WHY DID FRANK MORRIS, III GO OUT AND CAMPAIGN? STARK DEMOCRATS TEACH COMMUNITY A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY?

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR/The Report) presumed that Frank Morris, III would be selected by Ward 9 Democrats (encouraged by Stark County Democratic Party chair Randy Gonzalez) to succeed recently deceased Joe Carbenia.

After all, Morris almost defeated Carbenia Democratic primary in early May.

Apparently, Morris is a suspect person in terms of party loyalty within the inner circles of the Stark Dems.

When you look at the succession process through political eyes, there probably was a lot of resentment within the party that Morris had the effrontery to challenge Carbenia in the first place.

And make no mistake about it. Gonzalez could have weighed in for Morris and he would have been selected. The SCPR believes Gonzalez did weigh in either directly or through intermediaries and the "weighing-in" was in the direction of punishing Morris.

What happened in Ward 9 is a former chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr-esque operation. Maier only brooked precinct committee persons who did as directed by the party chairman. It appears that Gonzalez will be more of the same.

In his tenure as chairman, Maier ran the Stark Dems in the model of the now-deceased Ohio Democratic kingpin (and Speaker of the Ohio House) Vern Riffe. Yours truly has seen Maier "tear-up" when reminiscing about his political mentor. Riffe ran the party in an autocratic way and richly rewarded his minions such as Maier for their unfettered personal loyalty.

But Morris is correct.

As he told The Repository as reported in Political newcomer named Ward 9 representative (August 18 - online) “Six people just told 341 people their vote didn’t mean a damn thing.”

For Gonzalez to stand by and let this happen without having lifted a finger to encourage voting precinct committee persons to pay attention to the wishes of 341 largely non-politically-connected citizens is indication to the SCPR that the new party chair is determined to drive independent minded Democratic political aspirants out of the process.

Just look at the Brian Horner connections (reference The Repository report augmented by yours truly's own knowledge).

1. He works (now for 12 years) for Stark County Court of Common Pleas clerk of courts Nancy Reinbold. Reinbold is the wife of former Common Pleas judge Dick Reinbold. Reinbold "inherited" the job from former clerk Phil Giavasis. Giavasis who heads of the "Giavasis wing," of the Stark County Democratic Party political machine, took offense when people such as Mike Stevens (Lawrence Township trustee) expressed an interest in the county clerkship. Giavasis ran for and won the Canton Municipal Court clerkship for the additional pay and to enhance his retirement. Who does Gonzalez work for? You've got it! Phil Giavasis. So Horner had a lot of powerful Democrats pushing for him but none so powerful and self serving as Chairman Gonzalez.
   
2. Taking a page out of the Reinbold playbook, Horner ingratiated himself to the Carbenia family by his campaign work for the family patriarch and put himself in position to get the "blessing" and support of the Carbenias. As good fortune would have it, he marries into the family (a cousin). Likely another reason the why the family would support him as successor councilman.
   
3. "Keeping it in the family" is a fine Stark County Democratic Party tradition (the Republicans did the same thing when they were in power). The Report has written previously about the numerous Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. connected relatives and political supporters who have found their way into government jobs (because they stood head and shoulders over other applicants?) In addition to working for Giavasis, Gonzalez is the elected clerk in Jackson Township and heads up the SCOG Governance Committee for 9-1-1. His wife works for the county and his son works for Stark County recorder Rick Campbell and he has at least one more relative that works for the county. So Horner is "a perfect fit" for continuing the family traditions of Democrats getting government jobs in Stark County.
   

It will be interesting to see if 9th Ward voters have the moxie to cut the Democrats out altogether come November.

If the Dems snub their own (341 voters), what will they do with independents and Republicans?

Perhaps voters in the 9th ward will redeem their self-respect and dignity come November 3, 2009?

THE STARK CITIZENS FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE COMMITTEE TO EXPERIENCE THE FURY OF STARK COUNTY COMMISSIONER TODD BOSLEY?

The SCPR knows Commissioner Todd Bosley well enough to believe that he has been working non-stop since the Stark Citizens Right to Vote Committee (The Committee) formed in early 2009 to find ways to defeat the committee's initiative.

What is the initiative?

To get an issue on the ballot come November to repeal the imposition of a 0.50 county sales/use tax designed to generate money to fix Stark County general fund woes and to come up with the wherewithal to repair Stark's broken 9-1-1 system.

