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State budget battle becomes political showdown

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By William Hershey, Staff Writer Updated 10:35 AM Sunday, June 28, 2009

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s battle of the budget is becoming a political showdown between Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and the Republican majority in the Ohio Senate.

A House-Senate budget conference committee meets at 7 p.m. today, June 28.

The new fiscal year starts Wednesday. Without a deal, the state will have to enact an interim budget for the first time since 1991.

On Saturday, Strickland, in effect, declared budget talks had broken down and challenged the GOP senators to propose a tax hike, an unlikely prospect.

“Regrettably, Senate President Bill Harris informed me this afternoon that he does not support my balanced budget proposal,” Strickland said in a prepared statement.

Harris later said, “We have been working day and night with the House and the governor to balance our state budget and we have been making significant progress.” But he added, Ohio voters “have spoken on expanded gambling time and again.”

Strickland set off the disagreement on June 19, unveiling his plan to fill a $3.2 billion budget hole with $933 million generated by video slot machines at Ohio racetracks and $2.4 billion in cuts. Strickland previously had opposed expanded gambling.

Harris said Strickland already has the authority to expand the Ohio Lottery to include the slots. Strickland countered that investors want assurance with state law.

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