For Immediate Release:
Contact: Allison Kolodziej
Friday, July 17, 2009
614 644-0957/614 558-8120
Allison.Kolodziej@governor.ohio.gov
Governor Signs FY 2010-2011 Budget Bill
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today
signed the FY 2010-2011 biennial budget bill.
The Governor’s budget message is below:
Budget
Message
Article II,
Section 16 of the Ohio Constitution authorizes the Governor to veto any item or
items in any bill making an appropriation of money. I have boxed and initialed
text in Amended Substitute House Bill 1 that I have disapproved. All remaining
text in the bill is approved. The reasons for my vetoes are set out below.
Introduction
In February, I introduced a
balanced budget in one of the most economically challenging times in our
nation’s history. As the budget was considered by the Ohio House, Senate and
subsequent Conference Committee, the state and nation’s financial situation
deteriorated.
A collapse of international
financial markets, combined with the ongoing contraction in the housing market
and a decline in the automotive industry, led to a sharp decrease in tax
revenues and an additional $3.2 billion budget gap.
General Revenue Fund tax
receipts declined by $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2009, or 12% as compared to the
previous fiscal year – the worst decline in state revenue in at least 50 years.
General revenue taxes available to the State of Ohio will be lower in this
biennium than they were seven years earlier, impacting our ability to maintain
the services and operations of state government that Ohioans have come to
expect.
In the face of these
unprecedented economic challenges, we were able to come together to pass a
balanced budget that invests in education without raising taxes on Ohioans.
Because Ohio families and
businesses cannot afford a state tax increase at this time, this budget instead
reduces state government spending by an unprecedented $2.5 billion. This after
my Administration already realized budget reductions of nearly $2 billion and
reduced the state workforce by more than 3,400 positions – resizing state
government back to the level it was during the 1980s – to balance the budget in
fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
This budget makes education
our first priority. It includes an historic commitment to Ohio students,
enacting transformational education reforms and establishing a constitutional
funding system. The new funding model is based on what our students need to be
successful and will ensure our schools have the resources to meet those needs as
it is fully phased in. The educational reforms will improve the quality of our
teachers, assessments, and curriculum. Every Ohio school will meet strict
spending accountability standards. And every Ohio student will learn the skills
that modern businesses look for in the people they hire. Investing in a
reformed system of education sharpens Ohio’s competitive edge and strengthens
our ability to attract the jobs and capital that will grow Ohio’s economy.
The budget also prioritizes extremely limited resources toward critical health
and safety services to provide for the greatest possible number of vulnerable
Ohioans during this difficult time. To meet our constitutional requirement to
balance the budget, though, it is necessary to make very painful cuts to
services that Ohioans have needed and received in the past but that the state
cannot provide at this time.
In reducing these services,
we have tried to minimize the impact on our children, the elderly and
disabled. And this budget increases access to affordable, quality health care
to 109,000 more Ohio citizens and preserves health care for an estimated
2,000,000 Ohioans through the Medicaid program.
Much of what we have been
able to accomplish in this budget would not have been possible without the
leadership of President Barack Obama and the members of Ohio’s congressional
delegation who supported the President’s stimulus plan, the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act. The budget leverages more than $5 billion in federal
stimulus resources for their intended purpose – to create and save jobs and
prevent deeper cuts to critical services..
This budget process has been
long and difficult. However, we have come to an agreement on those things that
matter most to Ohio families and businesses who are struggling through the worst
economic crisis since the Great Depression. We have invested in education for
job creation, establishing the most sweeping education reform in generations.
We have limited college tuition growth. We have maintained our commitment to
providing health care coverage to every Ohio child and expanded access to more
than 109,000 uninsured adult Ohioans. We have made hard choices to reduce
spending and resize state government. And in doing so, we have balanced the
budget without increasing taxes. Today I am happy to add my signature and make
this budget law.
The following sections detail
61 line item vetoes I have issued among five issue areas. These are areas of
honest disagreement in a budget document containing 3,123 pages and tens of
thousands of lines of text.
Many of the disagreements
laid out below are more about specific programs that, if implemented, would
place us into a deeper budget bind by not ensuring flexibility in funding.
Others are about maximizing flexibility to ensure state agencies continue to
prioritize those services that matter most. Such matters are a natural area for
asserting executive authority.
The budget reflects a set of
commitments I have made, and the legislature has supported. Even with severely
limited resources, this budget is a blueprint for Ohio’s economic revival.
A. Health and Human Services
Currently, 1.3
million Ohioans are uninsured. As a result, these Ohioans do not get the care
they need to maintain healthy and productive lives. In turn, those who are
insured end up paying more to cover the costs of caring for the uninsured.
In this budget
we protected Medicaid eligibility for an
estimated 2,000,000 Ohioans to receive the critical care services they need.
We also provide innovative proposals that would
provide access to affordable private health insurance coverage for 109,000 more
Ohioans.
Several vetoes
remove or reduce some services and programs that would compromise the
effectiveness of our limited resources. Other vetoes reflect a need to spend
our funds in the most effective manner possible, and to provide oversight that
is logical and productive..
Item Number 1
On page 2890,
delete the boxed text beginning with the words “Section 309.32.43.” and ending
with the words “boards; and”.
On page 2891, delete the boxed text.
Section 309.32.43 – Funding of Medicaid-Covered Community Behavioral Health
Services
This provision
would make it optional for a board of alcohol, drug addiction and/or mental
health services to use county dollars raised through tax levies to pay for
Medicaid-covered alcohol, drug and mental health services. This language could
fundamentally disrupt the existing financing structure for Medicaid covered
behavioral health services by eliminating local funding as a source for the
Medicaid match necessary to draw down federal Medicaid funds. By doing this
without retaining subsidy dollars at the state level to pay for the Medicaid
match, the potential loss to the state could be $20 million per year for alcohol
and drug services and about $144 million for mental health services. Therefore,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 2
On page 2890,
delete the words “Not later than October 1, 2009,”.
Section 309.32.40 – Federal Medicaid Match Deadline for ADAMHS Boards
This provision
mandates a federal filing deadline of October 1, 2009 for Medicaid
Administrative Claiming. This deadline is not achievable because the filing
process is complex and time-consuming. For this reason, a veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 3
On page 2753,
delete the boxed text.
Section 209.40 – Unified Long Term Care Budget
By removing
this provision, each provider organization will have an equal voice on the
Unified Long Term Care Budget Workgroup. In addition, this veto will remove a
limitation for managed care providers, which will allow for broader
representation of managed care entities. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 4
On pages 2325
and 2871, delete the boxed text.
On pages 9 and
16, delete “5111.236,”.
Section 5111.236 – Medicaid Coverage of Oxygen Services to ICF/MR Residents
This provision
would require the Medicaid program to cover oxygen services to medically fragile
children under situations outside of the normal medical evaluation process.
