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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > September > 22 > Entry
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.”
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Comments
By Jim
September 30, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this
Everybody says to slash government spending. Where? $2.3 billion worth? I’m all for cutting pork and wasteful spending, but I don’t see how they’re going to come up with that much in spending cuts. Cutting that much from the State budget would add greatly to the already dismal unemployment stats, and slow the economic recovery for Ohio.By Barry
September 26, 2009 7:05 PM | Link to this
I should have said “theirs to do with as they will”. someday I will learn to proofread past the spell checker.By Barry
September 26, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this
dear government—if you do not have the money, don’t spend it on all that pork. I do not like the fact that politicians think that your paycheck is yours to do with as they will. song time Let me tell you how it will be There’s one for you, nineteen for me ‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman Should five per cent appear too small Be thankful I don’t take it all ‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxmanBy drunken orangetree
September 23, 2009 7:14 PM | Link to this
Let’s cut spending, especially defense dept. spending. Let’s get rid of all those middle class freeloaders at Wright Pat.By scoobydo
September 22, 2009 4:34 PM | Link to this
Feb. 2—WASHINGTON — Extending tax cuts that President Bush wants to make permanent would place an immoral burden on future generations of Americans, a defiant Sen. George V. Voinovich of Ohio warned yesterday. “It’s time to put the tax-cut medicine back on the shelf,” he said, pointing out that the federal government is spending billions to stabilize Iraq, protect the country against terrorism and rebuild the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. Guts you get when you are retiring. Imagine a Republican talking bad about GWB, and Tax cuts in the same sentence. Lightening will certainly strike him soon.By We the People
September 22, 2009 1:22 PM | Link to this
What a hypacrite Strictland is!! He can end run the voters and he “thinks” that is not “flat out wrong”. Cut the budget, make them responsible instead of iresponsible,go after the people like the last attorney general and get the funds back they illegally mis-used and padded the payroll with their buddies. Stop spending on bills like HB 176 that will cost at least 500,000 dollars per year. Have the top politicians take a 20% cut in pay and then we the people may start to believe they are interested in the People of Ohio they are now abusing with their powers that we the people gave them or vote them out of office forever!!!By Libertarian
September 22, 2009 11:51 AM | Link to this
Here’s a novel idea: cut spending.By daveb
September 22, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this
Why would anyone think that raising taxes again is better than letting grown adults play slot machines? At least with the slots you have a choice of what to do with your money.By Shirley
September 22, 2009 11:10 AM | Link to this
I think Voinovich is a democrat, he’s always doing things like this without thinking about the people he actually represents. I remember him from the old E-check debacle years ago. He got us into a deal where he couldn’t get out of it, so that’s why we had e-check until recently. My memory is long. This guy does not represent the Republicans at all. Stop the run away spending, folks! That’s what the people want!By Benjamin
September 22, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this
They’re both wrong. Stirckland for trying to raise funds thru gambling for a budget that needs drastic cuts; and Voinovich for wanting to raise taxes. Just cut the damn budget - get rid of the bureaucratic layers of state employees. Cut it in half. These lazy porkers (mostly political appointments) do nothing but suck the state budget dry. Remember, this is “our” money. Here’s a simply message for both democrats and republicans —- “STOP THE SPENDING”. You get no more money. Hear that! NO MORE MONEY!!!!+By jon
September 22, 2009 10:53 AM | Link to this
As a Independent, Voinovich is wrong!(I voted several times for him). Cut out all the unneeded goverment and lets see where we stand after that. I own my own business, and when things are not going good raising prices is the last option I go with. I spend more time trying to cut out the”fat” than just passing the buck. Government needs to do the same, raising taxes just gives another reason for jobs/companies not to stay/relocate in Ohio.