COLUMBUS Blackwell pushes to repeal tax

Blackwell accused the House speaker and the governor of working against him.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell says his backers are on track to gather the approximate 97,000 signatures needed to push the GOP-led Legislature into possibly repealing the temporary 1-cent sales tax increase it passed earlier this year.
Blackwell, a Republican, said he and the Citizens for Tax Repeal, a political-action committee aligned with him, have gathered about 115,000 signatures so far.
Blackwell said the group's goal is to gather at least 140,000 to 145,000 signatures to ensure it has at least the necessary signatures.
Blackwell, who said he's seeking the GOP nomination for governor in 2006, said people around the state are embracing the proposed repeal.
"People are very interested in cutting their tax burdens," Blackwell said.
"We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem," Blackwell said.
Seeking signatures
The effort needs 96,870 signatures filed at least 10 days before the start of the first session of the Legislature in January to force state lawmakers to consider the proposed repeal.
If lawmakers don't act, the secretary of state said he'll gather the additional 96,780 signatures to place the issue on the November 2004 statewide ballot.
Blackwell accused House Speaker Larry Householder, a Glenford Republican, and GOP Gov. Bob Taft of actively working against him.
"Larry has put his entire infrastructure against this," Blackwell said of Householder.
The speaker dismissed Blackwell's comments.
"I got work to do," Householder said.
Taft has said he's against the tax-repeal proposal and that he would campaign against it if it makes it onto the ballot.
The temporary sales tax, which is expected to end in June 2005, is projected to generate about $2.6 billion for state coffers over the two-year budget period.