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Sep
26
Yesterday morning, I wrote here about how Scott Borgemenke, chief of staff for Ohio House Speaker, Republican and future candidate for something we don’t know yet, Jon Husted, said that not much would happen in the Ohio legislature this fall that would hinge on the dwindling numbers of Republican house members who actually will be present and working. I suggested that maybe he shouldn’t be so smug and maybe Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, shouldn’t be underestimated about being aware of and taking advantage of the situation.
Well, today, the Columbus Dispatch published this article, “GOP carving out its agenda.”
Let’s take a look at what they’re looking at, according to the article (all bold is mine to indicate the issue involved):
1 & 2. “Gov. Ted Strickland-opposed measures [two exist and Husted has said which he prefers] that would cut the estate tax and create a special-education voucher program.”
The extent of opposition to the estate tax cuts, according to the article:
Strickland opposes any estate-tax cut in light of the tight budget, spokesman Keith Dailey said. House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus, also opposes a cut.
“From everything I’ve looked at, this is something that only touches 2 percent of the population,” Beatty said. “The argument that people are fleeing Ohio because of this, I find that very hard to believe.”
And for special ed vouchers:
The governor also hasn’t changed his mind since June, when he used his line-item veto to eliminate a special-education voucher proposal from the state budget. Rep. Jon M. Peterson, R-Delaware, is drafting a new version.
3. “Deciding how to re-regulate Ohio’s electricity industry will top the fall agenda.”
Strickland’s plan is SB 221 and there’s to be an announcement about it this afternoon. Here’s more on the support it’s garnered so far and the bill’s introduction.
4. “clarify state gambling law in order to ban the electronic wagering machines that are popping up across the state.”
5. “A proposal from Auditor Mary Taylor that would create an Office of Internal Auditing, where internal agency audits would be reported. Strickland in July issued an executive order creating a similar office.” I believe Strickland’s been a “not interested” on this one.
6. “House Bill 125, a doctor-supported plan that creates standardized contracts between health-care providers and third-party payers.”
7. “House Bill 230, which bans anyone younger than 18 from indoor tanning without a doctor’s prescription.”
The article also identifies two Senate desires that, of course, can’t become law without going to the House as well:
8. foster-care reform that would implement more criminal-background and training requirements, and
9. identity-theft measures that let Ohioans freeze their credit reports and “restrict personal information that government agencies can put on the Internet.”
I don’t know Scott. Do you remember when you said this to the Plain Dealer:
Do you even need numbers to [name] a state snake? No. There’s just not a ton of partisan stuff out there, so that’s why I say it’s not as big a factor as people say.
You weren’t analogizing people with money, special ed students, Mary Taylor, health care providers, foster care parents and credit card holders with snakes, now were you?
How much time do the legislators have to get all these issues managed? From the Canton Repository today:
They aren’t due back [in session] until October, the only full month for the rest of the year they are scheduled to work. They have one session day and six “if-needed” days scheduled in November and two scheduled in December. And this isn’t even a big election year.
Am I being too hard on the guy? Maybe we should just spin it like the Canton Rep does:
This is not to say lawmakers should be in Columbus more. Actually, we might want to be thankful they’re home, where they can do less damage. A New York court is reputed to have said in 1866: “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”
Given Borgemenke’s attitude, I’d say, ayup.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:46 pm September 26th, 2007 in Government, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse
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