(3 VIDEOS): HEALY BLAMES GOV. KASICH & GOP DOMINATED STATE LEGISLATURE FOR NEED TO RAISE CANTON'S INCOME TAX OR MAKE DRACONIAN CUTS IN SAFTEY FORCES BEGINNING JANUARY, 2013. COUNCILMAN FISHER (WARD 5) REACTS

When yours truly got the word that Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II asked for time to speak at the monthly Stark County Democratic Party Jefferson-Jackson Club, the first thought was that he was going to talk about how his State of the City designation of Canton as being The Utica Capital in addition to being the Pro Football Hall of Fame City was working out specifically to be an economic boom for Canton.

And he did indicate to the SCPR in a one-on-one conversation that he believes eventually such will prove to be the case.

But in the immediate context of Canton's financial condition, being a center for servicing companies and their crews fracking for natural gas and wet wells (oil) is not going be a solution to Canton impending financial ills.

So the point of Healy's talk last night was to lay the groundwork that within the next three months (by August 1st) Canton City Council was going to have to chose to do one of three things because of a project $4 to $4.5 million project shortfall in local government funding:

• cut safety forces (police and fire) by some 90 to 100 personnel,
• mix and match budget cuts with non-income-tax revenue increases, to wit:
• generating revenues with traffic cameras,
• instituting a safety forces property tax levy,
• making a 50% cut in the city income tax credit
• eliminating the senior citizen credit
• propose a rise on the city income tax from 2 to 2.5% for approval by Canton voters

Whichever way council decides to go, Healy says the decision will not be an imposed solution.  Rather, he says, the direction chosen will include a fully engaged council.  Moreover, he says the citizens of Canton will participate in a series of public meetings.

Here is an video excerpt from his presentation last night.



Fifth Ward Councilman Kevin Fisher was also at last night's meeting.  The SCPR video recorded this reaction to the mayor presentation:



After the meeting, the SCPR engaged Mayor Healy in a follow up to his remarks before the Jefferson Jackson group. In this video see Mayor Healy explain and expand upon Canton's options and also see him go after Governor Kasich.




The SCPR agrees with Healy that Canton's dilemma going forward is because the Kasich administration in concert with the Ohio General Assembly have balanced the state budget on the backs of local government entities (cities, villages and townships). And there is more to come. Next we will be talking large cuts in local school district funding and in Ohio's contribution to higher education.

One has to wonder whether or not the rank and file local voter is going to allow Kasich and his legislative conspirators to get away with forcing higher local taxes to offset the confiscation by the State of the Ohio Local Government Fund.

Probably not.

And this means that councilpersons, trustees, mayors, board of education members and university boards of trustees in Stark County and throughout Ohio face the prospect of being placed in an impossible position: continuing cuts in local government and education funding by state government and local taxpayers saying no to an increase in taxes.

Buckle up folks.

A big political fight between locals, the governor and the Ohio General Assembly is just around the corner!