IS OCTOBER 29, 2015 THE DAY?

UPDATED:  FRIDAY, 4:40 PM

Here is Healy's comment on his campaign Facebook page:

The Repository reported last night that Tom Bernabei denied that he or his campaign had anything to do with the mailer.

However, a SCPR, source who is unwilling to be identified,  just shared with the SCPR that the source thinks that is is reasonable and plausible for Healy to think that Bernabei not being entirely forthcoming on the matter.

The source thinks that Bernabei, while not likely to have participated in the creation of the mailer himself, might have had a "heads up" (The Report expression not the source's) on the imminence of a negative on Healy mailer being sent out.

Earlier in the week before the SCPR had access to the actual mailer, yours truly contacted a person close to the Bernabei campaign who denied any knowledge that a mailer was in the mail.  But this source is not as far as the SCPR knows an official part of the Bernabei campaign.

Healy in his comment does put on Bernabei a challenge "to condemn and disavow."

The question now is:  Will he?

UPDATED:  FRIDAY, 08:30 A.M.

Here is a response to the Healy threat to sue from the mailer/flyer producer going under the name Duncan Edwards (at his initiative; not solicited by the SCPR):

Duncan Edwards <duncan.edwards23@yahoo.com>  Today at 4:06 AM

To:  Martin Olson

If Healy follows through and sues then I will file a countersuit and donate any proceeds to a charity that support women who have been sexually harassed.


UPDATED: FRIDAY, 5:00 A.M.

An area media outlet is reporting that Healy denies all allegations made the the flyer (see below) mailed to some 4500 Canton households late last week which began being received yesterday.  Moreover, he is reported as saying that he plans on filing an Ohio Elections Commission complaint and lawsuit against the person(s) "responsible for the matter."

FLYER RECEIVED AT SOME CANTON VOTER HOUSEHOLDS

Also:

The mailer has reached some recipients

Duncan Edwards <duncan.edwards23@yahoo.com>  Today at 1:48 PM

To:  Martin Olson

She has not been named because she is afraid that it will make her look bad.  She is the victim.  He has some people contacting her to intimidate her.  If he denies that these thing happened then I will release to you his text messages to her. 

ORIGINAL BLOG

Do they (Martuccio, Perez and Griffin [see below]) know something?

(Source of photos:  Bernabei Facebook page)

Within the past few days they all jumped on the "independent" Bernabei for Mayor bandwagon.

With "independent" Richard Hart and Ward 1 councilman Greg Hawk, and Councilman Bill Smuckler having been on board, the addition of retiring Ward 3 Councilman Jim Griffin to the "Bernabei for Mayor" brings to four the number of councilpersons supporting the challenger to incumbent Democratic mayor William J. Healy, II who is seeking a third term.

The worrisome thing for the Healy campaign is that Martuccio, Perez and Griffin are all solid Democrats.

So why are they jumping on board which appears more and more to be a Bernabei express which is likely to produce (the SCPR thinks) at least a comfortable victory for the sitting former Democratic party elected county commissioner?

The Report thinks that word has leaked out and perhaps some of the new endorsers have learned about (i.e. seen) the content of a  "highly negative to Healy" flyer that was mailed out last Friday to over 5,000 likely Canton voters by not the Bernabei campaign but by a third party.

The SCPR has a copy of the flyer ready to publish but has agreed to withhold publication until one confirmed Canton household has received the flyer.

The Report has obtained a copy of the mailing list and has confirmed that Mayor Healy himself is on the list.

So it appears to the SCPR that it is only a matter of time until the flyer starts showing up in the mailboxes of Canton voters.

The question is this:  Is today, the day?

But the ultimate question is:  Can the man the SCPR has dubbed "the man who is the envy of the proverbial cat of 9 lives" politically survive the allegation(s) contained in this flyer?

THE BERNABEI/HEALY RACE IS OVER? THE SCPR THINKS SO!

On Monday evening a massive - for a political campaign fundraiser - turnout (in the hundreds) of a mash of Democrats, Republicans and "independents" at a Thomas Bernabei for Mayor fundraiser at the Canton Brewing Company told you everything you need to know in terms of who is going to win the November 3, 2015 election between Bernabei and eight year incumbent Democratic mayor William J. Healy, II.

Not only was the turnout impressive in terms of numbers, but it included some of Stark County's most influential citizens.

(SOURCE:  BERNABEI FACEBOOK PAGE)

Most notably Tim Timken of The Timken Company.

Another notable presence was that of newly appointed by the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee a mere week ago (September 10th) as Stark County clerk of courts; namely, Louis Giavasis:  the brother of Stark County Democratic Party chairman Phil Giavasis.

And there were many, many, many other political and government notables (Democrats, Republicans and "independents") attending the event.

Louis Giavasis supporting Bernabei over Healy is an example of "the chickens coming home to roost" or "what goes around, comes around" on Healy's treatment of various Stark County political and government figures over his eight years of mayor.

Giavasis tells a story of how dastardly he was treated by Healy when he once applied to be the Healy administration service director.

Of course, Bernabei himself, Healy's first service director and chief of staff was fired by the mayor in January, 2009 about one year after taking office.

The Canton Brewing Company (as shown above) is about four "within walking distance" blocks away from the 8th floor of Canton City Hall and the mayor's office and one has to wonder whether or not Bernabei will do a memorial walk from 120 3rd St NW to Canton City Hall as he newly sworn in mayor of Canton on January 1, 2016 in recognition that the fundraiser at the Canton Brewing Company was a clear indicator that he would be elected mayor on November 3rd.

Somewhat similar to what the SCPR did in Bernabei's Stark County commissioner colleague Janet Creighton's race against then incumbent Democratic commissioner Steven Meeks (a former Jackson Township trustee and official in Democratic governor Ted Strickland's administration) in November, 2010, today The Report predicts that the newly "independent" (as validated by the Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesay, September 9th) Bernabei will handily defeat William J. Healy, II in the upcoming general election of November 3, 2015 some 48 days.

Creighton won by a wide margin and predicted early on by the SCPR and Thomas Bernabei will too.

There is no doubt that Healy who was at the zenith of his reign as mayor on March 18th as he gave his State of the City message on the theme "Could You Have Imagined?" in which he details his perception of Healy administration accomplishments during his nearly eight years as mayor has to be absolutely stunned at the turn of events in the remainder of 2015.

