DaytonDailyNews.com

Democrats are accusing U.S. Rep. Mike Turner of needlessly worrying former Delphi workers.

At issue are questions Turner raised about the workers' eligibility for economic stimulus rebates after he'd already voted for the bill that ensured the workers would get the money.

On Monday, March 31, Turner, R-Centerville, denied he misled anyone. He said he was responding to concerns from constituents and trying to change the bill to get rebate checks into workers' hands more quickly.

However, J. Jioni Palmer, spokesman for the House Ways and Means committee, said Turner sent no legislative language to the committee prior to final approval by Congress.

Turner's Third District Democratic opponent, Washington Twp. businesswoman Jane Mitakides, accused Turner of trying to create the "illusion of working for the people of this district."

"The notion that these rebates were at risk and then somehow salvaged was absolutely misleading," said Mitakides. "It's the legislative equivalent of turning in someone else's homework and taking credit for it."

The Economic Stimulus Bill provides rebates to income-eligible taxpayers. Eligibility is based on 2008 income, but those who met the requirements in 2007 can get an early rebate in May. The bill caps income at $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly.

Delphi workers who accepted buyouts in 2007 during the bankrupt company's downsizing may have earned too much money to get the advance rebate. However, they'll still get the money next year, unless their 2008 income also exceeds the cap, said Eric Erickson, spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service.

On Feb. 1, a day after Turner voted for the House bill, he announced he'd sent a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., and three other House and Senate leaders in response to concerns by former Delphi workers.

"I am writing to request that clarifying language be added to the Economic Stimulus package that ensures tax rebates will be given to workers" displaced by foreign trade, wrote Turner. He said workers' buyout payments should not count as income.

On Feb. 27, Turner announced that he'd contacted the IRS and had verified that the workers would be eligible.

Then he wrote a column that appeared in the March 5 edition of the Hillsboro Times-Gazette. "Because of a technicality, it seemed for a while as if Delphi workers might not be eligible for a recovery rebate," Turner wrote. "After being contacted by current and former Delphi workers, I have worked to obtain a clarification of the rebate process and how Delphi workers can participate."

The next day Rangel wrote to Turner and said Turner's Feb. 1 letter was unnecessary because the problem "did not exist in the legislation that passed the House" with Turner's support.

"I'm hopeful that the misunderstanding did not cause alarm among Delphi workers who may have questioned their rebate eligibility," Rangel wrote.

Turner said he was unaware that his office had gotten that letter until a reporter asked about it on Friday. Later that day, more than a month after President Bush's Feb. 13 signing of the bill, Turner sent a letter to Rangel saying he had wanted Delphi workers to get their money "up to one year earlier than the current plan."

UAW official Rick Tincher said the union called Turner's office in late January to ask about the income limits included in the bill. A month later, Turner's office assured the union the workers would get their money — eventually.

"They're the type of family we want to get this (money)," Turner said Monday. "They're transitioning from one type of employment to another type of employment, and the buyout doesn't accurately reflect their economic situation."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7455 or

lhulsey@DaytonDailyNews.com.