Children are receiving and will continue to get oxygen as needed with the proper
medical determination. There is no reason to believe this provision is necessary
to ensure that these services are provided. Therefore, this veto is in the
public interest.
Item Number 5
On pages 784, 1845, and 1847,
delete the boxed text.
Sections 1751.14, 3923.24, and 3923.241 – Continuous Coverage
This provision would allow
parents to keep their children insured up to age 28 on an employer plan if they
pay for the full cost of such coverage. However, this language limits the
coverage to children with “continuous coverage.” This would severely limit the
number of young adults, who are more likely to be uninsured than any other age
group, who can take advantage of this coverage. By vetoing this provision, the
number of people with access to coverage will increase by more than 11,000.
Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 6
On pages 7 and
15, delete “5101.5110 (5101.5111),” and “5101.5110,”.
On pages 9 and
16, delete “5101.504, 5101.5210,”.
On pages 6, 15,
and 2724, delete “5101.50,”.
On pages 2244,
2245, and 2246, delete the boxed text.
Sections 5101.5110, 5101.5111, 5101.50, 5101.504, and 5101.5210 – School Based
Health Centers
This section
creates a mandate that all school based health centers be entitled to provide
services under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. There is no
evidence that the mandate is in response to a problem – such as children being
unable to access essential services. Also, this mandate is unnecessary because
of implementation of the new Medicaid School Program. Therefore, the veto is in
the public interest.
Item Number 7
On pages 2901
and 2902, delete the boxed text.
Section 309.45.90 – Reallocation of Unused County Funds
This provision
requires the Department of Job and Family Services to reallocate unspent
county-level funding which was intended to serve Ohio’s most needy and
vulnerable citizens back to counties. This requirement will limit the ability of
JFS to redirect funds as needed among basic safety net programs serving
Ohioans. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 8
On pages 2261, 2262, 2263,
2264, and 2265, delete the boxed text.
On pages 6, 15, and 2724,
delete “5103.02, 5103.03,”.
Sections 5103.02 and 5103.03 – ODJFS Review of Associations and Institutions
These provisions weaken the
state’s regulation of foster care and adoption entities in Ohio. They extend
certification from a two-year to a four-year period for foster care and adoption
agencies, children’s residential centers, group homes, and other child-placement
entities. The provisions may also unintentionally exempt some agencies that are
authorized under the adoption chapter of the Revised Code from the definition of
entities that are to be regulated. Finally, they create unacceptable, increased
risks for vulnerable children. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 9
On page 2303,
delete the boxed text.
Section 5111.06 – Administrative Actions Relative to Medicaid Provider
Agreements
It is a federal requirement
that providers have a National Provider Identification (NPI) number, and
Medicaid providers were required to provide their NPI number to ODJFS as of May
11, 2007. Providers without an NPI are terminated.
ODJFS has mailed 13 notices
to providers, issued eight remittance advice notices, and placed notices in the
quarterly provider newsletter, the JFS website and the Interactive Voice
Response system. The provision would require that ODJFS terminate providers by
registered mail, rather than by regular mail for failure to have their NPI,
which would cost ODJFS $17,000. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 10
On pages 6, 15, and 2724,
delete “5111.65, 5111.651, 5111.68, 5111.681, 5111.685, 5111.686, 5111.688,”.
On pages 2336, 2338, 2339,
2340, 2341, 2342, 2343, 2344, 2345, 2352, 2353, delete boxed text.
On page 3113, delete
“5111.65, 5111.651, 5111.68, 5111.681, 5111.685, 5111.686, 5111.688, 5111.689,”.
On pages 7 and 15, delete
“and 5111.688 (5111.689)” and “5111.688,”.
Sections 5111.65,
5111.651, 5111.68, 5111.681, 5111.685, 5111.686, 5111.688, and 5111.689 –
Collection of Long-Term Care Facilities Medicaid Debts
The Ohio
Department of Job and Family Services has worked with skilled nursing facility
providers to develop a more efficient process to secure and collect the debts of
institutional long term care providers when a provider leaves the Medicaid
program. As drafted though, these provisions could prevent the department from
securing and ultimately collecting the provider's debts to the State, and
proposes time lines for conducting hearings that are not legally achievable. The
Department is committed to working with providers to making changes to resolve
these remaining issues. Absent these changes, the veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 11
On page 2304,
delete the boxed text.
Section
5111.084 – Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
The Pharmacy
and Therapeutics Committee is a required component of the Medicaid program.
However, this provision prohibits the state pharmacist from participating on the
Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, which compromises the efficient and
effective operation of this aspect of the Medicaid program. Therefore, this
veto is in the public interest.
B. Education
Ohio, like nearly every other
state in the nation, is faced with the worst economy since the Great
Depression. Despite this, we are making an unprecedented commitment to Ohio’s
schools, ensuring they are funded through a constitutional system.
Additionally, the budget
reforms our classrooms and strengthens the teaching profession to prepare
students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the jobs of the
future. At a time when other states are dramatically reducing education funding,
Ohio is making a commitment to education that is critical to job creation and
economic growth..
Our plan for reforming Ohio
schools establishes the Ohio Evidence Based Model, a funding mechanism that
utilizes research to determine what components are critical to determine student
success. The new funding system will reduce the overreliance on local property
taxes to fund Ohio’s public schools. And, it increases the level of transparency
and accountability for school districts to produce results for Ohio’s children.
Item Number 12
On pages 3 and
13, delete “3311.059,” and “3313.843,”.
On pages 3113,
delete “3311.059, 3311.0510, and 3313.843,”.
On page 2722,
delete 3313.043,”.
On pages 1133,
1135, 1136, 1206, 1207, 2839, and 2840, delete boxed text.
Sections 3311.059, 3313.843, 3311.0510, and 265.70.40 – Changes to the
Annexation and Severance of ESCs
Current law has
a procedure by which local school districts may decide to transfer from the
territory of one educational service center to another to meet their local
educational needs. This new language revises the procedure that districts may
use to transfer and places a two-year moratorium on any transfers, including
those in process.
Local school
districts invest time and resources in pursuing a transfer under current law,
which is based on local educational needs and circumstances. Prohibiting such
transfers and increasing the administrative burdens without an overriding state
purpose may be disruptive to their planning as well as to students and
families. This is an issue that will be studied by the Ohio School Funding
Advisory Council. For this reason, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 13
On page 1016,
delete the boxed text.
Section 3301.0719 – Business Education Standards
This provision directs the State Board of Education to create and develop
standards for business education in grades K-12 by July 1, 2010. The date of
this provision has been vetoed to ensure the State Board has the ability to
determine adequate time and focus are given to the development of updated
standards in multiple subject areas. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 14
On page 1127, delete the
boxed text.
