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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Senate expected to OK Husted redistricting plan
The Ohio Senate on Wednesday, Sept. 23, is expected to approve giving voters a chance to change the way the state draws legislative and congressional districts after each census.
Senate Joint Resolution 5 is “just one step in trying to create a more bipartisan atmosphere so that we can minimize the focus on partisan politics and maximize the focus on the problems and challenges that affect people in their daily lives,” Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, sponsor of the resolution, said on Tuesday.
The State and Local Government and Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved the bill 6-3 Tuesday, along partisan lines with Republicans voting “yes” and Democrats “no.”
The goal is to put it on the May 2010 primary ballot, said Husted, who is running for secretary of state in 2010.
The plan calls for establishment of a seven-member commission to oversee creation of the districts. Members would include: the governor, secretary of state, auditor, House Speaker, Senate President and the minority leaders of the House and Senate.
A five-vote super majority would be required for adoption of a redistricting plan. Also, two of the votes would have to come commission members not in the majority party.
The commission would replace the five-member Apportionment Board for drawing legislative districts and the legislature for drawing U.S. House districts.
The Apportionment Board is made up of the governor, auditor, secretary of state and a legislator from each party. Right now, Democrats would control the board, 3-2. However, one Democratic member, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, not seeking re-election.
Approval of the resolution requires support from 20 senators. Republicans control the Senate, 21-12. If the Senate approves, the measure would go the House, controlled by Democrats.
Republicans control the Senate 21-12. Approval of a resolution requires support from 20 members.
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Strickland: Voinovich, other tax hike supporters “flat out wrong”
U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and others calling for a tax hike to solve Ohio’s budget and economic problems are “flat out wrong,” Gov. Ted Strickland said on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Strickland’s comments came a day after the Ohio Supreme Court blew a potential $933 million hole in the two-year state budget.
The court gave the go-ahead to a plan to put the slots-at-the-tracks plan that is part of the state budge up for a vote of the people in November 2010.
If backers of the proposed referendum get enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot, it could delay collection of the $933 million Strickland hopes to raise from the slots.
The governor also said he is “looking at” going ahead with the slots-at-the-tracks plan on his own, without legislative approval. The Supreme Court ruling was on part of the state budget bill carrying out the slots plan but some Strickland supporters have said the governor has the executive authority to expand the state lottery to include the slots without legislative approval.
Strickland, a Democrat, lashed out at Voinovich, a Republican and former governor, for saying, according to the Columbus Dispatch, “hot dog” when Voinovich learned of the Supreme Court ruling. Voinovich also was quoted as saying state officials needed to raise taxes to be responsible.
Asked if he categorically ruled out a tax hike, Strickland said he would look at “all the options” but repeated his belief that a tax hike could deepen the recession in Ohio.
He also called Voinovich’s vote against the federal economic stimulus plan “irresponsible.”