In a twist on Healy's State of the City theme, Could He Have Imagined on March 18th that:

• There would some anxious moments among Healy supporters whether or not the mayor would survive Canton treasurer Kim Perez's challenge in the Democratic primary election of May 5th?
• The day before, May 4th, that Tom Bernabei would decide to abandon his Democratic Party identity to challenge him in November's general election?

Sources are telling the SCPR that Healy is lashing out at his past Democratic Party supporters and campaign donors promising recrimination and retaliation on the chance that survives the Bernabei challenge and is re-elected mayor.

Recently the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Bernabei for mayor and The Report is told that Healy was heard to be screaming out in rage on learning that he did not gain the endorsement.

There are those who think Healy recriminated against the Canton firefighters union in the aftermath of the union having endorsed Republican A.R. "Chip" Conde in the 2011 mayor's race in terms of curtailing the scope of fire and EMS coverage in Canton under the guise of fragile city finances.

The result of Healy's intimidating conduct is likely to be that in the secrecy of the ballot booth many of the Democrat recipients of the threats (and their family and friends) will be marking an "X" by the name of Thomas M. Bernabei for mayor of Canton.

Beyond the Healy intimidation, many Democrats fondly remember Bernabei from his days as the long time law director of Canton and will bolt the party in favor of his candidacy on election day.

And don't you think they will be prevailing on family of friends to vote for him also?

And, of course, nearly every voting Canton Republican (as scarce as they are compared to registered Democrats, but they vote in higher numbers than Democrats) will be choosing Bernabei.

And The Report has not even gotten to registered "non-partisan" voters.  Who do you think these folks might be voting for?

Isn't "the jig up" for Healy?

As the SCPR has written frequently, William J. Healy, II undoubtedly is the envy of the proverbial cat of nine lives in terms of his survived self-inflicted:

1. crisis, 
2. after crisis, 
3. after crisis, 
4. after crisis,
5. after crisis,
6. after crisis,
7. after crisis,
8. after crisis,
9. after crisis, and
10. after crisis, seemingly without end.

As readers of the SCPR know, yours truly has conjectured in previous blogs that Bernabei's switch from being a staunch Democrat for all of his adult political life to becoming an "independent" on May 4th has more depth to it than the reported "Bernabei was turned off by the Healy/Perez Debate" days before the May 5th primary election.

That "Tim" Timken, Jr. showed up a Bernabei's event is plenty of indication to the SCPR that yours truly is on to something as to "the real reason" Bernabei made the switch.  Folks like Timken usually operate behind the scenes.

His coming forth publicly surely is evidence that corporate movers and shakers of Canton and indeed Stark County are a significant factor in Bernabei deciding to take Healy on in the general election, no?

The SCPR thinks that Cantonians have finally had enough of Healy and as in the biblical Old Testament, to wit:  (Daniel 5:25-27)

…25"Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' 26"This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENE '-- God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27"'TEKEL '-- you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.…

In the secular world, the voters of Canton are the authority on whether or not Healy will continue as mayor.

And the SCPR thinks that the Canton Brewing Company event is the equivalent "handwriting on the wall" for one William J. Healy, II!

Accordingly, the SCPR predicts that "independent" Thomas M. Bernabei will be elected mayor of Canton on November 3, 2015.

VOLUME 2: SCPR ANALYSIS OF STARK/OHIO DEMS' BRIEF PROTESTING TOM BERNABEI'S "INDEPENDENT" CANDIDACY

THE BACKGROUND OF THE FIGHT

Today, The Stark County Political Report begins an "in earnest" analysis of the political personages, the political "ties that bind," and the arguments (legal & political) that compose the controversy of whether or not Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei (originally elected in 2010, re-elected in 2014 as a Democrat) should be certified by the Stark County Board of Elections as an "independent" candidate for mayor of Canton.

For those of you who have not done so, to get a full appreciation of the Bernabei side of things,

• at least until Bernabei's "reported to be" legal counsel; namely, Don McTigue, 
• reputedly an Ohio elections law "expert" attorney based in Columbus] files his brief,

view this 30 minute plus video interview of Bernabei by the SCPR on May 6th.

Last Friday, the SCPR did a "breaking news" on the filing by the Stark County Democratic Party and the Ohio Democratic Party at the hand of prominent and premier Stark County attorney Lee Plakas assisted by firm member Edmond Mack who also happens to be a Canton city councilman and one of seven attorney objectors to Tom Bernabei's filing as an "independent" candidate for mayor of Canton against his old boss and current mayor of Canton William J. Healy, II.

Bernabei was chief-of-staff/service director from January, 2008 until Healy fired him in January, 2009 after a rocky 12 month ride in which Bernabei was known to sit the mayor down and read him the riot act on the do's and don'ts of being the chief executive of Ohio's eight largest city.

Anybody who knows Healy clearly understands that he is a man of immense ego who the SCPR thinks will say or do nearly anything to maintain himself as being the man in charge.

Personally The Report likes Healy and has had many, many enjoyable "political junky" conversations since meeting him in the early 2000s.

He had made his way from back to his hometown of Canton from New York City and what he says was a highly successful marketing business as an outgrowth of having graduated with an MBA from the renown New York University Stern School of Business.

His father William J. "Bill" Healy had been a state representative for 26 years and ran for mayor of Canton himself in 1999 in a losing effort before passing away in 2001.

Below is a YouTube video of Jamie Healy (as William J. Healy, II is referred to by his close friends) done by Metropolis Consulting LLC in February of this year.

As with the Bernabei video above, this interview is a valuable tool for each SCPR reader to make his/her assessment of Healy the man.

While he is not a party to the protest, make no mistake about it; the Stark Dems and the Ohio Democratic Party are de facto surrogates for him in their quest to keep Thomas Bernabei off this November's general election ballot.

For as the Healy/Metropolis video shows, being mayor of Canton is everything to William J. Healy, II.

As recently as two weeks ago, Healy got very ugly with the SCPR over the critical editorial blogs that yours truly has done on his performance as mayor since he took office on January 1, 2008.

Healy has used both the carrot and the stick with yours truly which of course shows that he does not understand where the SCPR is coming from.

It is never whether or not yours truly likes or dislikes a politician.  The only question for The Report whether or not a given politician is doing good government.

The SCPR's take on Healy is that he is a master politician.  

Perhaps the best that has ever tred the Cleveland Avenue, Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Avenue.

But an effective governor, he is not.

And The Report thinks that if Bernabei makes it to the ballot; he wins in a walk over Healy.

