Ohio gov seeks to halve utility watchdog funding

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget would cut more than half the funding to a state agency that advocates for residential phone, gas and electric customers.

The cut is being criticized by Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander, who leads the office. She said Wednesday that trimming funding from $8.5 million to $4.1 million annually would not help patch the state’s massive budget hole because the agency isn’t funded by tax dollars. It’s funded from a fee on utility companies.

Kasich spokeswoman Connie Wehrkamp says the cut would help fix Ohio’s financial woes. She says whether it’s a fee or a tax, it’s still taxpayer money.

Migden-Ostrander’s office gets involved in about 200 cases a year over rate increases and other issues. She says the cut would mean layoffs and fewer challenges to utility companies.