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Posts Tagged ‘Funding’

North Carolina has $4 million that elections officials across the state say is needed to conduct secure and efficient elections this year.

The money is left over from the federal Help America Vote Act that was passed after the election debacle in Florida in 2000 in which the courts had to decide who was president, George W. Bush or Al Gore.

However, the General Assembly effectively froze the money by cutting the state Board of Elections budget. Federal guidelines require North Carolina to come up with approximately $664,000 in matching funds in order to get the $4 million released. The state cannot spend the $4 million on anything other than elections, so if the money is not used it must be surrendered to the federal government..

A letter pleading with the General Assembly to appropriate the $664,000 so the state can claim the $4 million was sent to legislative leaders from 85 members of local boards of elections.

In part, the letter stated, We expect a large voter turnout, especially in the fall, and many counties will be holding elections with new district lines, split precincts, and other changes that complicate voter education and administration.

In addition, many counties face very tight budgets and need assistance to provide adequate Early Voting facilities to relieve the pressure of long lines on Election Day. According to the State Board of Elections, the HAVA Title II funds can be used for (a) poll worker training and technical support, (b) licenses, maintenance and testing of voting equipment, and (c) support for additional Early Voting sites.

As board of elections members from across the state, we urge you to find a way to release the HAVA funds.

Thats the rub: Finding a way to come up with the $664,000 to get the federal money. The legislature cut many programs in coping with a budget shortfall that has plagued North Carolina for several years. Without new revenue or skimming from other funding areas in the state budget, the money might not be available.

Lawmakers are reluctant to engage in more budget reductions. A means of obtaining the necessary revenue would need to be in place before committing to an expenditure the General Assembly deliberately omitted from the budget. State officials and legislators knew of the HAVA dilemma, and freezing the money was preferable to giving it back to Washington.

Now, elections officials are pressing for the funds, saying many local boards need more money to conduct elections in accordance with the law. Some predict a Florida-style mess in November if the federal money isnt distributed this year.

So far, NC Rep. Thom Tillis, speaker of the House, and NC Sen. Phil Berger, Senate president pro-tem, have had little to say about the issue. Lawmakers will be back in Raleigh next week, but no legislative action of any kind is anticipated. The brief return is to prepare for the formal session that convenes in April.

In the meantime, elections officials say some counties will be strapped to conduct legal elections. They contend that the counties themselves will have to come up with funding to appropriately operated elections and maintain voting machines. Statewide, voting machine maintenance is a $3.2 million expenditure by itself, officials say.

So, North Carolina has a General Assembly committed to cutting government spending to balance the state budget, and elections officials contending proper elections cant be conducted without another $664,000 to obtain release of the federal money.

The quality and legality of North Carolinas elections must not be compromised. The legislature should address the issue and make a case for getting the money or explain why it cant.

Who signed the letter?

Signatories to the letter asking for release of the HAVA money include:

–Karl W. Lenz, Alexander County Board of Elections

–Trossie Wall Jr., David Campbell and Eugenie B. Fein, Burke County Board of Elections

–Fred R. Piercy, Don Hamby and Houston Groome, Caldwell County Board of Elections

–Barry R. Cheney and Karen Hoyle, Catawba County Board of Elections

–Bobby D. Richardson, Charles E. Cook and Suanne Sellers, Lincoln County Board of Elections

The report shows 566 for-profit businesses have contributed $31 million, accounting for 17 percent of total itemized Super PAC fundraising since their inception.

By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe’s office said today that funding has been found to restore 15 firefighter jobs at the state Forestry Commission.

Beebe will direct the state Agriculture Department to reallocate $550,000 annually from its budget to the Forestry Commission, according to the governor’s office.

The commission laid off 34 people last month — another two agreed to retire — because of a $4 million shortfall in the agency’s budget. The layoffs included 14 firefighter jobs, raising concerns about the commission’s ability to carry out its mission of protecting and preserving the state’s forests.

Legislators last week recommended restoring 20 jobs at the agency but did not recommend a funding source.

The funding shift announced Wednesday will allow the restoration of 15 firefighter jobs starting Feb. 21, Beebe’s office said. The positions will be in Bradley, Columbia, Conway, Drew, Fulton, Grant, Hempstead, Ouachita Saline, Sevier and Union counties.

