September 22

Ohio utility watchdog quits in face of budget cuts

By Doug Whiteman
Associated Press

Published: September 21, 2011 - 03:22 PM

COLUMBUS: The state’s consumer advocate for Ohio utility customers is leaving to take a job with a nonprofit utility think tank after criticizing state budget cuts that are reducing funding for her office by more than half.

Janine Migden-Ostrander announced Wednesday that she would step down as Ohio Consumers’ Counsel effective Oct. 15 to become principal consultant for the Regulatory Assistance Project, based in Montpelier, Vt.

“I am leaving because I felt that the office could benefit from new leadership that can hopefully get the budget restored in the future,” Migden-Ostrander told The Associated Press.

She said she found it very disappointing that annual funding for her office was dropping from $8.5 million to $4.1 million under the two-year budget signed this summer by Gov. John Kasich. The loss of state money has prompted the agency to eliminate more than 30 jobs, reduce its involvement in cases before regulators and trim its outreach and educational efforts.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/ohio-utility-watchdog-quits-in-face-of-budget-cuts-1.236183

Utility consumers’ watchdog quits over budget

She blasts Kasich, House speaker for slashing her office

By  Mark Williams

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday September 22, 2011 7:40 AM

The state’s consumer watchdog resigned yesterday, fed up with state budget cuts that she says have hampered her ability to protect consumers in fights over proposed rate hikes by utilities.

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander also had strong parting words for Gov. John Kasich and House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina. She said they refused to discuss the cuts, which reduced the agency’s budget by half, and have demonstrated a “profound disinterest and disrespect towards Ohio’s 4.5 million utility households.”
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2011/09/22/utility-consumers-watchdog-quits-over-budget.html

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel quits, blasts governor

By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published: September 22, 2011 - 12:25 AM

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander resigned Wednesday as the state’s top watchdog for utility customers.

Migden-Ostrander, 58, who served seven years and was the agency’s third leader, said drastic budget cuts by the state made it difficult to do her job. She said she was proud of work that saved consumers more than $8 billion, but the “blatant disregard” shown by the legislature earlier this year in slashing her budget was unfair.

“Last January, the governor [John R. Kasich] said to ‘get on the bus or get run over.’ The doors were locked to the OCC and the 4.5 million consumers we represent,” Migden-Ostrander said during a news conference Wednesday morning.
http://www.ohio.com/news/local/ohio-consumers-counsel-quits-blasts-governor-1.236169

Voucher explosion

Published: September 21, 2011 - 06:49 PM

Akron Beacon Journal

Ohio lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich passed a budget bill this year that has burnished their bona fides on school choice programs. Besides a growing charter school program, they quadrupled the size of the Educational Choice Scholarship Program, beefed up scholarships for the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program and created a new voucher program for special needs children. The expansions have increased significantly the stream of students and public funds flowing out of public schools to private schools.

The argument is that low-income children in chronically failing schools deserve options, too. For that reason, the current programs are restricted to clearly specified categories of students, say, autistic students or special needs students with Individual Education Plans or students in schools designated in academic emergency or academic watch for two years or more.

Fair enough. The subpar performance of many schools in low-income neighborhoods offers some justification for vouchers. But legislation proposed by state Rep. Matt Huffman promises to deliver a substantial financial blow to public schools.
http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/voucher-explosion-1.236234

House Agrees to Senate Amendments on Redistricting Bill, Passes Three Others

Hannah Report 9/21/11

The House wrapped up the legislative work on the redistricting bill, HB319 (Huffman), late in the afternoon, after recessing for an hour to wait for the Senate to finish its work. With a minimum of debate, the Senate amendment adding an appropriation to the bill was agreed to by a vote of 60-35. (See separate story, this issue.)

It now goes to the governor who said today he would sign the bill.

The Ohio House session had opened Wednesday with Consul General of Canada, Roy Norton, addressing the chamber, discussing U.S./Ohio/Canada relations. He touted the value of trade between the two nations and specifically Ohio, telling the representatives that trade between the state and his country account for 300,000 Ohio jobs. He said Canada is the number one export destination and as such his country is very interested in trade, energy and infrastructure proposals in this country.

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187197

CONSUMERS' COUNSEL MIGDEN-OSTRANDER RESIGNS CITING BUDGET BATTLE AMONG REASONS

9/21/11

Ohio Consumers' Counsel Jeanine Migden-Ostrander announced her resignation Wednesday, saying the Kasich Administration's treatment of the organization was a key motivator.
Ms. Migden-Ostrander, who will formally step down Oct. 15, will take a position with a non-profit group. The OCC board has appointed deputy OCC and legal director Bruce Weston as interim consumers' counsel.
The consumers' counsel's announcement caps a sometimes-rocky seven-year tenure during which she often butted heads with the GOP majority in the legislature as well as utility industry executives.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801830203&newsedition_id=8018302&locid=2

SCHOOL VOUCHER EXPANSION BILL CLEARS COMMITTEE ON NEAR PARTY-LINE VOTE

9/21/11

A divided House panel voted out legislation Wednesday to expand school choice vouchers that would use state dollars to support private school enrollment.
The bill (HB 136 ) cleared the House Education Committee on a 12-10 nearly party line vote with Rep. Nan Baker (R-Westlake) and Rep. Marlene Anielski (R-Walton Hills) joining Democrats is opposing the measure.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801830208&newsedition_id=8018302&locid=2