What about the state budget?
COLUMBUS
In just 10 days, we’ll know the name of the governor of the state of Ohio for the next four years.
It’s been a long season for Democratic incumbent Ted Strickland and his Republican challenger John Kasich. And $30 million in campaign spending has bought a lot of truths, half-truths and outright lies.
But once that’s over, the real work can finally begin.
Along those lines, I offer the following. It’s addressed to either candidate — doesn’t really matter who wins, since the content applies to both:
Dear sir,
Congratulations. You did it. It was a tough race, went down to the wire, but you came out on top, and good for you.
You managed to convince the majority of the people who cast ballots this time around that you have the vision and the intestinal fortitude to put Ohio back on the path to prosperity.
Budget hole
And you did it without ever telling anybody exactly how you’re going to deal with the biggest issue awaiting you in the new year — that pesky $4 billion or $6 billion or $8 billion or more hole in the next two year budget.
You know the one, caused by all that one-time money last time around the budget block.
Barring some serious federal handouts, it’s going to be an ugly time for state agencies and services.
But you already knew that, right? I’m betting you already have some things in mind to cut, too.
I mean — come on — nobody really believed all that stuff about how you needed to see budget numbers that wouldn’t be available until after the election in order to figure out how you were going to approach this mess. You don’t seriously think people are that gullible, do you?
Again, we know it’s going to be messy.
People are going to lose jobs.
Poor, sick families and kids aren’t going to get all of the state assistance they need.
Maybe you’ll shutter some state parks — the ones where you’re not drilling for oil and gas, that is.
Increased taxes?
Slot machines in horse tracks? Drug abusers and nonviolent crooks let out of prison early? Dare I say it: increased taxes and/or fees?
Here’s something else we already knew: A lot of those ideas are going to make a lot of people mad. Probably a lot of the same people who helped put you into the driver’s seat for the next four years.
But the election is over. You aren’t going to lose any votes by talking in specifics now.
It’s time to step up and start answering questions. No more wishy-washy “I’ll fulfill my constitutional duty and present a balanced budget next year” nonsense.
The people have spoken. You are the leader.
Now tell us exactly how you’re going to deal with these budget problems.
Regards.
Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.