State budget cuts will be deep, painful

COLUMBUS — Everybody knows budget cuts are coming. Leaders in the Democratic House and Republican Senate and Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland have made it clear that spending reductions in fiscal 2010 and 2011 are going to hurt.

But until last week there weren’t very many details as to what could happen as the powers that be at the Statehouse work to avoid tax hikes and slot machine expansions.

Strickland’s office released a series of spreadsheets outlining how cuts of 10 percent to 30 percent would impact individual agencies.

The administration and legislative leaders are quick to point out that there’s still a week or so left of conference committee negotiations, so nothing’s set in stone yet. But a betting man (or woman) could probably turn a few quick bucks picking the steeper cuts.

And the resulting picture isn’t pretty. Here’s a sample:

UIn the Department of Aging, a 10 percent cut could result in 5,700 Ohioan’s not receiving services. Under the 30 percent scenario, “About 20,350 people would not be served during the biennium. Many of these people would have no alternative except to be admitted to a nursing home.”

UThe Department of Agriculture’s meat inspection division would lose up to 19 employees. And the cuts jeopardize “the potential safety of the food being slaughtered for resale. It is imperative that funding for this program be maintained at the level required by the federal government. Currently the division is barely meeting the minimum federal standard and further cuts make this problematic.”

UUp to $22 million in cuts are outlined for the Department of Development, including programs that serve small businesses, minority-owned firms, Main Street centers and tourism offices.

UThe cuts could leave thousands of residents without access to services through the Department of Mental Health. Under the 30 percent scenario, 579 positions at community facilities would be eliminated, the department would be forced to close locations in Cleveland, Toledo and Massillon, and the cuts “would create very substantial forensic and non-forensic wait lists in jails and other medical facilities, causing life safety issues in county jails and remaining DMH facilities. The department would also not be able to comply with the Mental Health Act of 1988 in supplying sufficient bed days purchased from county [boards].”

UAnd in the Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, some 2,700 employees could lose their jobs at state-run facilities. According to the department, “This reduction would not be achievable. ... [The department] would be required to close all the developmental centers. It takes two years to close a DC and realize the savings. When DCs close, the department relies heavily on the county boards and APSI for assistance. If the cuts occur in those other line items, they will not partner with us. There would be risk of litigation.”

X Marc Kovac is the The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. E-mail at mkovac@dixcom.com.