Section 3310.09 –
Educational Choice Scholarship Eligibility
Current law allows a student
to participate in the scholarship program if the school building in which they
attend or would be assigned was in academic watch or academic emergency for at
least two of the past three years. This provision would allow a student to
participate in the program if the building in which they were enrolled or would
be assigned is new and has been open for at least one year and at least 75
percent of the students came from closed schools that met the criteria in
current law. A new building should not be considered to be in distress until it
has had an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to produce academic gains for
its students; it is unfair to prejudge the outcomes of a new school based upon
the construct of its student body. For this reason, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 15
On pages 1124 and 1125,
delete the boxed text.
Section 3310.03 – Educational Choice Scholarship
This provision would increase the maximum award for the Educational Choice
scholarship program. In a time of limited resources and shared sacrifice across
state government, it is not in the public interest to increase these
scholarships.
Item Number 16
On pages 2836
and 2837, delete the boxed text.
Section 265.60.90 – School Employees Health Care Board
This provision would transfer the School Employees Health Care Board from the
Department of Administrative Services to the Department of Education. This veto
allows the Department of Education to act as a fiscal agent for the board but
treats the board as an independent entity as specified in the Revised Code. For
this reason, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 17
On pages 2894,
2895, 2896, 2897, and 2898, delete the boxed text.
Section 309.40.60 – Discontinuation of Early Learning Initiative
This language
defines the Early Learning Initiative and outlines the eligibility and
administration of the program. All ELI services will discontinue beginning
August 23, 2009, due to limited resources, but most of the children will be
eligible for other child care services or will transition to kindergarten.
This veto
eliminates all references in temporary law regarding ELI. During the remaining
weeks of ELI services, approximately 1/3 of children will transition to
kindergarten (4,500), while the majority of children (7,500) will be eligible
for child care services and remain with their current provider. Therefore, this
veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 18
On pages 2823
and 2824, delete the boxed text.
Section
265.40.30 – Repayment of ELI Start-Up Funds
This language requires ELI
providers that were Head Start/Head Start Plus agencies in FY 2004 or FY 2005 to
reimburse the state for start-up general revenue funds they received in those
years if they close down. Requiring ELI providers to reimburse the state for
these start-up funds, due to the discontinuation of this particular program,
could jeopardize the ability for providers to continue early learning services
through other programs. This provision will cause undue financial burden on
each provider. For this reason, a veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 19
On pages 1247 and 1248,
delete the boxed text.
Section 3314.08 – Community School Calamity Days
This provision
requires the Department of Education to waive the number of hours that a
community school is closed for a public calamity. Under current law, community
schools have the flexibility to adjust their daily schedule on an hourly basis
to address missed learning opportunities due to a public calamity. For this
reason, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 20
On pages 4, 13,
2722, 3113, delete “3318.011,”.
On pages 1341,
1342, 2983, and 2984, delete the boxed text.
Sections 385.93 and 3318.011 – Tangible Personal Property Valuation Changes for
School Facilities Assistance Rankings
This provision would, for the first time, change both the way that the Ohio
School Facilities Commission (OSFC) has historically prioritized projects under
its Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) and determined the
state-local share funding split for construction projects. Because of the
uncertainty of the impact this would have on our school districts, this veto is
in the public interest.
C.
Councils, Study Committees, Task Forces and Reports
Councils, study committees
and task forces play important roles in providing the discussion and
recommendations that are critical for the formation of public policy. However,
with across-the-board reductions in state government spending, including cuts to
some social service programs, state agencies must focus on providing services.
While I acknowledge the usefulness of such entities in developing and
implementing policies across state government, I encourage their formation and
operation without the utilization of budget resources.
Item Number 21
On page 2751
and 2752, delete the boxed text.
Section
209.30 – Residential State Supplement Workgroup
The executive
budget proposed this workgroup to examine the issue of which state agency is the
most appropriate to administer the Residential State Supplement Program (RSS)
and make recommendations. This statutory provision is no longer necessary,
because the relevant health and human services agency directors have already
begun the work to evaluate and make structural changes to RSS. For this reason,
a veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 22
On pages 8 and
16, delete “3701.0211,”.
On pages 1516,
1517, and 1518, delete the boxed text.
Section 3701.0211 – Creation of a New Hemophilia Advisory Council
This language
creates a new Hemophilia Advisory Council at the Ohio Department of Health. A
hemophilia subcommittee of the BCMH Medical Advisory Council currently exists in
the Ohio Revised Code. A newly created group would be duplicative to this
existing subcommittee and would pose fiscal challenges to ODH through
administrative and reimbursement costs. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 23
On pages 8 and
16, delete “3701.136,”.
On pages 1520
and 1521, delete the boxed text.
Section 3701.136 – Sickle Cell Anemia Advisory Council
This language
creates a Sickle Cell Anemia Advisory Council at the Ohio Department of Health.
The Ohio Sickle Cell and Health Association already convenes a Sickle Cell
Disease Statewide Advisory Committee as part of a grant requirement from ODH.
The committee is comprised of providers, consumers, faith-based organizations,
community advocates and individuals affected by sickle cell disease. To convene
another committee through this language would be duplicative of the existing
effort. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 24
On page 2861,
delete the boxed text.
On page 2862,
delete the boxed text beginning with “is a high prevalence” and ending with “of
this section.”
Section 289.30 – Disease and Cancer Commission
This provision would create a
Disease and Cancer Commission at the Department of Health. This Commission
would duplicate existing cancer and disease activities conducted by ODH. In
addition, ODH does not have the funding to administratively support this
committee or reimburse committee members. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 25
On pages 3091 and 3092, delete the
boxed text.
Section 751.30 – Prompt Pay Workgroup
This provision creates a prompt pay
policy workgroup who will be charged with developing a set of regulations to
govern prompt payment policies for Medicaid managed care plans. Medicaid managed
care plans are already subject to federal prompt payment requirements and those
requirements cannot be supplanted by state law, which makes the implementation
of this provision unnecessary and administratively burdensome. That said, I am
committed to continuing to explore ways in which the Medicaid managed care
system in Ohio can operate in the most efficient and effective manner.
Therefore, the veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 26
On pages 2867
and 2868, delete the boxed text.
Section
307.20 – Health Care Coverage and Quality Council
This language gives the Health Care
Coverage and Quality Council additional responsibilities related to selected
recommendations of the Ohio Medicaid Administrative Study Council (MASC). This
additional responsibility duplicates efforts of the Executive Medicaid
Management Administration. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 27
On pages 2883
and 2884, delete the boxed text.
Section 309.30.71 – ICF/MR Reimbursement Study Council
This provision establishes the ICF/MR
Reimbursement Study Council and requires the Council to submit a report, no
later than July 1, 2010, on its review of Ohio's system for Medicaid
reimbursement of ICF/MR services. While collaborative approaches to review
reimbursement system impacts can be beneficial, initiating a review and
soliciting suggestions for future action in the absence of a full dialogue about
the financing of non-institutional community care settings may cause investment
in care settings that are not the preferred choice of Ohio's families.
Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 28
On pages 2971
and 2972, delete the boxed text.
