OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY Valley legislators aim for bipartisanship and strength
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
COLUMBUS -- With much of its time focused on developing and passing a state budget in extremely tough economic times, don't expect the Ohio Legislature to get a lot accomplished in the upcoming year, according to several legislators who represent the Mahoning Valley.
"The budget is going to be mass chaos and will take up all of our time," said state Rep. Dan Sferra of Warren, D-64th. "I don't see much getting accomplished this year."
State Reps. Sylvester D. Patton Jr. of Youngstown, D-60th, and Kenneth A. Carano of Austintown, D-59th, agreed.
"The theme for this General Assembly session is to stop bad things from happening rather than working to make good things happen," Carano said.
State legislators were to be sworn in to start their session today. Among those being sworn in to the state Legislature for the first time are state Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, D-32nd, and state Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th.
Feeling positive
Although many veteran legislators are skeptical about what can be accomplished in the upcoming year, Dann is optimistic that much can be accomplished.
Among Dann's priorities are fixing school funding, creating new sources of revenue, and setting up a prescription-drug plan for Ohio's senior citizens.
As a member of the Democratic Party in the Republican-controlled state Legislature, Dann realizes he is going to have to work in a bipartisan way to get anything accomplished.
"We'll get things accomplished even if we have to work around the edges," he said. "We'll find success if we work hard enough. I'm going into this very optimistic and eager to succeed."
Dann and state Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-33rd, said they are encouraged by the open-door policy of new Senate President Doug White. Hagan contended that former Senate President Richard Finan, who left the body because of the state's term-limits law, was very partisan and didn't include Democrats in the decision-making process.
"I'm optimistic that the majority will treat us better with Doug White," Hagan said.
Hagan said White was instrumental in awarding $100,000 to the Western Reserve Ballet in Youngstown in the recent capital budget, which showed the Youngstown Democrat that he is willing to work with members of the minority party.
"At least this gives you some hope to have someone who wants you to come into his office and talk rather than someone who doesn't want you to even bother knocking," Hagan said.
Setting priorities
Hagan would like to accomplish much in the upcoming legislative session but says he has to be realistic and reasonable with his expectations.
Among his priorities is a prescription-drug plan for seniors, which has been stalled by Republicans for years, and a bill allowing people to place their names on do-not-call lists for telemarketers, which received some GOP support last year.
State Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st, who serves as the House assistant minority whip, said if anything is to get accomplished this year, it will require Republican leadership to reach across the aisle and include Democrats in the decision-making process.
Boccieri expects Speaker Larry Householder, who was very partisan during his first two years leading the House, to be more comfortable in his role and to seek the assistance of Democrats on challenging issues such as school funding.
Harwood said she was impressed with Householder during her freshman orientation.
"He went to the extreme to tell us he wants to build relationships with Democrats," she said.
Among her priorities are getting survivor pension benefits for spouses of public employees and prescription-drug coverage for seniors.
Growing influence
Local legislators say the Mahoning Valley's influence at the state level is steadily growing, and that the effort to work together has paid some small dividends in the past and will prove to be even more beneficial in the next two years.
"We have members who've distinguished themselves from the crowd," said state Rep. Charles Blasdel of East Liverpool, R-1st. "I see better things for the Valley. We've put ourselves in a position to build on what happened the last two years. We're giving the Valley a stronger voice in Columbus."
Boccieri said Valley legislators will probably not have a significant impact on policy decisions but will have access to key political figures that will enable them to fight for state funds and projects for the area.
The legislators said they have become more politically seasoned during the past two years, which will help them in the new legislative session. Carano, Blasdel, Boccieri and Sferra were all newcomers to the state House two years ago.
"We hope to be a little more successful in the next two years because so many of them have now been here for two years," Patton said. "But it's going to be a little more difficult because of the state's budget problems. We're more seasoned, but that is happening in tougher economic times for the state."
skolnick@vindy.com