(VIDEOS: HEALY, SCHULMAN & CITIZEN VAUGHN) ANTI-FRACKERS FORCE CANTON'S MAYOR HEALY TO WITHDRAW OIL/GAS LEASE DRILLING PROPOSAL? COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALLEN SCHULMAN HAS ADVICE FOR ANTI-FRACKERS: GO AFTER THE GOVERNOR & YOUR LEGISLATORS!

Canton Mayor William Healy, II denies that such is the case, but the SCPR believes that persistent civic action by Stark County's anti-fracking community (e.g. Public Speaks presentations galore going back to when the ordinance first appeared on Canton City Council's agenda) forced the mayor to withdraw an ordinance which was up for its third and final reading last night at Canton City Council meeting.

Several councilpersons told The Report that had the measure actually been voted upon by council, it would have failed.

Council's main objection was that the ordinance as presented seemed to give the Healy administration carte blanche on negotiating leases.  Healy, being the highly skilled politician he is, seized the opening to avoid an embarrassing defeat on an up or down vote by saying in effect:  "Okay, I will not insist on council preapproval.  Let's do it this way.  My administration will do all of the prep work and seek oil and gas companies to negotiate with and if everything is right (i.e. financially remunerative to the city and does not jeopardize Canton's water fields), we will then come back to council where we expect approval."

Here is a video of Healy's reaction when questioned by area media about his action of withdrawing the lease drilling proposal.



And here is the videotaped reaction of anti-fracker Kristine Vaughn in which she acknowledges that she believed that the withdrawal of the ordinance by the Healy administration was a victory of sorts though she rather would like to have seen the ordinance stay on the ballot so that it could be defeated and have it over and done with.



Another interesting aspect of the meeting was council President Allen Schulman lecture of the anti-frackers in attendance to the effect that their quarrel is not with Canton City Council.  But rather it is with Governor Kasich and the Ohio Legislature.

It was the Ohio General Assembly (including Stark County's legislative delegation) who in 2004 (HB 278) and in 2010 (SB 165) voted to take away local control of oil and gas drilling. (LINK to previous SCPR blog that deals with the legislation in more detail)

Here is Schulman admonishing the anti-frackers.



And here again is Kristine Vaughn on videotape answering Schulman.



The SCPR believes that Ms. Vaughn's unease and unhappiness about the withdrawal of the proposed ordinance was when she realized that the withdrawal in realpolitik was not a good thing for the anti-fracking movement. 

Healy's tactical move is somewhat analogous to a baseball hitter having two strikes on him who gets a pitch that is unhitable in terms of getting good wood on the ball and getting a base hit.

So what does a good hitter do?

He goes all out to foul off the pitch in hopes that the next pitch is one that he can hit out of the park or at the very least get a single.

Folks, that's exactly what Mayor Healy did last night.  He knew that the ordinance was going down to defeat and he did what any skilled politician would do:  Salvage the situation.

And Healy did.

Whether or not Canton will eventually agree to lease its lands for oil/gas fracking is far from a dead issue with the man who on March 1, 2012 tabbed Canton, Ohio as being "the Utica Capital" of Ohio!

(VIDEOS OF COUNCIL DISCUSSING TAX INCREASE): CANTON'S ONLY CHANCE TO CONVINCE VOTERS - COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALLEN SCHULMAN AT THE HELM?

After taking in Canton City Council's Finance Committee meeting of last week, the SCPR believes that Canton's only chance to get voters to approve a tax increase in the November general election is if Council President Allen Schulman surfaces as the de facto leader of the effort.

It looks like a mistake to The Report that in the reorganization of council after the election of November, 2011 that former long time chairman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) was removed as chairman in favor of avowed Mayor William J. Healy, II ally Councilman-at-Large Joe Cole.

It was interesting to sit and watch as committee member Hawk largely just sat and watched as Cole more or less fumbled his way through the meeting. Hawk has been vexatious to the mayor over Healy's four plus years in office and you can bet that the pro-Healy forces (most personified by Majority Leader David Dougherty)  now firmly in control of council saw to it Hawk got relegated to the sidelines.

As the SCPR sees it, the move ousting Hawk was foolish in light of the likelihood that it has been apparent for some time to the council leadership that Canton was going to need to convince voters to increase its revenues.

Here is a video of Cole invoking Healy and the need for unity on the tax increase question in getting the meeting underway.



A measure of redemption was nigh as Council President Allen Schulman intervened to give the meeting some structure insofar as identifying "real" factors that council and the administration has to deal with  if there is to be a prayer that a tax issue will pass.

It is interesting to note that Schulman was the councilperson invited by The Repository to write an Op-ed in yesterday's edition.  Hmm?

Here is a video of Schulman setting up the framework and specifics of the discussion at last Thursday's meeting.



