Congress

COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland said the national economy's performance has put Ohio's budget into deficit and called on President Bush and Congress to stimulate the economy.

Strickland said the national economy has slowed and taken Ohio down with it, reducing tax revenue and creating a $540 million budget shortfall for the final year of the state's biennial budget.

"Certainly the best long-term solution is to get the national and Ohio economies moving again," he said.

In the meantime, Strickland ordered $199 million in budget cuts and $339 million in "cash adjustments" to keep the state's budget in balance. The largest change to the budget is a 4.75 percent cut to the budgets of most state agencies. Strickland said these measures come after $733 million in budget adjustments last January.

President Bush: Politicker PhotoPresident Bush will come to Ohio tomorrow to raise $570,000 for the Republican Congressional efforts and drive the GOP's energy message.

Bush is expected to touch down in Cleveland tomorrow afternoon, following an 11 a.m. singing of U.S. Rep. Deb Pryce’s (R-Columbus) pediatric cancer bill in the Oval Office.

Bush’s primary message of the day will be on energy, which he’ll deliver from the Lincoln Electric Company. Lincoln is a manufacturer of heavy equipment used predominately in oil refiners, pipelines and refineries.

“He’s going to tour Lincoln Electric and speak to their employees about the importance of their work to American’s energy security,” said White House spokesperson Trey Bohn.  

Afterward Bush will attend a private fundraiser in Gates Mills with 110 attendees that will raise about $570,000 for the Congressional Trust, according to a Republican National Committee official. The trust is a joint-fundraising committee between the RNC and the National Republican Congressional Committee that funds the GOP's coordinated campaign for Congressional candidates, the official said.

Bush will also award the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Linda Campbell upon arrival in Cleveland. Campbell won the award for her efforts to raise $100,000 for breast cancer programs.

U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette: Politicker PhotoU.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Bainbridge Twp.) is looking for co-sponsors to his bill that seeks to cover some of the cost of commuting to work.

LaTourette introduced a bill in May to reimburse commuters 4 cents per mile up to 30 miles five days per week, totaling $300. Commuters whose vehicles get 35 miles per gallon would receive 5 cents per mile, totaling $375. Those who don't commute to work are eligible for 2,000 miles worth of reimbursement, or about $90 per year.

LaTourette had been waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to send him a cost estimate of how much this three year pilot program would cost, but the CBO hasn't finished yet, said LaTourrette communications director Debbie Settliss.

House Minority Leader John Boehner & candidate Fred Dailey: Politicker Photo

ZANESVILLE -- House minority leader U.S. Rep. John Boehner (R-West Chester) joined 18th Congressional District candidate Fred Dailey (R-Mt. Vernon) to talk about gas prices, energy jobs and take a few jabs at U.S. Rep. Zack Space during the press conference.

The only thing rising higher than gas prices this spring has been the salience of energy as an election-year issue. Dailey is Ohio's second Republican congressional candidate in as many weeks to roll out an energy plan, this time with the help of Boehner - who with other House Republicans launched their own energy plan recently.

Thousands of telephones rang all across southeast Ohio last night as U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-St. Clairsville) began his “Telephone Town Hall” with constituents in the 6th Congressional District.

Wilson’s Congressional office used an automated calling system to invite thousands to listen to their fellow constituents ask questions of Wilson. Those who weren’t in the congressional office’s phone-number database joined the call using a toll-free number and access code.

More than 4,400 people listened to the call, according to communications director Hillary Wicai Viers.

Quinnipiac University released a poll today showing a majority of Ohioans approve of Gov. Ted Strickland’s job performance, even though many are down on the economy. Meanwhile, most voters said the scandal surrounding former Attorney General Marc Dann hasn’t made them less supportive of the Democratic Party.

Strickland has a job approval rating of 55 percent, nearly unchanged from the last Quinnipiac poll taken in February.

Ohio voters were grimmer about the state overall: only 36 percent said they were "somewhat satisfied" with how things are going, with 33 percent who said they’re “somewhat dissatisfied” and 26 percent who said they were “very dissatisfied.” This is the most negative voters have been on the right-track, wrong-track question since Strickland took office, according to Quinnipiac surveys.

U.S. Rep. Zack Space (D-Dover) was attacked yesterday by the National Republican Congressional Committee for not offering relief to consumers from gas prices.

The NRCC hit Space and Democrats in Congress with a press release, accusing them of opposing expanding "energy exploration" that would tap oil fields. It also criticizes Democrats for supporting new taxes on "American energy producers."

The subtext of the attack is that Space is just another liberal Democrat - a potentially harmful label for Space who's worked to emphasize his moderate image while running for reelection in a typically Republican district.

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