Massillon's Mayor for 185 days has never been one to let the buck stop at his desk.
A Target store moves into town, and he's there to take credit for the jobs created.
But when the city is short financially because of the deals he made, or the employee contracts he negotiated, it's not his problem.
Once again, the City of Massillon has embarked on it's annual 'Summer Financial Crisis.'
The city is once again over 2 million dollars short in it's budget, and it appears the mayor has abdicated his throne.
Massillon City Auditor Jayne Ferrero and City Council Finance Chair Paul Manson want to raise the city's income tax .2% to cover the shortfall.
Here's the funny part.
The voters of Massillon will have the final say.
Even if city council votes it through, the income tax increase is still subject to a vote of the people (that's us) in November. We can't imagine it being successful.
After seeing our tax dollars spent on the mortgage for a private hotel, the debt for the ill conceived expansion at the Legends Golf Course, and pay raises for the city's unions and elected officials, we don't believe the people will be willing to fork over any more money to city government.
And what does Mayor Frank Cicchinelli say about this proposal? After all, he is the leader of the city.
Absolutely nothing.
Raising taxes is politically unpopular and we have already heard that Cicchinelli is plotting a comeback in four years. After all, the term 'Mayor for Life' means just that, mayor for life.
We assume Cicchinelli is all for the tax increase, or else his loyalists, Auditor Jayne Ferrero and Councilman Manson would not have proposed it. They don't do anything without the big guy's blessing.
He just can't be held responsible.
And yes, he is coming back. (More on that later this week).
So, does the tax increase have the necessary five votes from council?
Absolutely.
Despite his protestations to the contrary, Taxman Dave Hersher loves taxes.
"Councilman Dave Hersher said Monday he had not ruled out the idea, but would oppose it at this point without more information" (The Independent, June 29, 2011).
"he had not ruled out the idea"
We bet he hasn't.
Ron Mang, who is retiring after this year, will be joined by David McCune in the rubber stamp bloc of Manson, Hersher, Mang and McCune.
One more vote to get.
Donnie Peters says no.
Larry Slagle will say yes.
Slagle, who brokered the budget compromise between council and the mayor earlier this year, will feel compelled to do something, anything.
He will vote yes.
The voters of Massillon will crush this tax hike proposal.
And Frank Cicchinelli, the man still drawing a paycheck as mayor, the alleged leader of the city, will be nowhere to be found.
Not his problem.
Raising taxes to cover up his mess is council's job, not his.
And the buck stops with Jayne Ferrero and Paul Manson, not with the mayor.
It never has, and it never will.
