Have Breakfast with us on October 28th!

Election Day is almost here - and our last fundraising event is set for Wednesday, October 28th, when we're having a special breakfast with the candidate at Hattie's Cafe, located at 491 Brown Street in Akron. Breakfast, great coffee and conversation starts at 7:00am and ends at 8:30am, so you'll still have time to get to work.

We hope you can join us...stop by and talk to Jeff about the issues that concern you. Suggested Contribution is $100 (seniors and Young Dems - $20). If you don't already know about Hattie's, it's a wonderful place where people with special needs can learn, grow and contribute to their community. Operated by the Hattie Larlham Foundation, the café is a safe and educational environment where adults with disabilities obtain valuable and rewarding vocational skills they can take with them through their careers. You'll find that the food, coffee and the service are all first class!

For the November General Election, please note that contribution limits are $300 per person. If you have already reached that contribution level, please come join us as a special guest.

The Endorsements Keep Rolling in!

One advantage of being involved in public service for a number of years is that you have the opportunity to work with and support a number of fine people, and as a result, they are happy to recognize the fact that results are what count most. With that in mind, it's always nice to have the support of great individuals and organizations, and here are just a few we'd like to recognize:

JEFF FUSCO ENDORSED BY:
West Side Leader
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic
Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville
Tri-County Building & Construction Trades Council
Tri-County Regional Labor Council
AFL-CIO
Teamsters Local No. 348
Summit County Council Member at-Large Ilene Shapiro
Summit County Council Member at-Large John Poda
Akron City Council 8th Ward Candidate Sandra Kurt

...and more to come...

Join Us For BROWNS VS. STEELERS Fund-Raiser on Sunday, Oct. 18th at the Firehouse!

There's still a lot of work left to do between now and the November General Election...and we're kicking off the final effort for the campaign's home stretch with a special event. The Fusco for Council Committee is teaming up with 10th Ward councilperson Kelli Crawford and her campaign committee to put on a Browns-Steelers Fundraiser on Sunday, October 18th at 1pm.

Join us at the Firehouse Grille & Pub, at 1677 East Market St., at the south end of Brittain Road, for what promises to be an afternoon of fun and exciting football action. There will be some great food and refreshments, lots of friendly people, and a chance to meet Jeff and Kelli. Hopefully, there will be a Browns victory...but Steelers fans are welcome too!

All the Votes are in...FUSCO WINS!

After adding the few hundred absentee and provisional ballots to the results of the Sept. 8th primary election, the Summit County elections board did an automatic recount on Sept. 21 that still showed Jeff was leading Terry Albanese by seven votes. The final count had Jeff winning by 4,817 to 4,810 votes over the Ward 6 councilwoman.

''I'm very pleased with the results and eager to start getting ready for the November election,'' the former council member and retired deputy public service director told the Beacon Journal.

Albanese, who also ran on the at-large slate that was supported by Mayor Don Plusquellic, congratulated Jeff. ''Council is getting someone who is not only experienced and knowledgeable, but who is a man of integrity,'' she said.

The two candidates had tied with 4,750 votes each on election night. The vote total isn't official until after provisional and absentee ballots are added and it is certified by the board. (for more info on the election, go here) Now that the first challenge is over, the campaign committee is setting its sights on the November general election. Stay tuned for information about our next meet-the-candidate fund raiser!

PHOTO CREDIT: www.ohio.com

IT'S A TIE! Imagine That...

Well, after months and weeks of hard work by the candidate and everyone on the campaign - the voters went to the polls for the Democratic Primary Election on September 8th and the result was...A TIE!

Tied for the third at-large spot with 4,750 votes each on election night, Jeff was side-by-side with 6th Ward Council representative Terry Albanese, who was also running for an at-large seat. Both candidates, along with current at-large representative Jim Shealey, were on an at-large slate that was supported by Mayor Don Plusquellic. The other top Democratic vote-getters were Michael Williams and former Akron School Board member Linda Omobien.

Even though voter turnout was light, it's extremely rare to have a tie in a city-wide race--in fact, no one can remember it happening before. The Board of Elections reports that there are still several hundred absentee and provisional ballots that must be added to the vote totals, so after those are tallied, a winner should emerge. Both Jeff and Terry are supportive of the other, ensuring that--with a positive outcome in November--solid, stable and proven leadership will be available on city council next year, no matter who comes out on top.

AKRON TURNS OUT TO SEE JEFF

Our August 20th fund raiser and Meet the Candidate event was a solid success -- even a torrential downpour of rain couldn't keep people away from a fun after-work get-together at Akron's historic Highland Theater. A number of Akron citizens, community leaders, candidates and current office holders, like State Representative Tom Sawyer (left) joined the campaign committee to show their support for Jeff's candidacy.

