Times-Gazette from Hillsboro, Ohio • 4

Page 4A Times Gazette Thursday Mav 5 2005 1 is Opinion i i rom Another Perspective How low can Taft go in statewide polls? Another poll or two and Gov Bob Taft might drop off the chart The most recent Ohio Poll sponsored by the University of Cincinnati shows that approval rating has dropped to 34 percent' ifty five percent of Ohioans disapprove of the job Taft is doing while 11 percent neither disapprove or approve Since the poll began several decades ago only Gov Richard approval rating was lower at 32 percent in 1983 In ebruary 2004 Taft's approval rating was 47 percent He was as high as 69 percent in April 2000 and April 2002 Though the poll comes with little analysis we think the reason for dismal rating is simple It costs more today to be an Ohioan than it did a year ago two years ago or three years ago And most people blame Taft for that sad fact of life although the Republican led Legislature certainly can share some of the blame The (Dover rNew Philadelphia) Times Reporter Today in History The Associated Press Today is Thursday May 5 the 125th day of 2(X)5 There are 240 days left in the year Today's Highlight in History: On May 5 1961 astronaut Alan Shepard Jr became America's first space traveler as he made a 1 5 minute sub orbital flight in a cap sule launched from Cape Canaveral la On this date: In 1821 Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the island of St Helena In 1862 Mexican forces loyal to Benito Juarez defeated rench troops sent by Napoleon HI in the Battle of Puebla In 1925 John Scopes was arrested in Tennessee tor teaching theory of evolution In 1942 during World War II Japanese forces landed on the1 Philippine island of Corregidor In 1945 in the only fatef attack of its kind during World War 11 a Japanese balloon bomb exploded on Gearhart Mountain in Oregon killing the pregnant wife of a min ister and five children In 1 955 West Germany became a sovereign state In 1955 the baseball musical styled anti government militias saying "How dare you call your selves patriots and Talks collapsed between the United States and Japan on averting a bit ter trade fight over' automobiles Powerful thunderstorms began tearing through North Texas claiming two dozen lives ive years ago: President Clinton met at the White House with new prime minister' Yoshiro Mori The Labor Department reported the unemployment rate had hit a 30 year low of 39 percent in April 2000 with blacks and Hispanics recording the lowest jobless rates in history Reformers swept run off elections winning control of the legislature from conserva tives for the first time since the 1 979 Islamic revolution One year ago: Seeking to calm international outrage President Bush acknowledged mistakes but slopped short of an apology as he condemned the abuse and deaths of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of US soldiers during appearances on two Arabic language TV net works Picasso's 1 905 painting with a Pipe" sold for $104 million at Sotheby's in New York breaking the record for an auc Groups push taxes that hurt poor COLUMBUS (APj Trying to reverse cuts to medical services relied on by the needy advocates for the poor are embracing tax increases that they acknowledge would hurt low income people The groups are pushing an increase in the state sales tax and a 75 cent increase in the tax on ciga rettes In return they want Gov Bob Taft and lawmakers to use the extra money to pay for state funded medical services for more poor families and children Acknowledging that tax increases will hurt the poor more than middle or upper income Ohioans these advocates say the pain is worth the good that will come of it talking about vital ser vices to low income said Cathy Levine executive director of the University Health Care Action Network Republican Sen Robert Spada raised the issue last week as advo cates testified before the Senate inance Committee you hurting the very people you're trying to help?" he asked Col Owens co chairman of Andrew Huggins 7 Any increase in taxes will generally hurt the poor more because it takes a bigger chunk out of their available dollars the Ohio amily Coverage Coalition a consumer health advo cacy group In addition to the cigarette tax Owens and others want lawmakers to increase the sales tax by a quar ter of a percent above the current budget proposal of 55 percent So far Taft and lawmakers have stuck with a 45 cent cigarette tax increase and have refused to budge on the sales tax this hurts our Owens said the services they can gain with the revenue out weighs by far the harm that the tax does just no question in my mind that that is Taft a Republican wants to reduce the number of people eligi ble for Medicaid the state federal program that provides health care to the poor While saving about $37 million it would also reduce bene fits for about 25000 poor Ohioans Another proposal to eliminate adult dental coverage would save about $47 