State and local government budget reform not among governor’s top legislative priorities
Ahead of his upcoming State of the State address, Gov. Strickland announced his priorities as Ohio embarks on the new year:
- Renewal and expansion of the Third Frontier program through a $1 billion, five year bond proposal placed on the May ballot
- Making changes in how elections are run
- Reform the process of legislative redistricting that occurs every 10 years
Missing from the list is state and local government budget reform and taking steps to begin to address the $4-$8 billion shortfall Ohio will face in the next session. “There are others, but I would list those three issues as issues that are most in need of early attention,” the governor said during comments at the Ohio Fair Managers Association Agricultural Luncheon at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Projected estimates of the state's structural deficit for the 2012-13 budget range from $4 billion to $8 billion. In November, OSCPA presented Gov. Strickland and Ohio legislators with a series of recommendations on actions state and local governments should consider addressing the looming deficit, including:
- Widespread performance audits to identify efficiencies and cost savings
- Long-term financial outlook and strategic planning
- Consolidation of administrative functions at all levels of government
Ohio is not the only state facing budget crises. A Colorado research organization forecasts that budgets will be the most pressing issue for all states in 2010.
For the third year in a row, the National Conference on State Legislatures (NCSL) finds that budget woes plagued almost every state in the nation and are at least two years from being over. NCSL is reporting that states cumulatively faced $145.9 billion in budget holes last year.
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LAST UPDATED 1/14/2010