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Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Strickland releases tax returns; challenges Kasich to do the same
Gov. Ted Strickland on Wednesday, April 28, released copies of his federal income tax returns for 2006-2009 and called on his Republican challenger in this year’s election - former U.S. Rep. John Kasich - to release his returns for 10 years.
“Despite frequently touting his work on Wall Street at Lehman Brothers, Congressman Kasich refuses to tell the people of Ohio what companies he represented, what deals he was involved in and how much he profited from his time at Lehman Brothers,” Strickland, a Democrat, said.
Kasich, from suburban Columbus, was a managing director at Lehman Brothers after leaving Congress in 2000.
Strickland’s 2009 tax return showed that he and his wife Frances had total income of $166,321 - most of it from his $142,356 salary as governor- and $116,783 in taxable income after deductions and exemptions. Strickland, a former U.S. House member, released his returns for 2000-2005 during the 2006 gubernatorial campaign.
Kasich earlier this month permitted reporters to examine but not photocopy a summary of his 2008 federal income tax return and a portion of the actual return. It showed that Kasich had taxable income of more than $1.1 million in 2008, including a $432,000 bonus from Lehman Brothers in January 2008 for work done in 2007.
Kasich’s campaign has not said whether the candidate plans to release actual tax returns.
In response to Strickland’s release of tax information, Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said in an email:
“If Ted Strickland would work harder to cut Ohio’s taxes and worry less about how much John and his family paid in them, maybe 426,000 Ohioans wouldn’t have lost their jobs since he became governor.”
Strickland, 68, also said that he would release his medical records if Kasich releases his tax returns.
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TweetStrickland says “no” to Arizona-type immigration law
Gov. Ted Strickland said on Wednesday, April 28, that he wouldn’t sign into law an immigration control measure like the one that just went into effect in Arizona.
“I do not think it would be wise for Ohio to have such legislation,” Strickland said at a press conference where he released his federal income tax returns for 2006-2009.
His opposition to the Arizona immigration law came after state Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton, and Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones on Tuesday sent a letter to Strickland and legislative leaders urging them to move ahead with stalled immigration legislation in the Ohio legislature.
Combs has sponsored a bill that would require employers to check a prospective hire’s legal status or risk noncompliance with tax law.
The Arizona law gives police the authority to detain individuals whom they think might be illegal immigrants.
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TweetChamber of Commerce, Environmental Council join forces to back ballot issues
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Environmental Council - two groups that don’t always agree - have joined forces to back the two state issues on the May 4 ballot.
Issue One calls for issuing $700 million in bonds to renew the Third Frontier high tech economic development program. Issue Two calls for relocating a proposed Columbus casino from the Arena District near downtown to the former site of an auto factory on the city’s west side.
“When organizations as diverse as ours come together on an issue, you can bank on its importance to all Ohioans. That’s why we are, together, urging Ohioans to vote YES on Issues 1 and 2,” Andrew Doehrel, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release on Wednesday, April 28.
The groups believe both issues are both pro-business and pro-environment, the two groups said.
“… we strongly agree that Issues 1 and 2 represent a unique opportunity to invest in jobs, a more vibrant economy and a cleaner environment,” said Keith Dimoff, executive director for the Ohio Environmental Council, said in the release.
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TweetFisher takes big lead over Brunner in Dem Senate primary
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher has opened a big lead over Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner - 41-24 percent - among likely voters in their race for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday, April 28.
Still, 34 percent of the the likely Democratic voters remained undecided and 51 percent of those who named a candidate said they might change their minds.
“Fisher is in a dominant position,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Absent a game-changing event that is not now apparent, Ms. Brunner faces a very uphill task in a very small amount of time.”
Release of the poll results came after campaign finance reports that showed Fisher had $1.8 million on hand after the first quarter of the year, compared to just $79,131 for Brunner. Fisher has launched two TV ads while Brunner has put up no TV ads. She is campaigning across the state in her converted school bus, the “Courage Express.”
“Your mother may have said money doesn’t buy happiness, but it often buys elections,” said Brown.
The winner of the May 4 primary will face Republican Rob Portman, the former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member, in the general election. Portman is unopposed for his party’s nomination and had $7.6 million on hand at the end of the first quarter.
The new poll showed a big jump in support for Fisher, who led Brunner 33-26 percent in a poll released on March 30.
Fisher’s greatest edge may be that voters considered him the more electable candidate. Voters said by a 46-16 percent spread that he is more likely than Brunner to win in November, up from 37-18 percent in March.
Fisher has been on the statewide scene for two decades, winning the attorney general’s race in 1990 before losing a re-election bid in 1994. He lost the 1998 governor’s race to Republican Bob Taft.
Other poll findings in the Fisher-Brunner primary race:
*Voters viewed Fisher favorably, 41-7 percent while viewing Brunner favorably, 26-7 percent, with 65 percent saying they didn’t know enough about her to have an opinion.
*Women voters viewed Fisher favorably, 42-6 percent, better than the 24-6 percent favorable-unfavorable rating Brunner had among women.
*Among men, Fisher’s favorable-unfavorable rating was 39-9 percent, while Brunner’s was 30-9 percent.
*Likely primary voters said that Fisher more than Brunner shared their values, 31-19 percent, up from 23-20 percent in March.
*By a 26-19 percent spread, the voters said Fisher is more likely than Brunner to do in office what he pledged in the campaign.
The poll surveyed 987 likely Democratic voters from Thursday, April 22 to Monday, April 26 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The poll surveyed 987 likely Democratic voters from Thursday, April 22 to Monday, April 26 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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