Pillich claims Mandel taking credit for others' work,; Mandel claims stellar performance as treasurer

State Treasurer

Video Set

YOUNGSTOWN

Based on what he’s done during his first term as Ohio treasurer, Republican Josh Mandel said he deserves to be re-elected.

Connie Pillich, his Democratic opponent in this election, agrees that voters should strongly consider what Mandel did in his nearly four years as treasurer.

The only difference is Pillich, a state representative from Cincinnati, said Mandel spent his first term “making the office work for him rather than making the office work for Ohio.”

Mandel, of Beachwood, said, “In every objective measure we’ve improved the operations of the treasurer’s office. We’ve improved the finances of the treasurer’s office and also improved the finances of the state.”

Mandel said the administration of his predecessor, Democrat Kevin Boyce, was involved in “the largest corruption scandal” in the treasurer’s office — his deputy treasurer fled the country after pleading guilty in April to charges related to a more than $500,000 bribery and kickback scheme.

Mandel also said he’s reduced his staff from 140 when he started as treasurer in January 2011 to 113 today, and cut more than $6 million from his budget.

The treasurer mentioned the state’s budget had an $8 billion deficit when he first came into office and now has a surplus, and the state’s rainy-day fund had 89 cents when he started and now has $1.5 billion.

When asked further to explain his involvement in those two issues, Mandel said he and state Auditor Dave Yost, a fellow Republican, “advocated” the state Legislature to “replenish” the rainy-day fund.

“The governor is the quarterback, and the Legislature obviously is very involved, but I’ve been involved as well,” Mandel said. “By no means do I take total credit for all of that, but I’ve definitely played a part in it.”

Pillich said, “Josh is doing a great job of trying to take credit for things that other people have done,” and that as a former Ohio House member, Mandel knows that it’s the Legislature’s job — not the treasurer’s — to balance the budget and determine what’s to be done with the rainy-day fund.

Read more about the race in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.