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Thursday, July 1, 2010
Cleveland is finalist to host 2012 Democratic convention
Staff and wire reports
WASHINGTON - Cleveland is one of four cities in the running to host the 2012 Democratic convention where President Barack Obama is expected to be renominated.
Recognizing that Obama faces serious challenges in the Midwest he carried not two years ago, the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday, July 1, picked three heartland cities and just one in the Republican-friendly South to consider for its 2012 nominating convention. The other cities are St. Louis, Minneapolis and Charlotte, N.C.
“I can think of no better place to play host to a 2012 national political convention than the city of Cleveland,” Gov. Ted Strickland said in a statement. “Perhaps most important, Cleveland provides the ideal backdrop for what is sure to be an historic convention as the city embodies the diversity and determined hope of America.”
A presidential nominating convention brings millions of dollars and intense attention to its host city as well as political good will for the party itself. Obama won Ohio, Minnesota and North Carolina in his 2008 race against Republican John McCain, who won Missouri.
Democrats will nominate their 2012 presidential candidate the week of Sept. 3. The week before that, Republicans will nominate their candidate in Tampa, Fla., a city in a state that will be central to either party’s bid for the White House.
If the convention comes to Cleveland, it would be the first Democratic convention in Ohio since 1880 when it was held in Cincinnati and the nominee was Winfield Scott Hancock. He lost the general election that year to Republican James Garfield.
The last party convention in Ohio was the Republican convention in Cleveland in 1936 for Alfred Landon who lost to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
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State ends year with $139 million to spare
State government ended the fiscal year on Wednesday, June 30, with $139 million to spare, the Office of Budget and Management reported. While the ending balance totaled $510.3 million, $371.3 million was earmarked for outstanding bills and obligations.
Total state spending for the year from the general revenue fund hit $25.6 billion, less than the $26.1 billion budget.
More details on the monthly revenues and spending are expected in a report due to be released July 10.
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Legislature will return - after Nov. 2 election
State legislators, who left for the summer on June 4, almost certainly won’t return to Columbus until after the Nov. 2 election.
House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, on Friday, July 1, released the schedule for the second half of the year and put the return date for the House and Senate at Nov. 9.
The schedule includes “if needed” dates for Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 but it’s unlikely anything short of a major breakdown in state finances would get legislators off the campaign trail and back to Columbus before voters have their say on Nov. 2.
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2nd Poll shows tight U.S. Senate race
A second poll shows Ohio’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Lee Fisher to be a virtual tossup among likely voters, but the PPP Public Policy Polling survey showed Fisher, the lieutenant governor, gaining some momentum.
The poll from the Raleigh, N.C., firm, released on Wednesday, June 30, showed Fisher leading 40-38 with a plus or minus 4.5 percent margin of error. Portman led Fisher 41-36 percent in March.
Earlier in the week, a Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters showed Fisher leading Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member and budget director and trade representative for President George W. Bush, 40-38 percent, with a plus or minus 3 percent margin of error.
The PPP poll, like the Quinnipiac survey, showed Fisher and Portman remain relatively unknown. 45 percent didn’t know enough about Fisher to form and opinion and 53 percent said the same for Portman.
One problem for Portman, the poll found, is that voters said they had more faith in Columbus politicians - Fisher’s group - to deal with Ohio’s problems than they do with Washington politicians, a group that Democrats have been trying to put Portman in.
However, the poll found that just 42 percent of voters approve President Barack Obama’s performance while 54 percent disapprove - a finding that could rub off negatively on Fisher.
The poll was taken Saturday, June 26, to Sunday, June 27, with 482 likely voters, with the plus or minus 4.5 percent margin of error.
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Only 12 percent of eligible kids get free food over summer
Only 12 percent of children eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch programs also participate daily in the summer nutrition programs, the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks reported.
Statewide, more than 560,000 low-income children received free and reduced-price during the regular school year yet just 69,000 participated in the summer food programs, the report said.
Nationally, one in six eligible low-income children got summer meals. Ohio participation rates grew 13 percent between July 2008 and July 2009 but the foodbank association says the rates are still too low and more needs to be done to address child hunger.
“Ohio must do a better job in reaching more needy children,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, director of the foodbanks association. “Hunger does not end at the end of the academic year and neither should our efforts to get wholesome food to children in need. No child should go hungry.”
Hamler-Fugitt is calling on Congress to reauthorize federal child nutrition programs, including the Summer Nutrition Programs.
