One thing is clear to the SCPR: they may be sister and brother, but from a political sophistication perspective Joyce Healy-Abrams (Democratic candidate for Congress, the7th congressional district: website LINK) is no William J. Healy, II (mayor of Canton, in his second term).
The Report has written in previous blogs that brother-Healy may be the most urbane, skilled and enduring politicians around these parts. And like him or not, he does have a strong political personality. A quality that sister-Healy seems to be lacking.
But she is new to politics having become active about one and one half years ago. Perhaps in time she will be his equal. Just not now.
For now, the way yours truly thinks she might win in November is for the Republican stance on the Medicare issue itself, as formulated by the GOP VP candidate Paul Ryan (i.e. the prospect that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office prediction that his voucher idea might possibly cost Medicare recipients $6,400 on average in extra health insurance premium cost annually), to overwhelm Healy-Abrams Republican opponent Congressman Bob Gibbs just because Republicans in tight races get tainted with the Ryan brush.
For there is little about the apparent political personality and dynamism of challenger Healy-Abrams that is likely to appeal to 7th congressional district voters. Her appeal will have to be on the substance of her position on the Medicare issue and any other issue(s) that might catch fire with the voting public.
Yesterday morning, Healy-Abrams held an event at Canton's Mayfield Senior Center designed "to educate" the public about the dangers of the Ryan version of his plan to cut the federal budget deficit over 10 years on the backs of Medicare recipients.
A firebrand politician she was not. The Report can only imagine what brother William would have done with the Medicare topic.
Joyce seems to approach campaigning a some sort of academic exercise. She brought in a Washington, DC Social Security and Medicare policy wonk as a featured presenter yesterday. Phillip Rotondi of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (LINK)was a center of attention yesterday pretty much the equal of the candidate herself.
Hmm?
Her approach at the Mayfield Senior Center was certainly different from that of opponent Bob Gibbs as he addressed a crowd of about 2,000 at Paul Ryan's rally at Walsh University.
The Medicare issue may be Healy-Abrams ticket to the United States House chambers.
As the matter stands now, it appears to the SCPR that the issue will have to carry her to victory rather than her making the case for herself in terms of demonstrated political passion and drive.
Stark County government took an important step in providing "complete" emergency services to Stark Countians at the commissioners meeting of August 8th when Commissioners Bernabei, Creighton and Ferguson approved a resolution to ratify a "memorandum of understanding" (MOU) between Stark County and the non-profit Stark County United Way 2-1-1 Information and Referral Service.
Over time the agreement and its coordinating implementation should relieve the Stark County 9-1-1 emergency services call receiving function of the burden of receiving calls of a financial/social nature (of a "emergency" variety - but not a police, fire or EMS type emergency).
Sherri McKinney-Frantz (Stark County United Way Director of Information and Referral - LINK TO WEBSITE HERE) appeared (along with Stark EMA Director Tim Warstler) before commissioners asking for them to approve the memo referred to above.
Stark Emergency Management Agency Director Tim Warstler explained to commissioners that:
a primary benefit of the MOU is that if/when Stark County experiences a disaster,Stark EMA 9-1-1 will advertise to the Stark County public that 2-1-1 is the three digit number for citizens to call to get help for non-police, non-fire and non-EMT emergencies.
Quite a number of Stark Countians do not know about Stark United Way's 2-1-1 service (hence the SCPR's graphic indicating the service to be a "best kept secret), but as explained to the commissioners by Director McKinney-Frantz: (see video below)
that the MOU will enable Stark's 2-1-1 to achieve national accreditation and enhance the non-profit agency's ability to attract and qualify for grants,
that 2-1-1 will serve the Stark County public in disasters by fielding questions such as "I don't have water," "My refrigerator is not working because I don't have electricity; Where can I get food" et cetera type inquiries,
that 2-1-1 has a list of about 800 sources (i.e. a database listing) to use in helping Stark Countians through emergency/disaster relief,
that 2-1-1 has expanded greatly within the last three years with its call volume nearly doubling,
that 2-1-1 is finding that "people who have never needed help before, need help now,"
THE BAD & UGLY
The Stark County Political Report believes that Nimishillen Township Fire Chief Rick Peterson can claim credit for being the first in sidetracking the effort begun in 2009 to rebuild Stark County's "broken" 9-1-1 countywide emergency call receiving and call dispatching system.
