From the monthly archives: May 2011
As we pointed out yesterday, the new pro-Kasich, non-profit group One Ohio United was actually organized by Kasich campaign staff- specifically his 26 year old campaign blogger Kevin Bingle – the month after he was elected Governor.
The receipt for the articles of incorporation document that was filed with the Secretary of State’s office was mailed to the same address listed for Kevin Bingle on Kasich’s payroll records – which we assume to be Kevin’s home address.
Based on the most recent campaign finance data available, Kevin was still being paid by the campaign [...]
Full Story... →The Columbus Dispatch reports today that the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police has revoked its endorsement of Jones in 2010 elections over her introduction of SB 5.
Jones, who was notified on Tuesday about the retraction, said she thinks the law maintains the rights of police and firefighters to bargain. "And I believe that they are different – and therefore should be given an expressed right to negotiate things like safety equipment," which is in the law, she said.
And she’s right.
The bill, as passed, did continue to give police and firefighters an expressed right [...]
Full Story... →After delaying a vote on the bill saying he wasn’t sure he had the votes for passage, House Speaker Bill Batchelder brought HB 45 to the floor. The bill would permit a licensed carry-concealed weapon permit holder (CCW) to carry a firearm legally into any establishment where alcohol is served (so long as the permit holder does not consume any alcohol on the premises or is otherwise intoxicated) or in open arenas.
The bill passed by a 56-40 vote with only Republicans Mike Duffey, Todd McKenney, and Kurt Schuring breaking party ranks by voting against the bill. The [...]
Full Story... →The Cincinnati Enquirer has the story:
The announcement idles thousands of construction jobs as Rock balks at taxes millions higher than initially envisioned. Specifically, the House’s budget seeks to apply the 0.26 percent CAT tax to total betting at Ohio’s four planned casinos rather than just net losses by gamblers, the industry’s standard definition of revenue. If Ohio enacted the proposal it would mean a CAT tax bill for all four casinos possibly 10 times higher than the $5.2 million developers envisioned.
Rock Gaming officials have become increasingly vocal in the last two months about Ohio officials’ considerations on [...]
Full Story... →The media, due to nothing else but bare repetition by Kasich, continues to report that the Kasich budget “solves” an $8 billion deficit. Except, the media has never bothered exploring exactly how one reaches that number… and just how implausible of a basis that is.
Back on March 24th, the Director of the Office of Budget and Management Tim Keen held a press gaggle/conference in which he tried to explain how the State was solving a supposed $8 billion deficit while increasing General Revenue Fund spending by over $5 billion.
Here’s the baseline that Keen said they came up with [...]
Full Story... →After allowing every House Republican to go on record supporting an education policy that House Democratic ads next fall will say would have turned Ohio’s education system into “a national laughingstock,” Governor Kasich’s lead education policy czar announces that the Administration does not support the changes and wishes to see them removed from the budget. The Columbus Dispatch reporting this morning that the Senate seems poised to follow the Governor’s request.
The Dispatch also reporting this morning that Governor Kasich has set conditions in which he push next year for tax cuts… the Senate must “hold the [...]
Full Story... →I’m starting to get to used to the fact that we are going to have a terrible, vindictive and nasty Governor running our state into the ground for the next few years. Kasich is turning out to be a selfish, egotistical, SOB of a leader who will plow through everyone and everything to achieve his own idealogical agenda despite the fact that it’s going to be bad for the state, bad for our citizens, bad for our children, often immoral and, in many cases, probably illegal.
I’m starting to get used to Kasich and his lying and threats – but [...]
Full Story... →During his downtime between political jobs John Kasich’s friends provided him with a lot of ways of making money. One of those friends was Malachi (Mal) Mixon, the CEO and Chairman of Invacare – who gave John Kasich a high-paying job on his company’s board of directors (where John helped send Ohio jobs to Mexico and China)
When Kasich decided to run for Governor, Mixon and his family became one of John’s biggest donors, collectively giving him nearly $70,000.
So it wouldn’t seem like a big deal when the Kasich campaign got Mixon to be the registrant on a [...]
Full Story... →If I were a Congressional Republican right now, I’d start to worry if I shouldn’t have bothered unpacking my stuff in my new majority offices just yet. We’re seeing some rather ominous warning signs for the Congressional Republicans that suggest that unless things change in the next year, they could be looking at yet another Democratic tide election that very well could sweep them right out of the majority again.
Boehner is campaigning to win a special election race the Republicans should have been holding in a cakewalk, the Democrats are having little trouble raising money to compete with the GOP in the minority, and the polling environment has radically worsened for the GOP from the 2010 highs.
All and all, it’s not a bad time to be a Democrat contemplating a run for Congress.
Full Story... →Four days ago, a new “independent” expenditure group was formed called “One Ohio United.” Right now, it’s primary focus appears to be promoting Kasich’s “Jobs” Budget as this television ad shows (note: we have not confirmed this ad is actually airing anywhere, yet)
The group appears to be headed by a “Mike Morris,” who we believe is the same Mike Morris that Chairs the Ohio Business Roundtable as well as the CEO of AEP. The group also names the CEO of ScottsMiracle-Gro as one of its members, which is interesting since he endorsed Ted Strickland in a campaign ad last year.
Mea culpa?
Full Story... →Budget Watch