So it is desperation time for the mayor who - as he said in the Metropolis LLC interview: IS PASSIONATE about being mayor of Canton.

Accordingly, all the stops are being pulled out to derail the Bernabei as a political independent for mayor of Canton train.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, the pro-Healy forces could not have done any better than hiring the law firm of Lee Plakas to represent the Healy interests.

Here is evidence of a person Plakas tie to Healy continuing as mayor of Canton.

And there have been contributions in the current year's campaign finance reports between Plakas associate and Canton councilman Edmond Mack to the Healy campaign and vice versa.

The SCPR has a very high regard for Mack.

A common theme of the critical of the Healy administration blogs over nearly eight years has been the "I am a survivor" factor of William J. Healy, II.

Given the numerous of self-engendered political crises that Mayor Healy has survived, he is truly the envy of the proverbial cat of nine lives.

STARTING TOMORROW WITH VOLUME 3

THE LEGAL & POLITICAL ARGUMENTS

MAYOR HEALY GETS TO FACE OFF AGAINST BERNABEI ON SHOULDERS OF COUNCILMEN MACK, MARIOL & MORRIS.

On "the morning after" it is apparent to The Stark County Political Report that Canton mayor William J. Healy, II likely escaped with his "political" life hanging in the balance" on the shoulders of Ward 8 Councilman Edmond Mack and Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol.

And, perhaps, you can add to - those of Mack and Mariol; the shoulders of Frank Morris, III of Ward 9, Greg Hawk (Ward 1 - Can you believe that?) and, of course, Healy's automatics Thomas West of Ward 2 and Chris Smith of Ward 4.

In terms of either turning numbers positive for Healy or lessening the loss to Perhaps, it does seem that the last ditch effort helped.

According to a conversation that the SCPR had with Councilmen Mack and Mariol (in a telephone call made at Mack's initiative), it became worrisome whether or not Healy was going to survive yesterday's primary challenge about a month or so ago.

Hold on there a minute Olson:  What prompted the Mack telephone call in the first place?

Okay, okay.

It was the SCPR campaign finance (TeamHealy) analytic blog of May 4th that triggered Councilman Mack to contact yours truly with an explanation for the interesting graphic The Report put up showing five Healy "expenditures" of $500 each to:

• Ward 3 council candidate Ryan Brahler (who, fortunately - the SCPR thinks - for Cantonians lost big last night)
• Ward 8 Councilman Mack,
• Ward 7 Councilman Mariol,
• Ward 2 Councilman West, and
• Ward 4 Councilwoman Smith

Some people might find campaign finance report (CFRs) to be BORING, BORING and BORING some more.

But not the SCPR.

Many who do take a look at CFRs focus on the contributions.

That is a mistake.

Expenditures can be even more revealing than contributions.

In FOLLOWING THE MONEY the SCPR found it very interesting that Healy could get 60% plus of campaign contributions (the pre-primary reporting cycle) from contributors living outside the city of Canton and 25% or so from contributors living outside of Ohio and still with a straight face run for mayor of Canton.

Perhaps even more interesting were the contributions to the campaigns (as such they are) to Councilman Mack (unopposed in the primary and November, Council Mariol, Councilman West and Councilwoman Smith (unopposed in November).

As council campaigns go, $500 is a pretty BIG contribution.

Immediately it occurred to yours truly that something was up.

For starters though, the contributions raised "a red flag" to The Report that with the financial cozying up of Healy with councilpersons was a danger that he was trying to obliterate the "separation of powers" role of council vis-a-vis the mayor and the May 4th blog addressed that concern, to wit:

A lo and behold! comes the Mack (with Mariol as a third party on the line) telephone call yesterday with the Paul Harvey-ish "rest of the story."

It seems as if Mack, Maroil and others became concerned about a month ago or so that Healy was heading to defeat at the hands of Kim Perez if something was not done in Wards 7, 8 and 9 to stop the Perez "picking up steam" campaign.

From yesterday's conversation, it appears that Councilman Mack cobbled together an effort involving himself, Mariol, Ward 9 councilman Frank Morris, III and - of all people - Ward 1 councilman Greg Hawk.

Okay, Olson hold it there "one more time!"

Councilman Greg Hawk part of an effort to salvage the mayoralty of William J. Healy, II?

You have to be kidding?  For it was Healy who had to be behind the move that put Hawk out of his treasured chairmanship of council's finance committee in the aftermath of the November, 2011 elections, no?"

Answer:  You know the adage - "politics makes for strange bedfellows."

As Mack explained it yesterday, he, Mariol and others on council think that Canton is making real progress in getting Canton moving forward in the right direction and their perception was that were Perez to be elected all of that was going to get derailed.

Missing from the group of Healy rescuers is Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher.

The Reason?

He has in the past been closely allied with Perez inasmuch as he worked for Perez when he was county auditor (2004 through 2010).

It appears he took a neutral stance in the Healy/Perez match up of yesterday.

As the SCPR has written frequently since their election in 2011 in dubbing them "the four young turks," Mack, Mariol Morris and Kevin Fisher (Ward 5) coming on council was a significant turn of events highly positive for Canton in terms of their united common purpose of turning Canton around from the disastrously flailing about and seeming directionless track of the Healy administration in combination with a leaderless Canton City Council.

And Councilman Mack is among the SCPR's "Top 10 List" of effective Stark County political/governmental leaders.

In the past, "the four young turks" and Councilman Hawk have not hesitated to take public exception to Mayor Healy on various nonsensical proposals he has advanced.

So the tale that the SCPR has told is a living testament to the adage cited above that "politics makes for strange bedfellows."

There is moreover one more troubling aspect to the Healy campaign council member contributions to at very least to members Mack and Mariol in that they incurred considerable expense in advancing the Healy cause and there is speculation that the reason that Healy made the contributions was to offset some of the expenses engendered.

If one agrees that "the save Healy" Mack initiative was instrumental in keeping the mayor on track to continue in office; then the work is hardly done.

The question is this:  Can Healy hold together his coalition which the SCPR now dubs as being "the Mack Pack?"

For now, look for the political relationship to continue.

At least until it becomes clear whether or not filed independent candidate Thomas Bernabei (now a sitting Stark County commissioner) can overcome "sure to come" legal challenges as to whether or not residency/party affiliation factors prevent him from maintaining his candidacy.

If he does, what to look for is whether or not "the Mack Pack" will stay with the mayor.

