State flags ordered to fly at half-staff

By Laura Bischoff | Friday, November 6, 2009, 02:24 PM

All Ohio and American flags at public buildings and grounds are to be flown at half-staff until Tuesday, Nov. 10, in honor of the victims of the Fort Hood shootings, Gov. Ted Strickland ordered.   “Ohio grieves for the victims of the tragedy at Fort Hood. The prayers of our people seek comfort for the families of those who were lost, recovery for those who were injured, and solace for all whose lives were affected by this senseless violence,” Strickland said in a written statement.

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In Congress the rich get poorer, a little bit anyway

By Laura Bischoff | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 03:10 PM

While regular Joes across America rely on unemployment benefits and max out their credit cards to get by, members of Congress can say they feel their pain.

Current congressional members’ median wealth uncharacteristically dipped 5 percent in 2008 compared with 2007, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal personal financial disclosure reports found.

Don’t feel too badly for them, though. Congress is still a club with 237 millionaires and 50 members have at least $10 million.

“Generally speaking, members of Congress are wealthy by comparison with the vast majority of Americans. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to the effects of this ailing economy — they’re not,” said Sheila Krumholz, the Center for Responsive Politics’ executive director. “But they are much better positioned to withstand financial pressures than the people they represent.”

The CRP found that current U.S. senators have a median reportable worth of $1.79 million while House members’ median income was $622,254 in 2008. That’s down from $2.27 million and $724,258, respectively, in 2007, the report said.

U.S. senators currently serving have a median reportable worth of $1.79 million for 2008, down from $2.27 million in 2007, CRP’s analysis indicates. Meanwhile, currently serving House members’ median income was $622,254 in 2008, down from $724,258 in 2007.

Members of Congress are required to report their wealth and liabilities in broad ranges. CRP calculated members range of asset values and average estimated wealth. Here is Miami Valley delegation members’ net worth ranges and how they ranked in the House and Senate:

Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, net worth $6,006 to $90,000, ranks 387th John Boehner, R-West Chester, net worth $1.7 million to $6.6 million, ranks 70th Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, net worth $105,008 to $327,000, ranks 319th Jean Schmidt, R-Cincinnati, net worth $2.8 million to $9 million, ranks 48th Mike Turner, R-Centerville, net worth $172,091 to $1.4 million, ranks 192nd.

Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, net worth $65,009 to $275,000, ranks 92nd George Voinovich, R-Cleveland, net worth $665,055 to $2.3 million, ranks 58th

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AG Cordray, Texas mortgage servicing company sue each other

By William Hershey | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 12:33 PM

Attorney General Richard Cordray and a Texas-based mortgage servicing company on Thursday, Nov. 5, sued each other in separate but related lawsuits.

Cordray filed suit in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in Cleveland against American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., alleging violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act. The company services more than 12,000 subprime and prime mortgage loans in Ohio, including the Dayton area, Cordray’s office said.

Separately, the company sued Cordray in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus seeking a declaration that the company’s servicing practices comply with Ohio law. The suit seeks to dispute “unsupported allegations made” in a letter from Cordray’s office to the company before the suit against the firm was filed in Cleveland.

The suit filed against the company alleges:

*Incompetent and inadequate customer service.

*Unfair and deceptive loan modification terms.

*Failure to respond to requests for assistance.

*Failure to offer timely or affordable loan mitigation options to borrowers.

“The acts of some mortgage servicers have gone beyond the point of being negligent,” Cordray said in a press release. “They have become predatory financial practices and in Ohio they won’t be tolerated.”

The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against continuation of unfair and deceptive loan modification practices, restitution, civil penalties and damages.

Jordan Dorchuck, the company’s executive vice president and chief legal officer, said in a press release that “we are convinced that these allegations are entirely without merit, and intend to defend ourselves vigorously against them.”

Dorchuck cited the “positive feedback we have received from many Ohio state and non-profit agencies regarding our homeownership preservation efforts.”

