Stark County organized Democratic Party establishment, one would expect him to win next Tuesday.

But will he?

You can bet that Maier et al will be holding their collective breaths as the votes are counted in the evening hours of March 6th.

A Healy win (both personally and in the precinct races) will likely be taken by the mayor as some sort of mandate to go all out to reform the Stark County Democratic Party and to fight to keep his man in Columbus in control of the Ohio Democratic Party.

(VIDEO) POST "STATE OF THE CITY" ADDRESS: HEALY ANSWERS PRESS QUESTIONS ON "THE UTICA CAPITAL" TOPIC AND OTHERS

Post "State of the City" message by Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II, local members of the media held a press conference with the mayor which lasts about 26 minutes (see video below).

Among the topics covered include:

• the environment factor in Canton pursuing being "the Utica Capital," including on the need for additional state of Ohio regulations on the industry,
• numbers of jobs that Utica shale exploration could bring to Canton,
• the marketing of Utica,
• Healy's contention that Utica benefits all of Stark County,
• Other than Utica commercial/industrial prospects for Canton,
• Healy's announced Canton drug prescription plan for Canton residents,
• the origin of the bump up of $100,000,
• the future of Canton in a countywide 9-1-1 system
• the differences between Mayor Healy's State of the City promise to hire up to ten new policemen in the light of his rejection of  fire union pressure to hire additional firemen on federal grant money.

The video of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II answering the questions of local media:

(VIDEO OF MAYOR HEALY'S SPEECH) "STATE OF THE CITY" 03/01/2012 - THE FUTURE OF CANTON IS AS "THE UTICA CAPITAL" (AND STARK COUNTY AS THE "FRACKING CAPITAL," PERHAPS?) SO SAYS MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II

UPDATE:  03/02/2012 AT 5:20 PM

Video of Healy State of City message and text of original blog updated.

ORIGINAL BLOG

One could tell from the get-go of his 5th Annual "State of the City" presentation that Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II could hardly contain his excitement at the prospect of announcing at the very end of his State of the City message that he was dubbing Canton as The Utica Capital as an additional Canton "aka" the Pro Football Hall of Fame city.

Early on in his speech last night in Canton City Council chambers (about 55 minutes in duration) he tipped off the audience, which the SCPR estimates to have been about 75 persons, that he would be having a momentous announcement later on.

In getting to the revelation of the night, the mayor reviewed the last year of his administration in the context of his previously developed and used concept of the four pillars of his effort to revive Canton:

• public safety, 
• education, 
• neighborhoods-community development, and 
• economic development

Over the weekend, The Report will be presenting a number of analytical blogs on various aspects of Healy's speech.
The video of Mayor William J. Healy, II - State of the City - March 01, 2012:

VERY DISAPPOINTING. MASSILLON MAYOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY OUT TO PUNISH CLERK OF COUNCIL MARY BETH BAILEY?

On February 7, 2011 the SCPR went to Massillon City Council.  In setting up to record council actions for the evening, yours truly struck up a conversation with council Clerk Mary Beth Bailey.

Amid the chit-chat, it came out that years before Bailey had worked for Republican Janet Creighton when she was Stark County auditor (Creighton is now Stark County commissioner).

And that was interesting to learn.

But even more interesting was Bailey's account of how the then Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry had tried to get her non-renewed for being clerk of council.

The Report thought that was odd and chalked it up to thoroughgoing Democrat Catazaro-Perry  playing a little bit of politics in trying to move the Republican tainted Bailey out and an out-and-out Democrat loyalist in.

After all, Catazaro-Perry is closely allied with Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (also a former Stark Democratic Party chairman), who, in the SCPR's experience, seems to like using available public offices to place consummately loyal Democrats in.

However, Catazaro-Perry failed to convince her fellow councilpersons and her effort failed.

So The Report assumed that the Bailey removal effort was old news and that Catazaro-Perry had moved on.

But perhaps not?

Recently, the now Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry submitted her 2012  Massillon budget to council. 

Everyone knew it would be an austerity budget and so there was no surprise that she billed her proposed $34.9 million budget as a "two-year financial restoration plan." 

Among the major cuts the mayor proposed was 20% for Perry Stergios and his law department.

But that proposed cut paled into insignificance when it came out on Republican Councilwoman Nancy Halter's report that in "the devil is in the details" that Mayor Kathy was proposing to cut Clerk Bailey by 42% (2011 to 2012) from $42,469 to $24,600.

Whew!

What a revelation!

Immediately the SCPR had an aha! moment.

It seems very clear that Catazaro-Perry had not forgotten her council days ill-fated effort to get rid of Bailey and now to the degree she can do so, she appears to be out to make life as uncomfortable for Bailey as she can.

The proposed Bailey cut reeks of Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. Machiavellian-esque politics and what could be a better cover for what appears to be a blatantly political move by Catazaro-Perry than the budgeting process.

With her ever present smile and generally cheerful disposition (in contrast to Maier), one might want to assume that Catazaro-Perry is not nearly as dug in on vengeful personal and partisan politics as Maier appears to be.

But this move is evidence that beneath the veneer,  she totally buys into the Maier model that he learned at the feet of former Ohio Speaker of the House Vern Riffe when Johnnie served as his political manservant during the time he represented Stark County's 56th Ohio House District in the 1990s.

If she is adopting Maier's model, then she can expect lots and lots of trouble from the new council.  Dominated by Republicans 5 to 4 with a few Cicchinelli Democrats sprinkled, council is likely to take her proposed draconian and disproportional Bailey pay cut as a signal that Catazaro-Perry has opted to play hardball politics with them.

For the sake of and well-being of Massillon and her own credibility as being "different" from other politicians, Mayor Kathy needs to turn away from vengeful politics and the like as her guide.

To the degree the mayor engages in such tactics, she hastens the day that she will be viewed as being like any other well-boiled politician.