Every Two Years

Ward 4 Councilman Tony Townsend has represented Massillon's Southeast Side with distinction since he was first elected to city council in 2005.

Our Extraordinary Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, Lord Sovereign of the City has had a serious issue with Townsend ever since.

The problem?

Townsend thinks for himself.

As a result, the mayor makes it his personal quest to find someone to run against Townsend every two years.

And Councilman Townsend kicks their behind every two years, receiving about 70% of the vote.

Failure, however, does not slow down our Mayor for Life.

Where smarter men would readjust their tactics, Team Cicchinelli cheerfully bulls forward.

This year, they have recruited Jackie Carter to run against Tony Townsend.

Jackie Carter's nominating petition was circulated in Ward 4 by the First Lady for Life, the Joyful One, Joy Cicchinelli.

Tony Townsend is too independent for the mayor.

When Townsend fought to rename Shriver Park after trailblazing former councilman, the late T. Roy Roberson, Cicchinelli publicly supported the idea, while privately having his minions kill it.

Remember 'The Pledge?'

"Mayor Cicchinelli told 4th Ward residents there are no plans to sell Shriver park, or many others, and he pledged to Councilman Tony Townsend that he would help him rename Shriver by urging his Parks and Recreation Board appointees to vote in favor of it" (The Independent, August 31, 2010).

His Park Board Lackeys, Michelle Del Rio-Keller, and Timothy Muzi both voted the idea down.

As did the mayor's council rubber stamps. Lap Dog of the Treasury Paul Manson, Taxman Dave Hersher, The Puppet Ron Mang, and David 'I am above the law' McCune, were joined by Donnie Peters in voting no.

All the Cicchinelli loyalists voted no, despite the mayor's 'pledge.'

The truth is that Cicchinelli was never for the park renaming. He just didn't want to alienate the citizens who were in favor of the idea, especially as our extraordinary mayor headed into an election.

In typical Cicchinelli fashion, he passed the buck.

And why was he opposed to the idea of renaming the park?

According to several Massillon Review sources, it was because Tony Townsend didn't kiss the mayor's ring, and get his permission before he pitched the idea.

That simple.

That petty.

Massillon doesn't need another rubber stamp on council.

Four is plenty.

Tony Townsend does a good job and always fights for his constituents.

Townsend does what is right, not what the mayor tells him to do.

The Massillon Review proudly endorses Tony Townsend in the Democratic primary for Ward 4 council representative.

We expect him to win handily.

He always does.