Donnie Peters Finds His Spine

Normally reliable council rubber stamp, Ward 5 Council Representative Donnie Peters, Jr., looks like he may have finally located his backbone.

On paper, Peters is allegedly a registered Republican, the only Republican on Massillon City Council, but he spends most of his time on council rubber stamping for Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli. Peters' blind loyalty to our Mayor for Life has earned him the moniker of a 'Rino,' a Republican in name only.

Peters happily provided the final vote in approving the mayor's unbalanced budget this year. Peters votes to spend our tax dollars paying the mortgage for a private hotel. And don't ask Donnie Peters about taxation without representation;

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

Peters is also a faithful, regular campaign contributor to our Mayor for Life's campaigns.

Donnie Peters, Jr., high tax, big government Republican who is a faithful, unwavering supporter of the Democratic mayor.

Until recently.

Peters first opposed our Mayor for Life's scheme to raid the Tuslaw school district, annex the Tuslaw schools, and grab income tax from Tuslaw's teachers.

"Peters said the annexation would give the city a "black eye" with its neighbors to the west" (The Independent, August 21, 2010).

Last night, Peters objected to Taxman Hersher's scheme to raise storm water utility fees on Massillon home owners.

"Where does it stop," he said. "The government, the EPA keep coming up with new things that cost you more money. When does it stop?" (The Independent, October 5, 2010).

Uh, Donnie, you are "the government," the city government. It stops when people like Donnie Peters stop voting for unbalanced budgets, and sending tax dollars to pay for a private hotel mortgage. That's when it stops.

It's good to see that at least on these two recent issues, an unfair annexation, and a tax increase, that you have broken away from blindly supporting the mayor, and may be taking baby steps towards being an independent council representative.

We hope this is a pattern, and not an anomaly. We hope you continue to think for yourself. While we are concerned that the mayor's loyal enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, will try and get you back on the team, we hope you resist. We hope this new found backbone is permanent.