Mandel trims staff at Ohio treasury

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Republican Josh Mandel is restructuring his leadership team at the Ohio treasury and cutting 10 percent of the staff, in a move he says will trim his upcoming budget.

Mandel, the state treasurer and an unsuccessful fall candidate for U.S. Senate, made the announcement Friday. He said the biennial payroll budget at the Treasurer's Office has fallen from $12 million under predecessor Kevin Boyce to $10.4 million, part of $2.6 million saved in his first two years.

Mandel's new, smaller leadership line-up also excludes several former political operatives whose lack of training, youth or high salaries attracted criticism during his run against Democrat Sherrod Brown. His Senate campaign political director was rehired to the state payroll.

Brown beat Mandel in one of the nation's most expensive Senate races.