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By Josh Sweigart
| Friday, November 21, 2008, 10:46 AM
In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is urging the new administration to keep illegal immigration foremost on its mind as it takes office amid numerous immediate challenges.
Jones, a Republican, has long been an advocate of immigration reform. He even took out an advertisement in a local newspaper when Sen. John McCain was visiting the area during his campaign criticizing McCain for what Jones saw as a lack of attention to immigration issues.
The following is the text of Jones’ letter:
The Honorable President-Elect Obama:
Congratulations on your successful campaign for President of the United States of America.
This letter is in regard to illegal immigration, illegal drugs and violence. The past eight years have seen an increase in drugs coming from Mexico to the United States. The violence on the Mexico - United States border has increased to the point of United States citizens being kidnapped, taken into Mexico and held for ransom.
The drugs coming from Mexico to the United States is out of control and it appears we have no policy to control any of these serious problems. I believe they need to be addressed by the new President.
Sir, I realize you have a great number of issues to address as you take office. Please give consideration when addressing the issues I have mentioned. Hopefully the members of Congress, Senate and Representatives can come up with a policy that will save this country from the mire before the conditions get worse.
We all know that it will take compromises from all sides. When planning policy for these issues, please consider the needs of the front line law enforcement agencies, jails and prison systems.
Again, congratulations on your election to the Office of President of the United States of America. Thank you for your time.
Richard K. Jones
Sheriff - Butler County, Ohio
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By Josh Sweigart
| Thursday, November 20, 2008, 03:12 PM
State Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton, has scaled back a plan proposed earlier this month to provide a statewide, 10 percent exemption on property values. The reason: it would cost the already ailing state budget roughly $800 million.
Instead, Combs is pushing legislation that would freeze all property taxes at this year’s levels, nullifying any increases or decreases resulting from this year’s re-appraisal. The General Assembly would then decide in subsequent years whether to extend the freeze.
Any county that conducted a re-appraisal that put values lower than this year’s would get the lower of the two values, Combs said.
But this is still going to cost school districts and other governments money, many of whom are well into planning their budget for next year. “If they’re counting on increases, they’ll be disappointed,” Combs said.
Combs said governments better get used to it, because the taxable value drop is going to catch up with the market eventually and, “the pain now is going to be less than the pain then, when it shakes out in three years.”
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Statewide issues
By Josh Sweigart
| Thursday, November 20, 2008, 09:59 AM
Press release from state Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton (it’s well-timed after the success story of Bella):
COLUMBUS— State Representative Courtney Combs (R- Hamilton) today announced the Ohio House voted to approve his House Bill 418, legislation he co-sponsored with State Representative Brian Williams (D-Akron) which would increase the penalty of animal cruelty, require mandatory psychological evaluations for minors who torture or abuse animals, and allow the inclusion of pets in the court protection orders issued by a judge in domestic violence cases.
“The current penalties for animal abuse in Ohio are no more than a slap on the wrist and do nothing to punish the abuser or prevent future acts,” Combs said. “In addition, current law does not connect the dots between children abusing animals and the potential for future violence.”
Continue reading "Bill would stiffen animal cruelty laws"...
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Dog Warden
By Josh Sweigart
| Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 12:26 PM
House Republicans voted this morning to keep U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., as House minority leader. The following is an excerpt of Boehner’s argument for re-election and vision of the future of his party, as prepared for the closed door session:
“This election is about leadership. You know the kind of leader I am, and the kind of leader I’ll be. I’ll always listen to your ideas. I’ll always be straight with you. I’ll lead by example.
We have an unprecedented opportunity ahead of us. We’ve been given a chance to break with the mistakes of the past and redefine ourselves as the party of reform.
In recent years Americans lost faith in us; stopped believing we are what we claim to be. There are various views on why. Some blame President Bush. Others blame Congressional Republicans and our own actions during our 12 years in the majority. While there are many views on why Americans lost their faith, we’re unanimous on one thing: it’s time to win it back.
What do I mean by “opportunity?”
Continue reading "Boehner’s remarks in closed door session"...
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Republican Party
By Josh Sweigart
| Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 12:09 PM
U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-Butler County, held onto his post as House minority leader in a closed door vote among House Republicans today, Nov. 19, the Associate Press is reporting.
This means the conservative crusader from West Chester Twp. will keep the party’s top post in the 111th Congress, despite carrying the party banner through devastating losses for the GOP in 2006 and 2008.
Boehner’s sole challenger was California Rep. Dan Lungren.
Lungren pushed for the closed door session so the lawmakers could have a frank discussion about leadership and the future of the party after recent losses to Democrats in the legislative and executive branches.