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Committee unveils new version of elections overhaul bill

By William Hershey | Thursday, November 5, 2009, 11:33 AM

Ohioans would have 28 days before an election to vote absentee either in person or by mail under a new version of comprehensive voting legislation unveiled on Thursday, Nov. 5, by the House Elections and Ethics Committee

Also, absentee voting would end on the Monday before a Tuesday election, rather than on the Saturday before the election as called for in a previous version of the proposal.

The new version also creates online voter registration for Ohioans who have a current and valid ID from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The new version of the bill also pulls back from a plan to eliminate special elections now allowed in February and August and instead create a task force to study the issue.

Elimination of the special elections was seen as a way to save money but Committee Chairman Dan Stewart, D-Columbus, said school districts often need the option of special elections for votes on levies.

Majority Democrats accepted the new version of the bill while Republicans opposed it.

He called House Bill 260 a “common sense” proposal and said he committee would vote it out on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The goal is for the full House to consider it by the end of the month, Stewart said.

The Senate also is considering a proposal to overhaul elections. Stewart said he hopes the two chambers can reach agreement on a final bill by the end of the year so changes would be in effect for the May 2010 primary.

Continue reading "Committee unveils new version of elections overhaul bill"...

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Strickland surprised by McLin’s loss

By Laura Bischoff | Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 04:15 PM

Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin’s upset loss came as a surprise to Gov. Ted Strickland, who had endorsed McLin and attended a recent fund-raiser for her but did not actively campaign on her behalf.

Strickland said didn’t know if stumping for her would have made a difference.

“The mayor and I are very close. I talked to her today, I talked to her last night. She didn’t really, you know, have that kind of campaign as far as I know, in terms of doing a lot of media and stuff,” Strickland said on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Strickland described McLin as a terrific friend who worked her heart out for the city of Dayton.

“Of all the things that happened (in the election) that was perhaps the thing that was most upsetting to me,” he said.

“It was a close election and I feel badly for her. But I admire her greatly,” the governor said.

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Party bosses trade insights on McLin loss

By Laura Bischoff | Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 02:47 PM

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern attributed Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin’s loss to not enough campaigning early enough in the year.

McLin’s campaign “caught fire in the final weeks. We needed it to catch fire in the final months,” Redfern said. McLin was too busy governing and didn’t commit enough time to campaigning, he said.

But Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine of Fairborn said McLin’s loss represented the voters rejecting the status quo and the Democratic party’s lack of vision on jobs and its mantra of bigger government. He called McLin defeat after eight years in office “a humiliating defeat for Democrats in Ohio.”

“For a McLin to lose a re-election in the city of Dayton is nothing short of stunning,” DeWine said.

Each party chairman tried to spin Tuesday’s election results to look the best for their party and said they are positioned to win big in 2010.

“The 2010 election is officially underway,” DeWine said.

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Penn National goal: two “Hollywood” casinos in Ohio by 2012

By William Hershey | Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 01:08 PM

Penn National Gaming hopes to have “Hollywood” casinos like the one in Lawrenceburg, Ind., operating in Columbus and Toledo by late 2012, Tim Wilmott, Penn National president and chief operating officer said on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

“We’re very anxious to begin work here in Columbus and also in Toledo,” Wilmott said at the proposed site of the Columbus casino.

It is on the west end of the city’s downtown Arena District which includes the Columbus Clippers’ Huntington Field baseball park and Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL’s Blue Jackets.

Wilmott said the company hopes to break ground next year and plans to invest $600 million to build both casinos, with slightly more going to the one in Columbus.

The $335 million Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg has 3,200 slots and electronic table games and 41 live poker tables plus bars and restaurants. Dealers are celebrity look-alikes for Michael Jackson, Elvis, Rod Stewart and others.

Voters approved Issue 3 on Tuesday which permits casinos in Columbus,Toledo, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, will own the casinos in Cincinnati and Cleveland and also has said he wants them to open in 2012.

Franklin County, which includes Columbus, was the only casino county where voters rejected Issue 3. Wilmott and Eric Schippers, Penn National senior vice president, said company officials want to work with Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, who opposed the issue, and others to produce a first-class attraction that will add visitors and business to the bustling Arena District.

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