Section 375.20 – DRC Pilot Health Care Study
This provision would permit the
Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to conduct a pilot health care
study to determine if a private contractor can provide a minimum of 10 percent
savings for comprehensive health care services. The Department currently
contracts with three vendors who provide care to more than 15 percent of the
inmate population. Sufficient data from these contractual relationships already
exist to evaluate the effectiveness of private healthcare services. Therefore,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 29
On page 2880,
delete the boxed text.
On page 3114, delete
“309.30.30,”.
Section 309.30.30 – Nursing Facility Capital Costs Study
This proposal requires the study of
the capital component of the nursing facility reimbursement methodology with a
report due no later than December 31, 2010. While we recognize the value of
stakeholder input in the development of reimbursement policy, any discussion
related to policy supporting long term services and supports should address the
entire delivery system. This proposal is limited to reimbursement for
institutional services and would not consider the range of settings in which
long term services and supports are delivered. We are committed to continuing
dialogue and work with providers on this issue. Therefore, this veto is in the
public interest.
Item Number 30
On pages 4 and
14, delete “3705.03,”.
On pages 8 and
16, delete “3705.031,” and “319.24,”.
On page 412,
delete the boxed text.
On pages 1514,
delete the boxed text.
On page 1594,
delete “;”.
On page 1595,
delete the text beginning with “(5) comply with” and ending with “Revised
Code.”.
On page 2723,
delete “3705.03,”.
Sections 319.24, 3503.18, 3705.03, and 3705.031 – Vital Statistics Reports to
Counties
This provision
is redundant to existing statute. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) already
provides the requested service by publishing to a public Web site the deaths of
all Ohioans on a monthly basis. The information is posted online in a simple
Excel format, and each county board of elections can download the file and sort
by their county, or any other fields provided, and create a customized list.
The proposed language would have a negative impact on operations, costing
additional staff time, paper and postage. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 31
On page 2305, delete the
boxed text.
Section 5111.092 –
Medicaid, Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Report
This section requires ODJFS to complete a report
every year on the department’s efforts to minimize fraud, waste, and abuse in
the Medicaid system. The Department of Job and Family Services is prepared to
report on these efforts annually, but the required content as proposed in this
provision is overly prescriptive and inflexible. Therefore this veto is in the
public interest.
D. Earmarks,
Unfunded Mandates and Requirements that Restrict Agency Flexibility in Spending
In a time of
limited resources, it is essential to give agencies flexibility in meeting their
priorities without unnecessarily binding them to specific programs or services.
Because agencies have already faced major reductions, it is important that they
have the resources to maintain essential services to the greatest number of
Ohioans, especially to those most vulnerable. For that reason, I have vetoed the
sections below which make allocations for specific programs and a limited number
of Ohioans.
Item Number 32
On page 2917, delete the
boxed text.
Section 335.40.10 – Behavioral Health Services-Children
The line item “Behavioral
Health Services—Children” is dedicated to providing behavioral health services
for children and their families. This provision would specifically dedicate $1
million in each fiscal year to services for children under the age of 7. We are
deeply committed to the behavioral health programs and services that provide
assistance to our children in need. However, during these times of limited
resources, the Department must continue to be flexible in their allocation of
funds in order to reach the most children in need of services, regardless of
age. For this reason, a veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 33
On pages 247
and 248, delete the boxed text.
Section 125.20 –
Department of Administrative Services Web Sites
This provision requires that DAS
create three searchable Web sites to display three different sets of
information, without providing additional funds to create and manage the Web
sites. It should also be noted that current statute requires DAS to post
information pertaining to all contracts awarded for more than $25,000, a partial
duplication of information required by this language. Though the Department
will create the websites without having the additional resources to do so, there
are two items within this mandate that I am vetoing. As written, this
provision contains a requirement to list two different types of employee pay:
most recent pay and gross pay. These are two different sets of data, and will
create confusion for those seeking to compare information.
In addition, the provision requires
agencies to transmit information to DAS daily. Because the Ohio Administrative
Knowledge System (OAKS) already allows for DAS to obtain any information
necessary on a daily basis this requirement is unnecessary. For these reasons,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 34
On page 2927,
delete the boxed text.
Section 343.10 –
Heidelberg Water Quality Lab Earmark
This provision appropriates
$250,000 a year for the Heidelberg Water Quality Lab, paid for from the fund
that provides state matching grants to all 88 Soil and Water Conservation
Districts (Fund 5BV0). Although the Water Quality Lab conducts important and
valuable research, the earmark reduces the total funds available for all 88 Soil
and Water Conservation Districts. For this reason, a veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 35
On page 2862,
delete the boxed text beginning with “Section 289.60” and ending with “42 U.S.C.
710.”
Section 289.60 – Federal Abstinence Education Program
This provision
requires the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to apply for federal abstinence
only education funding. There are no general revenue funds budgeted to fund the
required match for this program. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 36
On pages 2078,
2079, and 2084, delete the boxed text.
On pages 6, 14,
and 2724, delete “4511.69, 4513.021,”.
Sections 4511.69 and 4513.021 – Angled Parking on State Routes within Municipal
Corporations
This provision
would prohibit the elimination of angled parking spaces on state routes within
corporation limits without the approval of the municipal corporation.
Under current
law, state routes within municipalities are required to have parallel parking
due to safety concerns and federal regulations. If federal regulations are
violated and angled parking is maintained, municipalities may not be able to
receive federal and state money for paving projects. This veto will protect
public safety and the ability of municipal corporations to qualify for federal
funds. Therefore, this veto is in the
public interest.
Item Number 37
On page 3000,
delete the boxed text.
Section 503.95 – Curb Cut on State Route 91 in Lake County
This provision requires the director
of the Department of Transportation to permit the construction of a curb cut on
State Route 91, near Vine Street, in Lake County.
The Department of Transportation has
worked with elected officials representing the City of Eastlake and other
stakeholders to resolve the matter that this provision addresses in a manner
that balances public safety and economic development concerns. Therefore, this
veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 38
On page 2930,
delete the boxed text.
Section 343.50 – Transfer to Scenic River Protection
This language
instructs the director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management to transfer
$500,000 from the Waterways Safety Fund to the Scenic Rivers Protection Fund to
administer the Scenic Rivers Program. The $500,000 annual transfer from the
Waterways Safety Fund to the Scenic Rivers Protection fund is not needed to
accomplish the programmatic transfer of Scenic Rivers to the Division of
Watercraft. And, it is in conflict with the legislatively-mandated $650,000
annual spending cap for the program. A veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 39
On page 2803,
delete the boxed text.
Section 265.10.50 – School Management Assistance
This provision
provides $1,279,948 in FY 2010 and $1,500,000 in FY 2011 in the Ohio Department
of Education budget for the Auditor of State to conduct performance audits. By
vetoing this provision, the audits will continue but without the specific
allocation of funds to the Auditor of State. Instead, the Department of
Education will work with the auditor of state to arrange the scope of work and
fee arrangements appropriate to the auditor’s performance audit
responsibilities. In addition, vetoing this provision will maintain flexibility
for the Department of Education during a time of limited resources. Therefore,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 40
On page 2900,
delete the boxed text.
