PART III: MULTI-PART SERIES ON WHY TOM BERNABEI IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF CANTON

UPDATED:  08:52 AM

VIDEOS

THOMAS M. BERNABEI

38 MINUTE SCPR INTERVIEW

ON HIS RUNNING AS AN "INDEPENDENT"

FOR

MAYOR OF CANTON, OHIO

========================

CANTON MAYOR
WILLIAM J. HEALY, II
UPSET WITH
THE STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT

========================

COUNCILMAN-AT-LARGE
RICHARD HART
WILL BE SUPPORTING
CANDIDATE THOMAS BERNABEI
IN NOVEMBER

========================

C. DAVID MORGAN
PASTOR/COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
ON
BERNABEI MAYORAL CANDIDAC

========================

LEE COTE
CANTON COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
ON
BERNABEI MAYORAL CANDIDACY

On Sunday, The Stark County Political Report began a multi-part series on the filing on Monday, May 4, 2015 (the day before the Stark County political subdivision primary election) by sitting Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei as an "independent' candidate for mayor of Canton.

As promised yesterday, the focus of today's blog is entitled:  "How Bernabei came to decide to run and how the 'last minute' effort unfolded."

But first let the SCPR deal with two things.

For those readers who cannot endure the suspense of waiting for the entire 38 minutes that yours truly spent with Commissioner Bernabei, today's blog at the very end hereof is the place where readers can access the complete interview.

Secondly, The Report approached Mayor Healy at the end of last night regular weekly (more or less) Canton City Council meeting for his assessment of last Tuesday's election and to ask him - after he has had time for reflection - for his take on Bernabei filing petitions with the Stark County Board of Elections to run against him in November as an "independent" after having been a lifetime "dyed in the wool Democrat."

Over the past seven plus years yours truly has written many, many blogs on the Healy administration.

The one that has come full circle is this one:

It has taken quite a long time, but it appears that this SCPR blog was indeed prophetic.

If he can overcome a couple of legal problems (party affiliation and residency questions), there is no doubt that Thomas Bernabei will be resigning as commissioner some time after November 3, 2015 (this year's general election date) to take up his new title:  Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei of Canton, Ohio.

From Healy's reaction to the SCPR's inquiry last night, it appears that he is not handling Bernabei's Monday filing well and the concomitant reality sinking-in that his "Ship of State" is indeed about to be submerged into the flood of his mishandling the administration of Canton city government come December 31, 2015.

Take a look at this fascinating video:  (a MUST SEE; only 1:11 in length)



After this video snippet was concluded, Healy pursued The Report as yours truly endeavored to make way to interview "independent" Councilman-at-Large Richard Hart who was a signer of one of the petitions that Bernabei filed on Monday, the 4th.

Healy was actually standing shoulder-to-shoulder with The Report thereby making it unfeasible to start the interview.

After a mini-standoff, yours truly and Councilman Hart did make our way to a location just outside council chambers and do the interview without Healy hovering over us.



But Healy was not done pursuing the SCPR.

In the exiting Canton City Chambers immediate area, Healy once again dogged yours truly and persisted in laying out his frustration to the effect that he had played nice with the SCPR over the past seven years (which is not quite accurate) with interviews and the like and all he got in return was a seeming unending train of critical blogs.

As alluded to above, the mayor has gotten quite ugly with the SCPR in the past as he wont to do with anyone (e.g. Council president Allen Schulman, Citizen Bruce Nordman et cetera) - not just yours truly - when things are not going the way he wants them to go.

That he cares what The Stark County Political Report thinks of the quality/lack of quality of his administration is flattering.

In is expressed frustration, he did reveal an apparent new tack on those who criticize his administration.

To paraphrase:  "Critiquing me is in reality tantamount to reflecting negatively on my staff, to wit:  Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams, Safety Director Andrea Perry and the like."

To which yours truly responded:  "Do not hide behind your staff.  Stand up and own what you are responsible for."

That Healy would go this route is no surprise.

Being the consummate manipulative politician the SCPR thinks he is; he will "do whatever it takes" to make himself look good.

But whether wielding "a carrot or a stick approach" is of no moment with The Report in relation to Healy or any other Stark County political/governmental person in terms of the content of SCPR blogs.

Those who read the SCPR regularly know that subjects of The Report's blogs, whether "naughty or nice" to yours truly personally, get the same unvarnished scrutiny.

In an ironic twist, the "sinking ship" theme of the January 26, 2009 blog still applies but in this version Tom Bernabei's leadership skills will likely end up righting the Canton "Ship of State beginning January 1, 2016.

Also weighing-in last night on the Bernabei candidacy for mayor last night were:

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST LEE COTE



COMMUNITY ACTIVIST C. DAVID MORGAN



Now to today's question:  "How Bernabei came to decide to run and how the 'last minute' effort unfolded."

As a precursor to going through the interview, let the SCPR say that yours truly believes that there may well be "an unseen hand" factor in Commissioner Bernabei's run for mayor.

And if there is, it has to do with the Hall of Fame Village project announced last year.

Of all the initiatives that have been advanced from various Stark County leadership quarters, the Hall of Fame Village concept is the one which far and away has the most potential to equip Canton and Stark County to become a economically thriving community.

The SCPR conjectures that "the behind the scene" Stark County leadership is uncomfortable with William J. Healy, II being at the helm of the Canton "Ship of State" and therefore have had a significant role in Bernabei opting to take on the mayor.

The mayor has been involved in far too may scrapes which he has miraculously survived for the likes of those who staff Stark County's private sector leadership element, and, likely, also for a majority of Canton voters.

So - from the interview - how did "out-of-the-blue" in Bernabei's own words the petition drive begin?

To make it easier for readers to go to those parts of the interview that are of interest, the SCPR has compiled an index to use to zero in on the desired points of viewing.

"In a nutshell," the SCPR interprets the Bernabei 38 minute interview as saying in an overall sense he running because Mayor William J. Healy, lI:

• lacks leadership skills, and
• character traits of:
• integrity and
• honesty

As is expected of the SCPR, The Report has gathered information in graphic form for readers to peruse on the matter of Bernabei's "new" - old - city of Canton residence.

HEALY PREVIEWS " STATE OF CITY" MESSAGE FOR SCPR

REVISED & UPDATED
10:00 AM

NEXT WEDNESDAY
 - PRO FOOTBALL HOF - 
6:00 P.M. 

