Web sites could carry county ads

June 20, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

COLUMBUS (AP) — A proposal tucked into the state budget plan would allow cash-strapped county governments to solicit advertising on their Web sites, a shift critics said would lead to conflicts of interest.

State Sen. Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican, inserted the proposal into the state budget plan that lawmakers are negotiating. Seitz said he did so at the request of Hamilton County commissioners, who, like many in local government, are in desperate search of revenue during tough economic times.

“I’m doing this at the request of the people who run my county who, by the way, aren’t even of the same political party as me,” Seitz said. “They are looking for every nickel in the couch, too.”

But the Ohio Newspaper Association is opposed to the move, saying it’s a drastic shift in public policy that has negative implications for private industry and good government. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce said it has concerns as well.

Both organizations said the proposal won’t get the public vetting that it needs when it’s part of a gigantic two-year state spending plan.

“There are very serious concerns about the inherent conflict of interest that would be set up here,” said Frank Deaner, executive director of the Ohio Newspaper Association. “You would have public elected officials who control all of these county offices and they would be out there soliciting advertisements.”

Deaner presented scenarios in which the same private firms that are seeking government contracts are also seeking to advertise on county Web sites, or wealthy individuals or political donors doing the same with the possible perception they’re looking for favors.

Seitz threw the conflict-of-interest concerns back at newspapers, questioning whether advertisers influence their editorial decisions.

Newspapers also are concerned about the competition for advertising dollars, a worry shared by business interests.

“We have some concerns,” said Linda Woggon, vice president of governmental affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “We are trying to get a little bit more information about it.”