You Want Answers?

Last night, Massillon's Mayor for Life held one of his six scheduled town hall meetings. It was the Ward 5 meeting, which was held at the Massillon Boys and Girls Club. Ward 5, located in the south west part of Massillon, is represented by Donnie Peters, Massillon City Council's lone Republican.

Our Mayor for Life spent the bulk of his time explaining and defending his plan to annex the Tuslaw School District into the City of Massillon.

The teachers of the Tuslaw schools appear to be unhappy about this move, as they would have to pay the city's 1.8% income tax. It would amount to a 1.8% pay cut for the teachers. Some have decried this land grab as taxation without representation, as the school system is not even allowed to legally object to the annexation.

Taxation without representation. A poor argument to be made to Ward 5 Council Representative Donnie Peters. When the city was busily annexing R.G. Drage High School earlier this year, Peters made his views on taxation without representation quite clear;

Donnie Peters believes the city's income tax "comes with the territory," and he's tired of hearing arguments about "taxation without representation" (The Independent, April 13, 2010).

According to a story in last Saturday's Independent, Peters stated that the annexation of the Tuslaw schools "would give the city a black eye with its neighbors to the west." At last night's Ward 5 Town Hall meeting, Peters wanted answers;

"I'm holding (Cicchinelli) to the fire, 5th Ward Councilman Donnie Peters said. I want answers. I want a lot of answers" (The Independent, August 24, 2010).

Donnie Peters wants answers. Donnie Peters wants the truth.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXoNE14U_zM

Donnie Peters, Republican in Name Only, wants answers. He's holding Cicchinelli to the fire. Our guess is that Donnie Peters is holding Cicchinelli so close to the fire, that Cicchinelli is wearing a winter coat and mittens.

Donnie Peters wants answers. Well, here's a few answers;

Donnie Peters voted for the Mayor's unbalanced budget. He was the decisive 5th vote to pass the mayor's unbalanced budget. And strangely enough, Tremont road was moved up on the city's paving list after the vote, something Peters had long argued for.

Donnie Peters is a generous donor to the mayor's campaign.

Donnie Peters faithfully votes to spend our tax dollars to pay the mortgage at the privately owned Hampton Inn hotel.

Here's one last answer;

Donnie Peters claimed the annexation would "give the city a black eye with its neighbors to the west." Peters also claimed that he "wants answers." What he has NOT said is that he is opposing the mayor and is voting no.

There is your answer.