House Speaker Robert S. Moore Jr., D-Arkansas City, said he and Rep. Bobby Pierce, D-Sheridan, brought the idea to Beebe after studying the Agriculture Department’s budget. Legislators on both sides of the political aisle have been working diligently to find a funding source, he said.

Moore said that over the past several years the Agriculture Department has ended the fiscal year with an average of $750,000 in excess money that has been turned back to cities and counties.

“Scrutiny of their budget (suggests) that the level of funding will provide sufficient moneys to maintain those positions in the coming fiscal year and in the future,” Moore said.

Beebe has asked lawmakers to provide a $2.7 million supplemental appropriation to get the Forestry Commission through the end of the current fiscal year and pay back federal grant money that the agency improperly borrowed for ongoing expenses. Moore said that appropriation will still be necessary, adding that failing to approve it would lead to additional layoffs.

Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, who co-chaired a subcommittee that came up with the recommendation of restoring 20 positions at the agency, said she was pleased with the governor’s response but hoped more could be done.

“I’d like to restore all 20 of those positions as we directed, and there still may be ongoing efforts to fund the remaining positions,” she said.

Moore said restoring 15 firefighter positions is a reasonable response.

“The people I’ve dealt with in leadership in the House and the Senate and the governor feel like this is a reasonable response and a reasonable solution to allow the Forestry Commission to meet its mission and provide the protection for Arkansas citizens that they expect and deserve,” Moore said.

Rep. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, who has been critical of the agency and the Beebe administration over the layoffs, said he was happy that some firefighter jobs would be restored but frustrated that the agency’s financial problems were not addressed sooner.

“This just proves the point that if the governor and (Forestry Commission Director) John Shannon would have come to the Legislature two years ago, we could have avoided all this,” he said.

King said he believes Shannon mismanaged the agency and should be removed.

“I don’t see how he stays in his job today,” he said.

Shannon did not immediately respond this afternoon to a phone message and email seeking comment.

Shannon serves at the pleasure of the governor. Beebe has said, when asked about Shannon’s future at the commission, that he is waiting to see the results of an audit of the agency’s finances.

A report on that audit is scheduled to be released to legislators on Friday.

Delaware’s Congressional delegation has announced that it’s secured nearly $1.9 million in funding for a dredging project in the Nanticoke River.

The Army Corps of Engineers will conduct the project, which will deepen the river’s main shipping channel to 12 feet between Seaford and the Maryland line. Shoals in some portions of the river have made navigation difficult for barges transporting grains, fuel and gravel on the river between Seaford and the Chesapeake Bay. This will be the first time the river has been dredged since 1990.

DE Congressional Delegation Announces $1.8 Million in Funding for Nanticoke River Dredging 

WILMINGTON – Today, Sens. Tom Carper, Chris Coons and Rep. John Carney (all D-Del.) announced $1,881,000 in funding for the dredging of the Nanticoke River. This funding will allow the US Army Corps of Engineers to move forward on its years-long plan to perform maintenance dredging on a stretch of the Nanticoke River extending from the Delaware-Maryland line up to Seaford. The river, which flows to the Chesapeake Bay, is a vital waterway for barge traffic into and out of western Sussex County. The announcement was made by the Army Corps of Engineers on its website today. 

The dredging project will restore the rivers main channel depth to 12 feet, which has shoaled in some portions, making navigation difficult for barges. The river was last dredged in 1990. 

The dredging project is essential to ensuring safe, efficient navigation for barges that transport grains, gravel and fuel along the Nanticoke. In April 2011, the Delaware Congressional Delegation wrote a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers to urge their assistance in expediting the dredging of the Nanticoke River. 

This project is critical to the continuation of business and commerce along the Nanticoke River, Sen. Carper said. Government has worked together on all levels to make sure this project comes to fruition with respect for the environment for the betterment of Sussex County and the State of Delaware. As we work toward economic recovery in this challenging environment for business, this project is another step in the right direction. 

Deepening the Nanticoke River clears the way for increased business and commerce for many industries in Sussex County and other communities along the waterway, Senator Coons said.  Jobs will be created, and businesses that are struggling will get a boost as a result of barges being able to easily navigate the river, and Im glad that this project has been deemed safe for the environment.  I congratulate the many people from all levels of government who have worked together to make this project a reality. 