VIDEOS

MAYOR HEALY
"TEASE"
ON
NEXT WEDNESDAY'S
STATE OF CITY ADDRESS
=================
CITIZEN BRUCE NORDMAN

CITIZEN'S PERSPECTIVE
ON CANTON'S PROGRESS

Canton mayor William J. Healy, II expects a SRO "Standing Room Only" if not a "show up late and get turned away" crowd at Canton's Pro Football Hall of Fame next Wednesday.

Some 400 or so persons are expected to show up next Wednesday to hear Healy speak.

The SCPR has attended each and every William J. Healy, II presentations since his first presentation in 2008.

Some of which have had a handful of attendees.

But not these days.

Healy, who has been "a survivor" as mayor notwithstanding that he has been the topic of many, many of a controversy most of which have been self-inflicted.

Hizzhonor now stands at the pinnacle of his political power.

Less than two years ago, the SCPR who has been a frequent critic of the mayor wrote this (LINK) stinging blog (one of many over the past seven years) on Healy.

But he just plows on.  Seemingly unperturbed, he puts controversies behind him and moves on.  And such appears to be a successful formula for seeing outrage dissipate and soon to be forgotten except, of course, with the SCPR.

The Report tabs Mayor Healy as being the envy of the proverbial "cat with 9 lives."  For he has survived crisis, after crisis, after crisis to be where he is today which is again to say "at the pinnacle of his political power."

And to hear Healy's survey what is yet to come: "Ya ain't seen nothing yet."

Healy expects the groundwork his administration has and continues to lay in terms of economic development, beefing up Canton's policing, major roadway development (e.g. the 12th Street corridor, the Mahoning Road corridor and the upcoming Fulton Road NW project), clearing away Canton neighborhood blight) to bear fruit over the next three, four or so years the likes of which Canton has not seen in many, many of a year.

It was a touch ironic that at Monday night's council meeting Group 175 proponent Bruce Nordman appeared at "Public Speaks" and pretty much lauded the Healy administration for nearly getting the CPD strength up to the 175 figure that Nordman's group has been fighting for.  During the fight, Healy and Nordman have had some brusing one-on-one battles.

As with other controversies, guess who comes out of it not only unscathed but perhaps getting a large share of the credit for having met the challenge and triumphed?

You've got it!

None other that Canton mayor William J. Healy, II.



The realization and being on hand as mayor to reap the rewards might make it difficult for him to heed a call to run for statewide office as the SCPR suggested may be forthcoming in a recent blog.

With all that in mind, the The Report did a video interview with Mayor Healy Monday night asking him to give a "tease" of what he has to say at the Hall of Fame.

Here is that video.



Healy tells the SCPR that on April 8th he will be holding a fundraiser and he expects to be among his attendees none other than announced United States senatorial candidate Ted Strickland, recently elected Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper and former Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher.

That Strickland et al are willing to attend a Healy fundraiser should tell readers that the SCPR's blog about Healy being a potential statewide candidate in 2016 is not all that far fetched.

The Report believes that the upcoming May 5th Democratic primary against Canton treasurer Kim Perez will prove to be "a walk in the park" for the mayor and tantamount to his reelection as mayor for a third term.

As for the presentation - Remember Healy's admonition: "show up at least by 5:30 p.m. if not thirty minutes earlier or risk being turned away.

A far cry from a State of the City address held at Malone University just a few years ago (2011) attended by a mere handful of Cantonians.

Such is the continuing story line of the oft beleaguered but undaunted mayor of Canton, Ohio!

CANTON"S "SEED FAITH" MAYOR? A MIRACLE IS ABOUT TO SAVE CANTON, STARK COUNTY?

 VIDEOS

CANTON MAYOR

WILLIAM J. HEALY, II

HOW TO LEVERAGE $5 MILLION

=====================

CANTON CITIZEN

PETE DiGIACOMO

HOW TO GET MAYOR HEALY'S ATTENTION

As a meeting like a Canton City Council unfolds, The Stark County Political Report sits back and thinks about the goings-on and pictures the significance of what has just transpired.

More times than not an image comes to mind to capture the essence of the message The Report puts into blog form.

Last night's council meeting and the few moments that Mayor William J. Healy, II spoke instantly burst into the phrase "it's a miracle" akin to Jesus turning "water into wine" in the imagination of yours truly.

In answer to a citizen critic's complaint that Canton was taking (so far, only on the word of the mayor, council still has to put its stamp of approval on it) $5 million of the city's precious few dollars and putting it into the enhancement of Fawcett Stadium and adjacent Pro Football Hall of Fame facilities.

Take a look at this two minute video.



So there you have it.

Citizen DiGiacomo saying that the $5 million ought to be put to work to improve the fast deteriorating infrastructure of Canton.

Quite a telling criticism of the use of taxpayer dollars, no?

That is if you live in any ward of Canton, except perhaps, the 8th Ward (37th Street to 55th Street where the mayor lives [52nd Street]), no?

Though Mayor Healy is quick to moan and groan about how the city can't afford to:

• hire additional police,
• hire additional fire,
• hire additional paramedics,
• pave more roads,
• repair sidewalks,
• fill pot holes in the Spring,
• tear down vacant and abandoned houses,

and, on and on goes the list; he apparently agreed to put $5 million into the Hall of Fame complex without a second thought.

DiGiacomo spoke during the Public Speaks portion of the last night's meeting.

The mayor's response, if any, would not come until the end of the meeting.

So yours truly is sitting there and thinking: How is Hizzhonor going to handle this one.

The most likely thing that came to mind was that he would simply ignore DiGiacomo.  Yes!  Blow him off!!  As the mayor not infrequently does when criticized.

The Report should have known better.

After the fact of his response, it is obvious that the mayor - if it would not have seemed "unseemly," would have bounced out of his chair and ran to the lectern and gave a big "I love you Citizen DiGiacomo" hug.

Really?

Indeed.

Just hold tight until you see the SCPR video of the mayor's performance err response.

It was a virtuoso politically astute performance!

As readers of the SCPR know, though over the nearly seven years of this blog The Report has been a big time critic of the mayor, yours truly has given him his due as being a premier politician.

