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July 2010
Former State Rep. Robert E. Netzley dies; served 40 years
Former state Rep. Robert E. Netzley, a Laura Republican who served 40 years in the Ohio House, died on Wednesday, July 28.
Netzley served longer in the House than anyone in state history.
Ohio House Minority Leader William Batchelder, R-Medina, issued a tribute to his long-time colleague:
“Ohio lost one of its greatest legislators in the history of the state when Bob Netzley of Miami County passed away last evening. Having served longer than any other member of the General Assembly (40 years), Bob Netzley served with unparalleled courage, total dedication to the philosophy of conservatism and an unbending adherence to the principals upon which this republic was founded.
“He was, in all of his service, one who could have joined the founders of this nation in courage integrity and adherence to principle. We shall not see his like again.” Share your condolences for Bob Netzley.
Here’s a column about Netzley from the Dayton Daily News upon his retirement in December 2000:
NETZLEY GOES OUT IN BLAZER OF OLD GLORY
State representative retires after 40 years
By William Hershey COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS - Snow had begun falling and winter winds howled outside, but this month’s blustery weather made no difference to state Rep. Robert E. Netzley.
The Republican from Laura in Miami County came to the Ohio House dressed like the Fourth of July.
He wore a red blazer, white shirt and a flag tie with red and white stripes and white stars set against a blue background.
I'm proud of this country,' Netzley, 78, said.Anything I can do to promote patriotism I will.’
When the House adjourned for the year on Dec. 12, Netzley had served 40 years, longer than anyone in state history. Only former state Sen. Ted Gray, a Columbus Republican, put in more years in the Ohio legislature, 43.
Term limits now restrict legislators to eight years of consecutive service in the House or Senate. This would have prevented Netzley from seeking re-election, but Netzley said he would have retired anyway.
`There’ll never be another Bob Netzley in the Ohio General Assembly,’ said state Rep. Jim Buchy, R-Greenville, during House tributes to Netzley.
Buchy paused to listen to Netzley, sitting nearby on the House floor.
As he (Netzley) just said,Thank, God,’ ’ Buchy added.
For four decades, Netzley has been the don’t-tax and don’t-spend conservative scourge of governors and legislative leaders of both parties.
Only twice, Netzley said, has he supported a state budget.
When Netzley served on the State Controlling Board, which approves contracts for goods and services, he was a dogged and picky questioner.
Joanne Limbach, tax commissioner under Democratic Gov. Richard F. Celeste, remembers rehearsing for appearances before the board.
Everybody wanted to be Bob Netzley,' Limbach recalled.You could ask any question, every question you wanted to (ask) and never had been able to.’
Some questions, said Limbach, were `on the mark.’
`Some were just Netzley,’ she said.
There may not be a more politically incorrect member of the legislature. When he recently rose on the House floor to praise state Rep. Barbara Boyd, a Cleveland Heights Democrat who’s also leaving because of term limits, he commented on her size.
`Barbara, you’re sure an armful,’ Netzley said. Boyd didn’t seem to mind.
When her turn to speak came, she said there were `two Bobs in her life,’ her husband and Bob Netzley.
I don't give him a label,' Boyd said of Netzley.Except … friend.’
State Sen. Rhine McLin, D-Dayton, whose district extends to Netzley’s Miami County turf, feels the same way.
The one thing you have to give Netzley is respect,' McLin said.Because whether you agree with him or not, you always know where he’s coming from. He doesn’t have a hidden agenda. Sometimes you wonder if it wouldn’t be safer for him to hide it.’
It might have been in 1984 when Netzley, as chairman of the Miami County Republican Party, took a poke at the Democratic Celebrezze family from the Cleveland area. Brothers James and Frank Celebrezze were on the Ohio Supreme Court and their cousin Anthony Celebrezze Jr. was the Ohio attorney general.
It's no wonder that some are calling Ohio's justice system theMafia Family Court,’ ’ said a pamphlet circulated by the county party.
James Celebrezze sued Netzley and the party for $8 million, alleging that the pamphlet implied he was involved in organized crime and contributed to his losing a supreme court election. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1990 rejected an appeal by Netzley and left standing a ruling that he would have to defend himself at a trial against the lawsuit. In 1991, Netzley agreed to settle out of court, with his insurance company paying Celebrezze $100,000. Netzley makes no apologies.
I would have won that (lawsuit),' he said, citingfreedom of speech’ as the main reason.
Netzley also was a major bur under Democrat John J. Gilligan’s saddle when as governor Gilligan crusaded for a state income tax in 1971. Gilligan launched an austerity program that closed state parks and left the lawn at the Statehouse unmowed.
I said to some of the guys,Let’s mow the yard,’ ’ Netzley said. So Netzley and a few pals brought their lawnmowers to Columbus and cut the grass.
Was it a publicity stunt?
`What was closing the parks?’ Netzley asked.
No hard feelings, said Gilligan, who got the tax passed but lost his re-election bid in 1974 to Republican James A. Rhodes.
He not only tried, but succeeded in creating a lot of commotion,' Gilligan said of Netzley.He was a very dedicated guy.’
Netzley and outgoing House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, R-Reynoldsburg, regard each other with chilly respect. Netzley backed another candidate for House minority leader when state Rep. Corwin Nixon of Lebanon in Warren County decided not to seek re-election in 1992.
Davidson won and went on to become Speaker after Republicans gained control of the House in 1994.
Bob pretty much told me at one particular time that he thought I was too old to be a leader and I should step aside,' said Davidson, 73.Bob’s been pretty up front. He’s not bashful about expressing his opinion.’
As Speaker, Netzley said, Davidson had the right to do whatever she wanted to do.' He added, however, thatthe Speaker always wants people that she can control.’
As Speaker, retorted Davidson, she had the responsibility to get a budget passed and sat down with members to hash out differences and reach agreements.
I don't call that control,' she said.I call that when you get to a certain point in time, you’ve got to do your job.’
Netzley doesn’t brag about his service in the legislature. In fact earlier this year, he spoke on the House floor with unusual candor. He came to Columbus 40 years ago, he said, to shrink government and cut taxes.
`I’ve been a total failure,’ Netzley said, half in jest.
He wasn’t being completely honest with himself, however. Taxes have increased and government has grown.
But another Netzley goal has been achieved. Back before anyone coined the term `welfare reform,’ Netzley thought paying people without jobs to stay at home was an outrage to the taxpayers and degrading to those taking the money.
`People ought to work for their welfare,’ Netzley told anyone who would listen.
Everybody said,You can’t do that. That’s degrading.’ Now we’re doing it,’ Netzley said approvingly. `I feel vindicated in my approach.’
Under Ohio’s welfare reform law, cash benefits now are limited to three continuous years.
Netzley has spent much of this year working as chairman of the Welfare Oversight Council, the House-Senate panel assigned to oversee Ohio’s welfare-to-work reform efforts. Boyd, the Cleveland Heights Democrat, has served with him. They’ve traveled the state, reviewing how Ohio’s 88 counties are handling the transition.
`I think we’re going to be all right,’ Netzley said.
He has not always been delicate about pushing his approaches to welfare reform.
`If you can’t feed ‘em, don’t breed ‘em,” says a sign on his office door. It refers to people, not cows. Cows, Netzley said, would feed their young.