If "the four young turks" and Councilman Hawk bolt either to a neutral status (the more likely scenario) or actually cross over to support Bernabei; then it will be appropriate to surmise:  the mayoralty of William J. Healy, II is toast.

For then the shoulders will be gone and the mayor has been politically weakened so dramatically over his nearly eight years in office (one screw up after another screw up after another screw up) that it is hard to see how he can survive.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE? BERNABEI FILING SINKS HEALY MAYORALTY?

Sitting Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei was clearly anguished yesterday that "the drop dead date" for filing his candidacy as an "independent" candidate for mayor of Canton came - as a matter of election law - one day before the Democratic/Republican Party primary election day.

It is apparent to The Stark County Political Report that Bernabei gave the go ahead after much agonizing.

The Report has learned that one circulator was collecting signatures as late as 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night.

But in the end Bernabei's filing yesterday may have the effect today of an explosive torpedo of obliterating the Mayor William J. Healy, II candidacy for a third term.

And some Cantonians are unabashedly salivating over the prospect of a Healy loss.

Until yesterday's "May surprise," the SCPR's best guess was that Healy would win a relatively close race against Canton city treasurer Kim Perez mainly because of his gigantic financial resource (about 4 to 1) advantage.

From Healy's perspective, it is likely he's thinking that Bernabei waited until the filing deadline of May 4th to do his political bombshelling in order to maximize the effect.

The SCPR does not buy that line of thinking.

The Report believes Commissioner Bernabei in his saying to the SCPR that he did not want what he may or may not do yesterday to have any effect whatsoever on today's election.

He simply had no choice.  The law of Ohio set yesterday as the final filing date.  And, The Report believes, there were many Cantonians who bought into this SCPR blog message of April 16th and communicated same to one Thomas Bernabei:

It seems that Bernabei was simply responding to the call for an alternative.

Accordingly, if Healy loses and if there is a general recognition that the Cinco de Mayo (more or less) surprise was the precipitating factor, it is the SCPR's take that such was not Bernabei's intention but rather unhappily for Mayor Healy "collateral damage" given the time constraints within which Bernabei had to act or forever hold his peace.

It will be interesting to see on Wednesday (the day that Bernabei says he will speak in more specificity to the media) this candidate's take on the effect of his politically stunning action of May 4th should Healy lose today.

And, of course, he will have to answer questions about his legal eligibility to run for mayor of Canton as an independent given his strong, strong historical ties to the Stark County Democratic Party including his until the past week being part of the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee.

If that were not enough, there is a question about his residency.  As a Hills and Dales resident until very recently, he will in the words of national political figure Sarah Palin (undoubtedly one of Bernabei's favorites) "a lot of explainin' to do."

The "explainin' to do" has to do with "will his vote today" qualify to be counted and, if so, whom did he vote for in the mayor's race today ?

If Healy wins, then its political "game on" and you can bet your bottom dollar that Healy will unleash six years of pent up fury at having had his ego battered while Bernabei was his service director/chief of staff (January, 2008 through January, 2009).

Moreover, Healy with his Ohio Democratic Party connection (Chairman David Pepper contributed to his campaign), winner or not,  (perhaps in a joint effort with Perez; should he be the winner will surely roll out the legal fire power of the Ohio Dems to challenge Bernabei on multiple (i.e. his eligibility to run as an independent; his residence eligibility to run at all) fronts.

While Bernabei has not been public in his expressed disdain and disgust with the multiple Healy teflon-esque screwups over his nearly eight years as mayor, there is no doubt that tales of same have made their way back to the mayor and he has been biding his time to square things up.

Should he survive today, the time has arrived!

The rallying cry of the Healy campaign?

Since the inception (March 12, 2008) of The Stark County Political Report it has been "let the good times roll" insofar as there being politically delicious material for readers of The Report to feast on.

With this controversy and the Cicchinelli (also likely to be challenged on his eligibility to run as an independent because of long and strong ties to the Stark County Democratic Party) one, it appears that the rich content of Stark County Political Report blogs have no end in sight.

CANTON MAYOR HEALY SPEAKING FOR THE LIKES OF STARK COUNTY COMMISSIONER JANET CREIGHTON & THOMAS BENABEI? WHEW!!! WHAT'S NEXT?

VIDEOS

(ENCORE PRESENTATION)

CANTON MAYOR

WILLIAM J. HEALY, II

SAYING

STARK COUNTY GOV'T

HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE

$5 MILLION TO 

HALL OF FAME VILLIAGE PROJECT

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

SERIES OF VIDEOS

ON

COMMISSIONERS BERNABEI & CREIGHTON

RESPONDING TO HEALY'S ACCOUNT

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

Readers of The Stark County Political Report know that The Report's - more or less - reporting station and political analysis base from nearly the beginning of the SCPR in March, 2008 has been the Stark County commissioners' weekly meeting.

A big SCPR "thank you" to former Commissioner Todd Bosley who promoted the weekly commissioners' meeting as the "base of operations" for The Report - for the idea.

Though virtually powerless over much of Stark "County" government and having very little clout over Stark County's villages, cities, and townships, much of local government and government's step-sister "politics" filters through - even if in a perfunctory manner - through the county commissioners.

Despite the commissioners' meeting being The Report's government and politics "watering hole," the SCPR does get out and about across Stark County and "heads turn" when yours truly shows up a village, city, township, board of education or other local government associated meeting.

As readers know the SCPR can take the most benign and boring of meeting happenings and turn such into a very interesting story which can on occasion shake the very fundaments of Stark County's local government complex.

As dealt with in Tuesday's blog, as he wont to do, Canton mayor William J. Healy, II (who, as a local government official, is a godsend to this blogger) dropped a little morsel of "inaccurate" (at least, for now) information which got an interesting reaction from his dear and close friends (Janet Creighton and Thomas Bernabei) who constitute 2/3rds of the Stark County Board of County Commissioners.

Healy said that of the 30 millions or so - so far - committed to the newly announced in financial support of the newly announced Pro Football Hall of Fame Village "concept" project (HOF), Stark County had pledged (the SCPR's word; not Healy's) $5 million.

See this Healy video to make your own determination of whether or not it is fair for The Report to take Healy as saying that the Stark County commissioners' $5 million in county taxpayer support of the HOF project is a done deal.



One of the really neat things that the commissioners do that no other Stark County unit of local government does, is, after the official weekly commissioners' meeting is concluded, is to open the meeting to questions on the part of the media and presumably anybody else in attendance at the meeting.