Mayor William J. Healy, II may be one of the most accomplished politician that Canton and Stark County has ever seen.

Now that's quite a statement.

Let's see.

In Canton's history, there is William McKinley who just happened to become president of the United States of America.

While not quite at the McKinley level, there was (thank you "Massillon Review") Canton's seeming "mayor for life" Stanley Cmich.

And Canton and Stark County old timers reading this blog will reminisce in their memories of others who knew how to perform political jujitsu with the best of politicians who have graced this part of northeast Ohio.

But the SCPR thinks Healy is the master.

He has been in one scrape after another scrape but has always come out relatively unscathed or perhaps even enhanced in the perception of some.

Long time Councilman Bill Smuckler (Democrat at Large) should be taking a bow about now.

Smuckler is the only politician in Canton who can present this picture for public consumption.

You've got it.  Only Bill Smuckler has the distinction of have bested William J. Healy, II.

While the SCPR likes Bill Smuckler and thinks he is one of the best politicians in all of Stark County in terms of holding his peers accountable and promoting programs and policies to bring people together, he is - say this kindly, Martin - not the most charismatic politician in Stark County.  Consequently, he lost to Republican Janet Creighton in 2003.  Really?  Yes, in a 9 to 1 Democratic registration advantage city in which he has had great success running for council.

It must be the lack of charisma thing, no?

So it has to be a real sore point to Healy that the one blemish on his success as a candidate is to Bill Smuckler.

Here is Healy in all his glory last night.



Healy unfolded a miracle last night in seemingly doing a biblical "turning water ($5 million) into wine" (mega millions to be sprouted from "mustard seed?")

In the immediate term, Healy claims credit that the $5 million of taxpayer money by his administration has turned into $32 million, to wit:

THE MONEY

• $5 million, Canton, ("seed money")
• $5 million Stark County government
• $10 million State of Ohio
• $2.5 million Stark County foundations
• $22.5 million subtotal
• (enough to repair/replace stadium)
• $11 million:  Benson
• (New Orleans Saints owner)
• $33.5 million subtotal* (more or less)
•  * (By the SCPR's computation)
• Hundreds of millions more to come????
• (Phase I and II combined
• (Cannot talk about)
• NEW TOTAL: ????????????? "SKY IS THE LIMIT!"

THE RESULTS

• Fawcett Stadium gets repaired, replaced and renamed and Pro Football Hall of Fame annual game "saved" for Canton,
• A Pro Football Hall of Fame Complex comes into being:
• Jobs for Cantonians/Stark Countians,
• Tax revenues flow into Canton,
• Money for:
• more police?
• more fire?
• more ems?
• more paved streets?
• more abandoned houses get torn down?
• ???????????????????

The SCPR thinks that he took a real thrashing "for the moment" with the critique of his administration by Citizen DiGiacomo.

But at the end of last night, Healy in the hearts of minds of most of those assembled, the SCPR thinks, convinced them that the promised $5 million to the Hall of Fame Village project is a good and productive use of Canton's scarce general fund dollars.

And coupled with his forthcoming "Canton Citywide Comprehensive Plan" (right before next May's primary election), his out-and-out support (using taxpayer money) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame project makes him - in the opinion of SCPR - a shoe-in to be elected mayor next November.

Kim Perez and anybody else who thinks they are up to taking this mayor on in this election cycle is dreaming.

Unless, of course, the mayor self-destructs.

Over the past several years, it appeared that Healy was self-destructing before our very eyes.

But his expected demise was an illusion.

William J. Healy, II is one swift politician who deserves the title of being the "master of illusion" in his hometown of Canton, Ohio.

On the merits of the question ("the best and highest use of the $5 million), the SCPR thinks DiGiacomo is right.

While Healy implies that the mega millions Hall of Fame project would not be going forward without Canton's "seed" money, the SCPR thinks that such is nonsense.

About the only thing that the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce (COC) has going for it in terms of economic development for the greater Canton/Stark County area is the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Even without Canton's $5 million, the COC would have found a way to cobble together the mega millions needed to save the Pro Football Hall of Fame for Canton.

And that is what the SCPR thinks the Hall of Fame/Fawcett Stadium project is all about.

None of Stark County's leadership has put it in those terms.

But the SCPR thinks that keeping the HOF in Canton is probably what the current hype is all about.

For some Cantonians/Stark Countians, Canton $5 million "investment" makes sense.

There are businesses, business organizations, non-profits, foundations and labor unions who will benefit.

It also makes sense for the National Football League.

And, these factors should proceed "full speed ahead" in footing the bill.

But does it make sense for a city that is crumbling before our very eyes to ante up $5 million?

The SCPR sees Citizen DiGiacomo as a heroic civic figure who has the temerity to go up against  a miracle worker.

The final question is whether or not Healy, the political magician he is, can produce real wine for Cantonians?

Will his gambit with $5 million taxpayer dollars turn out to be a miracle or a mirage?

CAN "EVERYDAY" CITZENS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

VIDEOS

CITIZEN SIMON IN ACTION

COUNCILMEN

FISHER & GRIFFIN

RESPOND ON

SIMON EFFECT

MAYOR HEALY

ON

GROUP 175 EFFECT

MAYOR HEALY

ON

CITIZEN COTE CRITICISM

The SCPR thinks the "hotbed" of citizen action is between Cantonians and Canton city government.

But after last night, The Report has to ask whether or not Canton's councilpersons and the Healy administration seeming interest in citizen input and acting thereon is simply a mirage?

Citizen Laura Simon was first up at last night's Public Speaks.



On September 8th, Ms. Simon was behind the lectern in the weekly (or nearly so) opportunity afforded by council to citizens to - in effect - lobby the council and/or the mayor and his administration to see things the citizens' way and to change course on policy formulation and/or implementation.

On the 8th Ms. Simon pushed council to override Mayor Healy's veto of previously passed legislation (June  2, 2014) whereby Canton's income tax credit would have been (if not vetoed) been restored to a full 2% (which is the current rate of Canton's city income tax),to wit:

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 102 JOURNAL PAGEMINUTES OF THE MEETING SEPTEMBER 8, 2014-557-

LAURA SIMON: Good evening everyone. My name is Laura Simon. I live at 520 32nd Street NW, Canton,Ohio 44709. I am here tonight to express my views on Ordinance 108/2012 which changed the city income tax credit for residents of Canton who work in another municipality from 2% to 1.7%.