It appears to The Report that Peterson was only going to endorse the rebuild if he was named the 9-1-1 project manager and his baby - Nimishillen's CenCom" was the core of the rebuild. Peterson denies that he had any ambition to lead the reconstruction effort, but the SCPR is not buying it.
When Todd Bosley was Stark County commissioner, it was obvious that to The Report that Peterson, at least initially, was his man to head up the countywide effort.
When it became apparent that Nimishillen was not going to be the core and that the keystone role was to be borne by the Stark County sheriff and the city of Canton Communications Center, it seems that Peterson had no choice but to take his CenCom operation out of the mix for a countywide system. Why? Because Nimishillen owes about $1 million dollars on the building that houses CenCom and the only way for the Nimishillen trustees to be in a position to pay the mortgage CenCom has is to have its own base of Stark County fire departments, police departments and EMT services competing with an otherwise countywide system to generate the revenues with which to pay the mortage.
Once the forces (e.g. Randy Gonzalez (the primary person), Joe Concatto, Tom Bernabei) behind building a state-of-the-art countywide system factored Nimishillen out, guess what other "my way or the highway guy" surfaces to throw a roadblock into realizing a much better countywide system?
Who other than Canton mayor William J. Healy, II! A man who takes great pride in insisting that things be done his way or not at all.
Accordingly, it was amazing to hear from Gonzalez last week that the commissioners are at least taking the step of putting out bids for a computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) system.
So though Peterson and Healy have been troublesome to 20 year or so o the tGonzalez-led effort, The Report believes in persistence and endurance as good attributes in overcoming those who like to protect self-interests.
The Report encourages Gonzalez to keep the effort going.
Persistence and endurance may one day be fruitful in bringing Stark County a true countywide state-of-the-art 9-1-1 emergency services call receiving and call dispatching center!
BACK TO THE GOOD
A Stark County Political Report "HATS OFF!" to Directors Warstler and McKinney-Frantz and to the Stark County commissioners as well as the Stark County United Way for putting this project together.
Here is a video of the commissioners session with Warstler and McKinney-Frantz.
The face of the Republican Party in Stark County is Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton. Not Stark GOP chairman Jeff Matthews.
Sure he was first up in the run-up to Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan taking the microphone. But Jeff Matthew has never been elected to anything from Stark County's complete voter base.
Janet Creighton has.
She has been Stark County recorder, Stark County auditor, mayor of Canton and now Stark County commissioner.
However, Matthews was first at the lectern on Thursday and therefore the SCPR presents his introduction to the festivities.
While there is no doubt that Commissioner Creighton is a committed Republican, she is one of those staunch partisans who knows how to separate the Stark County community-at-large interests from partisan politics. There were few at Thursday's event the SCPR believes cannot do so (e.g. state Rep. Christina Hagan, R - Marlboro). Hagan would do well to be schooled in the appropriateness of the how, when, and where of partisan zeal at the feet of Creighton.
Here is Creighton in all her "appropriate" Republican glory on Thursday.
A newcomer to Stark County is Congressman Bob Gibbs (a Republican from Holmes County). By the SCPR take on the upcoming election he could be facing an upset at the hands of Democrat Joyce Healy-Abrams (brother of Mayor William J. Healy, II of Canton).
Because of decentennial redistricting, he no longer has the comfort zone of running in the district he has been serving in (the 18th). About 70% of the 18th is missing from the new 7th District which includes most of Stark County and all of Canton (except The Timken Company complex which 16th District Congressman Jim Reanacci had gerrymandered into his district).
It's always a challenge to defeat an incumbent, but perhaps an issue like Paul Ryan's prescription for reigning in the entitlement program Medicare costs (possibly passing on insurance premium costs in excess of a government provided voucher to recipients) might be the godsend that candidates like Healy-Abrams need to pull a victory over an incumbent Republican off.