Mayor Don Plusquellic came by to introduce all of the dignitaries on hand, adding his own comments in support of Jeff and other At-Large candidates Terry Albanese and Jim Shealey. Jeff reminded the crowd that the campaign was in the "home stretch" and that there was still a lot of work to do over the next few weeks.

SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR PRIORITIES

Not long ago, The League of Women Voters sent out a questionnaire asking my thoughts on a few of the most critical issues we are facing. Clearly, the economy and its effect on our city's budget is at the top of most people's minds - and I believe that is reflected in my comments. I just wanted to share my answers here as well...

Q: What is the most urgent issue facing the city and what are you going to do about it?

A: Continuing to compete for jobs in the global economy for Akron residents is the most urgent issue facing us. We need to revisit and create a way to provide a college education for our youth and work force. I will work to find a supportable option.

Q: What steps would you suggest for addressing the city's current financial challenges?

A: For the long run, Akron needs to look for cost-saving measures in cooperation with Summit County and other local governments by combing services. For the short run, every cost needs to be explored before layoffs are used and services are cut. The taxpayers have made it clear that increasing taxes will not be supported.

MEET THE CANDIDATE FUND RAISER - AT THE HIGHLAND THEATER

The Friends of Jeff Fusco Committee want to thank Mayor Plusquellic for sponsoring a fund raiser for Jeff and Council-at-Large candidates Terry Albanese and Jim Shealey on July 27. Next, on Thursday, August 20th, Jeff will be having a fund-raiser of his own at the Highland Theater, located at 826 West Market St. in Highland Square.

The event is scheduled to run from 5 to 7pm. Pizza and beverages will be provided, and a contribution of $20 is requested. The Committee and the candidate are looking forward to this event -- it will be a great chance to meet Jeff, ask him any questions you might have and make him aware of your thoughts and concerns. We look forward to seeing you there!

JEFF FUSCO: BACKGROUND & QUALIFICATIONS

Though I have been walking the various neighborhoods of the city for a couple of months now, it was only fairly recently that I've been able to give prospective voters a leave-behind card that says a little bit about my background and experience. They'll be available everywhere you'll be seeing me over the summer, and many of you will be getting this and similar information in your mailbox as well.

I encourage you to review the information on the card and compare my background and experience to some of the other candidates who are running for City Council at Large. As a former member of Akron City Council and the Mayor's Administration, I am the only candidate who can offer both legislative and administrative experience in serving the citizens of Akron - and I think this is important. Here are some other facts about my background that I'd like to share:

City of Akron
Deputy Service Director 1997-2007
Assisted in developing policy for Service Department; directly responsible for Parks & Recreation Bureau, 311 Call Center and Customer Service Department.

Part of leadership team that studied and reviewed “Best Practices” for reorganization of Akron civil service employees and policies - saving Akron taxpayers millions of dollars.

City of Akron
Councilman At-Large 1994-1997
Ward 10 Councilman 1986-1994
Served Akron City Council as Vice President and chaired the Planning, Public Safety, Housing and Recreation Committees.

ALSO:

LED the management team that implemented Akron's 311 call center.

WORKED with Summit County to promote regionalism and combine Akron's Weights and Measures Dept. with the county’s operations, saving Akron taxpayer funds.

ESTABLISHED funding for Keep Akron Beautiful after Gov. Taft cut state funding.

CREATED an employee driven team to streamline the way Akron handled nuisance complaints thus saving tax dollars and increasing revenue.

Throughout my career in public service, I have been known for concentrating on actually getting things done - not on garnering attention or trying to make headlines. That approach has served me well over the years, and my constituents have always made it clear that they appreciate real accomplishments more than promises and rhetoric.

I also want to point out that while I always believe it's important to have an independent voice, I think teamwork, an open mind, and fairness are important too - and that's why I have always been a strong supporter of our Mayor, and fought hard against the recall. It's critical that wee keep Akron on the right track, and I hope you will support me in our effort to keep us there. - JEFF

COMMUNITY EVENTS KEEPING CAMPAIGN BUSY

Summer is surely a time for all kinds of events and festivals, and the past few weeks have been no exception. The campaign schedule has been filling up fast, but it's provided some great opportunities to get back out into the community and re-connect with so many old friends. While an appearance at the West Akron parade was unfortunately postponed by rain, the Italian Festival held downtown at Lock 3 turned out to be a great event for everyone.


Members of the Friends of Jeff Fusco Committee were on hand as volunteers, and the crowds on hand were enthusiastic about the food, the great music and the atmosphere. Jeff had a number of opportunities to talk to people about the issues they think are important, and the festival organizers made it clear that they were very happy about the new Downtown Akron venue for their annual event, which saw some record crowd turnouts for the weekend.

MAYOR SUPPORTS FUSCO, SHEALEY AND ALBANESE FOR AKRON CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE

We are happy to note that in his election-night remarks, Mayor Plusquellic asked Akron voters to support Jeff Fusco as one of the At-Large candidates for City Council, in addition to Jim Shealey and Terry Albanese.