Investments in infrastructure create jobs and strengthen the economy, said Congressman Carney.  Dredging the Nanticoke will improve commerce along the river, make it safer for the barges that travel it, and have a very positive impact on the businesses and communities in Sussex County.  Im very pleased that the Army Corps of Engineers is moving forward with this project in an environmentally safe way, and think its an important step in growing the local economy. 

This is fantastic news for Sussex County, for our hard-working residents and for the local economy, said Sussex County Council President Michael H. Vincent. This project has been long in coming, and now that the funding is falling into place thanks to the efforts of our Congressional Delegation and the Army Corps of Engineers, it will guarantee commerce continues to flow on the river for many, many years to come. 

In these critical economic times, its important for all levels of government – county, state, and federal – to band together and work for the people they serve, Vincent added. This announcement today shows that even when faced with funding shortfalls and project delays, we can accomplish great things if we press forward and work together. 

In order for the federal project to progress, Sussex County, as the local government body, was obligated to provide a site for dredge material under an agreement with the Corps of Engineers. In May 2010, Sussex County purchased a 41-acre site near Woodland, west of Seaford, a portion of which will serve as a location to deposit mud that will be pulled from the bottom of the Nanticoke River during the four-month-long dredging project. 

The dredging project is essential to ensuring safe, efficient navigation for barges that transport grains, gravel and fuel along the Nanticoke. According to figures from the Delmarva Water Transport Committee, more than 100 barges move along the Nanticoke each year. Each barge has a capacity equal to about 150 tractor trailers. In 2010, nearly 500,000 tons of product moved up the Nanticoke River, according to DWTC figures. 

By moving forward with the dredging project, water-borne transport can continue – and presumably increase – on the river, lessening truck traffic and reducing wear and tear on local roads.

Another controversial cut is an $86.5 million reduction for adult mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. By contrast, both Gov. Rick Scott’s and the House’s budget proposals increase funding in these areas to restore cuts made last year.

Negron asked the Department of Children and Families to rank all of the adult treatment programs that receive state funding. His plan calls for eliminating the worst ranked and moving up the list until the desired savings are reached.

However, the two Democrats on the panel, Sen. Nan Rich of Weston and Sen. Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood, said they want to know more about the DCFs methodology and whether programs are being compared to others that serve similar populations. The DCF report separated programs by geographic region.

As chairman of the Senate’s Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations, Negron unveiled his $7.5 billion general fund spending proposal during Wednesday’s meeting. The subcommittee will continue discussing the budget Thursday morning.

Within a comprehensive package of education proposals released Wednesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that he wants to increase the states share of school funding by $50 million.

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Under Malloys plan, West Hartford will see an increase of $919,940 in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) entitlements from the state. That translates into a 5.72 percent increase – from $16,076,120 in 2011-12 to $16,996,060 in 2012-13.

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The governors education reform package includes a total of $50 million in additional ECS funding, $40 million of which will be directed at the 30 lowest-performing school districts in the state. Those Alliance Districts will have new funding phased in at the rate of 2.47 percent of the gap between what they currently receive in ECS funding and the new formula amount, according to a release from the governors office. 

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Other districts, like West Hartford, will receive 1.4 percent of the funding amount gap. No district should receive less in ECS funding than last year, according to the governors proposal.

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We have held towns harmless. No one is losing ECS funding, Malloy said in a news release.

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That sends a clear signal to our children that we will make the investment and deliver on our promise of high-quality education for every student in Connecticut.

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Chip Ward, director of Finance and Planning for the West Hartford Public Schools, said the additional ECS funds will make it easier for the Town to support education. The funds, he explained, are given directly to the Town, not to the education system, and are intended to equalize the burden for supporting education.

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In terms of actual dollars, although it is not an Alliance District, West Hartford will receive more money under the proposed ECS increase than most other towns and cities in Connecticut.

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We have one of the biggest gaps; we only receive 28 percent of what the ECS funding formula says we should be getting, Ward said. The additional 1.4 percent translates into a large dollar amount and a significant overall percentage because the gap is so large, Ward said.