Netzley’s welfare-to-work approach has won support, even among Democrats.
I think there should be a work component,' Sen. McLin said.If we had started a long time ago, we’d be in a different position than we are today. Netzley’s been very prophetic.’
Maybe that’s who Netzley is, a prophet and a patriot. The patriotism goes beyond the red blazer and flag tie.
Netzley was an ensign aboard the U.S.S. Chase near Okinawa on May 20, 1945, when a Japanese suicide bomber flew into the ship. The right wing broke off not far from where Netzley was standing. The bomb the plane had been carrying exploded under water, blowing two big holes in the ship.
Netzley was blown through the air, ending up one deck below where he had been standing.
It's a strange feeling when you're flying through the air,' Netzley said.It felt just like a big gust of hot air hit me.’
Netzley received a Purple Heart, the military award given to those wounded in action.
Most of his legislative colleagues didn’t know about it until Buchy told them last week.
`I don’t necessarily keep parading it like I’m a hero,’ Netzley said.
Retirement will give Netzley more time to spend with his wife, Marjorie, their three grown children and 11 grandchildren.
If a governor or legislative leader needs him for a special assignment, Netzley said he’s ready.
In certain areas, I might be dangerous,' Netzley said.In other areas, I might be just the guy they want. If they need somebody who’s going to stick to his guns, they couldn’t find a better person.’
As Buchy said, however, there won’t be another person like Netzley in the legislature, next year or probably ever.
`The Lord couldn’t handle it,’ said McLin.
TweetGov. Strickland in Dayton Friday for “job-creation” awards; Fisher in Cleveland
Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher - both on the ballot on Nov. 2 - will join forces in their official capacities on Friday, July 30 to announce “economic development awards aimed at spurring job creation.”
Strickland will do his announcing at 2 p.m. at the University of Dayton Research Institute, said a press release on Thursday.
At the same time, Fisher will be at the Dunham Tavern Museum in Cleveland, Fisher’s home base.
Other Strickland administration officials will make announcements at four other sites across the state in Circleville, Canton, Marietta and Struthers.
Jobs is a top issue in both Strickland’s re-election campaign against Republican John Kasich, the former Columbus-area U.S. House member, and in Fisher’s U.S. Senate race against Republican Rob Portman, the former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member and trade representative and budget director for President George W. Bush.
Kasich and Portman have blamed Strickland and Fisher for the 379,700 jobs the state has lost since the Democrats took office in 2007.
Strickland and Fisher, meanwhile, blame Bush and Republicans who controlled Congress for the state’s slide and say they have put in place policies to reverse the trend.
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TweetBoehner launches fund raising push to help GOP take back U.S. House
By Jack Torry Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, has launched a new fund-raising effort as part of his campaign to win control of the House in November and become the first speaker of the House from Ohio since Nicholas Longworth in 1931. It’s called the “Boehner for Speaker” committee.
Want to join? According to Politico.com, a newspaper and web site in Washington, all it takes is a measly $100,000. You can either contribute to the committee or agree to raise it yourself. In return, Politico says donors will get meetings from Boehner and “VIP access to all events, including roundtables, briefings, breakout discussions and interactive panel discussions.”
And if you don’t have $100,000? Well, apparently, tough luck. You get to watch Boehner on TV or read about him in the newspapers.
Don Seymour, a Boehner spokesman said that “you don’t have to have a dime to meet with John Boehner. As a servant of the people of Ohio, he meets with thousands of Americans every year, for free. Boehner for Speaker is not about access; it’s about people who believe in a cause — a cause shared by millions of Americans, including many who don’t contribute money at all.”
Get more info at boehnerforspeaker.org.
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TweetSecond police group endorses Gov. Strickland for re-election
The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association has endorsed Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland for re-election.
Strickland earlier was endorsed by the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police.
“The O.P.B.A. endorses Gov. Strickland based on his strong record on law enforcement and public safety issues, and his continued support for the collective bargaining rights of public employees,” Terry Gallagher, executive director of the association, said in a press release on Thursday, July 29.
Strickland is running against Republican John Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member.
The O.P.B.A. represents police departments and law enforcement agencies throughout the state, including departments in many suburban communities.
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TweetLocal donor says she’s not a Wall Street insider
The Ohio Republican Party this week charged that Democrat Ted Strickland took $1.5 million in campaign contributions from the financial industry while slamming his opponent John Kasich and Wall Street values.
Buried on the 23-pages of contributions that GOP counted was $100 from Patricia Diven of Centerville who listed her occupation as ‘finance director.’
But Diven said she is no Wall Street insider. She said she works three days a week for a small non-profit agency with an annual budget of less than $500,000. She admitted that she did once visit Wall Street in the 1970s.
News that she had made the list gave her a chuckle.
“My husband was very amused. He wanted to know where I’m hiding my Wall Street money,” Diven said. “We had a great laugh out of this one.”
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TweetCampaign ad watch: Portman’s ‘Jobs 2’ commercial
By Jack Torry Washington Bureau
The ad: “Jobs 2,” a 30-second TV commercial aired by Senate Republican candidate Rob Portman
Producer: Stevens & Schriefer Group
Video: The commercial offers a blend of grainy black-and-white photos of Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, the Senate Democratic candidate, blended with printed words, such as “Fisher says hold him accountable for his job record,” and “nearly 400,000 jobs lost” in Ohio since 2007, with arrows superimposed over a map of the United States to show the jobs leaving Ohio. Then the viewer sees the words, “Had enough?” followed by attractive color photos of Portman and his jobs plan for Ohio.
Script: A female announcer says: “Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher takes office as director of development. His official role? Create jobs. Fisher says hold him accountable for his job record. How’s he doing? Nearly 400,000 jobs lost, with a record number moving to other states. Now, Fisher says he wants to take his experience with job creation to Washington. Had enough?”
A male announcer then says: “Rob Portman, he’s got a jobs plan to get Ohio working,” before Portman says, “I’m Rob Portman, and I approved this message.”
Analysis: Right away, you know this is a nasty commercial because Portman uses three of the most unflattering photos ever taken of Fisher. The commercial seeks to blame Fisher - and apparently only Fisher - for Ohio losing 379,900 nonfarm payroll jobs from just before Fisher took office in December 2006 until June of this year. Because Fisher was director of the Ohio Department of Development and publicly said his performance would be measured through job creation, per-capita income and Ohioans with college degrees, the commercial is fair game.
But although the commercial relies on accurate numbers, it is misleading because Ohio has seen a steady job loss since 2000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio has had a net loss of 568,300 jobs from January 2000 to June of this year, with manufacturing employment sliding from 1 million in 2000 to 627,800. Under the logic employed by Portman, any of the following politicians could be held equally responsible: former President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, former Gov. Bob Taft, Gov. Ted Strickland, Fisher, and yes, even Portman, who was a Republican congressman, U.S. trade representative and White House budget director for much of the decade. In addition, only six states added jobs during Fisher’s tenure.
In reality, a variety of complex factors have led to Ohio’s decline in nonfarm payrolls: The rapid decline of General Motors and Chrysler; major increases in productivity, which means Ohio factories produce more goods with fewer workers; the brutal national recessions of 2001 and 2008, which wiped out tens of thousands of jobs; a migration by some companies to states with lower tax rates than Ohio’s; and intense competition from foreign trade partners.
