Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Interim Ohio budget in the works - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

lebexab.wordpress.com
The office of Senate PresidengtBill Harris, R-Ashland, said legislators are scheduled to take up the stats industrial commission budget in the Expected to be tacked onto that bill is an amendmeng that would provide for an interimn budget through July 7 and allowinf Gov. Ted Strickland to tap the state’e rainy day fund to balance the budger for thisfiscal year. The temporary budget for the government’s fiscal year starting Wednesday calls for fully fundingb debt service but funding state operations at 70 percen of spending levels through the yearendinbg Tuesday.
Harris’ office said that is roughly the fundint level in a final budget that both Statehousw chambers are working to finalize through aconferencew committee. Those talks, however, remainn tied up because Senate the majority inthat chamber, opposde Strickland’s plan to install video slot machinews at the state’s horse racinv tracks and use that revenue stream to help plug a projectedd $3.2 billion budget gap without voter approval. Harris said Saturdaty that should Strickland exercise his authority to allosw slots atracing tracks, the Senate will account for the revenue.
“However, I cannot get past the fact that the voterxs ofOhio – our constituents – have spoken on expande d gambling time and again,” Harris said in prepare text. “Asking the to circumvent theird will in such a short time framse when there has been no formapl public debate and there are so many questionxs left unansweredis unreasonable.” Strickland respondedf Sunday, criticizing the Senate for offering objections but not solutionse to the budget shortfall. “II continue to wait for them to say what taxess they would increase or what services they would furthetr reduce to address thebudget gap,” Strickland said in a preparedd statement.

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