When are everyday Democrats who contribute their $15, $25 and $50 to the "more equal pigs'" political endeavors, and who walk the neighborhoods for them, and who put up political signs, and attend rallies cheering their inanities going to realize they are being played for the fools.
All of Stark County should be doing a deep, deep belly laugh when former Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. tries to present himself as a "selfless public servant" (i.e. serving "unpaid" as party chairman).
Yours truly has heard Maier over and over again talk about serving as chairman repeating ad nauseum. What he doesn't talk about is the "dividends" that the "capital" of being party chairman pays.
And Maier has cashed in big time. Moreover, he has brought along Randy Gonzales and his dear, dear friends - the Jacksons (former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson, her son Shane and daughter Lisa). These folks are just few of the "Maier political entourage" who luxuriate at taxpayer expense.
Many of the beneficiaries of Maier's political patronage are folks who have seen very few, if any, days working in the private sector.
The political dominance that Maier has succeeded in foisting on Stark County has not inured to the benefit of everyday Stark Countians, but clearly to his loyalists. The Stark public treasury is truly the "happy hunting ground" of the friends and relatives of the Stark County Democratic Party elite and, of course, the elite themselves.
Like political dominance always does, it creates a feeding frenzy for the "insiders" at the expense of the rest of us. By the time the frenzy has run its course, it is generally not a pretty picture. Just ask Statehouse Republicans. It will be years before they recover from the Noe era.
It is apparent that Maier cooked a deal with Randy Gonzales to remain on the Board of Elections. Normally, the party chairman gets that job. However, Gonzales has a conflict in interest (no surprise here - the man who wears so many Stark County government hats) and therefore the emerging political boss of Stark County cannot hold the Elections position.
By the way, here is an interesting tidbit. A source told the SCPR that when Maier made his employee (at the Massilon clerk of courts) and Stark Democratic Party Political Director Shane Jackson a member of the Board of Election, Maier's wife (who is the elected fiscal officer at Tuscarawas Township) was very unhappy.
Maier "plays his cards close to the vest." Stepping down as party chairman has been a two to three month process according to q source.
But how much time for a competitor to put together a campaign to challenge his anointed one Jackson Township fiscal officer Randy Gonzales: 14 days, at best. The political fix is in - in classical Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. style.
Like Maier, Gonzales collects government (taxpayer) money from a number of sources. He is a retired Canton city employee, is currently chief deputy to political patronage dispenser and clerk of courts Phil Giavasis and is fiscal officer (elected) for Jackson Township. Moreover, he has gotten his son a job with Stark County recorder Rick Campbell who is married to a Jackson.
What the SCPR has offered as an example of how the politicos (Republicans do it too, when they control) dispense taxpayer money to the politically favored, is only the tip of the iceberg.
And this is not just a political thing. The Stark County public loses the opportunity to land these public jobs when they are set aside for the politicos, their families, friends and loyalists.
If Stark County taxpayers only knew the extent to which the Maier/Gonzales political machine has walked away with taxpayer money via political patronage, there just might be a rebellion on Stark County's Animal Farm!
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