"Let me talk"

A routine Hamilton County commission meeting Wednesday dissolved into a 15-minute bickering session betwen commissioners Todd Portune and Pat DeWine about the jail sales tax -- a discussion that will likely continue at their staff meeting Monday on the jail issue.

At one point Portune accused DeWine of "lying on camera." DeWine made a veiled insult to Portune's often lengthy discussions.

The two often talked over each other as they vied to get their point across.

Portune: "You can say anything you want to say."

DeWine (interrupting): "Well why don't you let me talk"

Portune (interrupting): "You go right ahead."

Dewine: (interrupting): "I would if you'd be quiet long enough to let me speak."

It went on like that for awhile.

Then later, related to DeWine's explanation of why Portune wouldn't accept his jail funding ideas:

Portune: "That's not the reason. I’m not going to let you lie on camera, but you go ahead."

Dewine: "I know you have thin skin about this issue, but how hard is it to let me speak."

Then, after DeWine finished

Portune: "Is that it?"

DeWine: "Yes."

Portune: "Are you sure? Because I don’t want to be accused of not giving you the opportunity to say everything you want to say, Pat."

DeWine: "I don’t need to speak for half an hour, Todd, but feel free."

Here's the issue: Portune and his Democratic counterpart, Commissioner David Pepper support holding a special election Aug. 28 for a sales tax that would fund construction of a new jail and related criminal justice services.

DeWine, the sole Republican on the board, is against the tax. He says he offered numerous ways to fund the jail project without going to voters. Among the examples he gave Wednesday were: use surplus funds from the convention center, use the $30 million from the sale of Drake Hospital, consider the sale of other properties, and make cuts in county operations. "I think we can cobble together enough," he said. He also accuses Pepper and Portune of choosing an August election in order to stay under the radar.

Portune says none of DeWine's ideas would have worked. He says the only way to raise the kind of money needed is through a sales tax increase.

The whole fiasco Wednesday erupted over a disagreement about an appointment to the Hamilton County Competition and Efficiency Committee.

DeWine brought up the hot-button word "sales tax."

Portune: "Are you sure you want to go down that path at this meeting?"

DeWine: "I’d be more than happy to go down that path."

And off they went.