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The ECS grant is where we have seen the largest shortfall in state education funding to the Town of West Hartford – $193.8 million over 15 years and a $41 million shortfall in 2011-12 alone. In 2011-12, West Hartford has the second largest shortfall of any town in ECS funding. The [proposed] $920,000 increase is a step in the right direction to help alleviate the burden on the taxpayer, Superintendent of Schools Karen List said in an email Wednesday afternoon. 

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Bruce Putterman, chairman of the Board of Education, had the following response to the proposed ECS increase: We appreciate that the governors office has acknowledged that West Hartford has been grossly underfunded for many years, and we are grateful for the extra amount that will be coming to West Hartford under his proposal as a first step toward making up that shortfall,

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According to Ward, The Town of West Hartford has a budget of over $220 million. This is 1/2 percent of the revenue that needs to be raised for general fund services. But every bit helps.

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The West Hartford Public Schools administration will present its budget for 2012-13 in March, and the overall budget for the Town of West Hartford will be adopted on April 23.

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When multiple moving parts are at play, its only logical that things will start advancing. Thats what is happening now in the Alzheimers disease cause.

The Obama Administrations announcement that it will pump $50 million into Alzheimers disease research this year and will propose $80 million in Alzheimers disease research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the 2013 fiscal year, plus $26 million for caregiver support, signals a step toward the nations goal to defeat Alzheimers disease.

It goes hand-in-hand with the work currently underway to craft the first-ever national plan to prevent, delay and ultimately cure Alzheimers disease, as mandated under the National Alzheimers Project Act (NAPA) signed into law last year by President Obama.

In light of this strategic effort, additional federal funding provides necessary seed money to meet the ambitious goals set out in the plans draft framework and helps pave the way for scientific discoveries that can potentially change lives and save lives.

In these grim economic times, incremental steps are welcome. For the Administration to carve out funds in this climate heightens the cause to the level Americans deserve. Most likely, every one of the estimated 5.1 million Americans currently living with Alzheimers disease and every family who has witnessed the devastation of this brain disorder would agree that Alzheimers disease warrants the same funding levels awarded to cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions. With $450 million annually now dedicated to Alzheimers disease research at NIH, significant catch up still needs to occur.

We are racing against the clock. As the nations baby boomers reach the at-risk age of 65 for Alzheimers disease, more and more people are counting on funding for supportive services and research to accelerate drugs in the pipeline to spare others the harsh fate of Alzheimers disease.

In advocating for increased funding for both cure and care related to Alzheimers disease, the Alzheimers Foundation of America has highlighted the steep shortfall in funding for NIH and specifically the National Institute on Aging, the primary federal agency responsible for Alzheimers disease research.

As noted in an AFA report, Penny Wise, Pound Foolish, released more than 18 months ago,
Simply put, our nation does not have the luxury of time to address the health research needs of this population.

Increased funding to prevent, treat or cure chronic diseases of the aging, such as Alzheimers disease, is perhaps the single most effective strategy in reducing national spending on health care. Unprecedented increases in age-related diseases as the population ages are one reason the Congressional Budget Office projects that total healthcare spending will soar to 25 percent of the GDP by 2025 from 17 percent today.

The investment announced by the Administration — with hopefully more to come — is critical so that it doesnt cost the government, as well as families, more in the long run.

For more by Eric J. Hall, click here.

For more on Alzheimers, click here.

Northern Nevada Planned Parenthood affiliates are receiving overwhelming support in the aftermath of a funding amendment/reversal from the national Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

While local Planned Parenthood officials are still trying to pull together all the private donations, and couldn’t provide specific totals, patients are among those calling to say “thanks” and offering small donations, said Patty Elzy, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

Since 2007, the local Planned Parenthood centers have been receiving grant funding from the Komen organization that funds breast health services, such as clinical screenings and referrals for advanced services.

The funding has dipped from $80,000 during the first few years, to $25,000 the last couple years.

Elzy said their funding is good through March 30, and they are awaiting approval for another year of funding.

Last week, the national Komen group announced they were planning to cut breast health services funding to the Planned Parenthood affiliates because a Florida lawmaker had initiated a non-criminal investigation into the organization, at the urging of anti-abortion groups.