“The months ahead will present Republicans with an unprecedented opportunity to renew our drive for smaller, more accountable government and present positive solutions to the challenges facing the American people,” Boehner said in a prepared statement. “We have to seize this opportunity, and seize it together. I’m deeply honored my colleagues have placed their faith in me and the newly-elected members of our team to lead this effort.
Continue reading "Boehner keeps leadership post"...
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Republican Party
By Josh Sweigart
| Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 11:18 AM
The U.S. House Republican Conference is behind closed doors in Washington D.C. right now discussing whether to keep Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., as House minority leader or to elevate California Rep. Dan Lungren to the post.
Here’s an interesting overview from the National Review:
Lungren’s Run
For House Minority Leader, there’s really no contest.
By David Freddoso
“I am not here to be part of what I call the coalition of the comfortable,” Rep. Dan Lungren (R., Calif.) said on Monday. “We should be very uncomfortable right now.”
This was one of many rhetorical images that Lungren provided in a 40-minute conference call this week with conservative reporters and bloggers as he discussed his challenge to Rep. John Boehner (R., Ohio) for the position of House Minority Leader. Lungren told stories and provided such rhetorical images, but he failed to contrast himself with Boehner on any major issue or criticize any of his significant leadership decisions. He failed to do so despite repeated attempts from reporters to elicit such a contrast.
The main selling point Lungren offered for his candidacy was that he wanted to hold an extended debate over the party’s vision before leadership elections take place on Wednesday. “If we’re afraid of debating amongst ourselves, I can’t see how we can make the case to the American people to look to us for leadership,” he said. Boehner, who had initially greeted the debate idea coolly, finally agreed to it yesterday. It begins this morning at 8:30 A.M., and will be conducted entirely behind closed doors.
Lungren’s single specific criticism of Boehner’s leadership was the decision by House Republicans to adopt the slogan “Change You Deserve” in the run-up to this year’s election. The same slogan had been used by a pharmaceutical company marketing an anti-depressant, a fact that was amusingly exploited by House Democrats.
On policy, Boehner and Lungren are largely indistinguishable. Both men have voiced the need to return to conservative principles. Boehner’s voting record (ACU lifetime rating: 94) is just slightly more conservative than Lungren (ACU lifetime rating: 92.5).
Lungren made precisely the same case against the automotive bailout that Boehner has been making. “If we bail out Detroit, there is no end in sight,” he said. When asked to critique Boehner’s conduct in helping pass the Wall Street bailout, Lungren instead defended Boehner, objecting even to a reporter’s use of the term “bailout” to describe it. “I don’t criticize him for the approach he took on the Wall Street bailout, as you put it — the Wall Street recovery plan,” he said. If Republicans were excessively reactive in that debate, he went on, “I don’t put that on John Boehner, I put it on all of us.”
On Capitol Hill, members are keeping their cards close, but no one really seems to view Lungren’s candidacy as anything beyond a protest vote. “I’m sure that my boss will vote for Lungren on the first ballot, but that’s really just a protest vote,” said a staffer for one conservative member.
“There are a lot of people who don’t want Boehner,” said another aide. “But there isn’t much of a choice. There is no visible support for Lungren.” Even Rep. John Shadegg (R., Ariz.), who has called on Boehner to step aside voluntarily, has not endorsed Lungren. Lungren said in his conference call that he did not want to have a “coronation instead of a competition,” but he may only be providing the appearance of competition.
A lack of competition in this race does not necessarily mean that no lessons have been learned from the last two elections. Most people do not fault Boehner for the bad outcome. But with the number two and three House Republicans — Adam Putnam (Fla.) and Roy Blunt (Mo.) — stepping down from their leadership positions after the election, House Republicans look a lot like the football team that fires all of its assistant coaches and keeps the head coach after two consecutive losing seasons. Their fortunes may suddenly improve, but they may instead be putting off a rebuilding year that they cannot avoid forever.
What do you think? Can Boehner be blamed for recent Republican losses?
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Republican Party
By Josh Sweigart
| Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 10:30 AM
The Butler County MetroParks board announced yesterday that they’re hiking entrance fees at local parks for next year.
Annual passes for 2009 go on sale Dec. 1 and will cost $7 per vehicle, up from $5 this year. Starting Jan. 1, daily park access will cost $5 per vehicle, up from $2 this year.
MetroParks officials said they’re encouraging transferable hangars over daily passes. The window hangars will stay at $10, can be moved from one vehicle to another and are good all year.
Access to local parks is still free on bicycle or foot. The cost of fishing passes hasn’t changed.
Here is more on that.
And here is an update on Voice of America Park in West Chester Twp. From the story:
Continue reading "Park fees going up, and a VOA update"...
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Jones is just a wannabe tough guy with a badge. Just another piece of appalachian white trash who