million but also affect more than 200000 adults who receive some form of dental care under Medicaid A third plan to eliminate a pro gram that provides medical insur ance for destitute chronically ill Ohioans saves about $73 million a year but also ends the coverage for about 1 5000 residents When debating the trade off between taxes and services important to remember that the poor often have a double handicap their low income and their lack of affordable health care said Dennis Sullivan a Miami University econ omist who studies poverty Any increase in taxes will gen erally hurt the poor more because it takes a bigger chunk out of their available dollars Sullivan said At the same time the poor may not buy the kind of pncey goods that a higher sales tax would affect of the pain that is associ ated with a higher sales tax falls on things that low income people buy much of anyway which are big ticket consumer Sullivan said At the same time higher taxes also affect poor people who on Medicaid said Tod Porter chairman of Youngstown State Economics Department "If one of the people who's on Medicaid and would ben efit from the increased services you'd be a net Porter said you're individual just above the income level where you'd get Medicaid be a net The House agreed to restore some funding for dental care but Senate GOP lawmakers showing a lot of enthusiasm for extra spending yet said Spada a suburban Cleveland Republican "As people continue to offer testimony we are seeing some of our members speak up a little bit more about some of the options the advocates are talking he said Andrew Welsh Huggins is a writer Jor The Associated Press congratulW'5 jl KCLASS9 nJ I I jpOI 1 JKta AND AS KRM IN1D7HE WORLD REMEMBER THESE ISSONGRCMTHEUOTR KEEPER BAGGAGE WiTHCJU ATALLTIMES KEEPA LARGE SmYCPUCTTAfE ON HAND CWT fciUR INTEUIG6NCE AND KEEPER fINClPLES IN A SECURE UNDISCLOSED LOCATION Media struggle to protect sources Pete Yost Your Legislators Consumer Information Joanna Malian from longstanding precedent Pete Yost is a writer for The Associated Press lawsuit against government offi cials Last year Providence RI TV reporter Jim Taricani was sen press on many issues Other experts on the issue of press freedom and the law doubt the high court will accept the case that the news media does have a privilege to protect sources The lawyers relied on language in Branzburg by then Justice Lewis Powell who wrote a separate concurring opinion that was somewhat sympathetic tp the press was a classic case of making lemonade out of lemons and to a large extent it worked: the problem The Times Gazette (ISSN 8750 XI 68) is published six times a week daily excluding Sundays and holidays by The Times Gazette 209 South High Street Hillsboro Ohio 45 133 Periodicals postage paid at Hillsboro Ohio and additional mailing offices Posimaster: Send address changes to 1 he I imes Gazelte 209 South High Street Hillsboro Ohio 45133: (937) 393 3456 Sweetriam is 17 Thought for Today: "When in doubt duck" Malcolm orbes American publisher 1919 90) panel concluding do not see why there need to be special cate na merely because the possessor of the documents or other evidence sought is a journalist" The case involved three Chicago newspaper reponers who turned over to an Irish court taped interviews with an BI informant Twenty six media organizations including the AP filed court papers Suite 200 Cleveland Ohio 441 14 2507 877 TC HELP (382 4357) wwwftcgov Better Business Bureau Cincinnati BBB 898 Walnut Street Cincinnati Ohio 45202 2097 (513)421 3015 Better Business Bureau 4200 Wilson Blvd Suite 800 Arlington Va 22203 1838 wwwbbborg Advertising Department Advertising representatives' Sharon Hughes Chuck Miller Mickey Parrott US Representatives Mike Turner (R) Third Congressional District 15 Main St Wilmington Ohio 45177 (937) 383 8931 State Senator John Carey (R) 17th Senate District Senate Office Building Columbus Ohio 43215 (614)466 8156' State Representative David Daniels (R) Editorial Department Greenfield Editor Jeff Gilliland Sports Editor: Lori Roush Design Editor: Kris Cross Staff Water Menah Williams Stall Writer Brandy Chandler mail: infotimesgazettecom 86th House District Ohio House of Representatives 77 High St 11 th loor Columbus Ohio 43215 (614)466 3506 US Senators George Voinovich (R) 317 Hart Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510 (202)224 3353 Michael DeWine (R) 140 Russell Senate Building Washington DC 20510 (202) 224 2315 tioned painting Birthdays: Actress Ann Davis is 79 Actress Pat Carroll is 78 AL CIO president Sweeney is 71 Saxophonist Ace Cannon is 71 Country singer musician Roni Stoneman is 67 Actor Michael Murphy is 67 Actor Lance Henriksen is 65 Comedian actor Michael Palin is 62 Actor Jean Pierre Leaud is 61 Actor John Rhys Davies is 61 Actor Roger Rees is 61 Actor Richard Grant is 48 Broadcast journalist John Miller is 47 Rock singer Ian McCulloch (Echo and the Bunnymen) is 46 NBC News anchor