One interesting aside: The “Had enough?” line employed by Portman is a Republican campaign theme from 1946 when the GOP won control of Congress by asking Americans if they had “had enough” of the New Deal.
- Jack Torry
jtorry@dispatch.com
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TweetCordray financial maneuvers draw GOP challenge
Two county Republican parties have filed a complaint against Democratic incumbent Richard Cordray with the Ohio Elections Commission, challenging how Cordray shuffled campaign money.
The complaint from the Summit and Franklin County parties stems from Dayton Daily News’ reporter Laura A. Bischoff’s story on Sunday, July 18.
The story described how Cordray’s campaign gave away $765,000 from his campaign account to the Ohio Democratic Party and two county Democratic parties in February and then received contributions back from those parties in April.
State law prohibits statewide candidates from carrying over too much cash from a previous election cycle, Bischoff reported. After Cordray beat Republican Mike Crites in a special election in November 2008, he has $1.1 million left in his campaign account, she reported.
Rather than refund the money or donate it to the state or a charity, Cordray sent the cash to his political allies before the deadline for the state’s “excess funds law,” her story said.
“The public will see that Cordray’s campaign was wiring money to Democratic leaders at the last minute in an attempt to hold on to $765,000 of illegal money,” Alex Arshinkoff, Summit County GOP chairman, said in a press release.
Adam Herman, Cordray’s campaign spokesman, said in an e-mail that “this is a bogus complaint that is completely without merit.”
The complaint also questioned Cordray’s minimal expenditures on his campaign, noting that the salary for his chief fundraiser doesn’t appear on campaign. Herman said the fundraiser works for the Ohio Democratic Party and provides services for several campaigns.
Cordray is running for re-election against former Republican U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville.
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TweetOhio Dems, union challenge “free speech” restrictions in judicial elections
Ohio Democrats and a major public employees’ union on Wednesday, July 28, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging restrictions that bar judicial candidates in general elections from disclosing their party identifications and soliciting funds.
“There is no reason for judicial candidates to be forced to withhold their party affiliation from the electorate,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a press release. “Ohio voters have a right to know the political party that a judicial candidate is affiliated with. The more information voters have, the better.”
The Ohio Democratic Party, Ohio Council 8 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and three judicial candidates filed the lawsuit in U.S.
Rules barring judicial candidates from disclosing their party affiliations and soliciting funds were recently overturned with regard to Kentucky judicial candidates by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, the press release said.
In Ohio, judicial candidates are nominated in partisan primaries but appear on general election ballots without party identification.
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TweetIn an unusual move, Sen. Brown criticizes Portman
By Jack Torry
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - In an unusual attack by a sitting senator, Sen. Sherrod Brown Wednesday, July 28, assailed Senate Republican nominee Rob Portman, charging that there is “no candidate running anywhere in the country’’ more responsible than Portman for the current sluggish U.S. economy.
In a conference call with Ohio reporters, Brown, D-Ohio, complained that Portman was an ardent supporter of President George W. Bush’s economic policies throughout the decade, first as a Republican congressman from Cincinnati and then as U.S. trade representative and White House budget director in the Bush administration.
Brown expressed surprise that Portman “of all people,’’ would “blame anybody else’’ for the steep job loss in Ohio since 2007 “when he was the architect of Bush’s economic policies. He had the car keys when he was driving the car into the ditch. Now he wants the voters of Ohio to give him the keys back. I don’t get it.’’
Brown is a major backer of Senate Democratic candidate Lee Fisher, the state’s lieutenant governor. Last night, Portman unveiled a new TV commercial against Fisher, charging that Ohio lost nearly 400,000 jobs since Fisher and Gov. Ted Strickland took office in 2007.
While it is true that non-farm payrolls in Ohio have fallen by 379,900 since December of 2006, the state has lost 568,300 jobs since January of 2000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bush was president from 2001 through early 2009.
Sitting U.S. senators who are not up for re-election tend to avoid attacking other Senate candidates. The most striking exception was in 2004 when then-Senate Republican Bill Frist of Tennessee campaigned against Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.
Asked about the Portman commercial during a conference call on clean energy, Brown said he had not seen it. But he asserted “there is no candidate running anywhere in the country more aligned and more responsible for the Bush economic policy that got us here. It was bad trade policy … they gave companies incentives to go overseas and tax cuts for the richest Americans that blew a hole in the government.’’
Brown was referring to Portman’s votes for tax cuts championed by Bush in 2001 and 2003, which including reductions in income tax rates for all taxpayers, cuts in taxes on dividends and capital gains, which are the profits from the sale of real estate and stock, and reducing the tax on married couples.
In a response to Brown’s attack, Jessica R. Towhey, a Portman spokeswoman, said in a statement that “Lt. Gov. Fisher asked to be held accountable for his record, but since he refuses to talk about it we wanted to make sure Ohioans know the facts: Under Lt. Gov. Fisher’s watch, Ohio lost nearly 400,000 jobs, and nearly nine out of every 10 jobs that left Ohio, left for another state.
“Ohio is falling behind the rest of the country, and the last thing we need is Lt. Gov. Fisher in Washington rubberstamping the agenda” of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Towhey said.
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TweetEdison increased lead over Wright Brothers in final statute vote
The Wright brothers, the aviation pioneers from Dayton, fell slightly further behind inventor and first-place finisher Thomas Edison in the final, official count of the popular vote for a new statute to represent Ohio in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.
The final vote showed Edison with 14,833 votes, 1,018 more than the 13,815 cast for Orville and Wilbur Wright, the Ohio Historical Society said on Wednesday, July 28.
Former U.S. Rep. William M. McCulloch, a Piqua Republican who championed civil rights, finished fourth with 3,851 votes. In third place was Jesse Owens, the Olympic gold medal winner, who had 5,032 votes.
The final count resulted from a review conducted by Rea & Associates, an Ohio-based certified public accounting firm.
The historical society’s final count before the review showed Edison, with 14,261 votes, 898 more than the 13,363 for the Wright brothers.
The National Statuary Collection Committee is expected to meet by the end of the summer to decide on a recommendation to the full legislature, said Kristen Strobel, spokeswoman for Sen. Mark Wagoner, R-Ottawa Hills, the committee chairman.
Wagoner has said the committee will give the public vote great weight when making its recommendation.
The new statute will replace former Gov. William Allen, whose pro-slavery and anti-Abraham Lincoln views now are seen as an embarrassment to the state.
The vote counts for the other six candidates in the final ten were:
President Ulysses S. Grant, 3,087
Suffragist Harriet Taylor Upton, 2,587
Author and abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, 2,330
Astronaut Judith A. Resnik, 1,488
Oral polio vaccine developer Albert B. Sabin, 1,198
Abolitionist and congressman James Mitchell Ashley, 515
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TweetBoehner to address Darke County CC
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, will deliver the annual “State of the Nation” report to the Darke County Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Aug. 6, the chamber announced on Wednesday, July 28.
The luncheon event at the Greenville Golf Club is for chamber members only, a press release said.
