UPDATE AT 09:20 AM
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SUBTOPICS
SUBTOPICS
LOSERS
CANTON
THE BIGGEST LOSER IN YESTERDAY'S ELECTION:
CANTON MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II
- COLE LOSS
- PORTER LOSS
- GROUP 175
CLOSE BEHIND, MARY CIRELLI
NEXT, PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS BUSINESS AGENT DAVE KIRVEN
NEXT, PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS BUSINESS AGENT DAVE KIRVEN
MASSILLON
A BIG LOSER: MASSILLON'S JOHNNIE A. MAIER, JR.
- AULT LOSS
FINALLY, MASSILLON MAYOR KATHY CATZAZRO-PERRY
- CITY REVENUES PICTURE
WINNERS
- BILL SMUCKLER
- GREG HAWK
- FRANK MORRIS
- KIM PEREZ
- MEGAN STARRETT
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THE HEALY LOSSES
The person who had the most to lose in Stark County's 2013 primary election yesterday was Canton mayor William J. Healy, II.
And he came through in flying colors.
Or, as a leading Canton politician told the SCPR last night, at the very least he is going to have to compromise with council to council's liking.
Of course, everyone who understands Hizzhonor, he is a "my way or the highway" type of guy and so there are likely to be some ugly, nasty fights between him and council with the dawn of 2014 and a new make up of council.
While Healy tried to make it appear that he was okay with either Cole or Frank Morris, III (the incumbent Democrat councilman) in the 9th ward in making equal campaign contributions to both; the truth of the matter is that he was an out-and-out Cole supporter and Cole's loss is understood by political cognoscenti to also be a Healy loss.
One of the big fights in Canton politics in 2014 is going to be the fight initiated this year by Citizen Bruce Nordman from Ward 9's Vassar Park and his Group 175's effort to force the city to get the Canton police force up to 175 officer strength.
Healy is against this move because of city's dire financial condition. He has intimated to Nordman et al that he might be open to going up to 165 in 2014.
That was before the Cole/Morris results.
And, make no mistake about it, Vassar Park's Group 175 was a key to Morris' smashing victory yesterday and one can see Healy backpedaling already and scrambling to find the money (about $1.3 million per year) to bring the CPD up to 175 officers strong.
One more thing on the Cole/Morris race.
A humongous loser from an investment standpoint were the Stark County trade unions who contributed to the Cole campaign.
In the end (including monies raised after the last reporting date: 04/17/2013) these unions likely will be shown to put more than $10,000 in to the Cole campaign coffers.
You talk about a bad investment?
Wow!
Didn't Kiiven and union pals come out looking like they flushed a big wad of hard working union members' money right down the toilet?
And the word is that Kirven is working feverishly signing up precinct committee members in his quest to take over the Stark County Democratic Party with the precinct committeepersons elections of 2014.
As readers of the SCPR know, yours truly thinks Randy Gonzalez is an ineffective party chairman (e.g. can't get meaningful opposition to Stark's statehouse Republicans [Oelslager, Schuring and Hagan]). But, at least, he not throwing thousands of dollars into hopeless causes.
SMUCKLER BECOMES MAJORITY LEADER?
There are other changes in Canton government as a result of yesterday's election results.
Long time Canton political and government figure Bill Smuckler will be returning as a councilman at large.
And he is not just "any councilman-at-large!"
He is a Healy political nemesis. Smuckler bested Healy in the 2003 Canton Democratic Primary to earn the right to face off against Republican Janet Weir Creighton in that year's general election.
That election was the beginning of a Healy/Smuckler hate/love political affair that has persisted ever since.
Love?
Yes. Smuckler did rely on Healy for help of sorts in his losing effort to become a Stark County commissioner last year in his battle against Republican Regula.
But the SCPR sees the relationship more like "political hate" or at least "intense political competition." And such is to become very evident in 2014 as Smuckler takes control of Canton City Council in either a de facto sense or a de jure (perhaps as majority leader replacing Healy ally David Dougherty - Ward 6) sense of control.
It had to be galling to Healy that Smuckler garnered the "most votes ever for Smuckler in a Democratic primary" in becoming one of three Democrats qualifying for November's general election (which is tantamount to election even if some non-party/independents file).
HAWK BECOMES FINANCE CHAIR, ONCE AGAIN?
Another negative fallout for Healy is the reelection of Ward 1 Councilman Greg Hawk. Should we now be looking to Hawk's return as the finance committee chairman with Cole's (the current chairman) defeat?
Hawk has been nursing a grudge against Healy and his council allies for having removed him as finance chairman after the 2011 elections.
If Hawk returns as the chair, Healy's life will be dramatically affected in a way not to the mayor's liking.
Remember also that Hawk was one of six councilpersons who pushed legislation to significantly increase the pay of cadet Canton police which effort was shunted aside by Cole at the mayor's request.
We should be looking for that issue to resurface in 2014, no?
One final note.
There is speculation that Jimmy Babock (councilman-at-large) will be going to work for his old boss (at the Stark County auditor's office) Kim Perez with Perez's victory in the Canton treasurer's race yesterday.
