Isphording to Lead Effort to Pass Health & Hospital Levy

Hamilton County, Ohio – Former Olympic athlete and world-class runner Julie Isphording will lead the effort to pass the 2006 Hamilton County Health and Hospitalization Levy. Proceeds from the levy provide critical healthcare services to uninsured and under-insured children and adults in Hamilton County.

To assist in her effort to pass the levy, Isphording – a longtime champion of healthcare issues – has assembled a broad and diverse coalition to include noted civic, religious, labor, business, healthcare and political leaders from Hamilton County, to include:

- Dr. William L. Barrett, Director of Radiation Oncology,
Barrett Cancer Center
- Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters
- Dr. Charles O. Dillard, Inner City Health Care
- Chip Gerhardt, Vice President, KMK Consulting
- Nancy Minson, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Greater Cincinnati
- H.C. Buck Niehoff, Partner, Peck Shaffer & Williams
- The Reverend Rousseau O’Neal, Pastor, Rockdale Baptist Church, Avondale
- Hamilton County Coroner O’Dell Owens, M.D.
- Dan Radford, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Cincinnati AFL-CIO
- Dr. William K. Schubert, Former President & CEO, Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- The Honorable Bill Seitz, Ohio House of Representatives
- The Honorable Marian and Don Spencer
- Pete Strange, President & CEO, Messer Construction

Said Isphording: "I’m truly grateful that so many diverse people have so readily come together to help pass this critical levy. Through this levy, Hamilton County voters and taxpayers have established a great tradition of helping their neighbors. Through this levy, which will not raise your property taxes one penny, we are able to maintain the basic health safety net that catches the most vulnerable in our community."

Said Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters: "Hamilton County voters have always supported this important levy that helps so many people who are uninsured and under-insured. I’m proud to be part of this effort."

Joining Isphording and her co-chairs are veteran political consultants Brewster Rhoads and Roger Effron. Former Mayor Dwight Tillery will spearhead voter outreach to the African-American community, and Hamilton County native Paul Fallon of Paul Fallon Research will serve as the campaign’s pollster. Columbus-based Midwest Communications & Media will provide strategic communications counsel and media buying services. Coil, Counts, Ford & Cheney will also provide the campaign additional communications counsel and creative services.

The Hamilton County Commissioners expect to approve the levy amount on Monday, August 7th. Based upon previous published news reports, a majority of the Hamilton County Commissioners will likely reduce the overall levy amount, to include those amounts designated for healthcare services for uninsured and under-insured children and adults.

Paid for by The Citizens for the Health Safety Net Committee James E. Hinkle, Treasurer