Gov. Strickland hires private firm to write school funding plan

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Strickland administration broke with past practice when it reached out to a private law firm to write its sweeping new school funding plan.

Records obtained by The Associated Press show the $49,275 special counsel contract with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is the only one of its kind the state budget office has used in the past decade.

A spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General’s office, which oversees such contracts, says having an outside lawyer write legislation does not appear to be common practice.

State budget director Pari Sabety said the firm was hired because of the complexity of the assignment. She says the office also was busy with other budget issues, including handling billions in federal stimulus dollars.