Kilroy campaign defends commission record against Stivers' attack

Congressional candidate Mary Jo KilroyMary Jo Kilroy’s campaign is drawing attention to a direct-mail attack by state Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Columbus) in the race for the 15th Congressional District, calling Stivers’ campaign out for playing fast-and-loose with the facts.

The mailing accuses Kilroy (D-Columbus) of helping increase Franklin County’s budget by $600 million during her seven years as one of county’s three commissioners. Kilroy’s campaign, however, said that number comes from what was budgeted to be spent, not the amounts actually spent by the county.

“Mary Jo Kilroy has mismanaged the county budget, watching it increase by $600 million,” Stivers’ mailing said.

It cites the county’s total budget in 2000 (the year before Kilroy took office) as $1.03 billion and contrasts that with 2008’s budget of $1.6 billion to arrive at the $600 million increase. The 2008 budget includes money budgeted for major capital projects such as a new courts building, animal shelter and Huntington ballpark.  

Kilroy communications director Brad Bauman points out, though, that money budgeted isn’t money spent.

Bauman said county spending increased by $385 million during Kilroy’s time on the commission from 2001 through last year. Moreover, Bauman said the county will not spend a total of $1.6 billion this year because the capital projects, especially Huntington Park, are coming in under budget.

“What I’m talking about is actual spending,” he said. “What they do is approve a budget at the beginning of the year that allows them to spend a certain amount of money and they didn’t actually spend that amount of money. They spent less.”

It’s unclear how much of the $1.6 billion budgeted for this year’s county operations and construction projects will or won’t be spent until the year is over. However, county commissioner Marilyn Brown told Business First of Columbus in August that Huntington Park is running $1.3 million under budget.

There is no uncertainty for Stivers press secretary Rob Nichols.

“The budget is what she approved to spend, and since she has become a commissioner, that budget number has gone up by $600 million. She is as confused by the county’s spending habits as the taxpayers are,” he said.