Updated: 4:27
p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 | Posted: 4:27 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
Critics: Kasich funding plan stiffs many schools
By ANN SANNER
The Associated
Press
CINCINNATI —
Questions
remained Wednesday about Gov. John Kasich's
new school funding plan, with critics charging that many public schools,
including in poor districts, will be shortchanged even though the Republican
insisted his proposal was focused on helping students.
Kasich defended
the plan during his State of the State speech Tuesday night in Lima, saying it
has a "common-sense" focus on helping those who don't have the
resources to help themselves.
"The
simple fact of the matter is we're going to have to work together to make sure
that we are moving our resources to those districts that have unique students,
that are not as wealthy, those districts that do not have the population; we've
got to do it together because the current system is not serving the boys and
girls in our state as effectively as we could be doing it," Kasich said.
State of the State tweets: No big deal
this time
The Columbus Dispatch
Thursday February 21, 2013 8:17 AM
In 2010, a state
senator caused a furor by tweeting during Gov. Ted Strickland’s final State of
the State address. But as the use of social media has grown during the past
three years, there were only mildly raised eyebrows rather than sweeping condemnations
over tweets that flowed during Gov. John Kasich’s speech on Tuesday in Lima.
Other states are even
farther down the twitter highway. Last month, five seats were reserved on the
Indiana House chamber’s floor as “tweet seats” to offer commentary on Gov. Mike
Pence’s State of the State.
What’s allowed “kind
of depends on the tradition within the state,” said Pam Greenberg, who monitors
technology issues for the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Kasich to GOP at State of the State: Be
reasonable: editorial
By The Plain Dealer Editorial Board
on February 20, 2013 at 8:39 PM
on February 20, 2013 at 8:39 PM
Running through Gov. John Kasich's 2013 State of the
State speech Tuesday was the notion that fellow Republicans who rule the
General Assembly should act with open minds -- and political balance,
especially on Kasich's bid for Medicaid expansion.
The speech to a nearly full 1,800-seat hall in Lima (in
a county that gave Kasich 58 percent of its vote) suggested Medicaid expansion
isn't just a matter of compassion. It's practical, too. And without it, Ohioans
would foot the bill, via the federal taxes they pay, for Medicaid expansion in
states that do opt for expansion, such as Michigan and Arizona.
As demonstrated by the reservations of conservative
House Speaker William Batchelder of Medina, many in the GOP may not see it that
way. Nonetheless, a healthy work force is a job-ready work force. And the
status quo in Ohio makes hospital emergency rooms de facto doctors' offices for
Ohio's non-Medicaid poor. That's madness and something that needs to change.
Batchelder
Predicts 'Tremendous Pressure' to Scale Back Sales Tax Expansion
Hannah
Report 2/20/13
As the General Assembly went back to work in the Statehouse Wednesday following their trip to Lima for Gov. John Kasich's "State of the State," House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) reflected on the "controversy" that is expected with broadening the sales tax.
While talking to the media following Wednesday's House session, Batchelder was asked why he thought the governor barely mentioned the HB59 (Amstutz) provision in Tuesday's address.
"I suspect that the governor is hearing from various groups across the state who represent various products -- I certainly heard from people who are in opposition to that proposal," said Batchelder. "It's controversial -- there's no question about that."
As the General Assembly went back to work in the Statehouse Wednesday following their trip to Lima for Gov. John Kasich's "State of the State," House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) reflected on the "controversy" that is expected with broadening the sales tax.
While talking to the media following Wednesday's House session, Batchelder was asked why he thought the governor barely mentioned the HB59 (Amstutz) provision in Tuesday's address.
"I suspect that the governor is hearing from various groups across the state who represent various products -- I certainly heard from people who are in opposition to that proposal," said Batchelder. "It's controversial -- there's no question about that."
House
Seeks 'Guardrails' on Turnpike Plan; Transit, Rail Interests Want More Funding
Hannah
Report 2/20/13
Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) said Wednesday that House members will add some controls on the use of bond funding from the administration's turnpike proposal in new versions of transportation budget bills expected to drop Monday.
"I expect that we will have some guardrails in the substitute bill for the protection of the turnpike and also some guidance toward the use of proceeds from what they call the subservient bonds, the derivative bonds, that will be issued for other projects," Amstutz said.
When introducing the turnpike proposal, the Kasich administration promised the vast majority of bond revenue would flow to Northern Ohio, and vowed to hold toll increases to the rate of inflation, with a freeze for short trips by EZ-Pass users. But those promises weren't codified in the actual budget proposal, drawing skepticism from some lawmakers. http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=192005
Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) said Wednesday that House members will add some controls on the use of bond funding from the administration's turnpike proposal in new versions of transportation budget bills expected to drop Monday.