I am unhappy and think this Ordinance is an unfair tax targeted to a certain group of Canton city residents. On July 30, 2012,City Council voted on Ordinance #108 to reduce the income tax credit from 2% to 1.7%. This is a 3/10's of a percent tax increase to all working Canton city residents that work in another municipality. The vote was 6 to 6 with the tie breaking vote by President Schulman who voted yes.

The discussion previous to the vote was by Councilmen Morris and Fisher.

Their concern was about construction workers being penalized becausethey could work aside the city of Canton and incur the additional income tax.

I will give you another concern. Me. I have lived in Canton 30 of my 39 working career years. The last 25 years have been with my 3rdgeneration family business in East Canton. Our business has an accountant who, to keep track and pay the income tax due to each of the municipalities where our employees live.

When I filed my 2013 city income tax, I had already paid the correct amount.

The accountant had adjusted to the additional 3/10's of a percent.

I did not recognize the change and did not realize at the time I was paying 3/10's of a percent more city income tax than my neighbor. It wasn’t until my college student daughter’s Canton city income tax paper came back in the mail, stated that she owed more income tax. She lives at home and went to Kent State University main campus and worked in Kent. It wasn’t until the second letter came, that I investigated and found out that she also has been penalized an additional 3/10's of a percent because she lives with me but worked in Kent. I understand that Canton needs more money.

I understand that it is difficult to ask Canton city residents to vote to raise the income tax but targeting only the working wage earner because they work in another city is unacceptable.

I do applaud however our Treasurer, Kim Perez and Councilman Morris and Smuckler in trying to reverse this inequality this past spring only to be passed in Council and vetoed by the President, by the Mayor in June 2014. Mr. Mayor....

PRESIDENT SCHULMAN: Well ma’am you’ve got about 15 seconds to wrap it up if you don’t mind.

LAURA SIMON: Do you remember when Stark County Commissioners voted on their own to raise the county sales tax. People who feel they were taken advantage of by the, that very group that was voted in to watch over them, don’t forget that action.

PRESIDENT SCHULMAN: Thank you very much ma’am. That’s, that’s all we have. Thank you.(APPLAUSE) And Miss Simon I would invite you to stay through the meeting. I’ll be happy to make some remarks in Miscellaneous Business for you.

LAURA SIMON: Will you give me a refund.

PRESIDENT SCHULMAN: I would probably give you a refund, yes.

(SCPR note:  colored text added to differentiate)

On September 22nd, Canton City Council did just that.

Councilmen David Dougherty (Ward 6), Kevin Fisher (Ward 5) and James Griffin (Ward 3) changed their votes from July and the mayor's veto was overriden.

Give Citizen Simon a "high five!," no?

Well, according to Simon some of her friends and relatives did.

The SCPR got to thinking.

Did "everyday" Citizen Simon's September plea "really" have any effect on Dougherty, Fisher and Griffin.

First, listen to Fisher and Griffin after last night's meeting.



Think Simon should have been "high-fiving" over her "apparent" victory?"

Then there was the announcement by Mayor William J. Healy, II that by January, 2015 (only months before the Democratic Party primary election) that his administration would be beefing up the overall strength of the Canton Police Department from its current 162 members to 169.

Readers of the Stark County Political Report will recall the many blogs

The Report has done with regard to a group of Ward 9 Vassar Park citizens (self-described as being Group 175, headed up by everyday citizen Bruce Nordman) wherein various members are shown seemingly week-after-week-after-week besieging council and the mayor to beef up Canton's finest to 175 police officers strong.

With Healy's announcement, the SCPR could not resist.  The Report put to the mayor the question of what effect the Nordman/Vassar Park Group 175 had on his administration being on the brink of the Canton Police Department (CPD) getting to 175 strong.

Here is Healy's answer.



What do you think?

Is mayor giving Group 175 any credit for pushing him and prodding council to push him to get the CPD to 175 officers?

The SCPR thinks "not really."

For generally the egos of public officials are such that they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that "everyday" citizen-activists had any role in their "seeing the light."

And so much "hurrah" for everyday citizen Leon Cote for thinking he could get Canton government to be more efficient and effective in bringing diversity to the CPD.

Here is Healy responding to Cote's criticism that Canton "is not getting 'enough bang for the buck' spent" with its current hiring diversification program.



Healy sees the need to bring black Americans in greater numbers into the police force to be of  such a critical factor that he told The Report last night that if Canton does not, then, perhaps, Canton will become the "Ferguson, Missouri" of Ohio!

And yet the administration's program of developing diversity resources is not working if one give credence to information provided the SCPR recently by Canton Civil Service director Sam Sliman.

So to return to the base questions:

Canton Canton citizens make a difference?

Are they currently being effective with the Healy administration and with Canton City Council?

First of all, the SCPR knows and can point to a number of Stark County examples wherein citizens have been shown to be difference makers.

However, the politicians are loathe to give "everydays" any credit whatsoever for having moved them on any given issue.

Which phenomenon bleeds in to the answer to the next question.

Is citizen action effective?

The Report thinks it is and has been and will continue to be in Canton, notwithstanding the "in effect" denial of Fisher, Griffin and Healy.

Which responses the SCPR does not quite get.

Shouldn't public officials be eager to signal "everyday citizens" they are heard and whenever the officials can do so they incorporate the ideas and recommendations of "everydays?"

Oh! but that ego.  The ego not successfully managed by many human beings and certainly not by the politician public officialdom.

For way too many politicians/public officials must be "the greatest" and "have all the answers," no?

REDUCING CANTON'S INCOME TAX CREDIT: A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE AND/OR PERCEPTION & NOT POLITICS AS USUAL?

DID MAJORITY LEADER MORRIS VIOLATE OHIO'S SUNSHINE LAW IN GETTING THE VOTE FROM 7 TO 5 TO 10 TO 2?

UPDATED:  8:35 AM
(COUNCILMAN FISHER INPUT) 

Re: Tax credit

        Kevin Fisher
        Today at 8:30 AM

To:  Martin Olson

Marty,

    Regarding your blog post this morning speculating  on the veto override vote from Monday, please allow me to address how I came to my vote.

