Jim Kimmel: Pay the Attorney General? Responses: Nancy Hamant, Dennis Leone

From: Dennis Leone
11/30/05

Nancy -- I have read your e-mail to Jim Kimmel and it appears to me to be accurate. I am sure you are also aware that when agencies represented by the State Atty General are sued, the agencies are expected pay for the legal representation that the State Atty General provides. It will be interesting to see what happens if I can get enough support on the STRS Board not to pay the fees STRS will receive on the bonus lawsuit matter. It may be that we don't stand a chance to stop payment. I hope we can stop it.

Dennis Leone

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From: Nancy Hamant
11/30/05

To All,

My response to Jim Kimmel follows regarding payment to the Attorney General regarding work done for STRS. Dennis and John (Lazares) please let us know if my response is accurate. Thanks.

Nancy (Hamant)

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Jim,

From my work at the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Office of Management and Budgets (OMB) requires each Department (or state agency) to "bill" any Ohio Agency to whom it provides services. I believe that this is done as an accounting procedure to ensure that each year's annual report for each agency clearly lists "costs" and therefore "income" to each agency. I believe that it is necessary to keep those costs and "payments" straight. I am not sure that any "real money" exchanges from agency to agencies, however, the information is VERY important for preparing annual budgets and for obtaining annual Ohio monies necessary for each of the state agencies or departments to operate.

Nancy

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Subj: Pay the Atty General ?
Date: 11/29/2005
From: Jim Kimmel

Why would STRS be required to pay the Ohio attorney General (Petro) for his legal services and presumably that of his staff for work done on the STRS bonus court case ?

Aren't things like that the job of the State Attorney General and isn't his agency funded for just such situations ? Isn't that the main part of his job ? Dr. Leone mentioned he did not think STRS should pay Petro's bill which could be in six figures. I certainly agree. Petro and his staff get their paychecks - that should be enough. Sounds like a familiar argument doesn't it ?

Jim Kimmel