Here is what Gibbs had to say about Ryan and his policies in the lead-up to Ryan's appearance.
And speaking of Jim Renacci (who is facing a challenge of his own from Democrat incumbent Congresswoman Betty Sutton of Copley, Summit County [now the 13th District but facing off against Renacci in the 16th because of redistricting]); he was given the honor of the direct introductory remarks bringing Paul Ryan on stage.
If it turns out that the Ryan Budget Plan which is perceived by many Americans as being "the beginning of the end of Medicare as we know it" results in his defeat at the hand of Sutton; whether or not (post-mortem-election) he will be wanting to take these words back?
Most of the time those Stark Countians pictured above are level-headed, calm-cool-and-collected. But yesterday they all let their hair down in a burst of enthusiasm for Paul Ryan; number two at the Republican Party national ticket who was at Walsh University for the purpose of revving up the base.
And he succeeded!
The SCPR captured video comments from Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton, sheriff candidate Larry Dordea, prosecutor candidate Mike Grady, commissioner candidate Richard Regula and treasurer candidate (an incumbent) Alex Zumbar.
The Report presents these videos for readers to get a glimpse of these folks as they express their zeal for the Romney/Ryan ticket and, in the case of those running for Stark County wide office, their assessments of their individual races.
First, the dean of the Stark County Republican Party: Commissioner Janet Creighton.
Next, here is Larry Dordea who is presently police chief of Hartville and an Alliance city councilman.
And next is Stark County political newcomer Mike Grady who has years of experience as chief legal counsel for Babcock and Wilcox and is running to unseat Democrat John Ferrero who has been in office nearly 10 years and who ran unopposed in 2008.
Grady tells the SCPR that he suffered a heart attack when he was in California in June 2nd. But he says that there was no heart damage and he is good to go with a vigorous campaign.
Next in line is Richard Regula, son of esteemed former 16th congressional district (when all of Stark County was in the 16th) Ralph Regula. Richard is trying to reclaim his seat as commissioner which was lost in 2006 to Democrat Todd Bosley.
Finally, but certainly not least, is Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar. Alex stepped forward for the Republicans to claim the treasurer's office in November, 2010 (only to lose it temporarily when the Ohio Supreme Court reinstated the commissioner removed Gary Zeigler (a Democrat). On October 19th, the commissioners restored Zumbar to office and he was selected by the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee to retain the treasury post (October 31, 2011).
The Stark County Political Report presents the "entire" Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan political rally in held in North Canton earlier today (starting about 10:00 a.m.).
The video is presented is "raw" footage as is the footage in 16th District Congressman Jim Renacci (R - Wadsworth) and Congressman Bob Gibbs (R - Holmes County, the 18th District but running in the new 7th District because of redistricting), and Republican Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton and Stark County GOP chairman Jeff Matthews.
The Report posts these videos without comment.
To follow later will be interviews with Commissioner Creighton, Republican Stark County commissioner candidate Richard Regula, Stark County sheriff candidate Larry Dordea, Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar and Congressman Gibb's communications director.
The SCPR starts with the Ryan video. Check back the remainder of today, tomorrow as The Report presents all the Ryan Rally festivities as well as the interview mentioned above.
Here is the Ryan video which runs 22 minutes and 58 seconds.
A few days ago, the SCPR received an email that included the following statement: "Many of us think you are the only one with the courage to look into this."
"Courage to look into this?"
Of course. After all, this is the Stark County Political Report! The writer was making some rather serious allegations about the candidacy of Democrat and current Stark County Chief Deputy (Jail Division) Mike McDonald.
The SCPR does probe where nobody else will. However, the probing is a two-edged sword and it appears to The Report that the allegations are baseless and that the writer comes up way short on the credibility side.