Section 309.45.15 – Earmark for Independent Living
This provision earmarks $1.5 million
of the Children and Family Services line item for independent living services to
youth. The majority of the funds in this line item are already allocated to
county agencies for their use to support child welfare programs, including
independent living. This earmark will constrain the county agencies’ ability to
use the allocated funds in a flexible manner that meets each county’s needs to
support children. For these reasons, a veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 41
On page 3074, delete the boxed text.
Section 701.70 – State Vehicle Fuel Conversion
The language requires the
Department of Public Safety, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio
Department of Transportation to convert 5 percent of their combined 8,000 state
fleet vehicles to a propane fuel system. With an estimated retrofit cost of
$6,000 per vehicle and $9,000 for large trucks, the average conversion costs for
400 vehicles at $7,500 would be $3 million. For this reason, a veto is in the
public interest.
E. General Government
Operations
Item Number 42
On page 104,
delete the boxed text.
Section 121.07 – Director’s authority to act in absence of DFI Superintendent
This provision
permits the Director of the Department of Commerce to perform the functions of
the Superintendent of the Department’s Division of Financial Institutions, for a
limited time, if the superintendent provides written authorization.
Under existing
law, only the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has statutory authority
to conduct the operations of the Division. In all other divisions within the
Department of Commerce, only the Director of Commerce may perform division
functions in the absence of the superintendent or commissioner. The veto is
necessary for operational continuity within the Department. Therefore the veto
is in the public interest.
Item Number 43
On pages 7 and
15, delete “5751.22, 5751.23,”.
On pages 2673,
2674, 2676, 2678, 2681, 2682, 2683, 2685, 2686, 2687, and 2688, delete the boxed
text.
Sections
5751.20, 5751.21, 5751.22, and 5751.23 –
Permanent Dedication of Tangible
Personal Property Tax Reimbursement
This provision marks a
significant change in the tax reform plan enacted in 2005 in House Bill 66.
HB66 created the public
school district and local government tangible personal property (TPP)
replacement program to reimburse those entities for the loss of the tangible
personal property tax. This program was to be phased out as a part of that
sweeping tax reform.
This provision dedicates
Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) and General Revenue Fund (GRF) revenues to the
tangible personal property TPP fund in perpetuity. In total, the cost of this
permanent dedication of resources is $3 billion to the GRF over the next four
biennia.
This provision contradicts
the overall direction of the comprehensive education system reform established
in this bill. In contemplating how to treat this provision inserted by the
Senate, I am sensitive to the fact that school districts and local governments
require a degree of fiscal certainty in these uncertain times. The structure of
the bill’s language required me to take a different approach for school
districts and local governments.
Impact on School Districts
This language permanently
dedicates $5.2 billion of GRF and CAT revenue to an out-dated distribution
formula, which otherwise would have been available to fund the phase-in of the
evidence-based model. It would require the GRF to subsidize this inequitable
distribution at a cost of millions of dollars over and above what would have
been provided under existing law.
My veto retains the
provisions that hold school districts harmless through FY 2013. This
accomplishes several objectives:
·
It acknowledges that school districts utilize a five year budget planning cycle;
·
It recognizes that school districts will not see the full benefit of the
reduction of charge-off millage in this bill until FY2014-2015; and
·
It provides a degree of certainty while we continue to assess the full impact of
the changes implemented by HB 66 in 2005 and their interaction with this
bill’s newly adopted school funding model, the Ohio Evidence-Based Model.
After FY 2013, my veto
returns the language to the original phase-out plan of House Bill 66.
Impact on Local Government
This item would permanently
reimburse local governments based on 2004 personal property values and 2005 tax
rates, an outdated allocation method that undermines the original intent of the
comprehensive tax reform structure of HB66.. Based upon the forecast revenues
for the CAT upon which this bill is based, this provision would require the GRF
to subsidize local governments at a cost of millions of dollars over the next
five fiscal years.
My veto retains the
provisions inserted by the House in this bill that hold local governments
harmless through FY 2011. After FY 2011, my veto eliminates the permanent
dedication of this tax source and its distribution mechanism, and returns to the
original phase-out plan of HB66.
Conclusion - Tangible Personal Property Tax
Reimbursement Veto
The pervasive and sweeping
changes of this provision deserve broad discussion among a wide range of
stakeholders, especially in view of the fact that Ohio is phasing in a new,
constitutional school funding system. Since taking office, my administration
has been committed to assuring that school districts and local governments have
predictable and sustainable funding. For this reason, this veto does not impact
local government or school funding in this biennium. In order to prepare for
future years, I remain committed to continuing a robust dialogue to address the
fiscal challenges confronting the state and our partners in local government and
school districts. For these reasons, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 44
On pages 1, 11,
and 2721, delete “105.41,”.
On pages 43,
45, and 48, delete the boxed text.
On page 1922,
delete the boxed text.
On page 3110,
delete the boxed text.
Sections 105.41, 803.60, and 4117.01(C)(18) – Removal of the Capital Square
Review and Advisory Board from the Legislative Branch
This item
provides that Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is a legislative
branch agency; its staff members are employees of the General Assembly in the
unclassified civil service; and its operations are not under the jurisdiction of
the Office of Information Technology. This veto will maintain the present status
of CSRAB, continuing the proper fiscal oversight and employee classification for
this type of agency. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 45
On page 1, 11,
and 2721, delete “107.40,”.
On page 50,
delete the boxed text.
Section 107.40 – Prison Labor at the Governor's Residence
This language
prohibits the Department of Administrative Services from using prison labor in
providing for the general maintenance of the Governor's Residence. Ohio Penal
Industries provides labor at the Residence that is equivalent to three to four
full-time employees. Replacing these laborers with state employees would cost
an additional $250,000 in general revenue funds annually, an unnecessary expense
given the challenges the state is currently facing. For this reason, a veto is
in the public interest.
Item Number 46
On page 2431,
delete the boxed text.
Section 5502.12 – Certain County Sheriff and Law Enforcement Accident Report
Fees
This provision
eliminates the ability of the Patrol to charge an additional fee for providing
accident photos. This would result in lost revenue to the Patrol, in a time when
overall revenues are declining. Further erosion of the Patrol’s revenue would
jeopardize the essential public safety services the Patrol provides. Therefore,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 47
On page 3075,
delete the boxed text.
Section 701.80 – State Employee Assignment Report
This provision requires the
Director of the Office of Budget and Management to assemble a report of all the
state employees who are paid by one agency, but are working at or for another
agency. Often times an employee of one state agency will be requested to
provide services to another state agency, usually by inter-agency agreement.