The SCRP usually criticizes local government officials for their seeming "let's runaway and hide" persona (e.g. North Canton Council and Law Director Tim Fox), but the commissioners since Creighton and Bernabei came into office with their election in November, 2010 have "far and away" put their local government colleagues to shame.

So thank you Stark County commissioners Creighton and Bernabei of being "a light and a beacon" of democratic-republican principles of operation as a shining example - in this respect - of what Stark's other political subdivision of the State of Ohio can be!

At yesterday's commissioners' meeting, the SCPR during the Q&A asked the commissioners about Healy's $5 million commitment to the HOF project county government.

• SCPR Note:  The question was posed to Bernabei and Creighton; Richard Regula was off to Washington, DC to help celebrate the 90th birthday of  father and former Congressman Ralph Regula,
• (in the days when Stark County had only one congressman rather than the three Stark now has)
• ["three is better" according to Stark GOP chairman Jeff Matthews and state Rep. Christina Hagan, Republican - Marlboro.

The question to Bernabei and Creighton was:

"Did the [SCPR] miss something of a past commissioners meeting for The Report learned from Mayor Healy that the commissioners had agreed to ante up $5 million of taxpayer money for the HOF project?

Answer:  (from Commissioner Bernabei):

The SCPR had not missed anything.   No official action has taken place to put Stark County government on record as providing $5 million or any other number of dollars to the HOF project.

VIDEO:  BERNABEI ON THE $5 MILLION QUESTION



Well, then it was "Katy, bar the door," Olson was off and running with a string of questions.

As he nearly always does, Commissioner Bernabei's responses offer a "fount of knowledge" and information as to the history and the current status of "outside-the-public-purview" discussion between the commissioners (i.e Bernabei; not a majority of the board), HOF officials and other local luminaries (public and private sectors) on the "behind-the-scenes" exploratory talks that have been going on at least a year and the SCPR has the impression:  "much longer than anybody will ever admit to."

VIDEO:  BERNABEI ON WHERE THE $5 MILLION OR "WHATEVER" WILL COME FROM



VIDEO:  WHOM APPROACHED WHOM & WHEN

• SCPR Note: also some humor:  Bernabei commits Creighton to donating $11 million a la New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson

VIDEO:  COMMISSIONERS COMMIT TO A "PUBLIC HEARING" PROCESS BEFORE ANY DECISION MADE



VIDEO:  BERNABEI ON SPECIFIC NUMBER - $5 MILLION OR WHATEVER - BEING CONSIDERED



COMMISSIONER BERNABEI'S "AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER" VIEW ON HOF FUNDING



VIDEO:  COMMISSIONER CREIGHTON "INDIVIDUAL VIEW AS A COMMISSIONER" VIEW
& 
THE BERNABEI TAKE ON WHETHER OR THE HOF PROJECT WILL "ULTIMATELY" BRING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO STARK COUNTY



Before going further, readers should take note of what the HOF folks themselves have to say about the conception of the project:

Hall’s Board approves HOF Village Concept

11/11/2014 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees recently approved in concept a master plan to develop the current campus into a “Hall of Fame Village.”

At the center of the plan is the renovation of Pro Football Hall of Fame Field, the stadium adjacent to the Hall. Work on the stadium is expected to begin next fall.

The Hall of Fame will now proceed with securing partners to create a village that may include:

• a world-class hotel and conference center, 
• an Academy of Excellence that would service the corporate world, 
• a Center of Athletic Performance & Safety, 
• youth football fields, 
• retail, 
• thematic restaurants, and 
• mixed use residence for Hall of Famers and NFL Legends. 

The multi-phased project is also master planned to include other entertainment opportunities for fan engagement such as an interactive Fan Experience.
“The concept of Hall of Fame Village aligns with the Hall’s vision for the future,” stated Hall of Fame President David Baker. “The commitment by the Board of Trustees provides the staff the opportunity to begin the next steps recommended in recently completed feasibility studies.”

• SCPR Note:  HOF quote restructured to emphasize the many aspects that the project envisions.

Here is the SCPR exclusive video footage of the Bernabei/Creighton response to The Report series of questions.

It is somewhat of "an ironic twist" for Canton mayor William J. Healy, II to be speaking (or, at the very least "sharing information") for Creighton and Bernabei.

These folks have not exactly been "bosom buddies" going way back to November, 2007 when Healy defeated Janet Creighton in her quest to be re-elected (a Republican mind you, in a 9 to 1 Democratic registration majority city) mayor of Canton.

Healy defeated her and quite convincingly.

Before that defeat, Creighton was deemed by many of us political types as being invincible in Stark County elections.

And that is probably still the case outside-the-city-of-Canton.

But nonetheless, Creighton's defeat was quite a humiliation for her.

If Healy had just let things settle in and, for most of his first term as mayor, not bashed Creighton on how she administered Canton government, maybe, in time, Creighton would have gotten over her defeat by Healy.

But he could not resist the opportunity "to blame her" for all Canton's problems so as to put himself in the "savior mode" which, of course, everybody knows is still "a work in progress."

As for Bernabei, he became Healy's first service director and chief of staff.

What a mistake that was!

You talk about mixing "oil and water," what a classic case that the Bernabei/Healy hookup turned out to be.

Both are highly self-confident and Bernabei, being the veteran administrator as Canton's long time law director, he was used to giving orders; not taking them.

Healy as the newly elected mayor had to be like "a kid in a brand new 'sand box.'"

Wouldn't you liked to have been "a fly on the wall" as subordinate Bernabei started barking out orders to "Hizzhonor?"

It is amazing, but Bernabei lasted an entire year as Healy's top administrator.

But then Bernabei goes out-of-town in early 2009.

"When 'the cat' is away, the [mouse] will play," no?

That folks is "the rest of the story!"

While Bernabei was away, Healy summoned the courage to dump him.

Sorry for the diversion, but some SCPR readers might not know why The Report thinks it is just a tad ironic that Healy would dare to share information (which, is inaccurate as of December 4, 2014) much less speak for Commissioners Creighton and Bernabei.

As is evident from Bernabei's responses to the SCPR's questions yesterday, both commissioners are "bullish" for the HOF project concept and it is near certain they will find a way - one way or another (i.e. not getting into Stark County's general fund money and/or the Justice System Sales Tax [JSST] revenues) - to come up with Stark County taxpayer supported revenue stream to redirect to the HOF project.

