By JEFF ORTEGA

By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- A proposed repeal of the temporary 1-cent sales tax increase passed as part of the state's two-year budget is pitting two high-profile Republicans against each other -- Gov. Bob Taft and Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell.
Blackwell, mentioned as a possible GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2006, said Friday he will circulate a petition with the aim of forcing the GOP-dominated Legislature to either repeal the sales-tax boost or place an issue to repeal it on the ballot next November.
"We must do this now to get our state back on track," Blackwell said in a prepared statement.
"I have long held a political philosophy that has served our state well: Make government live within its means," Blackwell said. "Today, I plan to start a process that gives that philosophy some big, sharp teeth."
Blackwell couldn't be reached late Friday to elaborate.
Taft, who signed the temporary sales tax increase into law as part of the state's two-year, $48.8 billion state budget that took effect July 1, intends to fight Blackwell's proposal, the governor's spokes-man said.
Taft also will campaign against such a proposed repeal if it ever makes it onto the ballot, Taft spokesman Orest Holubec said.
Concerns of GOP
"Gov. Taft and the General Assembly worked very hard during very difficult economic times to craft a balanced budget that protects our schools, protects our seniors and maintains a strong [state] credit rating, & quot; Holubec said. "We're going to do what we can to make sure it's defeated if it makes it on the ballot."
Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, said he needs to hear from Blackwell how he would deal with the revenue hole that a repeal of the sales tax would leave.
Blackwell's move also caught other state lawmakers off guard.
State Sen. Ron Amstutz, R-Wooster, a member of the Senate Finance & amp; Financial Institutions Committee that helped write the state budget, said a repeal of the sales tax increase would hurt state services.
Democrats' reaction
A Democratic legislative leader said Blackwell's proposal merits consideration.
"Finally we have one Republican who's making sense in Columbus," said state Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st, the assistant minority whip, or fourth-ranking House Democrat.
"I support the initiative. I'd vote for it," said Boccieri, who voted against the state budget earlier this year.
"Government has to live within its means just like real people do," Boccieri said. "They [Republicans] promoted big government and they've increased taxes."
The squabble among top Republicans is even drawing the notice of the state Republican Party.
"This is nothing but a ridiculous media stunt, and I want to condemn it in the strongest possible terms," state GOP Chairman Robert T. Bennett said of the proposed sales-tax repeal.
Blackwell said if 100 or more Ohioans sign the petition, he will submit it to the state attorney general's office for certification. The so-called "initiative statute" would have the same effect as a referendum, Blackwell's statement said.
If the petition is certified, the secretary of state said he would mount a statewide effort to collect at least 96,870 signatures by late December.
If state lawmakers don't repeal the state sales tax increase, Blackwell said he would seek to place the proposed repeal on the November 2004 ballot.
Under the current state budget, the sales tax increase is to expire June 30, 2005, at the end of the two-year budget period.
The sales tax boost is projected to generate $1.3 billion in new revenue per fiscal year.