The Toledo Blade Online
The Toledo Blade OnlineThe Toledo Blade Green Edition
Click here to subscribe or renew!
Temp: 25°
Humidity: 92%
Wednesday, 02/10/10
Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here
Home »   Latest News »   State » 

Click to Receive RSS Feeds!EmailPrint IndexHelp FacebookTwitterDiggDel.icio.usFark

Article published September 14, 2006
SMOKING BAN
Group fails to declare funding by tobacco firm

COLUMBUS - Yesterday the group pushing the weaker of two proposed smoking bans added to its filing with the secretary of state's office, but the additional information shed little light on where its money is coming from.

Jacob Evans, spokesman for Smoke Less Ohio, said a transmission error resulted in missing pages in the mandated report it filed on Monday. The organization backed away from its contention on Tuesday that Ohio law didn't mandate disclosure of who provided $1.5 million for the circulation of petitions to put its question on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The updated filing, however, attributes the entire $1.5 million in in-kind contributions to one nonprofit organization, Smoke Less Ohio Inc., established in April.

Ohio law allows corporations to contribute to ballot issues. While corporations are not required under Ohio law to disclose where they got their money, Mr. Evans said yesterday the "vast majority" came from one tobacco company, North Carolina-based R.J. Reynolds.

"This makes a mockery of campaign-finance reporting," said Tracy Sabetta, spokesman for SmokeFreeOhio, the coalition of health organizations pushing a much stricter ban on smoking in nearly all indoor public places.

In its own filing, SmokeFree-Ohio revealed its effort has been financed almost exclusively by the American Cancer Society. The nonprofit organization fronted 98 percent of the $266,659 in cash and in-kind contributions used to gather signatures.

Smoke Less Ohio's ban would exempt bars, restaurants with separate enclosed smoking areas, bowling alleys, and private clubs.

As a constitutional amendment, it would prevail over SmokeFreeOhio's initiated statute and overturn smoking bans already enacted by Toledo, Bowling Green, and 19 other cities.


Permanent Link

 RECENT RELATED ARTICLES

Smoking lies killing businesses | 01/24/2010
Ohio weighs crackdown on violators of smoking ban | 01/17/2010
Michigan votes indoor smoke ban | 12/11/2009
Columbus bar files lawsuit against smoking ban | 09/20/2009

Blade Area
Updated: 6:18 pm
Weather check, radar and roads
RADAR / FORECAST / CAMS >>
Nation/World
Updated: 6:18 pm
Cribs recalled after 3 deaths >>
State
Updated: 6:18 pm
Weather-related crashes kill 2 on Michigan freeways >>
Accidents/Vehicular
Updated: 6:17 pm
U.S. 24 traffic rerouted, I-75 backed up >>
Blade Area
Updated: 6:17 pm
Toledo officials given raises up to 26.9% >>
Nation/World
Updated: 5:39 pm
Transport Canada offers to buy Ambassador Bridge >>
More news stories
 



click here!

ADVERTISING SECTIONS
Tom Henry
Updated: 7:13 am
Playing the odds can help mitigate disasters >>

S. Amjad Hussain
Updated: 5:53 am
France draws line over Muslim women’s dress >>

Marilou Johanek
Updated: 5:54 am
Sense of superiority drove church to 'help' Haitian children >>

Jack Kelly
Updated: 5:42 am
As Democrats schmooze, Obama’s credibility slides  >>

Jack Lessenberry
Updated: 5:32 am
Granholm failed to make case in last Michigan address >>

Rose Russell
Updated: 6:09 am
Even in South Africa, pols' private affairs are people's business >>

David Shribman
Updated: 9:37 am
Love means never saying budget deficit >>

Mike Sigov
Updated: 12:31 pm
Russia's president brings little to the table >>

Tom Walton
Updated: 5:40 am
Apologies in politics are unprecedented >>

More columnist stories
MOST READ STORIES
MOST E-MAILED STORIES
1.  Tennis champ accused of phone harassment
2.  Toledo strip club puts cover charge into quake relief
3.  Mental health agency looks to pare $3.5M from services
4.  Homelessness board votes for outside audit; advocate Ken Leslie safe for now
5.  Sylvania lawyer charged in thefts from 2 clients
6.  'Stagecoach Mary' broke barriers of race, gender
7.  MAC basketball struggles with fall from elite
8.  Students, staff navigate Perrysburg High School halls in wheelchairs
9.  Ohio Highway Patrol trooper killed in Wyandot County
10.  Lucas, Fulton residents are fined for burning


AP  News Headlines



AP  Business Headlines



AP  Sports Headlines


AP  Features Headlines
Copyright 2010 The Blade. By using this service, you accept the terms of our privacy statement and our visitor agreement. Please read them.
The Toledo Blade Company, 541 N. Superior St., Toledo, OH 43660, (419) 724-6000
To contact a specific
department or an individual person, click here.
The Toledo Times ®