And Bosley is not alone.

He will have the full force of Stark County government behind him.

Already, according to a Massillon Independent article Legal questions remain as sales tax foes submit repeal petitions (online - August 18):

... Assistant Stark County Prosecutor Deborah Dawson, prompted by a news article on a sales-tax repeal effort in Allen County, began researching whether the Right to Vote Committee needed to file a petition to also repeal the county use tax ...

Doesn't surprise the SCPR.

This move has Stark County commissioner Todd Bosley's handprints all over it.

Bosley does not play nice. It is hardball all the way with this guy. Just ask Richard Regula and anyone else who gets in his way.

Bosley's political future is tied to two key factors:

(1) He promised to fix 9-1-1 in his campaign against Richard Regula (2006) and he must deliver or be tagged as a failure on an issue that he said was all-encompassing.

(2) The 0.50 sales/use tax imposition was his idea and a loss means that Stark County Republicans (even lead by the squeamish Jeff Matthews) will scurry about to get an opponent for Bosley in 2010. A loss on the tax issue likely means that even a John Hagan could be problematical to Bosley's re-election prospects.

The moral of the story: Bosley is motivated.

Stark Countians and The Committee should expect a number of measures like the Dawson one and others that try to short circuit validation of the petitions.

The SCPR questions whether Debbie Dawson came up with the "news article" all by her lonesome. Perhaps a little prompting from Bosley?

And if The Committee gets by the the pre-certification challenges, the committee members can expect a full scale warfare from the hand of Bosley but also from nearly every other Stark countywide elected official (except for the judges).

The SCPR believes that committee leader Tom Marcelli will be a focus of the anti-repeal forces. Marceill's past Stark County property tax problems (he paid up on August 7, 2009) and his intemperate remarks to county officials widely reported in area media make him - in the opinion of yours truly - a distraction and perhaps a reason the repeal effort fails.

Stark Countians only need to look to the north to see what Mayor Don Plusquellic's forces did to Plusquellic recall leader Warner Mendenhall.

It strikes the SCPR how naive activists are in terms of "they better be 'squeaky clean'" on matters like taxes and personal conduct because if they are not; their political enemies will make them the issue and the issue they care about goes down in flames.

So if Marcelli remains "the visible one" for The Committee, then watch for Bosley et al to concentrate on him.

Once Bosley and friends are done with him, an unfamiliar out-of-towner would be asking: what office is Tom Marcelli running for?

STARK REPUBLICAN CHAIR MATTHEWS FAILS TO SUPPORT STARK COUNTY NATIVE TO OPPOSE BOCCIERI IN 2010 OFF-YEAR CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

The SCPR has learned that by a 3 to 1 vote among the Stark, Wayne, Ashland and Medina County Republican chairman, Jim Renacci is their choice to run against Democrat John Boccieri.

Who did the one dissenting vote go to?

Stark County native Phil Kiko on the vote of Chairman Jeff Matthews?

No.

Really?

Guess again.

Okay.

Ashland County's Matt Miller by the Ashland County chair Robert DeSanto?

Bingo!

Stark County Republicans certainly will be amazed to learn about this turn of events. As the SCPR has been saying for months now, Matthews is the undoing of the Stark Republican Party. Question is: how long is the Stark County Republican Executive Committee going to keep putting up with this guy?

The SCPR has learned that Renacci has hired a political director (thought to be from Oklahoma and is off and running like the nomination is in the bag for him.

But hold on just a minute!

Matt Miller of Ashland will run against the party chairmen's choice in the 2010 GOP primary, and, maybe Stark County native Phil Kiko too.

The SCPR believes that should Kiko choose to run he will win a close race over Miller and Renacci would come in a distant third.

If Kiko does not run, the yours truly thinks Renacci will eke out a narrow victory over Miller mostly because Miller is an extreme right wing Republican who plays well with the Republican base but not the more moderate elements of the party.

In the judgment of the SCPR, if Kiko runs then the Republicans could be competitive to win back the 16th. Whether or not he would win a general election against Boccieri would depend how the Democratic National Party is perceived in the public eye.

Cap-and-trade, health care and other major issues would play a large role with Kiko being the GOP standard-bearer.

The issues would take a back seat if former Wadsworth mayor and current Chevy car dealer Renacci proves to be the Republican nominee. The SCPR has already received input from sources indicated that Renacci may carry a lot of negative political baggage with him.