First of all, while you are correct in your assessment that council members do have respect for Member Dougherty, he played zero role in my vote Monday, as he and I did not discuss the vote at all between June and September. In fact, I can not recall Member Dougherty ever contacting me about my vote on any issue. My vote Monday, was consistent  with my original vote in 2012. The change was on the vote in the middle, when I felt I did not have enough information on the impact the repeal would have on the increased staffing in both the police and fire departments. In the months since, I have seen an additional three monthly revenue reports and feel, that while there will be an impact, that impact will less than previously forecasted.

--
Kevin L. Fisher
Canton City Council - Ward 5
(330)-489-3223
(330)-412-4681
kevin.fisher@cantonohio.gov  

 

ORIGINAL BLOG

As readers of The Stark County Political Report know, The Report sees "politics" everywhere in the operation of Stark County and political subdivision government.

But the fact is that not everything is political.

The problem is rightly discerning what is political and what is not.

And rightly dividing is not as easy as one might think.

It could be that the vote by Canton City Council this past Monday night (10 to 2) to override Mayor William J. Healy, II's veto of a 7 to 5 "pro-restoration" vote on June 2, 2014 (LINK to blog of June 3, 2014)  of Canton's income tax credit to a full 2% for those Cantonians who work outside the city was not primarily political.

After talking with the principals (Mayor Healy and the Dean of Canton City Council - Councilman-at-Large Bill Smuckler), the SCPR thinks that as with whether one sees a beautiful woman or an ugly woman in the graphic headlining this blog is "a matter of perspective; a matter of perception."

According to Councilman Smuckler's interpretation of the vote, the predominant reason for the override was that council became convinced that Canton suffers from a public perception of not being citizen/business friendly.

And Smuckler is out to change that perception.

Some might say that Smuckler is being political in that he is preparing to run for mayor in the Democratic primary next May.

But the SCPR thinks not.

Smuckler has admitted to The Report that he has given thought to running against Healy for a third time (one win [2003] and one loss [2007]) but that he would only do so - if at all - on the condition that a third match up were a one-on-one race.

Though he has not taken out petitions yet, The Report understands; Canton City treasurer Kim Perez has announced that he will be running against the mayor for the Democratic nomination.

So it appears that Councilman Smuckler does not have any political motive for leading (along with Morris) the effort to rollback the credit reduction.

Kim Perez may.  But Mayor Healy downplays to The Report the possibility that his announced challenge is tantamount to his playing politics with this issue.

From Mayor Healy's perspective, the whole matter of the reduced income tax credit is about "not rushing to judgment" on the matter and that the prudent fiscal thing to have done was for council to have waited until December to decide if city finances are healthy enough to justify restoring the full credit.

He does get just a tad pointed and perhaps political in saying that council members can't have it both ways which is to say for them to demand more street department employees, firemen and police but vote to reduce revenues coming into city coffers.

To The Report, on this point the mayor is to be read as being "fiscally concerned," not "politically retributative."

As he pointed out in the conversation between the SCPR and himself yesterday, he is the person that the public will be focused upon if there is a shortfall or "unacceptable to the public" inadequate budgeting for street repairs, fire and police come his submitting a budget to council in December.

A big unknown to the mayor is the degree to which "in the legislative hopper" HB 5 will adversely affect Canton's finances.

For the SCPR, the mayor makes the more persuasive argument.

The only caveat to The Report's take is that Smuckler says that the recent authorization by council for Canton treasurer Kim Perez to update the treasury's computer system will not kick in for another six months and that reliable information of loss of revenue entailed in restoring the tax credit (estimated by some to be $400,000 or so) will not be available until after the December voting deadline.

If Smuckler is correct on the treasury input, then "why wait" becomes more viable.

Nonetheless, after mulling it over, the SCPR still comes out with what harm is there to the pro-tax-credit position forces having waited.

The most powerful thing about council's position is that Canton needs to begin yesterday to change the perception of Canton not being community friendly and each day lost is a day is something Canton cannot afford to indulge.

So whatever side one wishes to take, each has potent arguments that cannot be evaluated at the present time as to whom history will record as having the better "on the merits" take.

It is refreshing to the SCPR that Monday's differences between the mayor and council seem to be squarely in the camp of a different non-political perspective/model and not on political jockeying and Canton City Council "politics as usual" in the face of the upcoming 2015 council and mayoralty races.

This even though announced Healy foe and Treasurer Kim Perez has jumped on the bandwagon along with those councilpersons who supported the original council voted reduction on July 30, 2012 as a "temporary" measure" until city finances improved.

Ward 6 councilman David Dougherty (a former majority leader, who lost the post in a contested fashion to Ward 9 councilman Frank Morris, III) gave as his reason for switching sides from the June 2nd vote that "temporary is now over."

It seems to the SCPR that Dougherty, if he were a sore loser to Morris, would have, on Monday evening, found a reason to stick by the mayor.

That he did not, is evidence to The Report that his switch over was not in the least political.

Moreover, though the SCPR has blogged that Dougherty does not have "the best bedside manner" vis-a-vis everyday citizens as was manifested when he sat in the president's chair during the Public Speaks portion of council's agenda, The Report believes that he is highly respected by his fellow councilmembers and that he likely was a key figure in persuading the likes of Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher and Ward 3 councilman Jim Griffin (retiring from council after his current term) to join with the pre-existing seven in rescinding the income tax credit reduction.

Now that Canton's finances have improved, according to Smuckler, in that city income tax collections are at an all-time high and that Canton is receiving about $4 million annually in casino tax revenues which he estimates is a recovery of about 2/3rds the oft-Healy cited loss of some $5 million to $6 million in State of Ohio undivided local government monies, inheritance/estate tax revenues and utility taxes and the like; it was appropriate for council to act as it did on Monday night in overriding the mayor's veto.

One reader of the SCPR suggested yesterday to The Report that Majority Leader Frank Morris' words at Monday night's meeting, to wit:

Majority Leader Frank Morris intentionally kept his plans to reconsider the ordinance off the prepared agenda. Morris said it took several weeks of work among council members to establish the veto-proof majority.

“It took a lot of council work,” Morris said. “It was a collaborative effort. I think the attitude on council is beginning to change, and we’re starting to work better as a unit.”  (Cite: City Council overrides veto, restores tax credit, Matt Rink, The Repository, 09/22/2014)

was clear indication to the reader that Morris had perpetuated a Ohio Sunshine Law meeting in recruiting a veto-proof majority.

