The Men Who Would Be King

As Massillon's Mayor for Life searches deep within his soul to determine if he should lead the people of Massillon for another four years, we are looking at prospective pretenders and contenders to the throne. In the unlikely event, and we believe very unlikely event, that our soveriegn ruler would step down from the throne after a mere 38 years as a Massillon elected official, 14 on council, and 24 as mayor, we are examing those individuals who may lay claim to the throne. We have divided the group into two categories; those who shouldn't run, but will, and those who should run, but won't. We examine another pretender.

Donnie Peters, Massillon City Council, Ward 5

Peters would seem an obvious candidate. He is the only elected Republican in Massillon City government. One small problem. He really doesn't behave like a Republican. Heck, he even donates generously to Mayor Cicchinelli's campaign. Lets examine the depth of Donnie Peters' conservative views;

Donnie Peters on taxation
Peters, Massillon's answer to Thomas Jefferson, claims that the city's income tax "comes with the territory," and he's tired of hearing arguments about "taxation without representation" (The Independent, 4/13/10). Unfortunately for Peters, our country addressed that one in the Declaration of Independence. He should try reading it. When the Tea Party has a rally in Massillon, we are pretty sure Peters won't be invited to speak.

Donnie Peters on balancing the city's budget
Surely a "conservative Republican" like Donnie Peters wouldn't vote for an unbalanced budget, would he? Yes he would. Peters was the decisive fifth vote on council responsible for passing the city's unbalanced budget, and leading the city into its annual Summer Financial Crisis.

Donnie Peters on fiscal responsibility
Peters faithfully votes to spend our tax dollars on subsidizing the privately owned Hampton Inn Hotel.

Donnie Peters on leading by example
On June 18, when Auditor Jayne Ferrero declared that the city was a million dollars short for the year, Donnie Peters knew what council had to do to solve the problem. They needed to go on vacation. Peters, who was opposed to summer vacations before he was for them, worked with Councilman Larry Slagle to push a summer schedule through council which cut meeting days in half for July and August. This was the same Donnie Peters who was so opposed to a Summer vacation schedule in 2008, that he proposed to hit councilman Slagle in the mouth, and left Larry Slagle with some final words during the vacation debate, "Hey, Slagle, (expletive) you" (The Independent, July 29, 2008).

Donnie Peters is an elected Republican. He, in theory, should have a Republican view or two, such as a belief in fiscal responsibility and low taxes. It has made the Massillon Review wonder who pulls his strings? Who's his daddy?

Peters shouldn't run for mayor as a Republican, because, well, he really isn't a Republican. Donnie Peters needs to step aside and allow the party to run a real Republican candidate.