Posts by: BudgetWatcher
Another of the big developments at Plunderbund in 2011 was the launch of a companion site to track the state budget. The site, Ohio Budget Watch, was primarily active during the spring as the GOP-controlled legislature and Governor’s office drafted what constitutes the single-biggest piece of legislation that gets written in a two-year period. The budget is full of policy changes that affect every day Ohioans. In over 4,000 pages, it would be easy for the party in power to sneak through some fairly horrible new policies, so our reporting was aimed at calling attention to these things before [...]
Full Story... →It’s widely known that the state budget contained major cuts to local governments by slashing the Local Government Fund – a revenue-sharing arrangement that sends a portion of tax receipts to counties, cities and townships.
What has been less widely reported is that, in a separate piece of legislation, the administration reduced funding for the state’s “major new” construction program – funds for new highway and bridge construction – versus the previous transportation budget. Compared to $317 million in fiscal year 2011 (the last year of the prior administration), the Kasich budget appropriates just $60 million in Fiscal [...]
Full Story... →Remember yesterday when the Governor told people he didn’t read newspapers? Yeah, we do too. Strange, then, to see this quote in today’s Dispatch:
In other words, he said yesterday he didn’t read newspapers, right around the time he was talking about what he’d read in the Dispatch this morning. He is aware that the Dispatch is a newspaper, right? Or does our Governor think that if he reads it on his iPad, it’s not a newspaper?
Either way, probably a good example why people shouldn’t take what he says very seriously. [...]
Full Story... →[crossposted from Ohio Budget Watch]
Now that Issue 2 has failed and collective bargaining reform — championed by Governor Kasich — is dead, many are asking what it means for state and local budgets.
Local governments have been shrugging it off, planning to cope with reduced tax collections and Kasich budget cuts the same way they always have – by demanding concessions through the collective bargaining process, rationalizing services, and seeking additional revenue where the voters will support it. They aren’t bemoaning the failure of Issue 2, because they never believed it would be much of a tool. Check out these [...]
Full Story... →Pro-SB5 group, Building a Better Ohio. has been lining up business groups in support of Issue 2. The measure, designed to limit the collective bargaining rights of public workers in Ohio, has no direct impact on private sector employees. But, as the Dayton Daily News reports, the private sector is helping to fund the campaign because, as the President of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce was quoted in the article:
“Business supports lowering taxes, reducing the cost of government and making it more efficient”
Sounds altruistic, right? Businesses have to make a profit, so they should know a [...]
Full Story... →As part of its examination of Issue 2, the Columbus Dispatch published an article yesterday enumerating several perks enjoyed by public sector workers as a result of collective bargaining negotiations that are not generally available to those in the private sector. Examples included a paid day off for election day, having a say in the temperature of a classroom, a $160 bonus for perfect attendance and “longevity” pay increases based on years of service.
The article failed to tell the other side. The private sector offers an incredibly long list of benefits public sector workers can only dream [...]
Full Story... →(crossposted from Ohio Budget Watch)
You may remember that the Kasich budget proposal featured the potential privatization of five state prisons. The administration estimated that the sale of prisons to private operators would result in $200 million for the state, with $50 million of that going to fill the general fund budget hole and the rest staying with the Department of Correction, whose budget was otherwise hit pretty hard.
Today we learned that the administration has reviewed the bids and found only one proposal worth acting upon: they will sell the Lake Erie Correctional Institution [...]
Full Story... →In a little noticed move this week, the Kasich administration rolled out their revised rules for video lottery terminals (slots) at racetracks. The changes, approved by a vote of the Lottery Commission on Monday, include some major departures from the Strickland administration, who originally drafted — then shelved — the plan. Conveniently, the Strickland plan was put on hold by a citizen referendum — Let Ohio Vote — which was led by the husband of Governor Kasich’s chief of staff, necessitating a budget fix that put an income tax cut on hold. Hmmmm…coincidence? but I digress.
Here are [...]
Full Story... →Thursday must have been a depressing day for John Kasich.
U.S. News and World Report came out with a list of the ten most “buzzed-about” prospects for the GOP vice presidential nomination, a list that includes several women and hispanics, and even one name from Ohio – but sadly, it’s not Kasich’s.
John Kasich doesn’t even top the list of white guys from Ohio with federal budget experience in the vice presidential beauty contest. That honor goes to Senator Portman, who US News ranks #7 on the list. Portman’s had a good week, being named to the 12-member deficit [...]
Full Story... →The Plain Dealer reports that Sherrod Brown took aim at the Kasich administration yesterday, criticizing the size of the state’s incentive proposal to NASA for a new Cleveland-area project that would have employed Ohioans in the management of part of the International Space Station project.
Apparently, Florida was able to put together a package of incentives worth $30 million, while Ohio’s offer was in the ballpark of $2 million. When confronted with the Senator’s criticisms, Kasich snapped:
“Business people look at him like he’s an extremist, just so he understands that,” Kasich said of Brown. “I’m willing to [...]
Full Story... →Immediately after signing the state budget, our Governor seems to have set his sights on Washington, starting the week with a fundraising e-mail entitled: “Let’s Hope D.C. Notices…” which read, in part:
With the signing of a historic budget that fills a nearly $8 billion shortfall and maintains a income tax cut, Governor John Kasich and legislative leaders have set Ohio on the path to job creation and prosperity. This effort has not gone unnoticed in the national media:
• The New York Times said John Kasich “has established himself as a get-things-done governor.” You can read more here.
• Closer to home, Ohio’s [...]
Full Story... →Budget Watch
