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Friday, April 16, 2010
Senate President Harris, Strickland aide tangle on passenger rail
Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, has turned up the heat in the growing controversy over Ohio’s plans for a passenger rail system connecting Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Dayton.
On Friday, April 16, Harris wrote Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland a letter blasting Strickland administration plans to go ahead with a Monday, April 19, vote Controlling Board vote on releasing $25 million in federal funds for a rail system planning study.
Amanda Wurst, Strickland’s spokeswoman, lashed back in an email critical of Republican opposition to the passenger rail plan.
The likelihood is that the proposal will pass Monday on a straight party line vote, 4-3, with all Democrats “yes” and the Republicans “no.” Capital improvement votes for the rail system require super majority approval but the Strickland administration has maintained that votes for planning money require only a simple majority.
Harris maintained in the letter that an agreement with the Strickland administration required bipartisan support from the Controlling Board for rail system issues.
“I am extremely disappointed that you are violating the spirit of that agreement and potentially, the law, by pushing ahead with your plans without earning bipartisan support and even more concerning, without ever providing a responsible, well-thought-out plan to achieve your goals,” Harris wrote.
Harris said he continues to have serious questions about the merits of the rail plan. Ohio has qualified for $400 million in federal funds to build the system.
“The bottom line is that our concerns about the upfront and future costs of the 3-C Rail, uncertain ridership projections, the slow speed, the 255-mile length of the 3-C route and plan for only four cars, which makes it difficult to ‘tweak’ the schedule, and potential bias will not be fixed with a $25 million study.
“These facts will not change even after you’ve spent millions in taxpayer dollars,” he wrote.
In her email, Wurst said Republicans apparently have decided to oppose the plan, despite Strickland efforts to answer their questions:
“The administration has responded to all of Sen. Harris’ questions, but it appears Republican leaders in Columbus won’t be satisfied until these federal dollars are taken from Ohio and given to Florida or Michigan to create jobs in those states.
“Gov. Strickland is fighting to create jobs in Ohio and believes Ohioans have the ability to develop a passenger rail system that will give Ohio businesses and the economy a needed economic boost.”
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Redfern to Mandel: send the money back
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern is calling on Republican state treasurer candidate Josh Mandel to return $25,300 in campaign contributions from three men who the Democrats say have “criminal financial histories.”
Mandel campaign spokesman Joe Aquilino said this week that Mandel does not intend to return the contributions from Elliot Broidy, Brian Chisick and Roger Hertog.
According to the Democrats, Broidy pleaded guilty to paying $1 million in bribes to the New York controller, Chisick’s company paid $60 million to settle a lawsuit over deceptive loan practices, and Hertog’s company paid $250 million in fines to the SEC over improper trade practices and paid $600 million to settle a lawsuit with the state of New York over abusive trade practices.
Aquilino said Mandel did not know about the issues up until this week.
Mandel, a state representative from Lyndhurst, is running against Democrat Kevin Boyce, who was appointed state treasurer by Gov. Ted Strickland.