Undoubtedly, Democrat John Boccieri has to be pleased with the chairmen's choice.

The only only roadblock to Renacci carrying the day is Stark County native Phil Kiko.

Local politicos should keep and eye Kiko's decision as pivotal on whether or not there is a realistic chance that this seat is competitive in 2010.

Below are links to previous SCPR blogs on each of the Republicans interested in running.

KIKO

MILLER

RENACCI

HEALY'S MBA THESIS AT THE NYU STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: "CHAOS THEORY OF GOVERNMENT: MY PLAN TO CREATE A CASE STUDY IN CANTON, OHIO?"

Being the academic he is (at least in his own mind), Mayor William J. Healy, II might be doing a case study on the topic: "Chaos Theory of Government."

There's a rumor afoot that Healy, when he was an MBA student at the New York University Stern School of Business, came up with a brilliant idea of doing a master thesis on applying the well known scientific "chaos theory" to government and politics.

A classic definition of chaos theory is: "finding order is disorder."

So how does one apply chaos theory to government and politics?

First, one must create disorder.

Hasn't Mayor Healy done a masterful job since January 1, 2008?

As the SCPR has written frequently, Healy has generated one crisis after another. Canton roils in instability. Just do a search in the SCPR search box for "Healy."

A good part of Canton's disorder has been generated by Healy's ego-maniacal drive to be "the man-in-charge." Even his cabinet officials shake their collective heads at the paranoia that reigns on the eighth floor. Only communications director Adam Herman is trusted. Everyone else is suspect. Bernabei (former service director and chief of staff) and Nesbitt (former safety director) - both strong leaders - found out the hard way about the Healy need to be in absolute control.

The SCPR predicts that new safety director Thomas Ream will be next. Many sources tell yours truly that Ream is every bit the match of Healy for ego. So it will not be long before Ream is out.

Second, one must reconstruct by bringing for order from the created disorder.

The problem is that Healy wouldn't know order if it came up and hit him square in the face.

Council is trying to bring forth the order that Canton so sorely needs. As soon as the council persons think they are succeeding, what does Healy do. He mixes in some darkness so the order cannot be found.

Healy loves this fight.

How's that?

You just throw confusion after confusion after confusion into the mayor/council mix and where are you? Right where Healy likes it best: in the state of chaos.

The difference between scientists and the chaos theory is that the scientists are actually looking for something constructive out of the apparent disorder which can be built upon.

Healy is so utterly self-serving and arbitrary that he is incapable of identifying the positive and building for the benefit of all.

In application, Healy is unsurpassed in creating chaos.

But the other end of the theory: order out of disorder? He is in the dark!

Others will have to redeem the day for Canton.

In the meantime Canton is digging "a hole of chaos" that it will take a generation or more to dig out of!

IS COMMISSIONER BOSLEY "SPOILING" FOR A FIGHT? IS SALES/USE TAX ISSUE THE BEGINING OF "COUNTY OFFICIALS" VERSUS "THE PEOPLE?"

Recently Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote told the Massillon Independent that he is ready to file the group's signatures to put the December, 2008 Stark County commissioners imposed 0.50 county sales/use tax to a vote of the people.

Of course, just the notion of a ballot box fight is exciting to those of us who follow Stark County politics.

But this fight has an added dimension.

The leader of the Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote (Tom Marcelli) has a history, chronicled in local media, of challenging various county officials to "duke it out" over his differences with them over things such as the imposed tax (Bosley) and how various officials (particularly, Auditor Kim Perez and Treasurer Gary Zeigler) administrate their offices.

While not opposed to the ballot initiative, the SCPR has been skeptical of the Marceill-led group to pull off getting nearly 14,000 valid signatures.

A SCPR source tells yours truly that if Marcelli was the only person providing leadership to the group, the SCPR could be right. But, the source adds, there have been Stark County "heavy hitters" working sub rosa to make sure the Stark Citizens Right to Vote cohort is successful.

Could one of these sub rosa people be Stark County Board of Elections (BOE) deputy director and Stark County Republican Party chairman Jeff Matthews?

Readers are reminded that Matthews (who asks county commissioners, from time-to-time, in capacity with the BOE for more money for the BOE) appeared at "Tea Day, Tax Day - April 15, 2009" encouraging those assembled to support the petition drive.

