Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Man allegedly paid teens to spit in his face
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Indians add 7 players to 40-man roster
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Poor machine maintenance blamed for fire at Akron business
Investigators say nude video of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews shot in Ohio
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Hey, somebody's gotta stick up for the Browns
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
The party's own considerable role in creating the state budget mess
Published on Friday, Jul 03, 2009
Yes, the governor has received a torrent of criticism. To his credit, he did step forward, as the chief executive should, with a plan to balance the state budget. Which invites the question: How have Republicans performed in comparison?
Bill Harris and his Republican majority in the Ohio Senate slashed $1 billion in spending and then punted to a conference committee. Put another way, Republicans, eager as they are to expose flaws in the governor's plan, have yet to produce a budget document that makes ends meet.
That is noteworthy in view of the heavy Republican role in creating the current $3.2 billion hole in the two-year state budget. Yes, the recession has played a big role. Still, in 2005, Republicans engineered a sweeping set of tax cuts, amounting to a revenue loss of a projected $2 billion a year. Part of the effort was necessary, especially repair of an outdated system for taxing businesses. The rest? Republicans went too far, leaving the state without sufficient money to cover its obligations.
Consider that of the five largest state tax reductions in the country in the current fiscal year, Ohio far outpaces the others, shedding $800 million. Indiana is next with $290 million in tax cuts. Pennsylvania follows with $241 million, Michigan, $121 million and Georgia, $99 million.
The responsible course would be to correct the error, meeting critical priorities while still leaving Ohioans with a lighter tax burden than five years ago. Unfortunately, Republicans have been mum on the matter, and they have a conspicuous ally: Ted Strickland has aided their cause, insisting that all of the tax cuts are a swell idea.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
akron , oh
Posted 05:53 AM, 07/03/2009
why dont the people just turn over our pay checks to the government and the editorial department of the ABJ and the governor can send us what ever they dont use to run the government .
look we dont all come from wealthy famiies like douglas and hoffman , must of us work hard to make end meet , so should the government .
the government should do more with less . most of us regular guys do that everyday .
wadsworth, oh
Posted 12:13 PM, 07/04/2009
The article states..."Put another way, Republicans, eager as they are to expose flaws in the governor's plan, have yet to produce a budget document that makes ends meet."
And this seems to be one of their many problems since man discovered fire. And not just at the state level, but the feds as well.
akron, oh
Posted 12:48 PM, 07/04/2009
@workingjoe, AMEN..... I guess the "publicans should jus die an go away, The Demoncritters surely know more about spending the money on all sorts of things. Thank goodness for the demoncritters,otherwise Beacon would go out of business, Too Left for me..