These valuable arrangements seek to maximize governmental efficiencies by
sharing knowledge and expertise between state agencies and allow state employees
to function as one government rather than individually, which can hinder
efficiency and cross-agency collaboration. Therefore, this veto is in the public
interest.
Item Number 48
On pages 98 and 3003, delete
the boxed text.
On pages 1, 11, and 2721,
delete “117.13,”.
Sections 117.13 and 512.80 – Public Audit Expense Transfer
These provisions revise the
procedure for the Auditor of State to recover the costs of public audits by
requiring the OBM Director to transfer the amounts of the audit costs from the
general revenue fund to the public audit expense fund. There already exists a
mechanism by which the Auditor can recover the costs of audits in section 117.13
of the Revised Code. In addition, this provision allows the Auditor unlimited
access to the General Revenue Fund to support office operations, and with no
checks and balances on the amount that could be spent. Therefore, this veto is
in the public interest.
Item Number 49
On pages 2436
and 2437, delete the boxed text.
On pages 9 and
16, delete “5537.051,”.
Section 5537.051 – Remove Turnpike Grade Separation Responsibilities
This provision
makes the Ohio Turnpike Commission responsible for the maintenance and repair of
all grade separation approaches in counties that have closed one or more county
or township roads as of January 1, 2009 as a result of grade separation failures
at intersections of a turnpike project.
Under existing
law, the Ohio Turnpike Commission is responsible for the maintenance and repair
of bridges that pass over the turnpike and the 13 counties along the turnpike
are responsible for the maintenance and repair of grade separation approaches.
Vetoing this provision will preserve consistency in the shared commission and
local responsibility for maintenance and repair of grade separations along the
turnpike. Therefore the veto is in the public interest. (OTCV02)
Item Number 50
On page 2220, delete the
boxed text.
Section 4905.801 – Radioactive Shipment Inspections
This provision allows for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, to determine if
necessary, the inspections of incoming highway route controlled quantity
shipments of radioactive materials and the provision also assumes that
inspections are subject to local officials. Determination on inspections is
best made by either the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) or the Ohio
Department of Health (ODH), the agencies with the expertise and resources to
make such a determination.
For these reasons, a veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 51
On pages 9 and
16, delete “4301.85,”.
On pages 1980
and 1981, delete the boxed text.
Section 4301.85 – Alcohol Consumption at State Facilities
This provision
requires the Adjutant General to obtain the approval of the Department of
Defense and foreign military nationals before regulating alcohol consumption at
state facilities that train foreign military units. This language is in direct
conflict with current law which empowers the Adjutant General alone to prescribe
and enforce regulations for all military and adjutant general department
property, as deemed necessary for protection and safety. Requiring these two
entities to approve of the Adjutant General’s policy would violate the command
authority of the Adjutant General and the Governor. For this reason, a veto is
in the public interest.
Item Number 52
On page 2760,
delete the boxed text.
Section
219.10 – Remove Temporary Budget Language Regarding Museum Eligibility
This language,
included in the budget bill, is temporary law that has been included in the Ohio
Arts Council’s budget language for more than a decade. It effectively bars a
museum that has received $8 million or more in capital appropriations from the
state between 1986 and 2002 from receiving any subsidy support from the Ohio
Arts Council. The sole organization in the state that was affected by this
language is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Therefore, this veto is
in the public interest.
Item Number 53
On page 353 and
354, delete the boxed text.
Section
166.07 – Micro-Lending Program
This provision
establishes a Micro-Lending Program and provides that the program will be funded
“from any amount of the facilities establishment fund that the General Assembly
designates for the purpose of the Micro-Lending Program.” The General Assembly
did not designate funding, but may decide, at some future point, to appropriate
funds for this program. This provision, however, limits the General Assembly’s
appropriation authority to providing funds from the facilities establishment
fund.
Because the
Micro-Lending Program has the potential to help Ohio’s small businesses and
contribute to growing Ohio’s economy, future funding for the program should not
be limited to the facilities establishment fund. Therefore, this veto is in the
public interest.
Item Number 54
On page 250,
delete the boxed text.
On pages 8 and
15, delete “126.10,”.
Section 126.10 – Certificates of Participation (COPS)
This provision prohibits
issuing COPs without General Assembly approval. This could limit executive
flexibility and activities. Under current policy, Certificates of Participation
and similar debt instruments entered into by the state are expressly authorized
by language included in the applicable capital and/or operating bills.
Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 55
On page 914,
delete the boxed text.
Section 2915.01(AAA)(d) –
Expansion of Skill-Based Amusement Machine Prize Authority
This
provision permits the proliferation of gambling in unlimited locations across
the state. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 56
On pages 1591
and 1592, delete the boxed text.
Section 3704.14 – E-Check
Extension
The proposed language
modifies the parameters for a contract for the motor vehicle inspection
program. Provisions in the proposed law devalue education of motorists in those
areas where there is a vehicle emissions testing program by extensively lowering
the public education a vendor would be required to conduct if the current
program is changed. Ohio EPA is looking for the most cost-effective, convenient
and reliable inspection program for both motorists and the state. Ultimately,
the provisions of the language included would restrict the ability of the state
to determine the most cost-effective and consumer-friendly program. Therefore,
this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 57
On pages 1712
and 1713, delete the boxed text.
Section 3734.57 – Solid
Waste Location Exemption
The proposed
language carves out an exemption from the municipal solid waste fee increase for
one solid waste facility in the state. This provision would create a precedent
by excusing one facility from increased fees to be paid by the rest of the
municipal solid waste facilities in the state. This veto will ensure a level
playing field for the entire solid waste industry in the State of Ohio.
Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 58
On pages 1, 11,
and 2721, delete “125.11,”.
On page 244,
delete the boxed text.
Section 125.11 – Ohio
Product Preference in State Procurement
This provision reduces the
preference in state procurement for all products that have been produced or
mined in Ohio. Ohioans are making and mining affordable and quality products,
and the State of Ohio should be purchasing those products. During this time of
economic turmoil, it is more important than ever for Ohio funds to be used to
purchase Ohio produced and mined products. This veto will retain the preference
of buying Ohio products. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item
Number 59
On page 3075 and 3077, delete
the boxed text.
On page 3076, delete the
boxed text beginning with “Section 703.10.” and ending with “adopted by a.”
On pages 11 and 2721, delete
“7.12,”.
On page 1, delete "7.12,".
On pages 17, 405, 406, and
2487, delete boxed text.
On pages 8 and 16, delete
“305.20,”.
On pages 7, 15, and 2724,
delete “5721.01,”.
Sections 7.12, 703.10,
305.20, 5721.01 – Newspaper and Internet Ads
These provisions would change
the statute governing public notices and advertisements in newspapers and on
county Web sites. These provisions should be examined as part of a comprehensive
bill which has been introduced in the legislature, House Bill 220, to provide
the needed time to study the possible monetary impacts and other ramifications
of such changes. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest.
Item Number 60
On pages 3, 13,
and 2722, delete “2505.09, 2505.12,”.
