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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > June > 27 > Entry
State budget talks hit snag
State budget talks hit a snag on Saturday, June 27. The disagreement appeared to focus on the plan to raise $933 million by putting slot machines at racetracks.
The budget battle has become a standoff between Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and the Republican majority in the Ohio Senate.
It raises the prospect of an interim budget and, although unlikely, a shutdown of state government.
Strickland said in a prepared statement that he and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, met without reaching agreement on Saturday.
“Regrettably, Senate President Bill Harris informed me this afternoon that he does not support my balanced budget proposal,” Strickland said.
“I believe that he and the Senate Majority have an obligation to say what taxes they would increase or what services they would further reduce in order to balance the budget.”
Harris also issued a statement that said in part:
“Let’s be clear: The issue that divides us is whether or not the legislature should authorize expanded gambling without a vote of the people.”
The disagreement could make it tough to reach a final deal in time for Strickland to sign a new budget before Wednesday, start of the new fiscal year. This would force passage of an interim budget, probably from three to five days, something that hasn’t happened since 1991.
Amanda Wurst, Strickland’s spokeswoman, said the governor would agree to an interim budget for only “several days.” Without a budget of some kind, most state government operations might have to come to a halt.
Strickland wants language in the budget giving him legislative authority to put the video slots at racetracks. Harris maintains that Strickland can go ahead with the slots on his own as an expansion of the state lottery. Harris has said a vote of the people should have taken place before putting slots at the tracks.
Ohio voters have rejected gambling proposals at the polls four times since 1990.
The $933 million from the slots plus $2.4 billion in budget cuts make up Strickland’s framework to fill a $3.2 billion budget hole.
Keary McCarthy, spokesman for House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, said that without the $933 million the budget can’t be balanced.
McCarthy said it’s possible a meeting of a House-Senate conference committee on the budget set for Sunday will be postponed.
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Comments
By John
June 27, 2009 11:34 PM | Link to this
Why do people forget the 16,000 job’s the slot’s would save and the thousand’s of new job’s it would create. It’s a tax you only pay if you want to gamble. The state’s around us are getting well on Ohio money it make’s no sense to be against it.By JKS
June 27, 2009 9:47 PM | Link to this
I agree with Strickland when he says- “I believe that Republican Senate Majority have an obligation to say what taxes they would increase or what services they would further reduce in order to balance the budget.” Instead of being the Party of NO…Lets hear how they would balance the budget!By Budget buster
June 27, 2009 9:25 PM | Link to this
Gov. Strickland needs to do the right thing for the citizens even though it may cost him a re-election.By painfultruth
June 27, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this
Strickland wants to go against the will of the voters, and then cries when he doesn’t get his way. Typical loser Democrat… You voted this wimp into office, SUCKERS!!!