Democrats ask Strickland to consider raising taxes

By Marc Kovac

More than 20 other states have increased taxes to meet their budget deficits.

COLUMBUS — A group of Democrats from the Ohio House is calling on Gov. Ted Strickland and fellow lawmakers to consider increasing taxes and/or reversing tax reforms implemented under Republicans several years ago to deal with the state budget crisis.

“We are in a stage of desperation, put here by Republicans who thought that tax cuts would create jobs, that tax cuts would be the venue for people and businesses to rush into the state of Ohio and create those job opportunities,” said Rep. Bob Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th. “It did not create one job. And if we are serious about turning this state around, serious about the services that we need to institute ... we should be looking at revenue enhancement.”

Hagan joined Columbus-area Reps. Ted Celeste and Dan Stewart and Clevelander Mike Foley in an early evening press conference Tuesday at the Statehouse, urging a shift in budget discussions.

To date, Strickland and legislative leaders have been focused on cutting spending and, as of late last week, considering an expansion of gambling, via slot machines at horse-racing tracks, as a means of dealing with a $2 billion to $3 billion budget hole.

The state’s top Democratic officeholder and the leaders of the Ohio House and Senate also have remained firm in statements against tax hikes as a means of increasing state revenues to pay for services.

But Hagan and other Democrats said a tax increase and reversals of tax reform implemented in 2005 should also be considered, particularly in light of the public outcry over cuts outlined by Strickland late last week to balance the budget.

For example, over the past two days, thousands of Ohioans have sent e-mails or called the governor and lawmakers over proposed cuts to public libraries.

“We want to make sure our constituents know, we want to make sure the governor’s office knows ... and the rest of our colleagues know that we believe very strongly that there has to be a different way of funding these programs that are being cut,” Hagan said. “We understand there will be cuts ... and we’re willing to do that. But we’re not willing to sit silently in good conscience and allow this to happen to many of our cities, many of our people and many of our constituents.”