Boehner’s U.S. House district includes Darke County. He is leading Republican efforts to win control of the U.S. House. If that happens, it’s expected that Boehner would become Speaker of the House.
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TweetObama coming to Columbus to raise money for Gov. Strickland
By Jack Torry
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will deliver a speech next month in Columbus on the economy and host a fundraiser for Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party, a White House official said today.
The official said Obama will first speak about the economy at an event on August 18, followed by a separate event for the fundraiser. The official declined to provide any details.
Obama will be making his ninth visit to Ohio since assuming office in January of 2009. In June, Obama spent 58 minutes on the ground in Columbus at an event to promote the $787 billion economic stimulus package approved last year by Congress.
Even though Strickland supported Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 Ohio Democratic presidential primary, his re-election is regarded as crucial for the White House. Strickland is running against former Republican congressman John Kasich.
Rob Nichols, a Kasich spokesman, said that “given the fact that the most recent Rasmussen survey shows that 54 percent of Ohioans disapprove of the job that President Obama is doing, we hope he has many Ohio trips planned between now and November.”
In its announcement, the White House made no mention of Senate Democratic candidate Lee Fisher, who is running against former Republican congressman Rob Portman.
But Lynn Bowman, Fisher’s campaign manager, said that “Lee is excited to have both President Obama and Vice President Biden helping Ohio candidates, because it helps him hold Congressman Portman accountable for his 20 years.’’
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TweetDocs endorse Portman, quiet on guv race
The political arm of the Ohio State Medical Association is backing Republican Rob Portman for U.S. Senate over Democrat Lee Fisher but is remaining neutral in the governor’s race.
“With a strong record of supporting medical liability reform and his concerns about the recently passed federal health system reform legislation, Ohio’s physicians believe Rob Portman is the best choice for U.S. Senate,” said Dr. Marvin H. Rorick, chair of the association’s political action committee.
Rorick said the group decided to not endorse either candidate in the governor’s race — incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland or Republican challenger John Kasich.
Strickland has supported expanding access to medical care and signed legislation that helped alleviate administrative hassles in the medical field, Rorick said. Meanwhile, Kasich supported medical liability reforms and efforts to level the playing field between doctors and insurance companies, he said.
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Tweet155,000 Ohioans eligible for more unemployment checks
As many as 155,000 unemployed Ohio workers are getting word from state officials that they can again receive federal extended unemployment benefits.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services began notifying eligible Ohioans by phone, after President Obama signed legislation into law last week that extends program deadlines from May 29 to Nov. 27.
The state paid $46.8 million in extended benefits on Monday, July 26, including retroactive lump sums.
As a result of the legislation, unemployed workers can receive benefits for up to 99 weeks: 26 weeks of regular state unemployment, 53 weeks of federal extended benefits, and another 20 weeks of federally-funded state extended benefits.
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TweetFisher mouthpiece makes a move
John Collins, spokesman for Democrat Lee Fisher’s U.S. Senate campaign, is moving on.
Collins is moving to Kentucky to work for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jack Conway. Conway is running against Republican Rand Paul in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races.
Lynne Bowman, Fisher’s campaign manager, said in a prepared statement on Monday, July 26, that Fisher’s campaign won’t miss a beat:
“Ohioans aren’t the least bit concerned about campaign staffing. They’ll have a clear choice this fall: between Lee Fisher who’s been on the ground fighting with them to create Ohio jobs, and Congressman Portman, who’s spent two decades in Washington supporting devastating trade policies that shipped thousands of Ohio jobs overseas.”
Jeff Sadosky, spokesman for Rob Portman, Fisher’s Republican opponent, had a different take in his prepared statement:
“Just like over a thousand others, this is one more job that’s moved south to Kentucky on Lt. Governor Lee Fisher’s watch.”
A replacement for Collins is expected to be named soon. Fisher is Ohio’s lieutenant governor and Portman is a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member who also served as U.S. trade representative and budget director under President George W. Bush.
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Tweet$600,000 loan pending for Miami County business
The Strickland administration is recommending approval of loans worth more than $14.5 million for seven companies.
The loans, pending state Controlling Board approval, would help create 248 jobs and retain 165 jobs, according to the Ohio Department of Development.
Among the seven companies is Creative Extruded Products, Inc., in Miami County, which is in line for a $600,000 loan for the use of purchase of new equipment. Their $1.4 million expansion is expected to create 34 jobs and help retain 139 positions.
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TweetMidwest govs announce Columbus investment summit
The Midwestern Governors Association will hold an investment summit in Columbus on Sept. 21-22 to explore how to increase investments in the “new energy economy.”
“If we want to continue the midwest’s progress in becoming a global leader in the new energy economy, we must fund ways to increase investment in our region,” Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, the group’s chairman, said in a press release on Monday, July 26.
The summit will focus on how investors - including venture capitalists, angel investors and traditional financial institutions - can work with regional business, government and non-profit leaders to increase new energy investments, the press release said.
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TweetSen. Brown lands spot on powerful Appropriations Committee
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has landed a spot on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Brown’s office announced on Thursday, July 22.
Brown said in a press release that he was “honored” that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., chose him for the committee. It plays a major role in determining how billions of dollars in federal money are spent and how much money states and communities get for projects.
“This is about Ohio getting its fair share of federal resources that promote economic development,” Brown said.
“For too long, Ohio has been a donor state - with Ohio taxpayers supporting other states by paying out more in federal taxes than our state receives.”
Brown said he will be seventh Ohioan in history to serve on the committee in its 140 plus year history. He will join Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. George Voinovich who is retiring at the end of the year.
A committee vacancy vacancy was created after long-time Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Robert C. Byrd, W. Va., died away last month.
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TweetOSU workers’ pay now online
The 2008 pay data for 22,968 employees of Ohio State University is now posted and searchable at BuckeyeInstitute.org.
The conservative think tank added OSU pay information to the data on state government workers and employees in local school districts. The Buckeye Institute plans to add pay data for workers at other public colleges and universities as it becomes available, said Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer.
Since the website launched the pay database on April 30, it has had roughly 50,000 visitors conducting 370,000 searches, Mayer said.
“Given the volume of data searches, Ohioans clearly want to know what government workers are making, especially now. The Ohio State salary data is another step in bringing full transparency to Ohio government,” Mayer said.
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TweetPoll: Jobs more important than deficit reduction
American voters say overwhelmingly - by 64-30 percent - that reducing unemployment is more important than reducing the federal budget deficit, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released on Thursday, July 22.
Even Republicans say reducing unemployment is more important, by a 58-38 percent margin. The results come with the national unemployment rate for June at 9.5 percent; the Ohio June rate was 10.5 percent.
Here’s a chance to join the debate.
Also, the poll finds voters discouraged about the economy. By a 52-44 percent margin, they say the economy is not beginning to recover.
Also, just 23 percent say the economy is getting better, while 31 percent say it’s getting worse and 44 percent see no change.
“The public seems to be reassessing the view held through the winter and spring, when they thought economic conditions were lousy but could see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release.
“Now they aren’t seeing any light.”
Neither Democratic President Barack Obama nor his Republican congressional opponents has an advantage when it comes to trust from the voters. Forty one percent trust Obama to handle the economy, while 42 percent say they congressional Republicans.
There is a bright spot for Obama, who doesn’t face re-election until 2012.
