Thursday, March 28, 2019
Staff report
COLUMBUS
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, with the assistance of state Rep. Don Manning, is seeking to pass a law to create a state fund for successful initiatives from the private sector aimed at tackling some of the state’s most pressing public policy issues such as drug addiction and infant mortality.
Manning of New Middletown, R-59th, plans to sponsor the “ResultsOHIO fund” legislation shortly in the state House.
“Too often, government pays for services that fail to produce real results. ResultsOHIO will lead to a smarter government – paying only for things that actually work,” said Sprague, a Republican. “We’re enlisting the private sector to ensure success is achieved before a single taxpayer dollar is invested.”
The fund will be used to support initiatives identified by the executive branch and General Assembly.
In addition to addiction and infant mortality, other public policy challenges that can be addressed through a pay for success approach include water quality, long-term care, early childhood education preparedness, and workforce training, Sprague said.
Private entities enlisted to address these challenges bear all upfront costs of services provided through the duration of a particular project. Performance measurements will be agreed to in a contract prior to the start of any project and used to gauge the project’s success, Sprague said. Public dollars reserved in the ResultsOHIO fund will be used to reimburse private entities for project costs only if the completed initiative has proven to meet the performance measurements identified in the contract, he said.
“It will allow the funding of initiatives throughout the state and will ensure that taxpayer dollars will be spent on proven programs with a meaningful impact on areas that need it most,” Manning said.