Two More Who Should

As Massillon sits on pins and needles waiting for the Mayor for Life to decide whether or not he wants to run for a seventh term, we have been examining the possible contenders to succeed him as the city's new leader. We have divided the candidates into two categories, those who shouldn't run, but probably will, and those who should run, but probably won't. The pretenders and the contenders. Today we examine several contenders, two people who we believe would be fine mayors, but probably won't step up to the plate.

Margy Vogt, Local Historian and Author
As we have said before, Margy Vogt is so much more than a local historian. Margy is the keeper of the Massillon story. We would be challenged to find someone more passionate about their community than Margy Vogt. Margy Vogt's involvement with the Massillon Museum runs long and deep. The Massillon Museum and Margy Vogt are almost synonymous. It is hard to think of one without the other. Margy's agenda would not be a political agenda. It would be a community agenda. She would bring people together, which is in stark contrast to our current mayor, who strives to create division. She would receive support from Democrats, Republicans and Independents because the voters would realize that she would always do what was best for the community she loves so much.

Kathy Catazaro-Perry,
Director, Golden Key Center and Massillon 3rd Ward Councilwoman
Kathy Catazaro-Perry is, without question, Massillon Mayor for Life Frank Cicchinelli's biggest political nemesis. Why? Because she questions what he does, and refuses to rubber stamp for the big guy. Kathy Catazaro-Perry suggested the city conduct a performance audit to improve efficiency. Frank and his minions of rubber stampers shot it down. Kathy refuses to spend our tax dollars on the privately owned Hampton Inn. The rubber stamps criticize her for this. When the city was broke, when employees were being furloughed and laid off, Kathy tried to repeal the ordinance granting the mayor and council unvoted, annual pay raises. Council President Glenn Gamber and the rubber stamps shut this down. They wanted to keep their unvoted, annual pay raises while the employees took cuts.

Kathy stands up for her beliefs, opposes bad ideas, and refuses to go along to get along. Catazaro-Perry's life would be a whole lot easier if she just went along with the Mayor like so many others do. She refuses. Cicchinelli, a Democrat, tried to defeat her in 2007, and openly backed a Republican, former councilman Dale Walterhouse, to defeat her. Walterhouse, with Cicchinelli's backing, ran one of the nastiest campaigns in recent memory. The result was predictable. Kathy kicked his behind. Independent. Honest. And more, shall we say, testicular fortitude, than anyone else on council.

Either of these two women are the kind of leaders our city desperately needs. It is unlikely either will run. Vogt is not a political animal, and Catazaro-Perry is busy running a daycare center for special needs children. They may not run, but they represent the type of candidate who should run.