Abortions are a health service provided by some affiliates.

But after three days of public outrage, the Komen group said they were abandoning the funding cuts and continuing its grants.

During those three days, though, private donations totaling around $3 million were given to Planned Parenthood, Elzy said. The national group will be deciding how to divvy up that funding to its affiliates for its breast health services, she said.

“Local people are calling and saying ‘thank you, you found a tumor and I can help now, here’s $50,’” Elzy said. “It’s been very gratifying.”

The Planned Parenthood social medias are also filled with support and appreciation.

“People rose up to challenge this because it’s time to tell the truth about these issues and stop politicking women’s health issues,” Elzy said. “The reason this resonates so much is that women were going to lose the health care they depend on, and no one wants that to happen.”

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity defines its mission as finding a cure for breast cancer. In recent years, however, it has cut by nearly half the proportion of fund-raising dollars it spends on grants to scientists working to understand the causes and develop effective new treatments for the disease.

While the absolute dollar amount of those grants has steadily grown, it has not kept pace with the surge in donations Komen has received, a Reuters analysis of the groups financial statements shows.

Komen has come under heavy public scrutiny since it moved last week to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, a womens health network that provides birth control, abortions and other services. Although it reversed that decision on Friday, the outcry has prompted a closer look from activists, media and lawmakers at how the charity powerhouse operates.

Critics within the philanthropic and research communities in particular have raised questions over its scientific approach to some issues and how it spends the money it raises.

Komens financial statements since 2003 reveal how much the group known for its pink ribbon symbol spends on activities from research to education, screenings, treatment and fund-raising.

In 2011, the foundation spent 15 percent, or $63 million, of its donations on research awards that fund studies on everything from hard-core molecular biology to the quality of breast-cancer care for Medicaid patients.

That proportion was down from 17 percent in 2009 and 2010. In 2008, that percentage reached 29 percent of donations. The annual financial statements cover April 1 through March 31.

Komen reports spending a total of $685 million for research in the past 30 years, a considerable sum in private cancer philanthropy, and its money goes to a wide variety of initiatives.

In 2011, 83 cents of every dollar spent went to mission programs, spokeswoman Leslie Aun said in an email statement to Reuters. Were the only organization doing breast cancer on all these fronts – in research, global work, advocacy and community work.

The organizations 2011 financial statement reports that 43 percent of donations were spent on education, 18 percent on fund-raising and administration, 15 percent on research awards and grants, 12 percent on screening and 5 percent on treatment. (Various other items accounted for the rest.)

Aun did not immediately address the declining share of revenue that went to research in the past few years. In that period, Komen saw its annual revenue rise by almost $100 million to $420 million and increased its spending on education.

When informed of the figures, Komen supporter and widely-followed breast cancer blogger Lisa Bonchek Adams expressed surprise. The Connecticut mother of three was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, ran her first Race for the Cure in 2008, and raised $15,000 for Komen in 2009.

Although Adams knew that Komen spends a large fraction of its revenue on raising awareness of breast cancer and promoting screening, she said that the much smaller amount that goes to finding a cure is definitely a concern; 15 percent is shockingly small.

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Komen research spending: http://link.reuters.com/huv46s

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PLAUDITS FOR LOW OVERHEAD

Still, in categories like administration and overhead Komen wins plaudits from outside experts. Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that scrutinizes such groups finances, awards it four out of four stars, and 65.55 out of 70 points for financial performance.

That reflects the relatively small amount Komen reports spending on administration and fundraising (18 percent of donations) and its accountability and transparency. Komen issues audited financial statements, for instance, and has policies on conflicts of interest and whistleblowing.

MCKINNEY, Texas (Reuters) – Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum, a day after his stunning sweep of nominating contests in three states, scrambled in Texas on Wednesday to round up the support and money he needs to take on well-financed and well-organized rival Mitt Romney.

After winning in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado on Tuesday, Santorum sought to build on his momentum, addressing Texas pastors, donors and activists with the loosely organized conservative Tea Party movement.

Nobody ever thinks I can win anything, Santorum told about 600 people at a meeting with Christian pastors at the Bella Donna Chapel in McKinney, Texas. The gift of being underestimated is a great gift.

