Legislative panel to craft state budget solutions sets first meeting 1 year after formation

By MARC KOVAC

mkovac@dixcom.com

COLUMBUS

A state lawmaker panel that will provide recommendations for dealing with a multibillion-dollar budget hole has scheduled a first meeting, almost a year after its formation.

The Ohio Budget Planning and Management Commission will meet Tuesday and July 7 at the Statehouse to begin its discussions. They’re required to submit a report to the full Legislature and the governor in late November.

Rep. Vernon Sykes, a Democrat from Akron, and Sen. Shannon Jones, a Republican from the Cincinnati area, are heading the process.

“The national economic downturn has challenged families, businesses and state budgets all across the country,” Sykes said in a released statement. “While we have made progress and continue to lay the groundwork for economic recovery, there is still difficult work ahead as we prepare for the next state budget. I am hopeful that this commission will foster a productive, bipartisan dialogue to address the very serious challenges ahead.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.