Yesterday, Massillon voters sent our Extraordinary Mayor for 52 Days a powerful message.
Enough.
The two Republican candidates Cicchinelli and his team were backing, mayoral candidate Lee Brunckhart and Clerk of Courts candidate Meagan Todaro-Kirchener, were crushed by Kathy Catazaro-Perry and Johnnie Maier respectively.
Crushed.
Were they crushed because they were Republicans in a Democratic city?
Nope.
The other Republicans fared quite well.
As a matter of fact, the Republicans took a majority of the seats on Massillon City Council.
Loyal Cicchinelli rubber stamps David McCune and David Hersher were separated from their council seats by Ed Lewis and Milan Chovan, Jr.
The rubber stamps are down to two members, Councilman at Large Paul Manson, and Council President Glenn Gamber.
The voters of Massillon split their tickets.
They supported Democrats Catazaro-Perry and Maier, and elected Republicans Sarita Cunningham (Ward 1), Nancy Halter (Ward 2), Donnie Peters (Ward 5), Ed Lewis (Ward 6) and Milan Chovan, Jr. (at Large).
What the voters did do was eliminate the Cicchinelli supported candidates.
Both Democrats and Republicans.
Brunckhart
Todaro-Kirchener
Hersher
McCune
It was a complete, total, and utter repudiation of the Cicchinelli administration.
Because the people of Massillon have had enough.
Enough of the staggering debt.
Enough of our park tax dollars being hijacked to subsidize a failing gold course.
Enough of sweetheart deals for favored developers.
Enough of paying the mortgage for a private hotel.
Enough of paying the mortgage for a senior housing complex, while the owner collects the rents.
Enough of a city that doesn't pay it's bills.
Enough of a City Engineer ginning up reasons to justify paving the mayor's streets while the rest of our roads crumble.
Enough.
In this predominantly Democratic city, the voters chose Republicans to run their city council.
But overwhelmingly supported Democrats who stood up to the mayor.
Because they have had enough.
And to inerpret last night's results as anything but a complete and total rejection of the mayor's policies is to shut one's eyes to the reality of what the people said.
They have said enough. No more. Stop.
Congratulations to Democratic Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and Republican council members Nancy Halter, Sarita Cunningham, Donnie Peters, Ed Lewis, and Milan Chovan, Jr.
You have a city to fix.
And the people expect you to do it.
Together.