On pages 8 and
16, delete “2505.122,”.
On pages 878
and 879, delete the boxed text.
Sections 2505.09, 2505.12,
and 2505.122 – Supersedeas Bonds
This provision creates new
appeal bonds. Current law in Ohio already requires parties seeking a stay of
enforcement of monetary judgments during appeal to execute a supersedeas bond.
In addition, courts may require bonds from parties seeking temporary restraining
orders or preliminary injunctions via Ohio Rule of Civil Procedure 65 and to
appeal injunctions via Ohio Rule of Appellate Procedure 7. While additional
safeguards against meritless appeals may warrant review, this provision is so
broadly drafted that enactment may cause unintended consequences, including
blocking access to Ohio’s judicial system for indigent persons, homeowners and
matters related to other community interests. Therefore, this veto is in the
public interest.
F. Technical Vetoes
Item Number 61
On page 1627 and 1634, delete
the boxed text.
Section 3717.07 – Fees for
Local Boards of Health
This provision makes
unnecessary changes to the current methodology system used by the Ohio
Department of Agriculture and Ohio Department of Health food safety programs.
The veto will restore the current methodology system used by the Ohio Department
of Agriculture and Ohio Department of Health food programs. For this reason, a
veto is in the public interest.
I signed this
veto message on July 17, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio and transmitted it, today, with
copies of the disapproved text, to the Clerk of the Ohio House of
Representatives.
In order to
signal my approval of the text not disapproved by me, I have, today, also filed
the enrolled and engrossed original copies of the bill with the Secretary of
State.
____________________________
Ted
Strickland, Governor
I acknowledge
receipt of an original copy of this veto message, along with a copy of the
disapproved text in the bill on July 17, 2009.
______________________________
Name of Officer
_______________________________
Title of Officer
_______________________________
Date and Time of Receipt
**********************************************************************
For Immediate Release:
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Governor Statement on Legislative Budget
Discussions
Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland today
issued the following statement after a meeting with Senate Majority President
Bill Harris regarding the state’s budget bill.
The legislature is responsible for sending the governor a
balanced budget by Tuesday, June 30. To balance the operating budget, a $3.2
billion gap must be addressed.
“It has now been more than one week since I outlined a
balanced budget framework to address the $3.2 billion state budget gap without
raising taxes and without undermining our commitment to K-12 education.
“I am pleased by the progress the legislative conference
committee has made this week.
“Regrettably, Senate President Bill Harris informed me this
afternoon that he does not support my balanced budget proposal. I believe that
he and the Senate Majority have an obligation to say what taxes they would
increase or what services they would further reduce in order to balance the
budget.
“I look forward to hearing from the Senate what other
source of revenue, or what additional cuts, they will suggest in the three
remaining days of the legislative conference
committee. I continue to be available around the clock and will remain
accessible to the legislative leadership.”
********************************************************************************
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Governor Applauds Obama Administration for
Loans to Auto Industry
Loans Will Help Modernize Three Ohio Ford
Plants for
Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today
welcomed the Obama administration’s announcement that a portion of $5.9 billion
in loans for Ford Motor Company to prepare factories for the manufacturing of
advanced, fuel efficient cars will help three facilities in Ohio.
The Cleveland Engine, Lima Engine and Sharonville
Transmission facilities will benefit from conditional loans through the Advanced
Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program to help build green engineering
and manufacturing jobs.
“The auto industry is critically important to the overall
economic health of our state and nation. I am deeply grateful to President
Obama for his continued commitment to the manufacturing sector and the
production of advanced, energy-efficient vehicles that will keep this industry
strong,” Strickland said.
“The loans will help Ohio maintain the vitality of our auto
industry and give current employees the advanced skills needed for continued
success in a global economy. And, to ensure that we continue to be a strong
manufacturing center for years to come, our education reform plan will require
our schools to better prepare Ohio students for future jobs – not only on the
factory floor – but in the research, design and engineering of vehicles.”
The loans to Ford Motor Company are among the first awarded
from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing
program, which makes awards through a competitive process. The program will
provide $25 billion total in loans to companies making cars and components in
U.S. factories that increase fuel economy at least 25 percent above 2005 fuel
economy levels.
The Department of Energy intends to make additional loans
available over the next several months to auto manufacturers and parts
suppliers.
****************************************************************************
For Immediate Release:
Friday, June 12, 2009
Governor Strickland to Host Appalachian Regional
Commission Conference in Athens in October
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced that the 2009
fall conference of the Appalachian Regional Commission will be held October
26-28 at Ohio University in Athens. The conference, “New Energy. New Jobs. New
Opportunities for Appalachia,” will give attendees an opportunity to discuss the
importance of investing in clean and renewable energy for job creation and
economic development in their states.
As the current state’s co-chair of the ARC, Strickland
serves as the official host of this year’s conference.
“I look forward to welcoming business and economic
development leaders, energy experts, and public officials from across the
13-state Appalachian region to Athens for this year’s conference,” Strickland
said. “Hosting the annual event is a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful
state and the important work we have done to promote the production and use of
renewable energy in Ohio.”
The conference will feature sessions on growing jobs in the
clean energy sector, including developing energy efficient facilities, renewable
energy production, and clean coal technologies.
The event will include approximately 400 economic and
regional developers, environmental and public officials, and business and
industry leaders, from across the 13-state Appalachian region.
********************************************************************************************
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Amanda Wurst
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
614 644-0957/614-832-7512
Amanda.Wurst@governor..ohio.gov
Judicial Panel Accepting Applications to Fill
Vacancy on Warren County Court of Common Pleas
*Please note correction
of at-large panel members
Columbus, Ohio-The Ohio Judicial Appointments
Recommendation Panel is currently accepting applications to fill a vacant seat
on the Warren County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. The seat became
vacant due to the death of Judge James Heath on May 24, 2009.
Applicants for the
Warren County Court of Common Pleas position must be a resident and registered
elector of Warren County and not yet 70 years old on the day they begin their
duties, as dictated by Ohio law. In addition, they must be admitted to practice
law in Ohio and have maintained their legal license for six years prior to
assuming the judicial post or served as a judge of a court of record in any
jurisdiction in the United States.
To continue service in
the position, the appointee must run in the November 2010 general election.
In the case of all judicial vacancies, applicants must follow the guidelines
set forth by the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel to ensure their
eligibility for appointment.
Applications must be submitted directly to the judicial panel and will then
be distributed to the at-large and regional panel members. Additional details
about OJARP and the application process can be found on the OJARP Web site at
www.ojarp.org.
All materials submitted
by applicants for a judicial vacancy will be considered public record under Ohio
law. Applicant communication with panel members must be directed to the entire
panel; all attempts to contact or influence a panel member are prohibited.
Applicant questions and concerns should be addressed to Kent Markus or Jeff
Ruppert in the Governor’s Office at (614) 466-3555.
Applications for the Warren County Court of Common Pleas appointment must be
received by 5 p.m. July 16, 2009.