Yours truly looked into the matters by contacting both McDonald and his Republican opponent Larry Dordea and with third parties (on a jail utilization question) with respect to certain allegations/questions posed. The most dramatic of the allegations had to do with Mike McDonald's health. The writer asserted that McDonald's health had seriously deteriorated since he shared his diagnosis of having esophageal cancer with The Canton Repository last November.
So yours truly picked up the phone and called McDonald.
At the other end of the telephone was a robust sounding Mike McDonald. If strength of voice is indicative of a person's throat condition, the chief deputy (jail division) did not sound like he was in any way, shape, or form as fragile as the writer claimed.
It was not long ago (June) when yours truly actually saw McDonald at a Lake Township trustees meeting and he appeared to be anything other than in condition to carry out the functions of sheriff.
The clincher for the SCPR with regard to the state of McDonald's current health was a conversation yours truly had with McDonald's opponent Larry Dordea pretty close on the heels of talking to McDonald himself.
Here are some the things Dordea had to say to The Report on Tuesday of this week:
That he saw Mike McDonald at the Alliance Rib-Burnoff (August 9 - 11) and from his observations "The news of his demise is much exaggerated,"
That he thinks the issue of McDonald's health may surface in the campaign between now and November, but that Larry Dordea would not be the person bringing it up,
Understands that McDonald might suspect that Larry Dordea is behind inaccurate statements about his health, but such is not the case.
A few weeks ago, The Report interviewed Dordea when he appeared at a Lake Township trustees meeting to speak to the matter of his take on Lake's consideration of whether or not to give expansion of policing township wide another try.
Here is that video.
For his part, when The Report spoke earlier this week with Mike McDonald about the allegation regarding his health earlier this week, he had this to say:
"I'm feeling good, I'm coming to work and I'm out campaigning,"
It's no secret that he has esophageal cancer and that he shared that information with the Rep so that he could take advantage of the opportunity to educate the public about what the potential consequences could be if acid reflux goes untreated,
But that he does not have serious problems with the cancer presently,
In no way, shape or form does the cancer interfere with his doing his job or campaigning nor will it have any affect on his ability to serve as sheriff, if elected,
That he suspected that the negative talk was coming from the Dordea campaign and he believes that there will be rumors circulating between now and the election which he thinks is very unfair.
McDonald, understandably, was reluctant to share much with the SCPR about his illness. From his perspective, he is doing just fine notwithstanding his bout with cancer and that is all the public needs to know.
The SCPR's point of view is that he needs to keep the public appraised of his medical condition right up through the election. For, God forbid, if his health was to take a turn for the worse and it turns out that it is knowable prior to the election that he likely will be unable to serve; the Stark County voting public is entitled to know so that voters can choose between the possibility they will be voting for a situation that the Stark County Democratic Central Committee will be picking the next Stark County sheriff or the alternative Republican Larry Dordea. The SCPR is well aware that life is uncertain for all of us.
It could turn out that Dordea has a health problem that nobody including Dordea himself knows about presently. And, again - God forbid - that he becomes unable to serve then guess who would pick his successor? You've got it. The Stark County Republican Party Central Committee. The Report would expect Dordea, if something surfaced affecting his ability to serve between now and November 6th, to promptly inform the Stark County public. And yours truly believes that both McDonald and Dordea are of such a quality that they would put the public's interest and right to know ahead of their respective political party's interest. However, a vital function of the media is to track such matters and ensure that the public is fully informed about factors that might impact on how voters vote.
Another issue raised by the writer was that of getting the county jail up to full utilization (some 500 prisoners) in light of the 0.5% sales tax for eight years duration that Stark County voters passed in November, 2011. Dordea has also raised the issue with The Report (about a month ago) after a lady released from the jail was killed by a hit and run driver as she walked along Route 62. As The Report understands Dordea's point is that the sheriff's office (perhaps, as evidenced by the lady's release) may be engaged in a turnstile operation which might delay the jail reaching the goal of full utilization as promised in the levy effort. McDonald denies that such is the case. He does say that that whom the sheriff releases and whom he holds is controlled by Stark County courts. On Wednesday, Stark County Chief Administrator Mike Hanke shared with the commissioners data which shows the progress that Sheriff Swanson is making towards the ultimate goal of Stark County's jail being up to its capacity of 500 prisoners by December 31, 2012. Here is a copy of that report.
