New governor must act fast to fix budget hole
By Laura A. Bischoff and William Hershey, Columbus Bureau, Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS — Hang on tight, big changes are coming.
That’s the message from Republican John Kasich, who claims to be just as impatient as the voters who unseated a sitting governor who had won an election in a landslide just four years ago.
“This could be a great moment for us,” Kasich said.
But given Ohio’s daunting problems, and Kasich’s promise to reorganize state government, the changes won’t come without pain or, for that matter, opposition.
“I’ve said to everyone, ‘John will be the most disliked governor in about two years and the most beloved governor in four years,’ ” said former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett. “I still believe that.”
The status quo wasn’t likely even if Gov. Ted Strickland had been re-elected. The governor-elect faces a laundry list of daunting issues: a projected $8.4 billion budget deficit, a $2.3 billion debt in the unemployment compensation fund, and significant reforms for the state’s five public pension systems. On top of that, Kasich wants to reform the workers compensation system, cut taxes and regulations in order to make Ohio more business friendly.
Political observers expect him to take on employee unions and rebuff entrenched special interests. And on that he will have help. Voters gave him a GOP-controlled House and Senate and Republicans in all four statewide offices.
What he won’t have is time to spare. He has to submit a balanced budget to the Legislature by March 15.
At stake are a lot of livelihoods. State government includes nearly 59,000 employees, 50,000 prisoners, 2.1 million people on Medicaid, and 37 public colleges and universities.
To get a sense of the monumental task at hand: Even if the state shut all of its adult and juvenile prisons, it would not close the budget gap.
“It is tough sledding when you have limited resources and great needs,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, who said Kasich will need political support if his spending cuts affect schools, libraries, police, hospitals and nursing homes.
Added Strickland: “I wish them well.”
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