By a 53-25 percent spread, they blame former Republican President George W. Bush more than Obama for current economic woes. In January, they blamed Bush more by a 55-20 percent spread.
The poll was taken from July 13 to Monday, July 19, with 2,181 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
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TweetBuckeye Firearms Association endorses Cordray for AG
The Buckeye Firearms Association has endorsed Democratic Attorney General Richard Cordray for re-election over Republican challenger Mike DeWine, the former U.S. senator from Cedarville.
“The Buckeye Firearms Association represents the interests of an important group of people in Ohio, and I am honored to have received their endorsement,” Cordray said in a press release on Wednesday, July 21.
Click here for the full text of the endorsement.
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TweetPoll: Kasich keeps lead over Strickland
Republican challenger John Kasich continues to lead Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland among likely voters in a Rasmussen Reports poll released on Wednesday, July 21.
Kasich leads, 48-43 percent in the new poll, about the same as the Republican’s 47-40 percent lead at the end of last month.
The new poll was taken on Monday, July 19, with 750 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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TweetOhio, NY pension funds seek recovery from BP
Pension funds in Ohio and New York on Wednesday, July 21, announced that they’re seeking lead plaintiff status in a securities class action lawsuit against BP and the British company’s officers and directors.
In filing in U.S. District Court in Louisiana, attorneys for the states’ funds said that the funds lost from $181 million to $229.4 million from BP investments.
The filing comes with efforts continuing to contain and fix the spill at BP’s well in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Institutional investors and the Ohio funds in particular have been greatly harmed by BP’s alleged misconduct,” Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray said in a press release.
“By forming a partnership between Ohio and New York, we aim to compensate investors for what we believe was securities fraud and effect real change in the way BP and other companies do business.”
The group seeking lead plaintiff status includes: the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System; the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio; the School Employees Retirement System of Ohio; the Ohio Police & Fire Pension fund and the New York State Common Retirement Fund.
The combined funds invest more than $275 billion, the press release said.
The funds alleged that BP made materially false and misleading statements about the company’s safety protocols and record as well as the ability to respond to a major oil spill.
A BP spokeswoman said the company would not respond because of the pending litigation.
Earlier: Ohio public pension plans losing money on BP stock
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TweetPoll: Obama approval sinks to lowest ever as independents defect
President Barack Obama’s approval rating has sunk to its lowest level among registered voters across the country in a new Quinnipiac University Poll released on Wednesday, July 21.
In the poll, 48 percent disapproved of Obama’s performance as president, compared to 44 percent who approved. In May, 48 percent approved and 43 disapproved. Back in July 2009, Obama still was on a political honeymoon, with 57 percent approval and 33 percent disapproval.
Also, the poll found Obama losing 39-36 percent to an unnamed Republican in 2012.
Independents deserted Obama in the poll. This group disapproved of his performance, 52-38 percent and by a 37-27 percent margin said they’d vote for a Republican contender in 2012.
The poll found no love for Congress. By a 59-31 percent spread, they disapproved of the job Democrats in Congress are doing and by a 59-29 percent margin disapproved of what congressional Republicans are doing.
One bright spot for Obama in the poll - voters like him better than former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate and potential 2012 presidential hopeful.
They gave Obama a 49 percent (favorable) to 45 percent (unfavorable) rating. Palin came out negative on favorability - 49 percent (unfavorable) to 35 percent (favorable).
Still, the poll results posed potential problems for the president.
“In politics a month is a lifetime and we have 28 months until November of 2012,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release. “But politicians with re-elect numbers at 40 percent bear watching.”
The poll was taken from July 13 to Monday, July 19 with 2,181 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
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TweetPortman leads Fisher in U.S. Senate poll; Obama approval lags
Republican Rob Portman leads Democrat Lee Fisher, 45-39 percent, among likely voters in the U.S. Senate race in a Rasmussen Reports poll released on Tuesday, July 20.
Also in the poll, 46 percent of likely voters approve of President Barack Obama’s performance, down from three percentage points from last month.
The economy continues to be a major issue in the Senate race, with 48 percent saying it’s getting worse and 27 percent saying it’s getting better.
Among those who say it’s improving, Fisher gets 75 percent support. However, among those who say the economy’s getting worse, 68 percent back Portman.
Also in the poll, 55 percent somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove of Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s performance as governor, while 44 percent strongly or somewhat approve of Strickland’s performance.
The poll was taken on Monday, July 19, with 750 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points
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TweetOhio FOP endorses Strickland for governor, Portman for U.S. Senate
The Ohio Fraternal Order of Police on Tuesday, July 20, announced that it has endorsed Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland for re-election and Republican Rob Portman for U.S. Senate.
Strickland is running against Republican John Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member.
Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member who was budget director and U.S. trade representative under President George W. Bush, is running against Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.
The FOP also endorsed Democrats in three other statewide races:
*Incumbent Attorney General Richard Cordray over Republican Mike DeWine of Cedarville, the former U.S. senator.
*Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, Franklin County clerk of courts, for secretary of state over Republican Jon Husted, the state senator from Kettering.
*Incumbent Democratic Treasurer Kevin Boyce over Republican Josh Mandel, a state representative from Lyndhurst.
For the Ohio Supreme Court chief justice, the FOP endorsed Republican Justice Maureen O’Connor over Democratic incumbent Eric Brown.
In the second contested high court race, the FOP backed incumbent Republican Justice Judith Lanzinger over Democratic challenger Mary Jane Trapp, a state appeals court judge.
The FOP did not endorse in the race for auditor between Democrat David Pepper, a Hamilton County commissioner, and Republican Dave Yost, Delaware County prosecutor.
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TweetSupreme Court candidates sign “clean campaign” pledge
The four candidates running for contested seats on the Ohio Supreme Court have signed the Ohio State Bar Association’s “clean campaign agreement,” the association announced on Tuesday, July 20.
Signing the pledge were:
*Chief Justice Eric Brown, a Democrat
*Justice Maureen O’Connor, a Republican running against Brown
*Justice Judith Lanzinger, a Republican
*Judge Mary Jane Trapp who sits on Ohio’s 11th District Court of Appeals in northeastern Ohio and is the Democrat challenging Lanzinger.
The pledge asks candidates to publicly disavow ads from other sources that “impugn the integrity of the judicial system or the integrity of a candidate for Supreme Court,” a press release said.
“Our goal is to encourage campaigns for this state’s highest court that are based on credentials, temperament and experience and that demonstrate the dignity and respect the office deserves,” OSBA President Carmen Roberto said in the release.
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TweetCandidate in town
Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, the Democratic candidate for Ohio secretary of state, will speak to supporters in Dayton and make phone calls with volunteers supporting her candidacy on Tuesday, July 20.
She will be at Montgomery County Democratic Party headquarters, 131 S. Wilkinson St., from 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy faces State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, in the November General Election.
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TweetSlots-at-the-tracks gets boost from lottery commission
The Ohio Lottery Commission on Monday, July 19, gave a boost to efforts to put video slot machines at Ohio’s seven horse racing tracks, including Lebanon.
Meeting in Cleveland, commissioners unanimously voted to seek a declaratory judgment from a court on whether the commission has the authority to implement slots-at-the-tracks without a vote of the people. It’s not clear how soon the request will be filed or in what court.