In time, the SCPR thinks Healy will be right.

But just not now.

The SCPR has got to say that covering Stark County government and politics is "really exciting stuff."

What "a cast of characters" we Stark Countians have for village, city, township and board of education officials, no?

And you can depend on the SCPR to bleed every ounce of the intrigue out of Stark County government and politics goings on!

CANTON CITY COUNCIL, CANTON RESIDENTS CAUGHT BETWEEN A P0LITICIAN'S "PROMISES" AND ENGINEERING "REALITIES" ON CONDITION OF CANTON'S STREETS & ROADWAYS?

 

UPDATED:  4:45 PM

The following chart (modified for blog viewability) on Canton paving projects was provided by Engineer Dan Moeglin's office.

"Click" on projects graphic to enlarge.

VIDEOS

MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY

"I PROMISE ... "

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

CANTON CITY COUNCIL

DISCUSSES

"REALITIES"

OF

CANTON'S ASPHALTING PROGRAM

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

Of late, the condition of Canton's streets and roadways has become a "hot potato" political issue.

Canton residents have been weighing in on their respective councilpersons, who - in turn - have landed upon the mayor and indirectly on the city engineer:  Dan Moeglin.

The dissatisfaction with the quality of Canton's asphalt (for the most part) arteries surfaced Monday night at the regular weekly (mostly) meeting of Canton City Council, to wit:

And, of course, the only Stark County media source for "the complete story" presents council's discussion of the "withdrawn" resolution for Canton resident consumption.

Stark Countians at large have an interest in this issue inasmuch as Stark County outside-the-city residents frequent (i.e. use Canton's streets and roadways) Canton to do government business (federal, state and county [Stark County's county seat]).

Here is the video of council's discussion.



Interestingly, near the end of the discussion seven-year mayor William J. Healy, II chimed in to make a promise:



As you have now seen, his promise is to abide by the wishes of  Canton City Council members and only lay asphalt within date parameters of May 1st through October 1st of each and every calendar year.

The question that The Stark County Political Report has is whether or not putting a time stricture on the laying of asphalt is:

• practical, and
• wise

One of the best sources for determining the answer to the SCPR question posed is, of course, Canton City Engineer (for the last 9-1/2 years) Dan Moeglin.

The Report today (12/02/2014) had an approximately 30 minute telephone conversation with Engineer Moeglin which developed the following information that Cantonians and their councilpersons might want to mull over before hamstringing the mayor, the engineer and Streets Department superintendent Michael Rorar.

WHAT THE ASPHALT BUDGET SHOULD BE?

• Canton is about $9 million in arrears in its re-asphalting periodically the city's streets and roadways,
• Note:  the arrears as developed since the recession onset of 2007/2008,
• Note:  Moeglin says Canton needs to have an asphalting budget of about $2 million annually "to keep up, once it 'catches' up,"
• Canton's 2014 asphalting budget was $800,000,
• To get up-to-date over the next few years, Canton would need to have a $3.5 million to $4 million annual asphalting budget,

IS "TOO COLD" TO ASPHALT A CANTON PROBLEM?

• Not in the perception of Engineer Moeglin, to wit:
• Only once in the 9-1/2 years that Moeglin has been engineer does he recall the surfacing of any differences with a contractor (about 5 years ago) on whether or not the temperature was warm enough to effectively (i.e. to achieve a "normal" life span [e.g. 10 years]) asphalt,
• Note:  Moeglin says that Streets Department Head Rorar has come up with a sealing process that might extend the life of this type of asphalting some 3 to 4 years,
• It is in the interests of the city administration and city asphalt contractors to only lay asphalt according to Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) temperature standards of 35 degrees, 40 degrees or 60 to 70 degrees depending on whether the asphalting is:
• base, (35)
• surface,  (40) or 
• a highest standard surface asphalt, rubber mix (60/70),
• there could be days before October 1 that do not meet the ODOT standards, and
• there have been and continue to be many days after October 1st which meet or exceed the standards

DOES COUNCIL NEED TO BACK OFF ON THIS ISSUE?

No, according to Engineer Dan Moeglin.

Yes, so the SCPR thinks, with the proviso that it is productive for council to have had this discussion and exercise continuing oversight of the effectiveness of Canton's asphalting and road repair program.

But, council cannot have it both ways.

On the one hand, it appears to the SCPR that Canton City Council members want more asphalting but - on the other hand - have it done in a compressed period of time.

WHY CAN'T COUNCIL HAVE IT "EVERY WHICH WAY?"

• There are (according to Moeglin) various types of asphalting that the city takes on:
• there is the program in which every 10 years or so the city resurfaces city streets to take care of the ravage that nature imposes on city streets and roadways and there is no more patching that can be done to keep them in navigable condition,
• This part of Canton's asphalting program the SCPR thinks can be preplanned to occur only within a specified time range,
• there are those those which are part of an overall construction project (e.g. the 12 Street Corridor Project, the Mahoning Road Corridor Project and the 37th Street Project) on which the laying of asphalt is the last of many aspects (the date a given contract was entered into, relocating sewer lines, water lines, et cetera) to the project.
• This part of Canton's asphalting as far as the SCPR is concerned is not amenable to a restrictive time period

IS COUNCIL MAKING A POLITICAL FOOTBALL OUT OF THIS ISSUE?

Engineer Moeglin does not think so.

He tells the SCPR that:

• Though he was not present at Monday night's meeting, he thinks that the resolution was borne of frustration with Canton falling behind on keeping up with the condition of its streets and roadways generally and that he does not take personal offense at their expressing concerns,
• In short, Moeglin thinks that council as whole has the highest motivation and may not have a full appreciation of "the realities" of the asphalting processes and that he has worked with various councilmembers to better equip council to better understand the intricacies of asphalting,

While Mayor Healy did make a promise on Monday night to - with/without an informal resolution or ordinance - to comply with council's wishes, it might be a promise that council ought think about once, twice, and maybe even three times of holding his administration (i.e. the engineering and streets departments)accountable.

The interplay between the legislative and executive branches is a dynamic process of government balancing act.

It could be that with the proposed legislation will do more harm than good.

With Mayor Healy promising to respect council's wishes, such should be enough.

The SCPR is amazed to have to say this.

But it appears to The Report that council has made itself heard (reference:  Healy - "The message has been heard") and for now "council needs to 'trust' (i.e. "trust but verify) the Healy administration which is to say the mayor and his promise.

