This Would Never Happen in Our Town

It is clear that Canton's mayor, William J. Healy II, is an inexperienced rookie who has no idea how to deal with budgeting and city finance.

It is clear that William J. Healy is no mayor for life.

Canton's Mayor Healy has invited the public... THE PUBLIC... to an open budget meeting on Thursday afternoon.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to bring together residents and city officials to discuss how we can work together to make Canton a better place for us all... We look forward to sharing information with our residents about what we are trying to do" (Mayor William J. Healy, Cantonrep.com, February 1, 2011).

"We look forward to sharing information with our residents?"

Open meeting to discuss the city's budget? With the public?

This kind of behavior would never happen here in Massillon.

Healy needs schooling on how to properly run a city.

First of all, Mayor Healy should pass the buck, and make the Canton City Auditor responsible for the budget.

Secondly, there should be no public budget discussions. A mayor should give the budget to city council, and order them to pass it, balanced or not.

And if a member of council questions this, Healy should recruit new council members who will tow the line, and rubber stamp whatever he wants.

Healy needs his own 'Lap Dog of the Treasury,' his own 'Taxman,' and his own 'Loyal Enforcer.'

Healy needs to gather together his own merry band of rubber stamps, so that he doesn't have to resort to "public budget discussions."

Healy also needs to spend some time in Massillon, so that he may learn the craft of governing from a true expert, a man who has spent 38 consecutive years in Massillon elected office, Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.

Frank Cicchinelli would never allow this to happen in our town.

William J. Healy has much to learn about being a mayor.