Hershey: Statehouse Scrooges should use December for a Santa makeover

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By William Hershey, Staff Writer 11:21 PM Saturday, November 28, 2009

Ho! Ho! Ho!

It’s time for Santa to replace Scrooge at the Statehouse.

Actually, it’s way past time.

Gov. Ted Strickland and lawmakers aren’t supposed to wait until the holidays to do good things for the Ohio taxpayers who pay their salaries.

So far old Ebenezer would be proud.

Strickland has signed just nine bills into law since January, the lowest total in four legislative sessions.

The current legislature doesn’t go out of business until the end of next year, but that’s misleading.

Once Jan. 1 rolls around, the 2010 election campaign will heat up. Democrats and Republicans will battle about what sets them apart, not look for ways to come together.

That gives them about a month — until Christmas and New Year’s Day — to climb down the Statehouse chimney and leave some presents for Ohioans.

Here’s a to-do list sampler:

Budget patchup

Strickland and legislators have downplayed the paltry number of bills the governor has signed into law. The $50.5 billion budget the governor signed not only appropriated money but also enacted lots of big policy changes, they said.

As it turns out, their budget doesn’t even meet the Constitution’s major requirement.

It’s out-of-balance, $851 million in the hole. That’s because the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the slots-at-the-racetracks plan that was supposed to bring in that $851 million money is subject to a vote of the people, delaying collection of the money indefinitely.

The Democratic-controlled House has approved Strickland’s plan to fill the hole by delaying a 4.2 percent income tax cut for two years. The Republican-controlled Senate has a competing plan that Strickland calls “pathetic” and “ridiculous.”

It will be “pathetic” and “ridiculous” for everybody if they don’t agree on something before cuts have to be made to K-12 education.

Foreclosure relief

The House has approved a six-month moratorium on residential mortgage foreclosures and related legislation requiring landlords to give renters written notice of a foreclosure action within 60 days after the owner is notified.

The Senate hasn’t acted on either bill, but there’s time to find some common ground to help struggling homeowners and renters.

Redistricting reform

The Senate has approved Sen. Jon Husted’s plan to give voters a chance in the May 2010 election to replace Ohio’s gerrymander-friendly way of drawing state legislative and congressional districts.

Under the current system, the five-member Apportionment Board – governor, auditor, secretary of state and a legislator from each party — draws up state legislative districts. The legislature draws up U.S. House districts.

Husted’s proposed constitutional amendment sets up a seven-member commission. Members would include: governor, auditor, secretary of state, House speaker, Senate president and House and Senate minority leaders.

A five-member supermajority would be required to approve state and congressional redistricting plans, a provision aimed at forcing bipartisan agreement.

The House hasn’t acted. The Democrats in charge don’t want to do anything to promote Husted, R-Kettering, who’s running for secretary of state, Ohio’s chief elections officer.

It’s not too late for the House to come up with its plan and then do some serious negotiating with the Senate to put a compromise proposal on the May ballot.

Texting and cell phones

Nationally, 19 states and the District of Columbia ban text messaging for all drivers. Six states plus the District prohibit all drivers from talking on hand-held cell phones while driving.

Six bills have been introduced to tackle this driving safety issue in Ohio but none has moved out of committee.

What’s the holdup?

Surely legislators want to make the roads safer for Santa and his reindeer.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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