OHIO Statistics show Issue 1 lost in many rural areas

In Mahoning County, Issue 1 lost 50.6 percent to 49.3 percent.
BY JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Issue 1, the proposed $500 million state bond issue defeated on Tuesday, won big in the Cleveland and Akron areas and a few other areas of the state, but was soundly defeated in many rural counties, state statistics show.
The issue that was geared toward the development of high-technology jobs won Cuyahoga County -- which contains Cleveland -- 63 percent to 37 percent, according to final, unofficial returns from the Ohio Secretary of State's office.
It won in Summit County -- which contains Akron -- by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin, and in Montgomery County in southwest Ohio -- which contains Dayton -- by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin.
But the "no" vote topped 60 percent in some rural counties such as Coshocton County in north-central Ohio and Guernsey County in southeastern Ohio.
Statewide, the issue was defeated 51 percent to 49 percent.
Comments
"I think we did reasonably well in the heavy urban and heavy manufacturing areas of the state," said Brian K. Hicks, the campaign manager of the pro-bond issue, Yes on Issue 1 Committee. "In the rural counties, we lost pretty significantly."
"I think we had obviously had a challenge explaining how rural Ohio connected with this," said Hicks, a former chief of staff to Republican Gov. Bob Taft, the prime backer of Issue 1.
In other urban areas, Issue 1 lost narrowly in Hamilton County -- which contains Cincinnati by a 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent margin.
In Lucas and Mahoning counties -- which contain Toledo and Youngstown, respectively -- Issue 1 lost narrowly.
In Lucas County, Issue 1 lost 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent. In Mahoning County, Issue 1 lost 50.6 percent to 49.3 percent.
In Franklin County -- which contains Columbus -- Issue 1 lost by a 53.6 percent 46.4 percent.
State Sen. Lynn R. Wachtmann, a Napoleon Republican, was among those who drafted the argument against Issue 1.
What opponents said
Opponents argued in part that Issue 1 would subsidize certain "high tech" corporations at the expense of others.
"I think the voters of Ohio were very wise in defeating Issue 1," Wachtmann said. Ohio Democrats tried to paint the defeat of Issue 1 as a referendum on Taft.
"Without any significant opposition campaign, this clearly indicates a lack of confidence in one-party rule and the failure of the Republican Party to address the state's faltering economy," Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Dennis L. White said.
Hicks disagreed. "We wouldn't have run as strongly as we did in largely Democratic counties," Hicks said, referring to counties such as Cuyahoga and Summit.
"I think it was a referendum on the economic times," Hicks said. "This political climate is difficult, in particular on a complicated issue where you have to get a 'yes' vote. The easiest vote is 'no,'" Hicks said.
Under the Issue 1 proposal, the state would have sold $500 million in bonds to be spread out over 10 years to benefit research and development or the commercialization of new products in health care, advanced manufacturing and other high-tech growth areas.
Issue 1 was part of the governor's proposed $1.6 billion Third Frontier Project, Taft's initiative to create high-paying, high-tech jobs in the Buckeye State.