Making Sense of Cents

The tussle for the Mayor's office finally has what the politico's call "traction"; as usual it all started not with an issue but with a wallet.

Chances are you've heard the story by now; AkronNewsNow reported earlier this week when the upstart Finley campaign unloaded another broadside at the Plusquellic re-election juggernaut.

AkronNewsNow coverage: Joe fires off on the Don's collections

It didn't get much "traction" other than on local radio and online; for some reason, our friends with ink on their hands decided to blow this one off. But today TV weighed in as the Mayor elevated the issue with a hastily-called news conference at party headquarters, to deny the charges and even promise to release his campaign finance reports every two weeks.

AkronNewsNow coverage: Plusquellic fires back

Now you might agree with the Finley camp, that this is a blatant example of busting the law protecting us poor wretches from the excesses of money in politics. You might agree with the Plusquellic camp, that this is nothing more than a blatant bit of smart campaign management to split contributions between the two election cycles (primary and general) with one check.

Both are right. In the world run by green-shaded accountants and lawyers, campaigns would get separate checks for separate cycles. After all, the law the Finley camp says proves their point also gives the Plusquellic camp the ammo they needed to fire back.

This whole fight, however, really isn't about campaign finances; it's really about getting publicity and today the local media woke up and decided to do the story that's been kicking around for a week. It's just the thing the Finley camp needs with the election (uh, that would be the primary cycle, folks) coming up fast and it also sets the table for what we expect will be spirited yipping and yapping between these two when they hold their only (so far) scheduled debate August 27th at the Martin Center.