The commission also adapted preliminary rules for slots-at-the tracks. They include:
*Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
*Requiring players to be 21 years old.
*Allowing up to 2,500 VLTs- video lottery terminals - at each track.
Rob Walgate, vice president of the Ohio Roundtable, a suburban Cleveland anti-gambling research group, said his organization was taking a look at the plan but hadn’t decide whether to mount a legal challenge.
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TweetFisher challenges Portman to seven debates in Senate race
Democrat Lee Fisher on Monday, July 19, challenged Republican Rob Portman to seven debates in their U.S. Senate race, including one in Dayton.
“While you and I have proposed vastly different plans to get our economy moving forward again, we both have a responsibility to share our plans for creating jobs directly with Ohioans,” Fisher, the lieutenant governor, said in a letter to Portman.
Portman campaign spokeswoman Jessica Towhey issued an e-mail response:
“Of course there will be debates. We look forward to a series of debates, and we’ll be in touch with Lt.Gov. Fisher’s campaign to work out the details.”
While polls have shown the race is close, Fisher trails badly in campaign cash. He had about $1.3 million on hand as of June 30, compared to about $8.8 million for Portman.
Portman is a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member and budget director and U.S. trade representative under President George W. Bush.
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TweetSmall business group endorses Kasich for governor
The National Federation of Independent Business - Ohio, representing 24,000 small businesses, on Monday, July 19, endorsed Republican John Kasich for governor.
Steven M. Bowser, president of Bowser-Morner, Inc., in Huber Heights, was at the endorsement event at a Columbus truck dealership and afterward said that Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member, understands the issues facing small businesses, such as problems with the state’s workers’ compensation system, better than Democratic incumbent Ted Strickland.
“The current governor is a nice guy,” said Bowser. “I just don’t see him paying a lot of attention to those kinds of issues.” His engineering and testing company has about 150 employees, Bowser said.
Kasich, accompanied by Auditor Mary Taylor, his lieutenant governor running mate, pledged that as governor he would have a representative from small business regularly meet with his cabinet.
“We will put a place at the table for small business to be represented,” said Kasich.
The small business group never has endorsed a Democrat for governor.
Strickland campaign spokeswoman Allison Kolodziej said in an e-mail that Strickland has made the kind of investments in small businesses that Kasich talks about.
“While Ted has empowered small businesses to expand and create jobs by advocating for and providing additional access to capital and cutting red tape, Congressman Kasich supports outsourcing and trickle down economic policies that would only help Wall Street, big corporations, and the very wealthy,” Kolodziej said.
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TweetKasich defends record in new TV ad; says Strickland trying to “tear me down”
Republican John Kasich on Saturday, July 17, unveiled a new 30-second TV ad, blasting incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s record and accusing Strickland “and his friends” of trying to “tear me down.”
It is the Kasich campaign’s first TV ad and is running in the Cincinnati and Columbus markets
Strickland and Democrats have cast Kasich as a tool of Wall Street, citing Kasich’s employment as a managing director of Lehman Brothers, the investment banking firm linked to the nation’s economic meltdown.
In the ad, titled “Record”, Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member, minimizes his role at Lehman Brothers, speaking to the camera and saying:
“I didn’t run Lehman Brothers. I was one of 700 managing directors. I worked in a two-man office in Columbus.”
As for Strickland, Kasich says:
“Ohio’s lost 400,000 jobs under Ted Strickland. He can’t campaign on his record.” The most recent data from the state shows Ohio has lost about 380,000 jobs since Strickland took office in 2007.
Here’s Kasich’s ad:
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TweetSmall business group set to endorse Kasich for governor
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) - Ohio on Monday, July 19, is set to announce its support for Republican John Kasich for governor, Kasich’s campaign said on Friday.
Kasich and state Auditor Mary Taylor, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, are expected to be at the endorsement event in Columbus at the Columbus Truck and Equipment Co., Inc., a press release said. The small business group has about 24,000 members across the state.
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TweetKasich uses Dayton visit with Gingrich to pledge revival of manufacturing
With former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., at his side, Republican John Kasich came to Dayton on Thursday, July 15, to pledge that as governor he would work to restore Ohio’s greatness as a manufacturing state.
“….manufacturing is a crucial part of Ohio’s future,” Gingrich said at Sinclair Community College.
As for his opponent, incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and his allies, Kasich said:
“I don’t think they have a clue.”
Kasich toured an advanced manufacturing classroom at Sinclair, held a round table discussion on job training attended by more than two dozen business people and then spoke with reporters. Gingrich also was to attend a fundraiser with Kasich and state Auditor Mary Taylor, Kasich’s lieutenant governor running mate, who also was at Sinclair.
The fundraiser was at the home of Dayton-area business leader Raj Soin, the Kasich campaign said.
“We’ve got to raise money,” Kasich said before talking with reporters. Gingrich called Sinclair “a very impressive institution.”
In an e-mail, Strickland campaign spokeswoman Allison Kolodziej fired back:
“Given their roles as the architects of the trickle-down economic policies that outsourced Ohio jobs and helped Wall Street, big corporations, and the very wealthy at the expense of Ohio’s middle class, Congressman Kasich and Newt Gingrich have zero credibility discussing manufacturing jobs here in Ohio.”
Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member, served in Congress with Gingrich.
Ohio has lost a total of about 380,000 jobs since Strickland took office in January 2007. There has been a loss of about 151,000 manufacturing jobs since then.
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TweetTop Democrat to headline Ohio Dems dinner
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for the Ohio Democratic Party’s state dinner on Saturday, Aug. 7, the state party announced.
“Chairman Kaine’s presence at our biggest event of the year is a testament to the strong relationship we have with the DNC and to the importance of this year’s elections in Ohio,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said.
The dinner is expected to draw more than 2,500 Democrats from across the state.
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TweetIndiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to team with Kasich on webcast
Challenger John Kasich is getting some help from Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels in Republican Kasich’s campaign to unseat Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.
Kasich and Daniels will team up on Thursday, July 22, at 3:30 p.m. for an interactive webcast from the Cleveland area to discuss “the need to attract businesses and make Ohio competitive again,” an e-mail said. Daniels also will attend a Cleveland-area fundraiser on Kasich’s behalf on Thursday, the Kasich campaign said.
During the webcase, Kasich and Daniels will take questions from Twitter, Facebook and Web site submissions, the e-mail said.
Click here to join the webcast on July 22.
Kasich frequently has cited Daniels, former budget director for President George W. Bush, as an example of a governor with good ideas for low taxes, low spending and economic development.
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TweetWife killer denied parole for the third time
The Ohio Parole Board denied parole for convicted murderer Theodore Sinks, a former Dayton Daily News maintenance supervisor.
Sinks’ next chance at parole - his fourth - won’t be until Sept. 1, 2015.
Sinks, now 71, killed his wife, Judy, at home and buried her body at the newspaper’s downtown building in 1987.
Judy Sinks’ family as well as Cox Media Group, which owns the Dayton Daily News, opposed parole for Sinks.
Sinks reported his wife missing on Nov. 23, 1987. He was arrested April 26, 1988, after Dayton police, based on evidence from a newspaper maintenance worker, found the body. She had been a clerical worker in the newspaper’s circulation department.