The SCPR made a point of asking Mayor Healy in a Tuesday late afternoon telephone interview if a Sunshine Law violation was in his thoughts as the vote unfolded on Monday night.

He said that it did not and on reflection he does not think that Morris did anything wrong in going about persuading Dougherty, Fisher and Griffin to switch their votes.

Smuckler tells the SCPR that council had assurances from Law Director Joe Martuccio that the change from 7 to 5 on June 2nd to 10 to 2 on September 22nd would not be a violation of Ohio's Sunshine Law in the light of statutory interpretation by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

The Report tried to contact Martuccio prior to the writing of this blog but was unsuccessful.

The point of the SCPR bringing up the Sunshine Law factor is to further substantiate that the debate of the timing of the override vote was just that:  "a debate over the merits/demerits of proceeding on Monday night" witness Healy's unwillingness to ascribe a Morris.

Healy pointed out to The Report that only one councilperson needed to change votes from June to September for the vote to be veto proof.

It follows that even if Morris had caucused with three of the five voting no in June, three only represents 25% of council as a whole.  The question becomes how is that the equivalent of a majority deciding in a private session to vote to override?

It is rather unusual for the SCPR to side with Mayor William J. Healy, II on anything.

But The Report sees very little downside - with all due respect to the "perception argument" of Councilman Smuckler - to council to waiting until December to take a vote.

The most encouraging thing about the debate is that, insofar as the SCPR can determine, it was a largely, if not completely, a non-political process.

Perhaps "a debate on the merits of respective positions phenomenon," more than Smuckler's perception thing, is a reason for Cantonians to have hope that the out-and-out political days are over.

Not that the SCPR thinks that things between the mayor and council will not again have episodes of "politics as usual" at play.

But the debate on the override seems to be an instance of seeing a beautiful woman in the lead graphic with the lady of ugly politics being nowhere to be seen.

The SCPR commends Mayor Healy and Canton City Council for elevating the override debate to a level of their differences being a matter of perspective.

With more instances of this type of interplay between the mayor and council and the democratic processes of government in Canton could become "a beautiful thing to behold," no?

(VIDEOS) WILL CONGRESSMAN GIBBS DELIVER "THE PUDDING" TO CANTONIANS?

VIDEOS

JENNIFER KIKO

OF

GIBBS OFFICE

FIELDING QUESTIONS

OF

SMUCKLER

&

WEST

==============

KIKO VIDEO #2

FIELDING QUESTIONS

OF

HEALY,

SCHULMAN

&

MARIOL

==============

 MAYOR HEALY

ON
FUTURE

OELSLAGER

APPEARANCE

===============

SCPR/SCHULMAN

ONE-ON-ONE 

“Our country is falling apart and that is why I keep harping on this loss of federal and state money.”

Monday night's Canton City Council meeting was chocked full of happenings.

One that was somewhat surprising to The Stark County Political Report was that Republican Congressman Bob Gibbs (who hails from "very rural" Holmes County [Lakeville]) sent his Canton-based constituent services representative Jennifer Kiko to Canton City Council with a simple point:

"We are here to help; How can we help?"

That the congressman himself did not appear, puts the sincerity of the Kiko's entreaty in question, no?

Even if Gibbs himself had shown up, the problem is:  Who would believe he has much interest helping Canton?

As Canton City Council president Allen Schulman says in a post-meeting SCPR video interview that appears later in this blog, "the proof [will be] in the pudding" of Gibbs representation.

The SCPR daresays that very few in the room (mostly moderate to liberal Democrats) really believed that the congressman who is:

•  very, very conservative

• who is outranked in conservativeness on "social issues" by only 14% of Congress meaning only 60 or so other out of 435 congresspersons are more conservative than Gibbs

is interested in helping out "down-and-out, struggling" Canton, Ohio.

It could be that Canton is facing its trying times of staying afloat since The Great Depression of the 1930s.

Kiko's appearance made for good political window dressing.

Not that Gibbs needs it.

A place that Canton mayor William J. Healy, II and Canton Council president Allen Schulman did not point to on Monday as perhaps why Canton has an "unsympathetic to 'urban' area problems congressman" was to former Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez who, as the then-chairman of the largest area (population wise) of the 7th District (i.e. Canton and surrounds), allowed Gibbs "a free ride back into Congress come this November.

Moreover, Gonzalez stood by and watched as Republican J. Kirk Schuring (a Republican member of the Stark County delegation to the Ohio General Assembly; the 48th Ohio House District) also got "a free ride" back to Columbus.

About a month ago or so Canton city treasurer Kim Perez (a former Stark County auditor and Canton city councilman) was blowing off about how Schuring et al  (i.e. Oelslager and Christina Hagan) were hurting Canton with their support of the the loss of some $5 million in local government funding at the hands of the Republicans in Columbus.

However, when questioned by the SCPR about what "action" he was going to provide to hold Schuring, Oelslager and Hagan accountable, he demurred.

Really?

He back off his criticisms?

Yes!

Canton had made a miscalculation of the cost (city officials blamed the Ohio Department of Transportation) of the 12th Street NW Corridor roadway project and had a multi-million-dollar shortfall.

Canton officials went to Kirk Schuring and he was instrumental in finding $2 million to help with the shortfall.

So get it?

End of Schuring criticism from Canton officials?

Never mind that Canton and many local governments have ongoing, severe financial problems that are in dire need of a restoration of state funding to fix; after all, Schuring solved the Canton/ODOT? miscalculation problem, didn't he?

As The Report thought, Perez's posturing and pontificating was just that!

Moreover, it appears to the SCPR that the only thing that Gonzalez and his fellow leadership Dems care about these days is electing George T. Maier sheriff.

In the face of the coming statewide Republican landslide in Stark County and across Ohio (so the SCPR thinks), it will take a political miracle for Maier to have been anything other than the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee "appointed" sheriff.

Even if Maier is elected, how does that help Canton with its severe financial and economic development problems?

An elected Connie Rubin (Republican Scott Oelslager's [Ohio 29th Senate District] Democratic opponent in November), a return of Democrat Stephen Slesnick to the Ohio General Assembly (the 49th House District) and the election of Democrat Debbie Cain in the 50th House District might actually be a help to Canton in fending off a new round of local government cuts expected with the all but certain reelection of Republican John Kasich as governor.