But the "reality" is that what council needs to do more than anything else is to pressure the administration to find ways and means to find that $3.5 to $4.0 million for Canton to catch up on it backlog.

Coming full cycle from yesterday's SCPR blog:

• While Mayor Healy makes a strong case for Canton putting $5 million in seed money into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village Project,
• if it means that the city falls further behind in its asphalting backlog in terms of:
• making up for prior years shortfalls, and
• not getting up to the $2 million a year Canton needs to be doing annually to keep up once it catches up, 
• then maybe the administration needs to lean on others within the Stark County industrial/commercial community to pick up the city of Canton's commitment?

VIDEO - "NEW" SCPR FEATURE "POLITICO-TOONS;" FIRST UP: PEREZ V. HEALY, VOL 1

The coming of Labor Day on Monday marks the coming of "the politico season."

From here on out, Stark Countians will be subjected to political ads galore.

Most of ads are pretty boring.

So The Stark County Political Report adds a new feature today to "spice things up a bit."

Between now and election day for sure, and, perhaps, beyond, the SCPR will be putting together what The Report is calling "politico-toons" which, hopefully, will be laced with parody, satire and sarcasm that makes readers smile or nod in agreement that a telling point on/about the subjects of a given "politico-toon" has been made.

As the SCPR has been predicting he would do in blogs for some time now, former Stark County auditor Kim Perez has taken out petitions to run for mayor of Canton.

• http://starkpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2014/05/kim-perez-gearing-up-to-run-for-mayor.html
• http://starkpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2014/08/first-installment-scpr-politicalgovt.html 

Enjoy!

HEALY & MORRIS, "THEY LIVE IN DIFFERENT WORLDS?"

MORRIS

THROWS

HEALY  ADMINISTRATION

"UNDER THE BUS"

IN

LETTER TO THE EDITOR?

In all of Stark County government, there could not be a "greater contrast in style" than that manifested by Canton mayor William J. Healy, II and Frank Morris, III.

And the context of the leadership roles (Healy as mayor of Canton; Morris as majority leader [vice president] of Canton City Council), put the two - at times - at loggerheads with one another.

Beyond their official roles which sometimes puts them at odds with one another, one gets the feeling that these two "down deep-in" do not like one another.

About the only similarity between the two is the fact that the two proudly bear the names of their paternal forebearers.

While day-in, day-out union dues paying member Councilman Frank Morris does wear a suit to Canton City Council meetings, one has the distinct feeling that he feels rather uncomfortable doing so.

But the Heavens Forbid! should William J. Healy, II be caught dead in wearing "jeans," especially in the world of officialdom.

About nine months ago, Mayor Healy visited Morris in the hallowed halls of Canton's Ward 9 which Morris zealously represents.

As pictured above, Healy was in a suit whereas Morris was decked out in jeans and a plaid shirt.

• Sidenote: as the SCPR suggested in October, 2013 he would, Morris has become Canton council's majority leader.

Truly, this picture is worth not one thousand but ten thousand words in communicating the differences in style between the two men.

At a certain level both play the game of "apparently" working together for public consumption purposes for the betterment of Ward 9 and the other eight wards of the city of Canton, but in terms of approach there could not be a more marked difference in approach that these two demonstrate.

But as The Stark County Political Report has written frequently over the past six years, for Mayor Healy there is only one way to work for the improvement of Canton and that is under the auspicious of "TeamHealy" with guess who at the head of everything?

Morris, on the other hand, is willing to work rather anonymously with his fellow councilpersons and as "one of many" within the context of his Ward 9.

Healy the second is an Adlai Stevenson (the urbane, the sophisticated, the intellectual) type Democrat.  Morris the third is a Harry S. Truman ("rough and tumble," "the buck stops here," in-your-face, roll up your sleeves) style Democrat.

They are like "two ships passing in the night" insofar as achieving objectives is concerned.

Given the Morris brusque way of operating, it was no surprise for the SCPR to receive yesterday a copy of a letter that he sent to the Canton Repository yesterday.

Accountability

Who’s to blame here? As the ward 9 councilmen [sic] I have taken a beating for months regarding potholes, high grass, and dilapidated properties. Yes I understand that this is what I have signed up for and get paid to do. I accept my responsibility as a councilmen and do my very best to represent my ward. Fellow council members and I have attended numerous meetings in the last few months to resolve these issues that face our community.

Yet it still appears that we as council members are not getting the job done.

As the legislated authority we can pass new laws to hold people accountable. We as council members cannot enforce the laws we pass nor do we control the parties that have taken the oath to enforce our laws.  We as council members can pass legislation to enable the City of Canton to contract with landscaper but we can’t administer these companies. We as council members can request a property be placed on the demo list but we can’t guaranty the property will be razed even after council has voted to approve it.

I may appear that I am throwing people under the bus or playing the blame game here.

My intent is only to defend my fellow council members.

They do report your issues, they fight for better service and they do care about our neighborhoods. We are real people with families, fulltime jobs, and work for the betterment of our community. So please remember that if that pothole is still there, if the neighbors grass hasn’t been cut, and the boarded up house is still standing there is a 90% chance it’s not your council members fault.

Frank Morris
Ward 9 Councilmen 

(Note:  color of text change added by SCPR for emphasis)

Now why would majority leader Morris think that "it may appear he is throwing people under the bus?

Maybe, because - by clear implication - he is?

Call it collateral "political damage" or whatever you want, the SCPR does not think this letter is going to set well with Healy administration officials.

But the mayor and relevant department heads should not be surprised that Morris would write the letter he has written.

Morris' specialty in government seems to be acting as "the bull in the china shop."

The bull doesn't intend to obliterate the china, but "after-all," there is that "red flag" to get, no?

As the SCPR sees it, Canton is in such bad shape these days from years and years of largely ineffective government (many of those years presided over by Republican chief executive officers) that perhaps the time is ripe for a Frank Morris type (immediate and direct action) to become a focal point of turning Canton around.

Nearly six years of urbane leadership is at best static.  Many think that Canton is losing ground under the political finesse and manipulation style of Mayor Healy.

The SCPR has talked with a number of Canton councilpersons about the Morris letter.  And these are council people who are more or less friendly towards Majority Leader Morris.

The consensus?

Morris is acting out of a sense of frustration in the context of "really, really caring" about the neighborhoods and core city of Canton" and seemingly not making much progress.

