Payroll deduction for campaign contributions was banished from the Franklin County Courthouse during the early 1990s, but some county employees still give regularly to their bosses.

Fred Mendes, who works for County Recorder Robert Montgomery, gave $840 of his $28,224 salary to his boss' political campaign last year, no strings attached.

Deputy Auditor Gene Hinterschied said he gave $800 in 29 installments to Auditor Joe Testa's campaign because it was easier and he doesn't have "deep pockets.'' He said he wants Testa to continue as his boss so giving is "something I choose to do.''

Stories such as these are commonplace. And as long as the officeholders don't solicit any contributions and disclose any they get, it's legal.

Testa, now bidding for a third term, has received campaign donations from 62 percent of his workers. Records show that 75 out of 120 county auditor employees wrote checks to Testa in 2001.

Compared with workers in other county offices, the auditor's employees are the most consistent in yearly giving. Auditor employees donated $18,435 during the past year. Since 1998, Testa's staff has contributed $59,270.

During 2001, his first year in office, Montgomery received $13,580. More than half of his employees, 36 of 62, donated to their boss's campaign.

Municipal Court Clerk Paul Herbert and Prosecutor Ron O'Brien, who have larger staffs, also received significant employee contributions.

Herbert received $13,343 last year and has raised $65,018 since 1998 from his staff. O'Brien received $18,343 from employees last year, but only $1,525 in 2000. O'Brien said he doesn't want to know what his employees give.

Interviews with county workers didn't turn up any allegations of their bosses compelling their employees to donate.

State law prohibits county officeholders from soliciting campaign contributions from employees. But county officeholders may accept unsolicited contributions from staff members, said Carlo LoParo, spokesman for the Ohio Secretary of State.

Catherine Turcer, campaign reform director for Ohio Citizen Action, said she's intrigued that county employees, particularly in the auditor and recorder's offices, gave in off-election years.

"You hear about a culture of giving and giving till it hurts. Usually you are talking about charity, you're not talking about your boss,'' Turcer said.

Giving to the boss' campaign once was taken for granted: During the 1980s and early '90s, Franklin County courthouse employees had donations deducted automatically from their paychecks. The employee tolls fueled political operations for both Democrats and Republicans.

When Testa, then the county recorder, ran for Columbus City Council in 1991, Democrats attacked him for raising $11,000 through payroll deductions from employees.

After the election, Testa ended the automatic collection and acknowledged that it might have led to his loss. Three former county commissioners also dropped payroll deduction when the Ohio Elections Commission fined them for a scheme in which employee contributions were filtered through the Republican Party.

Testa said that these days, he never solicits contributions from his employees. His campaign does send notices of events to his employees' homes if requested. Montgomery said he follows a similar practice.

"Every piece of material that goes out says that it is not a solicitation of county auditor employees,'' Testa said.

Montgomery offered to take a lie-detector test, saying: "We have never, ever compelled or coerced people into supporting me.''

Joe Raymer, a former auditor's employee who is the county recorder's office manager, said his former and present bosses never pressure employees. Raymer, who gave $1,740 to Montgomery last year, said it's his practice to give to Republicans he supports.

Questions about campaign giving in Testa's office could become an issue in the race for county auditor. William G. McCarty, Testa's Democratic opponent and a former employee, says Testa expects employees to contribute.

"It was well-known in the office that you needed to give to his campaign,'' McCarty said. "You were expected to participate with your time as well as your money.''

Testa said McCarty's criticism lacks credibility because he is a disgruntled former employee. Testa defended the off-year contributions by his employees.

"I'm honored that they think of me and that they give me their time and money,'' Testa said. "They are helping me tell the story of what we are accomplishing here.''

That giving occurs in off-years shows "that it's not tied to an election cycle,'' Testa said.

Montgomery said that in politics, "you're never in a nonelection year.''

He said he is grateful he inherited a Republican office: "To me, it's an affirmation of the approval of the job I am doing.''

Both Testa and Montgomery have the authority to fire anyone in their offices. None of their employees enjoys civil-service protection. Workers for the county prosecutor and the municipal-court clerks, who are city employees, also don't have civil-service protection.

When Testa took office in 1992, some employees were fearful when he immediately fired 16 administrators, said Debbie Russell, who left the auditor's office in 1997 in a dispute over sick time. The county eventually paid an $800,000 settlement to eight of the fired employees.

"If they like you, things are great,'' Russell said. "If they don't like you, look out.''

Testa and Montgomery say political participation does not sway employee evaluations.

Testa's top administrators lead the way in giving. Last year, fiscal- services administrator Marjorie Kruse, who has one of the highest salaries at $73,773, gave the most: $1,925. Others who gave during the past year include chief deputy Ross Chambers, $900; administrative assistant Robert Monds, $610; and real-estate administrator Tony Frissora, $580.

Testa has been an aggressive fund-raiser over the years. He spent about $150,000 to win re-election in 1998. In 2000, incumbent county officeholders spent between $20,000 to $135,000 on their races.

According to his January report, Testa raised $81,665 last year in preparation for this year's election. He has $64,296 in his treasury.

In the recorder's office, Montgomery's top staff members are also among his biggest contributors. Chief deputy Brad Hennebert led the way with $1,875; Marvin Farley, who leads the microfilming division, gave $1,670; and Carl Reardon, the assistant payroll administrator, contributed $1,485.

Bill Lewis, who gave $550 out of his $43,800 salary, praises Montgomery's leadership: "In no way shape or form does he demand (contributions).''

Montgomery said his bigger contributors are veteran employees with management jobs. He said that if the recorder's office were to fall into Democratic hands, their jobs would be jeopardized.

Franklin County Clerk of Courts John O'Grady remembers when he was 19 and holding a low-level county job. He was asked to sign a paper that automatically deducted money from his paycheck for the Democratic Party's "flower fund,'' the name for the campaign fund.

When O'Grady assumed his job in January 2001, he sent a letter to his 250 employees saying he wouldn't accept campaign contributions from them. He accepted only a $35 contribution from a supervisor.

"People shouldn't have to contribute money to keep their job,'' he said. "The public doesn't trust that way of doing business anymore.''

Montgomery, however, said O'Grady has welcomed four unions to make their pitch to the clerk of courts staff.

"Who do you think will be giving him money -- the unions,'' Montgomery said, noting that unions don't support him.

But O'Grady said he has "absolutely no play-for-pay'' arrangement with the unions. He said it's the employees' choice whether they want union representation.

Jim Woods