Brian Williams is 46 Actress Tina YothCrs is 32 Singer Craig David is 24 Actress Danielle Suitscription terms 1 1 ig land County and trade area $95 per year or 50 cents per copy Out ot county P1A $107 per year Advertising Manager: Sharon Kersey Office Manager: Cheryl Game Circulation Manager: Brenda Earley Composing Manager: Angie Matticks The advertiser agrees that the pub lisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid jor space aeruallv occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the emir occurred Thenefshall be no liability for non insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement The publisher reserves the right to reject any copy No responsibility is assumed by the pub lisher for more than one incorrect insertion Governor Bob Taft (R) 77 High St 30th loor Columbus Ohio 43215' (614)466 3555 President George Bush (R) 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington 20500 Legislative Information Office (800) 282 0253 ederal Trade Commission 1111 Superior Avenue reporter had to tell a grand jury the identity of his sources for stories on drug trafficking 4 I Journalists pressed state legisla tures to enact that handed reporters what the Supreme turning point with a three judge 1 Court would not the nght to guaro me loenuty ot tneir sources a vital tool in investigative report ing Many states did Congress has not passed a simi lar law to apply to reporters in fed eral probes A bill is pending but it's unclear whether it has enough support to pass federal judge's decision finding five reporters in contempt for refusing to identify their sources for stories about nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee Appeals court argu ments are scheduled for May 9 The judge says the information from the reporters is needed so that Lee who was wrongly suspected of spy ing can pursue his privacy Hostetler who has represented the lawyers representing the news media have done a remarkable job calling the ruling a stunning break over the last three decades turning an essentially adverse ruling in Branzburg to their advantage argu no particular indica tion that the court TtT looking to revisit this area of the Georgetown University law profes sor Richard Lazarus said In the 1972 Branzburg Hayes decision the court ruled 5 4 that a Louisville (Ky) Courier Journal is now the courts buying it said Jane Kirtley a pro fessor of media ethics and the law at the University of Minnesota A 2003 case in federal appeals court in Chicago was seen as a WASHINGTON (AP) Unfavorable court rulings have the news media facing their most seri ous challenge in more than three decades over protecting the identi ties of confidential sources Thp rnmp ERt wppLf wuvii a i cut i ai appvatN iuuh in Washington declined to reconsider a three judge ruling com pelling Time Matthew Cooper and The New York Times' Judith Miller to testify before a fed eral oronit inrv ntorot their 'enced to home confinement after or go to jail for up to 18 months he refused a court order t0 reveal The two reporters have condendal sourceif an under called to testify about the leak of an cover BI videotape of an alleged undercover name bribe He served four months The Associated Press and other The New York Times and Time news organizations are annealing a 316 hoping the Supreme Court will intervene ano use me case or tvnuer and Cooper to clarify the law Different courts have ruled in different ways on the issue of reporters and their sources and this is ideal time for the Supreme Court to take this said Bruce Sanford a partner with the Washington office of Baker Experts say that in many ways Yankees" opened on Broadway In 1980 a siege at the Iranian embassy in London by armed men demanding the release of political John prisoners in Iran ended as British commandos and police stormed the building Nineteen hostages were rescued two others had already been killed by their cap tors four of the five hostage takers also were killed' In' 1981 Irish Republican Army hunger striker Bobby Sands died at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland in his 66th day without food In 1985 President Reagan kept a promise to West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl by lead ing a wreath laying ceremony at the military cemetery in Bitburg ishel is 24 Rock singer Skye len years ago: As rescue work ers ended their search for bodies in the Oklahoma City bombing President Clinton denounced self They say the circumstances in the ing with success in many instances current leak investigation appear to parallel a landmark case in which tna srvuW iianlt ftso martin rs mnizxr uiv vuuii uvan uiv nivuia a iiiajvi Different courts have ruled setback in different ways on the issue of reporters and their sources and this is an ideal time for the Supreme Court to take this case Wife Watties (Sazette A Division of The Brown Publishing Company Established 1818 Rory Ryan Publisher Editor Steve Roush Assistant Editor.