One ray of light from the membership of the finance committee is Ward 8 Councilman Edmond Mack.  He made a number of thoughtful comments and asked meaningful questions.  One important question he raised (which nobody seemed to have an answer for) was about the impact of casino revenues as a partial offset to state of Ohio cuts in local government funding.

Also, newly appointed Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol showed he may be an up and coming council participant in terms of adding zest and zeal to council confabs.

Members James Babcock and James Griffin appear to The Report to be wallflowers who contribute very little if anything to legislative analysis.  Nor do they seem to bring any insight as to how council can effectively interact with the Canton voting public.

Babcock, having been an employee of former Stark County Auditor Kim Perez, talked about the fluxation of real property rates in terms of taxpayers paying more or less taxes which raise an absolute amount of money depending on a given taxpayer's real property valuation.

Outside the finance committee Councilman Kevin Fisher (Ward 5) made significant contributions.  He joined Babcock on the real property tax dynamics description and weighed in on dedicating any tax increase to the exclusive use of building up Canton's safety forces.

While Councilwoman Mary Cirelli (councilwoman-at-large) did participate in the discussion, The Report is not sure how relevant her contributions were to the discussion which focused (under Schulman's de facto leadership) upon which revenue raising measure would be the fairest to the greatest number of Cantonians, and figuring out ways and means of getting Cantonians to buy into a need for raising taxes in the first place.  She did point out that other tax issues (e.g. Stark Parks and the Stark County District Library) will be on the November ballot.

All that can be said for Ward 4 Councilwoman Chris Smith is that she was at the meeting.

That's more than can be said for Councilman Thomas West and Majority Leader Dougherty (Ward 6).  Both were inexplicably absent.

Councilman Frank Morris, III (Ward 9) was unable to attend because of a family situation.

At the end of the day, it looks obvious to the SCPR that whether or not a new tax issue passes, whatever its form, will largely be determined by how much time and effort Allen Schulman invests in the process.

Council veteran Schulman does have the political skills that one needs to be a de facto leader and not, in taking on such a role, offend the likes of a Joe Cole.

In the judgment of the SCPR, Cole is unprepared to put together a persuasive package that Canton's voters will accept.

Schulman can.  But will he take the lead, even if in a background modality?

Canton's financial viability could depend on his willingness to do so.

CANTON CITY HALL'S ACRIMONY CUP "RUNNETH OVER;!" COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALLEN SCHULMAN LEADING THE FIGHT TO REIN-IN THE HEALY ADMINISTRATION?

The Stark County Political Report knows that politics is "hand-to-hand" combat.  And the pugilism is in full swing at the moment at Canton City Hall.

Council president Allen Schulman (yesterday) wrote the following comment on an earlier story by the SCPR:

Martin... 

I read with interest your two part commentary on Herman and the Mayor. I trust you now understand my total disgust with the idea of retaining a " communications director"in this time of economic calamity. Moreover, it is my informed view that Herman is a bully and a political hack for the Mayor. Check out the city web site and you will see what I mean. I will continue to call him out.

Allen Schulman 

Schulman's comment was published by the report under "comments" at the bottom of the original story.

But the "I will continue to call him out" part of Schulman's comment deserve special attention.

Why's that?

It means that warfare at City Hall will not be stopping anytime soon.

The SCPR has a report that a nasty exchange took place between Schulman and Healy immediatly after the regular Council meeting on Monday.

It is totally believable that the exchange as reported actually took place, but The Report is in the process of getting the principals (sort of) to respond.

What do you mean by "sort of?"

Well, Mayor Healy will not talk to the SCPR so yours truly asked Herman, Allen Schulman's favorite "bully" and "political hack."

Herman, who was quick to jump in with an email denying that the Healy administration had blocked the SCPR access to city empoyeees, said he was not present at the alleged "verbal" altercation and therefore could not respond.

Hmm?

Let's see.

Herman knows that Healy will not talk with the SCPR and he is Healy's mouthpiece so why doesn't Herman go and get the Mayor's take?

Could it be that the report is totally accurate and Herman can't spin it in a positive way for Hizzoner?

We all know the history of the Schulman/Healy long standing acrimonious relationship that periodically breaks out into the press.

Folks, get used to it.  It is not going to end anytime soon.

By the SCPR calculus, the "hard feelings" between Canton City Council and Mayor Healy's administration (mostly limited to Healy himself and Adam Herman) will continue until the Democratic primary election, 2011?

"The Democratic primary election, 2011?

Yes!

If he lasts that long, that's when Schulman et al will have settled on a candidate to replace Healy as mayor.

The lamentable thing for Cantonians is that for two years they will have to wait until a new administration takes over for Canton to get on the move repairing itself from the damage done the city by Healy (I use the term loosely, folks) "leadership."

If Healy truely cared about Canton, he would resign today!