Butler County GOP in Financial Trouble

It will cost the lowliest of the lows in the Butler County GOP $85 a seat to see John Kasich speak while dining on rubber chicken... Why is that? Well, previously I put out the theory that the county party had gone a bit overboard in building its new headquarters, turns out I was right. The new palatial digs cost over $800,000 (Hamilton Journal-News):

An every-man-for-himself attitude could further totter the party's shaky financial footing when it faces debt from the construction of an $800,000-plus new headquarters in Fairfield Twp. and a $40,000 loan from Todd outstanding. The party's fund balance was $14,768 and its building fund was at $1,091 as of Jan. 31, according to campaign finance records.

But what I really found interesting was the idea being proposed by party leaders to have the elected officials pony up some big bucks to stay in "good standing."

Under the proposal, officeholders in the most costly tier, such as the county prosecutor, would pay $5,000 annually, plus 10 percent of campaign funds over $50,000. Officeholders in the least expensive tier, such as judges, would pay $1,500 each year.

And the behind-the-scenes political maneuvering is just purely entertaining:

"What I care about is being in good standing with the voters," said county Commissioner Michael Fox. "That to me is the most striking part of this. It just illustrates a value structure that's out of balance. What happened to good old-fashioned public service? Where does that fit into this?"
...
"I stopped giving to the party when they turned against me," Fox said referring to his last re-election without the party's endorsement.

Fox believes past party chairmen recruited then-state Rep. Gregory Jolivette to run against him in 2004 and groomed Liberty Twp. Fiscal Officer Roger Reynolds to challenge Auditor Kay Rogers in 2006. Immediate past GOP Chairman Carlos Todd has denied these accusations.

Personally, I thought Kay Rogers had a legitimate beef, but Michael Fox deserved what he had coming to him...but that's a whole different story.

This quote from Rogers is fairly revealing:

"I still believe in conservative Republican values and in Republican voters. But I have serious concerns about the current direction of our local party." Rogers said. "I have always believed that a political party is supposed to help candidates and officeholders, not the other way around."

Sounds to me as if a couple of incumbents are getting a bit testy that the new blood has different ideas...

Those ideas won't mean squat though if the party can't get out of the financial mess it brought upon itself.

"We obviously are looking at ways, like many other political parties, to raise funds," GOP Chairman Tom Ellis said. "We would be remiss if we didn't look to all sources that might consider pledging (funds) to our party."

Ellis said he wouldn't comment further on "any internal polices or suggested proposals," except that contribution levels might be suggested, but not mandated.

Central Committee Chair Judy Shelton said party leaders are merely "exploring" the model used in other counties and a decision wouldn't be made until late this month after they gather more feedback from elected officials.

The first rule of getting out of a hole is to stop digging...

When they aren't damaging property and beating up bartenders, it would seem appropriate for the Butler County GOP to schedule some time to get their act together. I'm close to predicting a COAST-like melt down...

UPDATE: More from the Hamilton Journal-News:

Though criticized by some party members as a pay-to-play system, a suggested new contribution program for Republican officeholders is getting support and possibly digging the party out of financial trouble.

Eight officeholders have written their checks to the Butler County Republican Party, and 12 others have committed to pay the thousands requested, GOP Executive Director Scott Owens said.

Kay Rogers is on board:

Even county Auditor Kay Rogers changed her tune after she initially expressed concern about the new expectations.

"I do and will continue to support local Republican organizations," Rogers said. "As always, I will represent the people of Butler County and not walk lock-step with local party leadership when I believe it is out of touch with our constituents."

Rogers won her fourth term without the party's endorsement in the primary last May and did not receive the GOP's financial support in the general election, those close to her campaign have said.

I wonder if they will support her now...

With all this fiscal conservatism on display, one wonders what Republican Leader, my Congressman, and a Great American, John Boehner, thinks of all of these shenanigans... And certainly, our friends at the Ohio GOP can't be happy with all of this nonsense, Butler County is supposed to be one of the strongest of Republican strongholds...

I'm starting to regret having set up this Google News Alert for the Butler County Republicans already...