State budget plan stalls

Sunday’s Ohio budget meeting is postponed; temporary budget plan now likely.

Governor, lawmakers face budget backlash

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By William Hershey, Staff Writer Updated 11:50 PM Sunday, June 28, 2009

COLUMBUS — For the first time in nearly 20 years, Ohio appears likely to limp into the new fiscal year with an interim budget, probably for seven days.

If Gov. Ted Strickland and lawmakers can’t agree on a permanent two-year budget after those seven days, a virtual shutdown of state government could be possible — but at this point that seems unlikely.

Strickland has said he would agree to a temporary budget only for “several days.” On Sunday, June 28, Amanda Wurst, Strickland’s spokeswoman, said that time frame is probably seven days.

Wurst declined comment on whether Strickland would shut down the government, but Dennis Morgan, legislative budget officer when the state’s last interim budget was implemented in 1991, said he’d have no choice. With no budget in place, Strickland wouldn’t have the authority to spend, and state employees would have to be “laid off instantaneously,” Morgan said.

On Sunday, a meeting of House-Senate budget conference committee scheduled for 7 p.m. was postponed until 7 p.m. today.

Keary McCarthy, spokesman for House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, said legislators still hope to agree on a budget Strickland can sign before Wednesday, start of the new fiscal year but that it’s likely an interim budget will be necessary.

Just preparing and printing the final version of the 3,487-page spending plan is expected to take two or three days.

Strickland and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, continue to disagree on Strickland’s plan to raise $933 million by putting video slot machines at Ohio racetracks. Strickland wants authority from the legislature; Harris says the governor already has the authority.

»Strickland, lawmakers face budget backlash. Article on A9

»Share your thoughts on the latest draft of the state’s budget by commenting online at DaytonDaily News.com/go/ohiopolitics

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