So as far as the SCPR is concerned, the Jennifer Kiko thing was "a dog and pony show" for a congressman of a gerrymandered congressional district

• which is designed to more or less guarantee that a Democrat cannot win (especially when they do not even try as is the case with Gonzalez and Stark's "organized" Democrats)

to feign interest in urbanized Canton.

Here is how the show went:

Kiko introduces herself during the Canton City Council Committee of the Whole work session which precedes each and every council meeting.

Of interest to readers will be the questions and requests of various Canton council members.



As seen, Council Bill Smuckler (Democrat, At Large) had an incisive question about a federal "unfunded" mandate (EPA) that will cost Canton "sorely needed for other purposes" dollars.

As seen, Councilman Thomas West (Ward 2) had a question about the possibility that Canton will have to return $1 million to the federal government should its attempt to be a landlord to public housing fail.

Next, President Schulman provided Gibbs Constituent Service Representative Kiko with time (which Schulman used as an opportunity to provide her with "take 'this' message back to Congressman Gibbs) to speak at the "formal" meeting of council which, again, of interest to readers will be the question, requests, points of various Canton council members (Councilman Mariol, Ward 7, in this excerpt) and Mayor Healy.

• SCRP Note:  
• In his comments Schulman pointed out:
• Her coming to council might be an opportunity for a dialogue between local government officials, state officials and federal officials on how to meet the needs of the country's urban areas,
• Canton is short $7 million in presumably combined federal/state funding of Canton government,
• Canton has 100 year old water pipes and roads and bridges in urgent need of repair and that Gibbs and Congress needs to get behind a federal infrastructure funding program of local communities across America,
• In his comments, Mayor Healy opined:
• That Gibbs is part of the State of Ohio problem in that he was a part of the Ohio House Republican caucus that started Ohio's cutback on local government funding, and
• That over the past 10 years, there has been a 50% cut in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies and asked Kiko to carry a message of the importance of CDBG monies for urban areas,
• In his comments, Councilman Mariol:
• focused on the federal minimum wages standard (currently $7.25 per hour) and the need that it get raised so that working Cantonians/Ohioans/Americans can earn "a living wage,"

If Kiko video #2 is not of enough of the polished, urbane and highly articulate Schulman; here he is in a post-meeting interview:



During the meeting, Mayor Healy interrupted (reference:  second Kiko video above) to say that he had information from Senator Oelslager that he wanted to meet with council.

In a post-meeting follow up with Healy, it is apparent to the SCPR that an Oelslager coming to Canton council will not be like Jennifer Kiko showing up and actually taking questions/request "in full public view."



No, Oelslager will do like Mike DeWine and Kirk Schuring did some months ago (which The Report thinks it is an outrage for democratically elected officials to allow).

And what did DeWine and Schuring do?

Met in private!  That's what!!

Some accountable democratic-republic officialdom we have in the City of Canton, Ohio?

But we should not be surprised if the Oelslager meeting is private.

Remember this is a council who voted to go into executive session to discuss who was going to be Democratic majority leader (also vice president of council) in December, 2013?

Gibbs, Oelslager and Canton City Council?

Just terrific models of a thriving democratic-republic, no?

What's more, does anyone really think that Congressman Bob Gibbs who represents a largely rural district and who is very, very socially conservative is going to weigh in on infrastructure money, more CDBG money and a higher minimum wage to benefit urban voters?

ARE THERE "8" CANTON COUNCILPERSONS WHO WANT TO MOVE CANTON FORWARD? COUNCIL VOTE TAKES PLACE TONIGHT!

UPDATED AT 07:40 AM

Both Ward 8 councilman Edmond Mack and Councilman-at-Large Bill Smuckler are ardent proponents for providing Canton's citizens with the right to determine whether or not the city shall operate under its own operating rules (i.e. a city charter) or under those provided by for by the State of Ohio.

On the eve of Canton City Council's vote, the SCPR spoke with both and Mack thinks proponents will get the votes (eight needed) to get the issue on the November 4th ballot.

Bill Smuckler, on the other hand, thinks it is likely that only six, perhaps seven, councilpersons will vote to allow Cantonians to decide for themselves.

But Smuckler does concede that there is a chance that Mack's optimism might prevail.

The SCPR has tabbed Mack as being "Captain Courageous" for working for more than a year to get this matter before council.

Charter government has had a tough way to go, Mack is the guy who The Report thinks will see it through to the end and ultimate success. (In the video below [June 30th Canton City Council Committee of the Whole], Mack gives detailed justification for Canton going charter



To The Stark County Political Report, it would be a sad day indeed in the history of Canton city government were five city councilpersons to deny thousands of Cantonians the opportunity to vote on the future structure of Canton government.

As Mack tells it, the councilpersons to watch the vote on the third reading of the proposed ordinance are Councilperson Morris, Dougherty and West.

As Smuckler tells it, even though he says Mayor William J. Healy, II supports the measure, the proposal will likely fail because Stark County trades union leader David Kirven (who lives in North Canton - "a charter city") has lobbied hard and often with councilmembers to deprive Cantonians the opportunity to weigh-in with a vote on how the city will conduct the business of government after January 1, 2016.

Kirven is said to be demanding "a guaranty" that minority Cantonians will have a place among commissioners to be elected to a charter review commission should the voters agree that a plan be developed and presented to them within a year.

Particularly disappointing to the SCPR is the likelihood that the thoroughgoing liberal of Canton City Council government (matched only by council president Allen Schulman; namely, Kevin Fisher of Ward 5, (see his video at this LINK) seems set to deny Cantonians the basic democratic value of "the vote."

His concern is that areas like his southwest Canton ward location will be left out in the cold when it comes to:

• having its interests protected in the make up of a Charter Commission which has one (1) year, if voters were to give a "go ahead" - if allowed to vote on at all - to formulate a proposed "new" structure of Canton government which itself is subject to voter approval.
• having its interests protected in the "new" proposed structure,

Mack yesterday told the SCPR that he is disappointed that it is likely Fisher will be among the "no" votes depriving Cantonians of the right to determine their own structural future because he considers Fisher to be a scholar more than a politician looking out for his own political hide as it appears (to the SCPR; not Mack's assessment) that those other councilpersons who it is anticipated will deprive Cantonians the right to weigh in on their own future.