"I expect that we will have some guardrails in the substitute bill for the protection of the turnpike and also some guidance toward the use of proceeds from what they call the subservient bonds, the derivative bonds, that will be issued for other projects," Amstutz said.
When introducing the turnpike proposal, the Kasich administration promised the vast majority of bond revenue would flow to Northern Ohio, and vowed to hold toll increases to the rate of inflation, with a freeze for short trips by EZ-Pass users. But those promises weren't codified in the actual budget proposal, drawing skepticism from some lawmakers. http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=192005
Gongwer 2/20/12
Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina)
said Wednesday he is opposed to earmarking any funding from turnpike bonds for
the toll road or its environs, saying such a plan would unnecessarily detract
from the Transportation Review Advisory Committee's process.
The speaker's post-session comments came after
House Finance & Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) said the
panel was considering including certain "guardrails" in legislation
to issue $1.5 billion in Ohio Turnpike bonds to fund highway projects around
the state (HB 51
).
Wednesday was the deadline for committee members
to submit proposed amendments to both the turnpike bill and the full
transportation budget (HB 35
).
The divvying up of the bond money is a major
issue for lawmakers reviewing the turnpike plan and is among issues that could
delay its processing somewhat, the speaker said. As such, while the
transportation budget is expected to advance through the House next week, the
turnpike language will be the subject of closed caucus discussions next
Wednesday - a meeting requested by some members to voice concerns with the
governor's bond proposal.
The Kasich administration originally indicated
that 90% of the bond-backed proceeds would be spent in northern Ohio in the
turnpike area but such language was not included in the legislation and
Transportation Director Jerry Wray testified against adding it.
Speaker Batchelder said it was unnecessary to
set restrictions in law on where the bond money would be spent because the TRAC
process for identifying major transportation project allotments is in place and
the General Assembly has to appropriate the funds in the first place.
"I think that would be entirely
inappropriate given the fact that we already have a system that has awarded
transportation department monies. I would have reservations about that,"
he said.
Gongwer 2/20/13
The House speaker reiterated Wednesday that the
Ways & Means Committee would take the lead in hearing tax-related budget
testimony in the coming weeks while adding that he is already personally
hearing some negative feedback on Gov. John Kasich's proposal.
Speaker Bill Batchelder's (R-Medina)
comments to reporters after session came in response to an observation that the
sales tax broadening component of the governor's sweeping budget plan (HB 59
) did not get a lot of attention from Mr. Kasich
during his State of the State address in Lima on Tuesday.
"The governor is hearing from various
groups across the state," Speaker Batchelder said. "I have certainly
heard from people who were in opposition to that proposal."
"There are a lot of ways you can draft
sales taxes. I have also heard objections to an expenditure that would not be
going back to local government....," he added.
"At this point I couldn't tell you how wide
the concerns are among people who would either have to collect the tax. My
sense is there is a concern and always is when you expand the sales tax."
"It's controversial, there's no question
about that," the speaker continued. "The question obviously that the
governor is asking the people of Ohio to look at is, 'Ought we to get off the
income tax and into a different tax base in part?' Obviously the income tax is
not helpful to us in attracting business and industry to this state."
Asked whether he thought it would be possible to
delete the sales tax broadening and still provide for an income tax cut, the
speaker said he wasn't sure but added: "My sense would be that that would
be difficult."
"I think there would be tremendous pressure
on that point and I'm not sure where my caucus would be on that. Sales tax is
difficult. I would say that a number of the folks in our caucus would be very
favorably disposed toward a sales tax change so that here could be an income
tax change, so I just couldn't pick out which way they would go given a
choice."
Gongwer 2/20/13
Two Democratic lawmakers said Wednesday the four
top legislative leaders - and not the governor - should have the authority to
appoint an inspector general to oversee executive branch operations.
Rep. Connie Pillich (D-Cincinnati) and
Rep. Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island)
said they will be backing legislation to implement that change. The bill will
also prohibit the IG and the office's staff from participating in political
activities.
Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina),
however, questioned the need for the bill, saying he has not heard of major
problems with current IG Randall Meyer.
Asked about the current system, the speaker said
it resembles the Legislative IG, which is appointed by the General Assembly,
and the ethics watchdogs for lawyers and judges, who are selected by the Ohio
Supreme Court.
Speaker Batchelder also noted that the Senate's
approval is required for gubernatorial appointments.
"It just seems to me that's appropriate -
particularly when there is advise and consent," he said.
The sponsors of the pending legislation said it
comes amid concerns about the office's operations, and the fact it has yet to
issue a report on the 2005-era coin investment scandal that involved the Ohio
Bureau of Workers' Compensation and Tom Noe, a former top Republican donor.
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