There is further conjecture that the defeated Joseph Cole would be in line to replace Babcock on council.
Hmm?
Let's see. Cole got hoodwinked into not running for reelection for councilman-at-large by Mary Cirelli. Instead he files for Ward 9. He loses big time. In the meantime he introduces legislation to eliminate council-at-large positions in Canon.
So is this an opportunity for Joe Cole to show once again what a huge political hypocrite he is?
Such would not surprise the SCPR.
JOHNNIE A. MAIER, JR. (AND, OF COURSE, SHANE JACKSON) & CATAZARO-PERRY LOSE IN MASSILLON
In Massillon's Ward 5, former Stark County Democratic Party chairman (also Massillon clerk of courts) Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. was "all-in" in the Ault/Geragherty/Starrett Ward 5 Massillon City Council race.
Now held by Republican Donnie Peters, Jr., who is not seeking reelection, this ward is Massillon's "most Democratic ward" and therefore very likely to fall back into the hands of the Dems this fall.
The Healy equivalent in Massillon is Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.
He is a guy who is a power politician who looks at politics as black and white (translated: "for Maier or against Maier") and desperately seeks to absolutely control everything he puts his hand to.
His political power perch in Massillon is in the form of Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry.
He handpicked her to take on the-then 24-year mayor Frank Cicchinelli in the Democratic Primary of 2011 and succeeded in spades in putting his person in charge of Massillon's executive branch of government.
But with her election, a "
It became obvious early on that KCP was not going to get along with a Massillon City Council controlled 5 to 4 by Republicans.
While it may seem to be a Republican/Democrat problem, it is not.
It is Catazaro-Perry being high-handed (go figure, no? - her political patron is Johnnie A. Maier, Jr) vis-a-vis council which is the bane of her existence.
Solution?
Elect KCP friendly councilpersons to Massillon City Council, no?
Enter Catazaro-Perry self-styled political gurus Maier and his acolyte Shane Jackson (political director of the Stark County Democratic Party).
One such person was supposed to have been Joseph Ault in Ward 5; a November election Democratic "plum for the picking," no?
Maier and friends pumped impressive money into Ault's campaign effort.
It seemed reasonable to think that with help from Massillon's political elite duo, Ault could be the beginning of finding an end of the mayor's frustration with council.
But it will not be Ault!
Lo and Behold! Maier and Jackson fail in their effort to help Catazaro-Perry.
Chalk Ward 5 up to being a winner for Stark County prosecutor John Dee Ferrero, Jr. (a man who has deep political roots in Massillon as having been Tigerland's law director).
Megan Starrett is on Ferrero's prosecutorial staff.
In Massillon there are three factions in the Democratic Party: the Maier faction, the Cicchinelli faction and the Ferrero faction.
While Ferrero may have won the Ward 5 battle, he lost on the city's attempt to get an increase in the income tax. And he lost big time.
Catazaro-Perry has battled Ferrero and his chief counsel John Kurtzman (also a man with deep, deep Massillon ties and history) over her desire:
- to have Massillon deal with its financial short fall with a reduction in the credit that Massilonians living in other income taxing jurisdictions get against their Massillon income tax, and
- to add fees (e.g. assess citizens for street lighting fees thereby eliminating such as a Massillon general fund expense),
as the way for Massillon to cope with its revenue woes.
Ferrero and Kurtzman make relatively big bucks as the honchos in the county prosecutor's office and by virtue of the office being in the city of Canton they pay Canton's 2% tax which because of the Massillon credit means they pay no tax (given Massillon's 1.8% tax) to Massillon.
Had the Massillon tax issue passed they would have paid an "itsy-bitsy" amount to Massillon because the new tax rate would have increased to 2.1%.
But it didn't and so Ferrero, Kurtzman and their cohort (Starrett) will pay no income tax to Massillon.
Catazaro-Perry may take some delight in the tax issue failing inasmuch as she "quietly" opposed it.
For her to do so is more than a bit perverse.
Because she now faces having to administer a city that will via council action be implementing huge cuts in city services.
Think she isn't going the face a lot of heat from a public who wants it both ways: city services as usual, but do not ask for more revenues.
In view of the lopsided citizen rejection of more revenues for Massillon government, how could she possibly continue her push her "not by a vote of the people" drive for enhanced revenues?
She may not see it this way, but the SCPR thinks that the resounding vote of the people against more taxes was an emphatic loss by her on the issue of whether or not there are to be additional revenues for Massillon government.
If she chooses to persist on her quest, should she decide for reelection in 2015; she will see her position come back to haunt her.
Catazaro-Perry may take some delight in the tax issue failing inasmuch as she "quietly" opposed it.
For her to do so is more than a bit perverse.
Because she now faces having to administer a city that will via council action be implementing huge cuts in city services.
Think she isn't going the face a lot of heat from a public who wants it both ways: city services as usual, but do not ask for more revenues.