Mack has said in the past that he considers going to a charter government to be "a no brainer" inasmuch even if the Canton were to make no changes whatsoever in the shape of its government, the city would be benefited by being loosened from the strictures of State of Ohio control on every aspect of local government and acquire a flexibility that most Ohio city governments now enjoy (LINK to Ohio Municipal League [OML] list of Ohio cities having charter form of government; Note:  Mayor Healy is president of the OML)

The SCPR trusts that Fisher will reconsider his articulated opposition and show that he trusts democratic processes to provide for the interests of all Cantonians including Ward 5.

The Report was surprised to hear from Mack that he thinks of all people, Ward 2 councilman Tom West might be a "yes" for allowing Cantonians to decide for themselves on the issue.

For on July 22, 2013 as the-then chairman of the judiciary committee (Mack is currently the chairman), he and Mack debated the relative merits of the charter form of government with West being in the negative.

It would be astounding were West to vote for Mack's proposed ordinance.

More importantly, a "yes" vote would be a demonstration that West is more thoughtful than some think.

The SCPR's perspective on West is that he, like Fisher, is a political liberal and political liberals say they are bullish on folks "having the opportunity" - via the ballot box - to make their own political determinations.

Were he to vote "no," the SCPR sees his seeming devotion to democratic processes as being "selective" indeed.

Not long ago, West got an initiative on the ballot to change councilpersons current two year term to four years.

His issue failed, but he had every right to pursue the question with voters.

The flip side of that is, of course, that he should favor Cantonians have the same right on the charter government issue.

Councilman Mack shared with the SCPR a poll taken by Ward 9 councilman Frank Morris on whether or not Ward 9 citizens wanted the right to vote on the charter issue.

While the SCPR appreciates having the poll results and if Frank Morris wants to be in tune with his constituents and America's basic democratic values he will vote "yes" on the ordinance, The Report thinks that our basic democratic values rule and command that our elected officials (the "republican" side our "democratic-republican" form of American government) demand that "the people - at large - be allowed to vote" no matter what a sampling (i.e. a poll) might indicate.

Here is an extract from the Ward 9 Facebook poll:

The third of Mack's "councilpersons to watch" as the vote unfolds tonight is Ward 6 councilman David Dougherty.

Mack tells The Report that Dougherty voted to place a charter issue before Canton voters in 2006 and he expects the former council majority leader to stay committed to "letting the people decide."

Councilman Smuckler told The Report that he thinks Mayor Healy is supporting Mack's initiative because he intends to run for a spot on the 15 member commission provided for by Ohio law and use the position to get rid of the likes of himself, Councilman Richard Hart (a former Republican who now say he is an "independent") and the possibility that Councilwoman Mary Cirelli may try a political comeback in the November, 2015 elections.

Mack addressed with The Report the concerns of Councilpersons West and others that minorities would be left "high and dry" in that they may be excluded from election to the commission (the vote for the commission is citywide) and perhaps suffer a "double-whammy" with a commission proposal that has the potential to dilute minority representation from the wards.

Mack thinks their concerns are merited.

And he pledges that he personally will do everything within his power to promote the election of minority members to the review commission.

He said he thinks that there are "stand up for minority rights" Cantonians who will follow his lead.

Mack cites Corey Minor-Smith (ran against Richard Kubilus for Canton Municipal Court judge) and Kelley Zackary (ran a very respectable race against Republican Alex Zumbar in November, 2012 for Stark County treasurer and Kim Perez for Canton city treasurer in November, 2013) as examples of potential candidates who have demonstrated vote pulling power that he and other Canton political/government officials could get behind to enhance their chances of winning a commission spot in a citywide election process.

Councilman West and Councilwoman Chris Smith (Ward 4) are prohibited by Ohio law as councilpersons from running for a commission spot.

The bottom line for The Stark County Political Report that Canton needs a "shot-in-the-arm" in terms of a more flexible government like say Columbus (since 1914) has to gain more ability to respond to the demands of its citizens.

Those councilpersons set to vote "no" tonight will undoubtedly object to the SCPR characterization of their vote as being either "for" or "against" the fundamental values of our cherished democratic-republican form of government.

But that is how The Report sees it.

No matter what kind of dressing the "no" voters want to put on it, the SCPR thinks that such a vote is grounded in personal political concerns of one form or another.

Councilman Smuckler may be right.

He and others may be the target of those who want to eliminate his historical storied critical assessment of matters that come before council.

It says volumes of his commitment and devotion to the American democratic-republican form of government that he is willing to take the risk that he will personally suffer from a restructuring of Canton government.

Smuckler is the lead on this issue that all of Canton's councilpersons should be following tonight!

Exercising community leadership on the charter government issue includes the Canton League of Women Voters.  This non-partisan group (as a local branch of the national League of Women Voters) has for decades and decades promoted the placement of democracy-enhancing structures and procedures into all levels of American government.

That the Canton branch has weighed in on the Canton charter government is not surprising.

Here is a copy of a letter sent by the Canton League to Canton's councilpersons:

July 7, 2014

President Allen Schulman and members, Canton City Council
Canton City Hall
218 Cleveland Ave SW
Canton OH 44702

Dear Council Representatives:

On July 14, Canton City Council has an opportunity to allow the voters of the city of Canton to make an important decision regarding the organization of our city going forward.

As president of the League of Women Voters of the Canton Area and on behalf of the League’s board, I urge you to vote “yes” to allow Canton’s voters to make the determination whether the city should or should not adopt a charter form of government. This form of direct democracy will empower the residents of Canton to shape our city’s future.

Best,

Amy Shriver Dreussi, PhD
President, Canton Area League of Women Voters

Although the SCPR thinks well of the League of Women Voters, The Report thinks that the hardened councilmembers will likely view Canton group's letter as the effort of "a bunch of do-gooders" who do not understand "realpolitik."

It could be that the SCPR is too cynical of the motivations of elected officials and that they do pay attention to the likes of the League

Moreover, let us trust that Smuckler's skepticism is unwarranted and Mack's optimism that Canton's legislative glass ends up 3/4th full at the conclusion of the vote is well-founded.