What's more, his sidekick at Stark County Republican headquarters (Jason Wise) was the local leader of "Tea Day, Tax Day."

The SCPR believes Matthews has a huge conflict in interest on this matter.

So if the SCPR's source is correct, Commissioner Bosley is about to embark on a fight for his political life beginning August 20th.

The next date in what could be a "political Waterloo" for Bosley is November 3, 2009 should Round One go to the Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote.

Bosley worries a lot as to who will be running against him in November, 2010. The SCPR believes - that should "the repeal the imposed sales/use tax" make it to the ballot and then lose - Bosley will have an all out challenge from the Stark Republicans come 2010.

So it's not only Stark County financial solvency and 9-1-1 funding that is at state in this political fight, but it could mean the end of Todd Bosley as an elected Stark County official.

Bosley is already lining up county officials to take on the Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote. He presumes that the repeal issue will make it to the ballot. And, he is structuring the fight as an "us" against "them" tiff.

The SCPR believes that Bosley statements appearing in Stark County media that lend credence to a sort of "us" against "them" approach are "unthought" and could give the anti-forces the ammo they need.

To rephrase the point: Is it wise to make this issue one that appears to be county officeholders and their employees versus Joe and Sally Smith?

If they are on the ballot in November and the Stark Citizens for the Right to Vote can fix in the public mind that they represent the people and Bosley et al the established political order, then the odds favor the citizen action group.

From the county perspective, they need to frame the contest in the context of convincing voters that 9-1-1 is broken and voters' personal safety is tied to fixing it and that if the tax is repealed the county will be in a financial crisis that Stark has never seen before which could lead to draconian cuts in county government services.

It is beginning to look as if Stark Countians need to brace themselves for one of the biggest political fights this county has ever seen.

HEALY "TURN OVER A NEW LEAF?" - NOT A CHANCE

Mayor William J. Healy, II is well known for his tirades up on the 8th floor of Canton City Hall.

His penchant for volatility has seeped out into the public domain. Not long ago, a county official told the SCPR of an incident in which Healy started yelling at him because the official didn't respond to a Healy phone call as soon as the Mayor thought his status (as mayor) indicated.

The SCPR has learned that at a recent Stark Council of Governments (SCOG) meeting Healy burst into the meeting, interrupted the conclave to demand that newly appointed safety director Thomas Ream get up and go with Healy for an urgent get together.

Observers were taken aback at the servile way in which Ream responded to Healy's humiliating and disrespectful breech of the SCOG meeting.

How long will Ream allow such treatment to go on?

Why would the SCPR ask?

Because Ream is known to have a huge ego of his bordering on arrogance.

As Stark Countians and Cantonians, in particular know, Healy has a hard time working with others. Less than two years into his administration he has disposed of former service director and chief of staff Thomas Bernabei and former safety director Thomas Nesbitt; both men of ability and strength of personality.

Ream seems to be out of the same mold except in the opinion of the SCPR he has nowhere near the judgment acumen of Bernabei and Nesbitt.

The SCPR doubts that Ream will last long with Healy.

Just to step aside and be a little bit funny. What is it about Healy and appointees with the first name Thomas. Thomas Bernabei, Thomas Nesbitt and now Thomas Ream. Hmm?

And the Healy beat goes on at City Hall while Canton sinks to new depths!

AT LEAST ONE STARK POLICE OFFICIAL IS CIRCULATING RACIALLY CHARGED "ANTI-OBAMA" E-MAIL. HOW DEEP DOES THIS PROBLEM RUN IN STARK?

The Ohio Daily Blog (CLICK ON "OHIO DAILY BLOG" TO VIEW) has published a blog detailing an account of North Canton based police dispatchers sending out an e-mail which contained an implied racial slur.

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR/The Report) has learned that at least one Stark County political subdivision police official has sent out (in the latter part of June, 2009) the e-mail (Air Force One Tail Number) seen on the Ohio Daily Blog.

How prevalent is the e-mail correspondence of the racially tinged among Stark County law enforcement types?

The SCPR's source tells yours truly that he believes that the referenced police official certainly sent the offensive e-mail to all members of the Stark County Police Chiefs Association.

If the source is correct, the next question becomes why hasn't the source of the e-mail been reported back to civil authorities within the political subdivision for disciplinary action?