Beyond the report, the SCPR asked Commissioner Tom Bernabei (president of the Board of the Stark County Commissioners) whether or not he is as satisfied with the progress the sheriff is making towards the ultimate goal. Here is his video response.
In talking with candidates Mike McDonald and Larry Dordea, the SCPR believes that both candidates are committed to running "a high road" campaign a la the one run by Alex Zumbar (R - Alliance) and Ken Koher (D - Navarre) in November, 2010.
Both have excellent credentials in policing and their qualification to be sheriff is unquestioned. The have always spoken well of each other to The Report. And The Report believes Dordea when he says he is not going to make McDonald's health a campaign issue.
The SCPR's analysis of the McDonald/Dordea race is that, if elected, Mike McDonald is likely to run the sheriff's office pretty much as it has been under Sheriff Tim Swanson. Undoubtedly, he will make some changes because no two individuals, no matter how close, see things exactly the same. However, for him to make wholesale changes would be a betrayal of everything Tim Swanson stood for.
On the other hand, The Report sees Larry Dordea coming in with a fresh perspective and is likely to institute significant changes. While it has been four years since Dordea ran unsuccessfully against Tim Swanson, here is a LINK to a blog that the SCPR published during that campaign that provides some insight into the thinking of the former Alliance police chief who is now chief of police in Hartville. In the end, the Stark County Political Report believes that no matter which of the two comes out on top in November, Stark County will have a first-rate police commander.
Canton mayor William J. Healy, II has embarked on a plan to raise revenues for the city to fund Canton's budget for 2013. (He calls it an "alternative budget" to one funded by an increase in the city's income tax) Apparently, his quest is to raise about $3.7 million. Although the exact amount is like trying to a hold on a slippery, wiggly eel.
Hizzhonor's has had some success in his piecemeal plan to fill the budget shortfall. However, it was a close call.
The ordinance passed was one to reduce the credit that work-out-of-Canton residents get for income taxes paid to other municipalities from 2.0% to 1.7%. The measure will raise about $400,000 annually.
towards filling the gap.
Council members Cirelli, Fisher, Hawk, Mack, Mariol and Morris voted no. It took a tie-breaking vote by Council President Allen Schulman for Mayor Healy to get this measure on the books.
However, at the same meeting, it became apparent that Mayor William J. Healy, II's proposal to have council authorize his administration to negotiate leases with the oil/gas industry to drill on city owned lands was NOT going the pass though the mayor had offered the prospect that leasing could, using a conservative estimate, raise at least $500,000.
For weeks, scores of Stark Countians (many of them Cantonians) took to the Public Speaks lectern to plead with council members not to vote for the ordinance.
Result?
Explanation?
After thinking it over, the deep thinkers of the Healy administration determined that council pre-authorization was not needed after all. The administration could proceed to try to interest oil and gas companies in negotiation a "conditional" lease contingent on council approval.
And then there was Monday night's council meeting.
On the agenda, the mayor's proposal to dissolve the Board of Park Commissioners. Mayor Healy says that disbanding the board will save Canton $100,000.
Again, Cantonians spring into action at the Public Speaks lectern.
Here is a video compilation of a number of the objections raised by citizens.
Many believe that the citizen action has been effective and that council is set to reject the proposal. A couple of weeks ago, the vote was calculated at being 7 against passage, 5 for passage.
However, it now appears that the Healy administration may have changed one vote and that council is deadlocked at 6 to 6.
If council proceeded to vote and the vote indeed turned out to be 6 to 6, then Council President Alan Schulman breaks the tie. And all indications are that Schulman will vote with the mayor.
Problem was on Monday night that Schulman was not present.
Solution?
Postpone the vote!
Mayor Healy emphatically denies that the prospect of losing on an "up or down vote" is why Monday night's vote got postponed.
While Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio says he is the person who requested the postponement and thereby is being kind to the mayor, The Report believes the administration decided on Thursday, August 9th, that the measure was not going to pass as constituted and further determined that a change needed to be made in order for it to have any chance of passage. So it was on Thursday last that the administration asked Martuccio's office to prepare an amendment. And it was not just any amendment that the office could easily put together by Monday night. As explained in the following video, it was a highly complicated one in which a future council would be bound by the actions of the present council. So yes, Director Martuccio needed more time, but in reality who caused the delay?
You be the judge of whether or not the mayor is to be believed that it was not the lack of votes for passage that was the primary reason for the amendment and hence the delay needed to deal with a complex legal question thrown in at the last minute.
Because many believe that just about everything Mayor Healy does is whether or not he comes out on top, it is hard to find those who take the mayor at his word.
But the mayor is entitled to have his say. Subjects of SCPR blogs are always given all the space they need to respond to points made in any given blog.
Mayor Healy, for instance, even though The Report has critiqued him frequently in these pages has been willing over the last couple of years to go on camera with yours and explain, advocate for and defend his position on any given matter.
Hats off to the mayor for having the political maturity and fortitude to take on the direct, difficult and pointed critiques of The Report.
He stands head and shoulders above the likes of Stark County GOP chairman Jeff Matthews, Massillon Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry, state Rep. Christina Hagan and former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr who, though they are taxpayer supported, think they entitled to blow off media who do not ask syncophantic questions.
Matthews et al are obviously to yours truly insecure public officials who cannot stand "the heat in the 'political' kitchen!"
The SCPR spent about 15 minutes with Mayor Healy after Monday night's meeting in order to provide him with ample opportunity to explain and justify his insistence that the thing for Canton to do is to dissolve the Parks Commission as it now exists.
Here is the video with the mayor.
There is more to come on controversial measures that council must pass on.
On Monday night's agenda under COMMUNICATIONS:
You talk about beating a dead horse; this proposed legislation may be a prime example. The Redflex proposal was soundly defeated by council (after having approved authorizing the service director to enter into an agreement with Reflex in December, 2008) on March 23, 2009 after the public had picked up on the matter and inundated council with objections.
It is interesting to note that in the weeks leading up to the March 23rd vote that Mayor Healy was in his mode of asking for a delay on the vote.
Eerily similar to what is going on now when it appears he does not have the votes, no?
Councilpersons Cirelli, Dougherty, Griffin, Hawk, Smith and West remain on council from 2009.
If the five no votes of 2009 remain steadfast, it is hard to see how the mayor can get this portion of his "alternate budget" through.
Councilman Edmond Mack tells the Stark County Political Report that he has already gotten calls from constituents telling him that they do not want him support the legislation.
And undoubtedly the remaining new councilmen are or will be besieged with calls from their constituents objecting to Redflex coming back into the picture; revenue producing or not.
First term incumbent councilpersons are the most vulnerable to citizen pressure. Expect 2013 up for reelection the first time Councilmen Fisher, Mack, Mariol and Morris to be especially sensitive to constituent pressure.
Taking those holdover councilperson who voted no in 2009 and coupling them with the likelihood that more than one of the newbies will join them, it is hard to see how the administration will be able to get the Redflex proposal through.
One possibility is that the proposal "apparently" gives individual councilpersons the ability to veto the introduction of the cameras into the councilperson's wards.
Below is a copy of Safety Director Reams letter outlining the substance of the proposal.
The question is whether or not the "councilperson veto power" will be the magic potion that enables the administration to flip the vote on whether or not Redflex traffic cameras are coming to Canton.
B.A. - Political Science
J.D.
AN INDEPENDENT MINDED POLITICAL COMMENTATOR
Until 1976 I was a Republican. Since then I have considered myself a Democrat. So after long term stints of being a Republican, then a Democrat, I have come to the political position I feel most comfortable with - being an INDEPENDENT MINDED ANALYST who demands effectiveness of our politicians - Republican, Democrat or whatever.
I have changed my political affiliation to "non-partisan" by not voting in either political party primary election.
