Ohio Senate passes Husted Redistricting Proposal

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Senate achieved another step today in reforming Ohio’s partisan system for drawing legislative districts with the passage of Amended Senate Joint Resolution 5, sponsored by State Senator Jon Husted (R-Kettering). 

SJR 5 restructures the current commission that draws legislative districts by creating a seven member board and requires a bipartisan, five vote supermajority to pass a new legislative district plan. 

“Ohio has used a hyper-partisan process of drawing districts for far too long. The time is now for Ohio to adopt this proposal to end the partisan gerrymandering that serves political parties over the public,” Husted said.

The resolution also includes provisions that ensure one political party does not control the process by requiring two votes from the minority party represented on the commission in order to pass a plan.

“If we are going to solve the economic and budgetary problems Ohio faces now and into the future, we must design a new political system that stops rewarding partisan games and demands bipartisan cooperation,” Husted added.

Sen. Husted has been working with numerous stakeholder groups over the past several months to draft SJR 5, including the League of Women Voters and Ohio Citizen Action. He remains committed to building a bipartisan consensus on a plan to reform Ohio ’s redistricting process as the bill is considered by the Ohio House of Representatives.  

“I look forward to working with members from both sides of the aisle in the House of Representatives in order to bring real reform to Ohio ’s redistricting process.”

JOINT STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR MARK WAGONER AND STATE SENATOR JON HUSTED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 16, 2009

JOINT STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR MARK WAGONER AND STATE SENATOR JON HUSTED

The following statement in whole or in part can be attributed to Senators Mark Wagoner (R-Toledo) and Jon Husted (R-Kettering) who served on the Senate Select Committee on Gambling. It is being issued in reaction to the fact that only two of seven racetracks paid the initial $13 million in fees due to the state yesterday, September 15.

“It is clear that the slot plan is not working as promised. As the Senate recommended, the governor should have put the issue before the voters in November.

“As we said in July, there was no need to rush this. As we predicted, a competing ballot initiative and multiple law suits has created greater uncertainty and placed the already fragile state budget in greater peril.

“The combination of voters deciding the issue at the ballot and competitively bidding the licenses would have eliminated the threats of litigation, given the taxpayers of this state a better deal and created more confidence in the outcome.

“As it stands now, the future of gambling in Ohio is more uncertain than ever and our state’s budget is adrift at sea and depending on the gambling industry to bail us out.”

The road to fiscal collapse

The road to fiscal collapse:

As our country considers another entitlement program, potentially nationalizing healthcare, I thought the following information on the costs of our exisiting obligations is very relevant and an important factor being left out of the debate.

- Outlays for the mandatory government programs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid during fiscal year 2009 (i.e., the 12 months that end 9/30/09) are expected to total $1.36 trillion or 37% of the total US budget.  Outlays for the mandatory government programs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid during fiscal year 2019 (i.e., the 12 months that end 9/30/19) are expected to total $2.48 trillion or 47% of the total US budget (source: Office of Management and Budget)   

It is not going to solve itself. We are going to have to decide as a society if we want significantly higher taxes to pay for it, if we are going to reduce the size and scope of these government programs, or some of both.

Failure to come to grips with these choices will be disasterous for the economy, our nation and its people.

The challenges ahead for states

A very good article or the challeges our states/nation faces and a Republican way ahead as decribed by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, worthwhile taking a few minutes to read.

Click here to read the entire article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574390603114939642.html

Strickland Administration raids funds for blind, organ donations

A few weeks ago we learned of the Strickland Administration’s raiding of $1.4 million from the Save our Sight Fund to prevent blindness, and $1.3 million from the Second Chance Trust Fund which encourages organ donations. Both funds are supported by Ohio motorists who make $1 donations when they apply for or renew a driver’s license.

It is amazing that Governor Strickland would allow this to happen, especially considering those who give to these funds are explicitly donating money to support groups who fight blindness in children and help solve the shortage of organ donations. This is not a responsible way to balance state finances.

Here is what others are saying about this outrageous and desperate cash grab:

“The kindest explanation is that Strickland, who didn’t personally decide to raid the funds, isn’t a detail person. But if he wants to be re-elected in 2010, he’d better become one…Voters have a right to wonder who is minding the Statehouse store.” –Cleveland Plain Dealer Editorial 8-25-09

“Trust was put at risk when the state of Ohio commandeered $2.7 million in voluntary donations to two charitable funds…Diverting these funds was a grave error that could discourage people from donating to them.” -Columbus Dispatch Editorial 8-22-09

Strickland now says he will restore the funds. This may calm the storm on these particular funds. Yet there are many other funds that the administration used, such as the Children’s Trust Fund (which is used to fund programs to prevent child abuse), that were also raided of millions of dollars. Those funds have yet to be reconciled.

I want you to know that I plan to work to shed some light on what funds were raided, and why we even have excess funds that can be raided and used for other purposes.