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.