Sinks had placed her body in a plastic barrel and had a subordinate, who did not know the contents, help him move it up elevators and stairs to the top of the building at Fourth and Ludlow streets. There, prosecutors said, Sinks placed the body in a small pit near a cooling tower, and poured cement over it.
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TweetPortman lands gun group endorsement
Republican Rob Portman, who is running for U.S. Senate, won the support of the Buckeye Firearms Association.
The gun-rights group said on Thursday, July 15, “Ohio’s gun owners need Rob Portman in the United States Senate. Not only is Portman the clearly superior choice over anti-gun Lee Fisher, the Senate will play a key role in any gun legislation.”
Portman, a gun owner and hunter, earned an A rating from the National Rifle Association during his 12 years in Congress.
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TweetGov race heats up in Dayton area with back-to-back stops by Kasich, Strickland
The Dayton area becomes the center of the Ohio governor’s race on Thursday, July 15, and Friday, July 16, with back-to-back appearances by Republican challenger John Kasich and Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.
Strickland is expected in Huber Heights on Friday afternoon as part of his “Main Street Tour”, his campaign said. Strickland is using the tour to contrast his record with Kasich’s, Strickland’s campaign has said.
As previously announced, Kasich will be at Sinclair Community College on Thursday with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich for a round table discussion on job training.
Kasich, a former Columbus-area U.S. House member, and Gingrich are former allies in Congress and worked together to help the GOP take over the U.S. House in 1994 with its “Contract with America” campaign.
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TweetAg Secretary Vilsack to raise bucks for Strickland
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will be the big draw at a fundraiser for Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday, July 20, at the Majestic Farm in Batavia in Clermont County, according to an invitation.
To “chair” the event, will cost $4,800. To be a “sponsor”, the cost is $2.400. A “host” will pay $1,000.
To just attend the “general reception”, the cost is $150.
Besides schmoozing with Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, guests also will be provided with “equestrian entertainment,” according to an invitation.
Strickland is running for re-election against Republican John Kasich, the former Columbus-area U.S. House member.
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TweetU.S. Senate candidate Portman recovering after fracturing collarbone
By Jack Torry Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Senate Republican candidate Rob Portman was resting Tuesday, July 13, at his suburban Cincinnati home after undergoing surgery on his fractured collarbone.
Physicians reinforced Portman’s collarbone with titanium, prompting Portman to send a note to supporters on Twitter that the collarbone is “stronger than ever.’’
Portman fractured his collarbone Sunday while bike riding with his son Will, 18, in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Portman, who attended a fund-raiser Saturday in Jackson Hole, flew back to Ohio Monday.
Jessica Towhey, a Portman spokeswoman, said he is “resting comfortably’’ at his home and expects to quickly resume his campaign schedule. Portman is running against Democrat Lee Fisher, the state’s lieutenant governor.
Portman officials declined to say which hospital performed the surgery. After the Daily News twice asked the campaign to identify the hospital, Portman campaign manager Robert Paduchik responded that “we could debate what it is newsworthy, but I should note that we’ve gotten numerous inquiries from both Ohio and national media outlets and every reporter we’ve spoken with has respected the campaign’s decision.’’
Portman aides were irked that John Collins, a Fisher staffer e-mailed to reporters a copy of Monday’s story describing Portman’s bike accident.
Paduchik said one reason the campaign would not say where the surgery was performed was “because our opponent has decided to make Rob’s injury a campaign issue by sending out a press release this morning.’’
But Collins said his e-mail was only to alert reporters to a story about the campaign, adding that “an accident is not a campaign issue and we wish Mr. Portman a full and speedy recovery.’’
In addition, Fisher early yesterday drafted a short note to Portman. “Dear Rob,’’ Fisher wrote. “I was sorry to learn about your accident and your subsequent surgery. Best wishes for a rapid and full recovery, Lee.”
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TweetGingrich, Kasich coming to Sinclair
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich plan to tour Sinclair Community College and hold a round table discussion on job training on Thursday, July 15. The event is not open to the public.
Gingrich and Kasich served in Congress together.
Kasich is running against incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat.
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TweetBoyce hires new campaign manager
Democrat Kevin Boyce, who is running for state treasurer, switched campaign managers, hiring Bryan Clark to replace Marquez Brown, the campaign announced Monday, July 12.
It will be Clark’s first time managing a statewide candidate’s campaign, though he has worked on statewide ballot initiatives in the past.
Clark worked for environmental non-profits before joining the secretary of state’s office and then was hired as Boyce’s director of community affairs in the treasurer’s office. He took an unpaid leave of absence from that job on July 9 to join the campaign.
Brown returned to his hometown of Cleveland to work on the Ohio Democratic Party’s campaign to elect a statewide ticket of candidates.
Boyce, who was appointed state treasurer by Gov. Ted Strickland, is running against state Rep. Josh Mandel, R-Lyndhust.
In an e-mail sent out Monday, July 12, the Mandel campaign said Brown’s departure as Boyce’s campaign manager indicated that the Boyce campaign is in trouble.
Not so, Clark said. “Treasurer Boyce is poised for victory in November,” he said.
Mandel reported $2.5 million in campaign cash on hand compared with Boyce’s $1 million, according to the most recent campaign finance filings.
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TweetAbsentee ballot requests for July 13 Third Congressional District election due Saturday
Voters who do not want to drive to the centralized voting centers being used in Tuesday’s Third congressional district special election should cast absentee ballots. The deadline to request a ballot is Saturday.
Requests for ballots must be received by noon, Saturday, July 10, at the board of elections.
Absentee ballots can be cast at the county board of elections through Monday, July 12, at 4 p.m. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Monday, or hand-delivered to the board before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13. The polls open that day at 6:30 a.m.
The district contains most of Montgomery County, northern Warren County and all of Clinton and Highland Counties.
Voters on Tuesday will choose a Democratic candidate to run against U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, in the November General Election.
Democrat Dr. Mark MacNealy dropped out of the race after winning his uncontested primary in May, and has been replaced by David Esrati, 47, of Dayton, Guy Fogle, 48, of Miamisburg and Joe Roberts, 25, of Kettering. Learn more about the candidates here.
In June the Ohio Legislature approved the centralized voting centers only for Congressional primaries that occur on or before Aug. 4. So far the Third District is the only one with a primary.
“This will save money for the state,” said Kevin Kidder, spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, “Where we can save money and still provide a smooth, efficient election we’re in favor of it.”
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TweetKeep Asian carp out of Lake Erie, Strickland urges Obama
Gov. Ted Strickland and Attorney General Richard Cordray are calling on President Obama to hold a White House Asian Carp Emergency Summit by July 19 and come up with plans to construct a permanent physical barrier by mid-August.
The goal is to keep the destructive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.
“The threat of an invasive species reaching the Great Lakes is growing by the day, while the window of opportunity to keep Asian carp out of our lakes is closing rapidly,” Strickland said. “There is too much on the line - both ecologically and economically - to continue the ‘study and monitor’ status quo. This is the time for bold, decisive action, which is why we are asking for an aggressive timeline to begin building physical, permanent barriers.”