In view of the lopsided citizen rejection of more revenues for Massillon government, how could she possibly continue her push her "not by a vote of the people" drive for enhanced revenues?
She may not see it this way, but the SCPR thinks that the resounding vote of the people against more taxes was an emphatic loss by her on the issue of whether or not there are to be additional revenues for Massillon government.
If she chooses to persist on her quest, should she decide for reelection in 2015; she will see her position come back to haunt her.
While Maier came up a loser in the Ault/Geragherty/Starrett race, all may not be lost.
In Ward 2 there was a face off between Irwin and Bobby Martin in the Democratic Primary.
And Irwin won.
There is no direct evidence that Irwin (a Stark County recorder employee) is a Maier man, there is plenty to indirect evidence.
Irwin works for Stark County recorder Rick Campbell who is married to Plain Township administrator Lisa Campbell who is the daughter of former Stark County commissioner and Johnnie A. Maier, Jr protege Gayle Jackson (son Shane is Maier's chief deputy in the Massillon clerk of courts).
So there may be hope that Maier can help out Herhonor in getting some support from council?
Probably not.
The SCPR figures that Republican Nancy Halter will win again in the 2nd in November.
So in the long run, Maier likely strikes out totally in his foray into Massillon City Council politics.
Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. a political loser twice on council?
And there could be more.
Still to be analyzed is his involvement in Ward 4 and in Ward 6.
IT'S TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, THE PARTY IS OVER FOR MARY CIRELLI?
The win by Kim Perez in the Canton treasurer's race (in terms of long time Canton politician Mary Cirelli coming in third) was a BIG surprise to yours truly.
Although yours truly did say on Ron Ponder's Points to Ponder on Monday that the SCPR would not be surprised to see Perez win; that Mary Cirelli comes in third was not part of The Report's thinking.
Mary has a history of doing well in three person races.
So her third place finish is indication that she is done in Canton politics.
Inasmuch as Mayor Healy was a big Perez supporter, he gets a little bit of being a winner with Perez's election.
More importantly, he will not have to deal with (at least, in an official capacity) Mary Cirelli any longer.
She will be off council in January, 2014.
Cirelli, while having fun with Cole in the filing deadline saga with him as to whether she was running for reelection to council or for Canton treasurer, made had huge political blunder (in hindsight) on her own.
She should have stayed in the council race. Certainly, one would think, that she could have come in at least third, if not second, in a three person race, no?
Apparently, the voters knew that Mary was unsuited to be treasurer. Prior to running for treasurer, she had never be THE person in charge. She always been either one of twelve councilpersons, one of three commissioners or one of ninety-nine state representatives.
In such contexts she could ask questions galore and thereby served in a "for the public benefit" prized role. And, she could not make screwy decisions for the body politic in these settings.
However, a Canton city treasurer, she would have been the "elected" by the people and only accountable to the people at reelection time chief executive.
Hmm?
Like her or not on a personal basis, who thinks that Mary Cirelli is chief executive material?
But do not count her out from trying a council comeback in 2015.
Probably the person who - on the merits - should have been elected is Kelly Zachary. And she did make a very credible showing. And this on top of a respectable showing against Republican Alex Zumbar in the Stark County treasurer race of 2012.
Perhaps the Stark County Democratic Party leadership should be finding a place for Ms. Zachary on next year's ballot?
SCPR CONCLUSION ON THE BIGGEST LOSER IN THE 2013 STARK COUNTY PRIMARY ELECTION
Cirelli, while having fun with Cole in the filing deadline saga with him as to whether she was running for reelection to council or for Canton treasurer, made had huge political blunder (in hindsight) on her own.
She should have stayed in the council race. Certainly, one would think, that she could have come in at least third, if not second, in a three person race, no?
Apparently, the voters knew that Mary was unsuited to be treasurer. Prior to running for treasurer, she had never be THE person in charge. She always been either one of twelve councilpersons, one of three commissioners or one of ninety-nine state representatives.
In such contexts she could ask questions galore and thereby served in a "for the public benefit" prized role. And, she could not make screwy decisions for the body politic in these settings.
However, a Canton city treasurer, she would have been the "elected" by the people and only accountable to the people at reelection time chief executive.
Hmm?
Like her or not on a personal basis, who thinks that Mary Cirelli is chief executive material?
But do not count her out from trying a council comeback in 2015.
Probably the person who - on the merits - should have been elected is Kelly Zachary. And she did make a very credible showing. And this on top of a respectable showing against Republican Alex Zumbar in the Stark County treasurer race of 2012.
Perhaps the Stark County Democratic Party leadership should be finding a place for Ms. Zachary on next year's ballot?
SCPR CONCLUSION ON THE BIGGEST LOSER IN THE 2013 STARK COUNTY PRIMARY ELECTION
The bottom line of this SCPR analysis is that - all-in-all -Mayor William J. Healy, II stands as the biggest loser in yesterday's primary election!
This election could be the beginning of the end of William J. Healy, II as a viable Stark County political figure!
This election could be the beginning of the end of William J. Healy, II as a viable Stark County political figure!
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