Candidates must be available to
interview in person on August
14, 2009 in Columbus. Individual candidate times and
interview locations will be determined at a later date.
Governor Strickland has selected the following individuals
to serve on the regional
panel for the current Warren County vacancy:
Ben Swift, attorney, Law Offices of Ben Swift
Dean Whitaker, certified public accountant and
partner, Mowery, Newkirk, Whitaker & Co.
Janese
Griffin, teacher, Carlisle Local Schools; negotiator and building
representative,
Carlisle
Teacher’s Association
Ellen
Rittgers, partner, Rittgers & Rittgers
James D.
Smith, mayor, City of South Lebanon; international representative,
International
Association
of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)
Eric
Peters, retired magistrate, Warren County Juvenile Court
At-large panel members:
Marianna
Brown Bettman (chair), professor, University of Cincinnati College of Law;
former
judge, First District Court of Appeals.
Doloris Learmonth, managing partner, Peck Shaffer
and Williams LLP in Cincinnati
John Kulewicz, partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and
Pease, LLP
Betty Davis, president, Community Concepts, Inc.
Mike
Miller, of counsel, Kegler, Brown Hill and Ritter; former Franklin County
Prosecuting
Attorney
*********************************************************************************
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Amanda Wurst
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
614 644-0957/614 832-7512
Amanda.Wurst@governor.ohio.gov
Governor Announces Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus Awards for Advanced Energy
Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio
Air Quality Development Authority Executive Director Mark Shanahan today
announced that a Perrysburg solar panel manufacturer and a clean coal power
plant to be built along the Ohio River in Meigs County have been selected to
receive the first two funding awards from the $150 million advanced energy
portion of the Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus Plan.
“The first two recipients of these funds are great examples
of how investing in advanced energy technologies is stimulating Ohio’s economy,”
said Strickland. “The impacts of President Obama’s recovery act and our
bipartisan state stimulus package are becoming evident – we are creating the
jobs of the future in Ohio today.”
The funding, which will be awarded to Willard & Kelsey
Solar Group LLC and AMP-Ohio, was approved by the Ohio Air Quality Development
Authority (OAQDA), the state agency responsible for administering the program’s
funds.
“These two outstanding projects demonstrate that the
Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program is fulfilling its mission to support
cutting-edge projects that are on a fast track toward commercialization,” said
Mark Shanahan, executive director of OAQDA and the governor’s energy adviser.
“These investments can attract additional investment and will put Ohioans to
work in the jobs of the future.”
Willard & Kelsey Solar Group LLC
Willard & Kelsey will receive a $10 million loan over two
years to assist in the planned expansion of its Perrysburg manufacturing
facility, which currently employs about 400 workers. Willard & Kelsey
manufactures thin-cell photovoltaic solar panels that are distributed around the
nation and world. The panels are used in residential and commercial settings to
generate electricity. The company currently operates one manufacturing line,
but plans to expand to as many as 16 lines, employing more than 3,500 workers.
The average annual wage and benefit package for company employees will be
approximately $61,000. Total project cost is $1.2 billion.
Willard & Kelsey was formed in 2007 as an outgrowth of
Glasstech Solar, which pioneered the development of large area, thin-film
cadmium telluride solar modules. Its first manufacturing line began operations
in February, and the planned expansion will commence in June 2010 to take
advantage of the growing global market for solar panels for use in electricity
generation.
“Our company is honored to be one of the first recipients
of funds from Ohio’s Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program. We are extremely
pleased that we have the opportunity to help strengthen the economy of northwest
Ohio as the area’s traditional strength as a global leader in the glass industry
evolves naturally into a leadership role in the solar industry,” said William
Mitchell, president and CEO of Willard & Kelsey.
American Municipal Power (AMP-Ohio) Generating Station
AMP-Ohio will receive a $30 million bridge loan to assist
in the construction of the 1,000-megawatt American Municipal Power Generating
Station in Letart Falls in southern Meigs County. Construction is expected to
begin later this year and will employ more than 1,500 workers. An estimated 150
full-time workers will be hired beginning in June 2011, earning an average wage
of $31.25 per hour. Another 15 workers will be hired at an associated
fertilizer facility. Total project cost is $3.2 billion.
The new plant will use a variety of pollution-control
technologies, including the Powerspan ammonia-based scrubber system, which
successfully removes the great majority of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, fine
particulate matter and mercury produced during combustion. Powerspan also has
demonstrated a promising technology for removal of carbon dioxide.
Additionally, the technology also yields a highly marketable ammonium sulfate
fertilizer byproduct. AMP-Ohio is working with Ohio-based The Andersons on the
fertilizer portion of the planned power plant facilities. The Powerspan
technology previously received $4.5 million in funding from the Ohio Coal
Development Office, a program of OAQDA.
When built, the new plant will help stabilize power costs
for nearly 300,000 electricity customers of AMP-Ohio in 69 Ohio communities.
“The bridge loan that Ohio’s Advanced Energy Job Stimulus
Program is providing AMP-Ohio assures that we can launch the construction phase
of this important project on schedule later this year. We believe the project
underscores our commitment to the environmentally sound use of clean coal and
advanced energy technologies, as is also affirmed by our hydroelectric projects
at existing dams on the Ohio River,” said Jolene Thompson, senior vice president
of member services and external affairs for AMP-Ohio.
Ohio’s Advanced Energy Stimulus Program, includes $84
million for non-coal related technology projects and $66 million for clean coal
projects. The program is part of the $1.57 billion Ohio Bipartisan Jobs
Stimulus Plan signed into law by Governor Strickland in June 2008. More than
215 applications for program funding have been received to date.
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 8,
2009
Contact:
Julie Hinds, Public
Information Officer
(614) 752-2401
Ohio Investigative
Unit Invites Public Comment
(COLUMBUS) – Ohio
Department of Public Safety (ODPS) Director Henry Guzmán is announcing
that an assessment team from the Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will be evaluating the Ohio
Investigative Unit, a division of ODPS, May 17 – 20, 2009.
The assessment team
is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but
out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials,
interview individuals and visit district offices where compliance can
be observed. CALEA has selected the following assessors: Team leader
Deputy Chief Francis (Pat) Foley, Willowbrook Police Department,
Willowbrook, Ill. and Policy Specialist Martin F. Ring, Columbia
Police Department, Columbia, S.C.
As part of the
on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the statewide
community are invited to offer comments via telephone. The public may
call toll-free
866-343-1857 onMay, 18, 2009
between 2 p.m.. and 4 p.m. All comments must be limited to the
agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the
standards is available in the Central Offices of the Ohio
Investigative Unit, 1970 West Broad Street, Room 430, Columbus,
Ohio43223 and contacting Accreditation Manager Paul J. Rapp at (614)
752-5565.
Anyone who would like
to offer written comments or is in need of further information
regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suite
100, Fairfax, Va.22030-2215 or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225.
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