Senate rejects Strickland’s plan
COLUMBUS (AP) — Gov. Ted Strickland said Saturday the Republican-controlled Senate rejected his proposal to erase Ohio’s $3.2 billion budget deficit, dealing a strong blow to the already diminishing chances the spending plan would be finished on time.
The most crucial component of the Democratic governor’s plan would put slot machines at Ohio’s seven horse-racing tracks to raise an estimated $933 million over the next two years. Strickland said the onus now was on the Senate to suggest how to deal with the nearly $1 billion hole.
“I believe that he [Senate President Bill Harris] and the Senate majority have an obligation to say what taxes they would increase or what services they would further reduce in order to balance the budget,” Strickland said in a statement.
A message seeking comment was left with Harris spokeswoman Maggie Ostrowski on Saturday.
The impasse further reduced the possibility that the state budget would be passed in time for the next fiscal year to begin July 1. Budget negotiators were scheduled to meet today at 7 p.m.