OHIO Three Senate Republicans unveil budget plan to reduce spending

The proposal's total is lower than the House-passed plan but more than the current budget.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Three conservative state Senate Republicans unveiled their version of the next two-year state budget Wednesday, one they said would solve the state's financial woes without raising taxes.
Sens. Kevin Coughlin of Cuyahoga Falls, Jim Jordan of Urbana and Lynn R. Wachtmann of Napoleon said their plan would rely on billions of dollars in reduced state spending.
& quot;While this isn't pleasant, it's better than the alternative, which is raising taxes, & quot; Jordan said.
& quot;The biggest victim here is waste and inefficiency, & quot; said Coughlin.
House version
Wachtmann used "job killer" to describe the two-year $48.7 billion state budget the House passed in April that features either an increase in the state sales tax or placing video slot machines at horse-racing tracks as major revenue raisers.
Wachtmann said more needs to be done to help private businesses.
& quot;It's the private sector ... that makes our economy tick, & quot; Wachtmann said. & quot;It's not government. & quot;
The spending plan would not raise taxes or fees but would reduce spending from the House-passed version of the budget.
For example, the House version would spend about $20.12 billion on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services over the next two-year budget period that begins July 1.
How it breaks down
The new plan would spend $19.84 billion.
The House-passed spending plan would spend $14.37 billion on primary and secondary education; theirs would be $13.24 billion.
On higher education, the House-passed plan would spend $4.8 billion' the senators, $4.6 billion.
Overall, the plan offered by the conservative senators totals about $46.6 billion over the next two budget years, compared with the House's $48.7 billion, but more than the current $44 billion budget.
& quot;It's a plan that doesn't raise taxes, and that's a plan that merits discussion, & quot; Wachtmann said.
& quot;We are showing it can be done, & quot; Coughlin said.
The House-passed plan under consideration in the Senate Finance Committee would be financed partly by an temporary 1-cent increase in the state sales tax.
Voters' role
In November, Ohio voters would be asked to approve video slot machines at the state's seven horse-racing tracks.
If the slots are approved, the sales tax would end after the first budget year. If voters reject the slots, the sales tax would extend through the second budget year.
Estimated revenue from the temporary sales tax is $1.3 billion annually while video slot machines would generate about $500 million annually.
Unless spending is reduced or additional revenue raised, the state faces a shortfall estimated as high as $4 billion in the next two-year budget period.
Senate Finance chairman Bill M. Harris, an Ashland County Republican, said GOP leaders would likely consider the rival budget plan, but it is unlikely the new budget can be balanced on spending cuts alone.
Democrats, scoffed at the spending cuts.
Senate Minority Leader Gregory L. DiDonato of Dennison said relying solely on cuts would just shift the problem to local governments.