Grandstanding

On December 21, 1995, right after our Mayor for Life was elected to his third term, City Council passed, and the Mayor signed an ordinance giving themselves, the Law Director, Auditor, and Treasurer lifetime pay raises. These annual lifetime pay raises don't require a vote by anyone. They are automatic, they are yearly, and they are indefinite. As our Mayor for Life was planning to be mayor for life, he may as well get an annual pay raise while doing it. And of course, you don't get to be Mayor for Life by approving a pay raise every year. You make it automatic and unvoted.

Here is how this works. Every year the Mayor, the Auditor, Law Director, Treasurer, City Council, and the City Council President get a salary increase tied to the Consumer Price Index. This ordinance is open ended, meaning it goes on forever. It is also uncapped, meaning there is no ceiling on how much it can be.

In 2009, the City of Massillon was once again facing extreme financial difficulties. Here was the rub. While city employees were taking pay freezes, and unpaid furloughs, the elected officials were receiving a 4.1% pay increase.

Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry offered a solution. She proposed rescinding the ordinance that granted these lifetime unvoted pay increases for the elected officials. Councilman, and loyal rubber stamp, Paul Manson accused Catazaro-Perry of "grandstanding." Observers of city council should note that whenever Councilwoman Catazaro-Perry has an idea contrary to what our Mayor for Life wants, the lapdogs attack her verbally with comments like "grandstanding," or its "political." Good idea, or not, they insult the messenger in an attempt to tarnish the idea so that business can continue on as usual.

Council President Glenn Gamber, who appears to be the Mayor's loyal enforcer on council, had a better idea. He was a man of action. He wanted the members of council to voluntarily return a part of their salary. He claimed it was a better way to help the City during its annual financial crisis. So they voluntarily returned a piece of their salary. Glenn Gamber basked in the warm embrace of his constituents for returning his pay. That is until February (deep into 2010) when he took his money back, 4.1% pay raise and all. A man of deep conviction. You see, it was voluntary, meaning a member of council could take it back at anytime. If Glenn Gamber had not intended this voluntary pay cut to be any more than a several month political ploy, one could rightly accuse him of grandstanding.