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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > February > 05
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Hillary Clinton accepts Ohio debate invitation
Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign says she’s accepted an invitation to be in Ohio for a Feb. 27 presidential debate.
The campaign made the announcement in a press release saying Clinton also had agreed to three other post-Super Tuesday debates.
“This is an important opportunity for voters in the upcoming states to hear directly from Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama and make an informed decision about who is the best Democratic candidate for president of the United States,” Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle said in a press release.
CNN and the Ohio Democratic and Republican Parties are putting on back-to-back presidential debates in Ohio -Feb. 27 for the Democrats and Feb. 28 for the Republicans.
Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, also has said that he expects U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be in Ohio for the Republican debate. DeWine backs McCain.
Representatives of other campaigns have said they were focusing on Super Tuesday but more announcements about coming to Ohio are expected.
Either Cleveland or Columbus is expected to host both debates but a location has not been formally announced.
Black caucus criticizes Strickland budget plan
The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus doesn’t like some of Gov. Ted Strickland’s plans to balance the state budget.
The 17-member, all-Democratic group said in a press release that before closing two state psychiatric hospitals - including the Twin Valley Behavioral Health Care-Dayton Campus and a hospital in Cambridge - fellow Democrat Strickland should have dipped into the state’s $1 billion rainy day fund.
Also, Strickland should have used the rainy day fund instead of stopping hiring in the Education Department, the release said.
The group also came out against Strickland’s plan to expand the Ohio Lottery by putting electronic video Keno games in bars, racetracks and other locations.
“This kind of gambling is destructive to Ohio’s communities and does not address the structural difficulties that cause the present situation,” the release said.
“We have not been consulted on the effects of these cuts on African Americans in Ohio,” caucus President Tyrone Yates said in the release. “I hope the governor reaches out to us, so that we can work together to figure out how to do more with less.”
Strickland last week announced plans to close a $733 million hole in the current two-year budget and said he would not dip into the rainy day fund unless more savings were needed.
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Strahorn to interview for PUCO job
State Rep. Fred Strahorn, D-Dayton, is one of nine candidates being interviewed Wednesday by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio nominating council. The council will send four names to Gov. Ted Strickland to consider for the one position.
If Strahorn is appointed, he’ll be the second commissioner with Dayton ties. Former Dayton city manager Valerie Lemmie was appointed to the PUCO by Gov. Bob Taft.
The PUCO regulates electric, telephone and natural gas companies in Ohio and oversees hazardous-materials carriers and railroad crossings. A seat on the commission pays between $97,760 and $119,995 per year plus benefits, and commissioners have the power to review some business mergers, open the books of multimillion-dollar companies and make rules that affect every Ohioan.
State law requires a politically balanced PUCO. No more than three of the five commissioners can be from any one political party. Commissioner Don Mason, who is among the nine being interviewed, is a Republican seeking re-appointment.
With Mason, the PUCO currently has two Republicans, two independents and one Democrat.