Another sentiment seems to be that the Healy administration is plagued with one miscue after another miscue after another miscue.

Most appear to The Report to be giving the mayor and his department heads "the benefit of any doubts" on the issue of intent to do beneficial things for the taxpaying citizens of Canton.

One councilman gives streets superintendent Michael Roarar high marks for creative and innovative ways that he is coming up with in maintaining and upgrading Canton streets and roadways after decades of insidious neglect.

Even though the SCPR has been a consistent and constant critic of Mayor Healy for being "unduly political (i.e. manipulative) in his administration of Canton, The Report thinks he wants the very best for Canton.

After all, if Canton thrives so does his political career.

Bottom line though is the question of whether or not his style of leadership is effective.

After six years of stagnation if not continued decline, isn't it refreshing to have a Frank Morris come along who does not sugarcoat things!

LOCAL OFFICIALS (VIDEOS) ARE A "LOT OF HOT AIR" WHEN IT COMES TO STATE FUNDING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT?

As early as December 20, 2010  the Stark County Political Report began writing about the draconian state funding cuts that were coming to local government (villages, cities and townships) in the wake of Republican John Kasich's election as governor in November.

And such talk was not just "whistling Dixie" on a dark, scary night to comfort oneself in the face of feared disaster.

The fact of the matter is that the Kasich administration has done what it was feared it would do on taking office on January 1, 2011.

As an Ohio political subdivision and one of the state's larger counties, Stark has absorbed the full brunt of the cuts which over the entire state has turned into a $575 million in cuts whereas Ohio now has several billions in surpluses in its "rainy day fund."

What the SCPR notes is that a few of Stark County's local government officials have struck out at state officials but that they for the most part are out-of-power-at-the-state-level Democrats.

A recent new entrant into the jawboning has been Democratic Canton city treasurer Kim Perez, who, the SCPR thinks is fixing to run against Canton mayor William J. Healy, II come next year's Democrat primary election (May, 2015).

The SCPR thinks Perez may be "more of the same" in terms of local officials (again, emphasizing mostly Democratic ones) whining about the state cuts in a grandstanding fashion and not doing anything about it.

In the following video of Perez at Canton's June 2, 2014 meeting of city council, he talks about "new" potential devastation to Canton and other Stark County and Ohio cities at the hand of proposed Amended Senate Bill 5 and of his effort to bring all of Stark County officialdom together in united action in bringing pressure to bear on the Ohio General Assembly and, of course, Stark Countians Oelslager, Hagan, Schuring and Slesnick.



As The Report wrote in October,2012 right before the 2012 general election:

The SCPR projects that Stephen Slesnick (Democrat - Canton, the 49th), Kirk Schuring (Republican - Jackson Township, the 48th) and Christina Hagan (Republican - the 50th) will win re-election next month by fairly comfortable margins.  And The Report is ready to project that the Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez (who, as Jackson Township fiscal officer, 9-1-1 governance committee chairman and Canton Municipal Court employee frequently complains about the drop off  of funding of local governments) will offer up a "sacrificial lamb" in opposition to Scott Oelslager two years hence when he seeks re-election.

In re-electing this Stark County legislative foursome, the message they receive is a loud and clear:  your seat is safe and secure no matter that you have done nothing to stop the carnage of Ohio's Local Government Fund funding of Stark County's cities, villages and townships.

To add insult to injury, beginning January 1st, there will be no more revenues from what used to be Ohio's estate tax.

And there are other legislative initiatives and failures to hold harmless that the four have participated in to one degree or another.

The SCPR really has no sympathy at all for local officials and their complaints about what Governor Kasich and the Ohio General Assembly is doing to them and to Stark County taxpayers.

Who among them has organized any pressure on the re-elective future of any of the four?

Answer:  none!

All they do is whine.

And when any one of the four shows up in local government venues, they are likely to be treated as if they are political royalty.  Kissing up to those who are hurting you seems to be the standard protocol most local government types dish out notwithstanding the financial grief that none of the four has done anything to stop.

Not that the four should be treated uncivilly, but they should receive a barrage of criticism and they should be subject to meaningful and threatening to their political longevity opposition as the come up for re-election.

The SCPR's take is that local officials really do not care so long as they can convince locals to ante up with local tax increases.

 And what has changed as we approach the 2014 general election?

Exactly nothing!

As a parting reminder that he is Stark County's "whiner-in-chief," recently retired Canton Municipal Court chief deputy and former (as of June 5, 2014) Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez has offered up a bevy of sacrificial lambs to the Republican side of the Stark County delegation in this fall's election and, in the case of his seeming "best - political - friend" J. Kirk Schuring:  nobody!"

Democratic Canton City Council president Allen Schulman is one of the foremost critics of the Kasich administration and members of the Stark County delegation of the Ohio General Assembly; namely,

• Republican Scott Oelslager of Plain township representing the 29th Ohio Senate District which includes most of Stark County
• Republican J. Kirk Schuring of Jackson Township representing the 48th Ohio House District,
• Democrat Stephen Slesnik of Canton representing the 49th Ohio House District, and
• Republican Christina Hagan of Marlboro Township representing the 50th House District

because they have done absolutely nothing to curb the $575 million in cuts despite pleas that they do so from area "mostly Democratic" local officials.

Here is a April, 2013 Schulman "rant" about the legislators.



As a consequence of the political impunity with which the Stark County delegation has failed to act to stop the financial bloodletting on local government funds, local voters have been asked (with varying degrees of success/failure) to make up for the cuts.

Accordingly, the recent outcries by Perez, Schulman, Healy and a few other outlier Democrat officials and a few whimpers by a scant few of Republican officials should be scoffed at by Stark Countians.

As far as the SCPR can tell, the protestations are all mouth.

As long as local officials can get the voters of Stark's cities, villages and townships (as, of course, school districts) to ante up new local revenues, all we will get from local officials is political rhetoric.

It could be that as voters consider new income tax increase requests and/or income tax credit reductions and the like (e.g. Alliance, Canton, Massillon and North Canton) and should they reject them, the seriousness and the authenticity of the clamor by "state cut" complaining Stark officials might actually bear fruit in terms of putting Oelslager, Hagan, Schuring and Slesnick on the "hot seat."

And, perhaps, Stark County voters ought to reject any and all new revenue requests so as to give local officials no other choice than to push back and push back hard on state government through the locals who we send to Columbus.