In December 2009, tests showed evidence of Asian carp in the Chicago Area Waterway System and last month, a live fish was found on the wrong side of the electrical barrier. The Asian carp could devastate Lake Erie’s $10 billion tourism industry and its 114,000 jobs, the Strickland administration said.
Strickland and Cordray said in the letter to Obama that the potential ecological disaster would be akin to what the Gulf Coast states are now fighting with the BP oil spill.
“We cannot stand by and allow that to happen to Ohio, Lake Erie, the Great Lakes or this region of our country. We must take a stand together and fight to save these unparalleled natural resources,” they said.
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TweetHome foreclosure crisis continues
Ohio ranks 9th among the 50 states in troubled mortgages, a report by the Lender Processing Services Inc. shows.
Based on May 2010 figures, 9.5 percent of all mortgages in Ohio are 30 days or more delinquent and another 3.5 percent are in foreclosure. That means, in Ohio, 13 percent of mortgages are non-current compared with 12.4 percent nationwide.
The data prompted housing advocates to call on lawmakers to return to Columbus and pass legislation that addresses foreclosures. Lawmakers went on break before adopting three pending bills that deal with tenant protection reform, mortgage service regulations, court mediation and foreclosure prevention counseling.
Delinquencies hit a high of 10.9 percent in January and tapered off slightly this spring. But the combination of more homeowners entering delinquency and fewer getting current on their payments has housing advocates worried.
“These two trends together mean it’s almost as bad as ever,” said Bill Faith, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. “It does not bode well for stabilization of the market.”
Ohio had nearly 90,000 foreclosures in 2009 and another 70,000 mortgages are in the pipeline for foreclosure, Faith said.
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TweetPortman outraises Fisher
Republican Rob Portman raised $2.65 million in the second quarter and now has $8.8 million in cash-on-hand for his race for U.S. Senate against Democrat Lee Fisher, who raised $1 million and has $1 million on hand.
Portman, a former Congressman, Bush White House budget director and trade representative, said he now has 16,621 individual donors who have contributed to his campaign.
Fisher, who is lieutenant governor, depleted his war chest during his primary campaign against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
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TweetHistorical society screws up vote count; Wright Brothers still second
Inventor Thomas Edison still beat out the Wright Brothers in a contest on who should represent Ohio in the National Statuary Hall but the Ohio Historical Society had to revise its vote tally late Wednesday, July 7, after some ballots were inadvertently not counted.
Just 898 votes separate the Wright Brothers from Edison. Out of 46,723 votes cast over three months, Edison had 14,261 voted, the Wright Brothers had 13,363, and track star Jesse Owens had 4,921.
The National Statuary Collection Study Committee will give the public vote great weight when deciding which famous Ohioan should go to the U.S. Capitol. The committee will make its recommendation to the full Legislature.
The new statute, which is expected to be paid for with private donations, will replace former Gov. William Allen, whose pro-slavery, anti-Abraham Lincoln views are now seen as an embarrassment to Ohio. Ohio’s other Statuary Hall representative is President James Garfield. Each state gets two statues and the representatives must be deceased.
The Historical Society, which conducted voting from March 20 to June 12, said it will engage a third party to verify the vote tallies.
Edison was born in Milan, Ohio but moved to Port Huron, Michigan as a young boy and did much of his inventing in New Jersey. He invented the phonograph, motion picture camera and electric light bulb and holds 1,093 U.S. patents.
The Wright Brothers are credited with inventing and building the first successful airplane. Wilbur was born in Indiana; Orville in Dayton. The brothers spent most of their lives in Dayton.
The idea of Edison representing Ohio did not sit well with many Dayton Daily News readers who commented on the news.
One said: “…Edison’s association with Ohio is slight. The Wright Brothers are synonymous with Ohio. The results of this vote should be ignored. It’s an embarrassment!”
Another commented: “First North Carolina steals the Wright brothers for the state quarter, then we get stuck with a statue of a man who did his important work in New Jersey. What next? The U of M selling Woody Hayes T-shirts?”
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TweetEdison edges out Wright Brothers
Light-bulb inventor Thomas Edison edged out the Wright Brothers in voting sponsored by the Ohio Historical Society on which famous Ohioan should represent the state in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
Out of 37,000 votes cast over three months of voting, Edison snagged 12,132 votes while Wilbur and Orville grabbed 10,895. Former U.S. Rep. William McCulloch of Piqua came in a distant third among the 10 top nominees with 3,569 votes.
The National Statuary Collection Study Committee will give the public vote great weight when deciding which famous Ohioan should go to the U.S. Capitol. The committee will make its recommendation to the full Legislature.
The new statute, which is expected to be paid for with private donations, will replace former Gov. William Allen, whose pro-slavery, anti-Abraham Lincoln views are now seen as an embarrassment to Ohio. Ohio’s other Statuary Hall representative is President James Garfield. Each state gets two statues and the representatives must be deceased.
The Ohio Historical Society conducted voting from March 20 to June 12 at three dozen historical sites around the state and also accepted mailed and e-mailed ballots.
Edison was born in Milan, Ohio but moved to Port Huron, Michigan as a young boy and did much of his inventing in New Jersey. He invented the phonograph, motion picture camera and electric light bulb and holds 1,093 U.S. patents.
The Wright Brothers are credited with inventing and building the first successful airplane. Wilbur was born in Indiana; Orville in Dayton. The brothers spent most of their lives in Dayton.
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TweetRepublicans blame Strickland for NCR exodus
The Republican Governors Association is pinning blame for NCR Corp.’s move to Georgia squarely on the lapel of Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat now up for re-election.
In a 30-second TV ad unveiled Wednesday, July 7, the RGA hammers Strickland for losing 400,000 jobs on his watch, including 1,250 NCR jobs.
“Four years ago, Ted Strickland promised to create thousands of new jobs for Ohio,” RGA spokesman Tim Murtaugh said. “Sadly, not only has he broken that promise, he has also overseen the loss of hundreds of thousands of existing jobs. He’s left Ohioans disappointed and wondering when their own jobs will disappear.”
The Strickland campaign fired back, noting that Republicans and Democrats agree that NCR Corp. Chief Executive Bill Nuti did not give Dayton or Ohio a chance to compete for the NCR jobs.
After NCR made its announcement, state Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, said, “As a Monday morning quarterback, I can tell you there are probably lots of things that could have been done differently (by state and local officials), but I don’t think anything would have changed the outcome. They (NCR executives) were never interested in engaging on the issue.”
Nonetheless, jobs and the economy are a top issue for Ohio voters. Ohio’s unemployment rate dipped to 10.7 percent in May, down from 11 percent in March, which had been the highest since 1983.
Strickland is running against Republican John Kasich, a former Congressman, Lehman Brothers investment banker and FoxNews commentator.
Click here to see the RGA ad.
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TweetStrickland’s top aide goes to campaign
Gov. Ted Strickland’s chief of staff, John Haseley, is taking a leave of absence beginning Tuesday, July 6, from his state job to join Strickland’s re-election campaign as a senior adviser.
Strickland’s two deputy chiefs of staff will handle Haseley’s workload in the interim, said Strickland administration spokeswoman Amanda Wurst.
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TweetCleveland 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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TweetState 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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TweetLegislature 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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Tweet2nd 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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TweetOnly 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.
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