As everyone celebrated the resounding defeat of the recall effort, Mayor Plusquellic reminded listeners that there are still recall supporters on city council, and also among those candidates running for city council position in the fall. He encouraged Akron citizens to continue to reject the tactics and misinformation that were used during the recall effort, and which he expects will be used again during the council races.

RECALL EFFORT CRUSHED BY A 3 TO 1 MARGIN

The results are in, and by an overwhelming margin, the citizens of Akron have shown their support for Mayor Plusquellic and the direction he has taken the city over the past two decades. Fully 75% of the voters rejected the recall attempt, which was not only misguided, but proved to be a major waste of taxpayer dollars. It was also a drain on time resources for many individuals - including the Mayor himself - who all need to be focused on real issues during the challenging times we are now facing.

With this issue behind us, it is now possible for all of us to address the next important task at hand - and that is to keep Akron on the right track and ensure that we have strong, positive and proven leadership on City Council. As a former Councilman-at-Large and a past member of the Mayor's administration team, I'm entirely committed to working with him and the other members of council to keep Akron leading the way among Ohio's major cities. - JEFF

To hear all of the Mayor's remarks on election, night, you can watch the videos here.

MAY FUND RAISER A SOLID SUCCESS

Citizens, community leaders and elected officials from the city of Akron and beyond gathered downtown at Bricco on Wednesday, May 20th to show their support for Jeff in his bid to run for Akron City Council at Large and also raise funds for the campaign. Mayor Don Plusquellic was kind enough to give the introductions, and recalled Jeff's past service to the city as 10th ward Councilman, Councilman at Large and also as a Deputy Service Director.

"Jeff didn't have to run for council...this guy had retired," said the Mayor, "but Jeff knows that this is a critical time for this city. We need leaders right now, and he's not one to stand on the sidelines."

When his turn to speak came, Jeff thanked everyone for coming out to the event and reminded them that while there was a lot of hard work ahead in his campaign, their first duty was to ensure that they get as many people as possible to turn out for the special election on June 23rd and soundly defeat the misguided recall effort.

FIRST FUND RAISER - WED. MAY 20 AT BRICCO

The Friends of Jeff Fusco Campaign Committee has developed a unique fund raising idea to get his campaign off to a rocking start. Our first Fund Raising event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20th from 5-7pm at Bricco, at 1 W. Exchange St.

Actually, this is the first of a multi-event series that you can enjoy at three levels - with a FULL ACCESS PASS, a BACKSTAGE PASS, or a VIP PASS. Full Access gains you admission to all three of our events for a contribution of $300; a Backstage Pass offers two events for $200, and a VIP Pass offers any event of your choice for a $100 contribution. Senior Citizens and Y0ung Democrats can attend each event for just $25. Of course, we would appreciate any type of support you can provide in this effort; if you do make a contribution, please make your check payable to the Friends of Jeff Fusco Committee.

Please join us as we kick off this exciting campaign and help move our city into the future!
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO R.S.V.P., PLEASE CALL US AT (330) 322-6009

SUPPORT OUR MAYOR - SAY NO TO THE RECALL

One important issue that I'd like to talk about--and one that comes up as I visit neighborhoods across the city--is the Recall Issue. Clearly, a majority of the people I speak to about this topic are NOT in favor of the recall effort; they realize that this would be both costly and unwarranted, especially now, when economic times are difficult for so many people. They've made it plain to me that they're not willing to waste hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on these special elections -- just to satisfy the personal grudges and ambition of a few misguided people.

As a city, we voted Mayor Plusquellic back into office just a year and a half-ago ago. Our votes were counted and our voices were heard. Now, with so many challenges standing before us, it's vital that we let government get back to work and focus on the business of our city--not on politics.

This is why I am eager to express and pledge my full support for our Mayor. He's guiding us in a positive direction, his performance and ability have been recognized on a national basis, and his leadership has helped earn Akron a strong reputation as a great place to live, work and invest. I'm glad to hear that a majority of our citizens feel the same way, whether they agree with the Mayor on every issue or not. For this and for so many other reasons, I encourage everyone to Just Say No to The Recall. To find out more about this issue, visit www.citizensforakron.com. - JEFF

COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SOON...

Welcome and thanks for visiting the Fusco for council website! We're really excited about the upcoming campaign season and I'm looking forward to hitting the streets and meeting as many people as possible. I'm also eager to hear your views and ideas on how we can make our neighborhoods safer and even better places to live, as well as to hear your thoughts about the direction our city is heading.

As a former City Councilman at large, I've had the experience of representing and serving you before - not only on council, but also as a Deputy Service Director for the City of Akron. I'm eager to put that experience and know-how to work again, so we can keep our city on the right path as we head into the future. The best way to start is with an open mind and honest, thoughtful dialogue...and that's what I hope we can share as I visit various neighborhoods throughout the city. Hope to see you soon! - JEFF