The pastors prayed and laid hands on Santorum in a powerful image that could resonate well with social conservatives.

A former US senator from Pennsylvania and a staunch social conservative, Santorum became the first Republican White House hopeful to win four of the state-by-state contests to pick a nominee to oppose Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

His sweep on Tuesday raised new questions about presumed front-runner Romney, who holds strong organizational and financial advantages over Santorum and the other Republican candidates but has yet to prove he can win over conservatives in the party, who see him as too moderate.

I provide not the contrast to Mitt Romney, but we provide the conservative contrast thats the winning one against Barack Obama, Santorum said at a rally on Wednesday night in Allen, Texas.

About 300 people crowded around the stage in a hotel ballroom to meet-and-greet the presidential hopeful, including a supporter from the nearby community of Frisco, Texas.

If the election were today, Id vote for him, said Jona Vacek, adding that she had come to hear what Santorum had to say without the media spin.

Before his triumphs on Tuesday, Santorum had been dismissed as an also-ran in the race, finishing in the back of the pack in recent primaries and caucuses and trailing badly in the money race. But he has now come out on top in one more state than Romney, who has three victories to date.

In 2011, Santorum raised $2.2 million for his campaign, according to year-end filings. Romney raised $56.8 million.

Santorum is the latest in a series of rivals seen as the conservative alternative to Romney, who needs to refocus his campaign to re-establish himself as the favorite for the nomination.

Foster Friess, the main backer of Santorums Red White and Blue so-called Super PAC, said he expected more funding after Santorums victories on Tuesday.

I think as a result of last night there seems to be a nice flow of money. Suddenly people realize that hes got a shot, said Friess, who was photographed standing beside Santorum as he gave his victory speech in Missouri on Tuesday night.

Political action committees (PACs) are groups with great clout in US politics that are legally separate from candidates. They spend money to back candidates and causes they support, often unleashing negative advertising.

His surge comes at a perfect time for Santorum, a devout Roman Catholic who speaks often on the campaign trail about his seven children and is known for Christian conservative stances such as fierce opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage.

With signs of improvement in the US economy, social issues have taken on more prominence in the 2012 campaign, helped by recent headlines.

FAITH AND FAMILY

Hes the only person who is passionate about conservatism. Hes not afraid to talk about faith and family, said Noah Jackson, who attended Santorums $250 per person fundraiser at a tony Dallas-area country club.

Republican contenders Romney, Santorum and Newt Gingrich accuse Obama of waging war on religion because of positions including a rule requiring health insurance plans, including those offered by Catholic hospitals, to provide birth control.

Republican US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner joined the fray on Wednesday by saying the rule amounted to an attack on religious freedom and promising that Congress will act, if needed, to stop it.

A US appeals court on Tuesday ruled that Californias ban on gay marriage violated the US Constitution. Santorum, Romney and Gingrich all denounced the decision.

And the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer charitys decision, later revoked, to stop funding Planned Parenthood, also kept social issues in the public eye. Planned Parenthood is a womens health network that provides birth control, abortions and other services.

With Romney targeted as a flip-flopper for abandoning earlier moderate positions on healthcare and abortion, supporters credit Santorum for his unchanging positions.

In a time when there is much cynicism about the authenticity of candidates, he has that box checked, Republican strategist Keith Appell said of Santorum.

Gingrich, the former House speaker who looked strong after winning the South Carolina primary on January 21, has slumped since then. Struggling after campaign missteps and fierce attacks from Romney, he was not on the ballot in Missouri and was crushed in the other two states on Tuesday.

The next major Republican nominating contests are the Arizona and Michigan primaries on February 28, while Maine wraps up its caucuses this Saturday.

Critics portray Romney as a cold-hearted capitalist who cannot connect with voters because of his privileged upbringing as the son of a governor and corporate chief executive, and the personal fortune estimated at $270 million he amassed running a firm that bought – and sometimes broke up – troubled companies.

Some Christian conservatives are also wary of Romney because of his Mormon religion.

Santorum touts his background as the grandson of a coal miner, and says his economic policies would help generate jobs for working Americans.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Denver, and Alina Selyukh, Bill Trott, Susan Heavey, and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell and Todd Eastham)