March 21, 2008
STRICKLAND BOND PACKAGE GETS FIRST KEY ENDORSEMENT FROM COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS; ADMINISTRATION SCHEDULES PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING
CCAO ENDORSEMENT
as reported in Gongwer
The County Commissioners Association of Ohio on Tuesday became the biggest prize so far for
Gov. Ted Strickland in his efforts to get major endorsements for the $1.7 billion Building Ohio
Jobs bond proposal.
The BOJ Coalition recently announced the endorsement of Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port
Authority. The Ohio Rail Development Commission passed a resolution in support last week.
Coalition spokeswoman Lauren Goode said BioOhio, a nonprofit bioscience industry advocacy
and development group, has also indicated its backing, as has the Ohio Railroad Association.
CCAO's announcement, however, marks the first endorsement from a major statewide group.
The association said its governing board, comprised of nearly 30 commissioners, voted
unanimously on the decision. "The proposal not only focuses investment in new opportunities
for Ohio's economic future, but also provides over $1 billion in partnership with local
governments to address Ohio's infrastructure needs," CCAO President and Lake County
Commissioner Daniel Troy said in a news release. "Passage of this measure will help local
officials throughout our state in the task of upgrading our roads, bridges, water and sewer
systems; cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated Brownfield sites; and enhancing our
environment through expansion of the popular Clean Ohio program."
Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger, the association's first vice president, said,
"The benefits to counties were significant enough for the CCAO Board of Trustees to support
this initiative and its placement on the November ballot with a unanimous, bipartisan vote."
"The Governor's vision to invest in the rapidly developing advanced energy, biomedical, and
bio-product industries will generate benefits for counties, and create good paying jobs for this
and future generations of Ohioans."
Ms. Goode noted the bipartisan nature of CCAO and that the endorsement was delivered by
former Reps. Metzger, a Republican, and Troy, a Democrat. "This is not a partisan issue. This
is about investing in Ohio's prosperity," she said. CCAO's constituencies will benefit through the
proposed spending on Ohio Public Works Commission initiatives and other bond-backed
projects, Ms. Goode said. "We're pleased to have their endorsement. They are going to see
the pragmatic impact of these kinds of funds."
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As proposed, the package would include: $400 million for Ohio Public Works Commission
initiatives; $250 million for advanced and renewable energy projects; $200 million to the
biomedical industry; $200 million for Ohio Main Street redevelopment initiatives; $150 million for
infrastructure; and $100 million toward investments in "bioproducts" that use renewable
sources. The state would retire $1.5 billion of the debt with general revenues and $200 million
with liquor profits.
As yet, no resolution regarding the bond package has been introduced in the General
Assembly, where leadership Republicans have yet to declare an endorsement of their own.
Gov. Strickland has promised to initiate a petition process if the legislature doesn't act on a
November ballot placement. Attached is a copy of the CCAO press release on the bond issue
endorsement.
PUBLIC OUTREACH SCHEDULED
As part of the Strickland/Fisher Administration's outreach on the Building Ohio Jobs proposal, a
series of regional meetings to allow those interested to attend, discuss, and ask questions of
Cabinet directors about Building Ohio Jobs has been scheduled. Below are the
dates/times/locations of the meetings scheduled to date.
The dates, times and locations are as follows:
Director Sabety, March 24th
Cincinnati - 9:00
TechSolve
6705 Steger Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45237
Director Sabety, March 24th
Dayton – 3:00
Sinclair Community College
Pointz Center –Bldg 12
Frederick C Smith Auditorium, Room 150
444 W Third St
Dayton, Oh 45402
Director Boggs, March 26th
Chillicothe – 10:00 am
Ohio University at Chillicothe
101 University Dr.
Auditorium
Director Boggs, March 26th
Portsmouth – 2:30 pm
Shawnee State University
Clark Memorial Library
Flohr Lecture Hall
940 Second St., Portsmouth
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Director Logan, March 27
Cambridge – 10:00 am
Willett-Pratt Training Center
9900 Brick Church Rd, Cambridge
Director Logan, March 27
Steubenville – 2:30
Jefferson Community College
Main Lecture Hall
4400 Sunset Blvd
Steubenville, OH 43952
Mark Shanahan, March 28th
Monroe – 9:00am
Monroe City Hall
233 South Main Street, Monroe, Ohio 45050
Mark Shanahan, March 28th
Springfield – 3:00pm
Wittenberg University
Bayley Auditorium, Kuss Science Center
Corner of Plum & Bill Edwards Dr
Springfield, Oh 45501
Director Sabety, April 4th
Cleveland – 9:30
CSU Levin College of Urban Affairs Atrium
1717 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland 44115
(use Playhouse Square or CSU parking)
Director Sabety, April 4th
Lorain – 3:00
The Spitzer Conference Center, Room 118,
1005 Abbey Road North, Elyria 44035
Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, April 3
Toledo - 3:30
University of Toledo – Health Science Campus
Dana Conference Center
Williams-Defiance Room
3110 Glendale Avenue
Toledo, OH 43614
We anticipate the Administration scheduling a few more meetings and will make that information
available to you as it becomes available. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
SENATE SAYS “NO DICE” TO KENO
Part of the Governor’s proposed budget fix was put into peril this week when a Controlling
Board request for Keno equipment was tabled and Senator Ron Amstutz announced his
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intention to introduce a measure prohibiting the Ohio Lottery from operating Keno or similar
electronic games.
On Tuesday, Governor Strickland asked the Ohio Lottery Commission to temporarily withdraw
requests it placed on Monday’s agenda of the Controlling Board. The request would have
asked legislators to waive competitive selection to spend nearly $18 million on equipment and
operation of the proposed keno game. The Administration moved to withdraw the request as
Senate President Bill Harris had expressed concern that the lottery commission was looking to
purchase equipment without first clearing the proposed gaming expansion through the Joint
Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). Said Harris, “It’s not an issue of whether we
support keno or don’t support keno. It’s a case that we need to do things the way they’re
supposed to be done. And they’ve not done that.”
However, more than just a concern for process was expressed by Senator Ron Amstutz, who
announced that he would introduce a bill that effectively would prohibit the Ohio lottery from
operating the proposed Keno game. Commented Amstutz at a press conference, “Moving in
the direction of casino gambling, it’s almost like here we go again. Three times the voters have
spoken. So I think we need to listen to what they’re saying.”
The Senator’s proposal to ban such games raised the question of whether the Governor would
move to veto such legislation. Responded Strickland, “We are in a situation where the national
economy is in a very difficult set of circumstances. That is affecting Ohio certainly. And Ohio’s
economy is in a challenging position right now. In the meantime, we’ve got children to educate;
we’ve got health care to provide. We’ve got an infrastructure to maintain and obligations to
carry out. When you have limited resources and you have expanding needs, it requires you to
make decisions.
NEW BILLS:
SB 309 RIGHTS OF ACTION (Seitz) To require that statutes enacted that create a private right of
action contain express language providing for that right. En. 1.472
HB 512 VEHICULAR HOMICIDE (Sayre) To provide that the penalty enhancement for aggravated
vehicular homicide, vehicular homicide, and vehicular manslaughter for driving under a license
suspension and the requirement for a mandatory prison term in certain cases of aggravated
vehicular homicide and vehicular homicide for driving under suspension also apply to driving
under cancellation and driving without a license. Am. 2903.06
HB 511 PARK VIOLATIONS (DeGeeter) To provide increased penalties for violations of a bylaw or rule
adopted by a board of park commissioners of a park district in a county and to permit a board of
park commissioners to adopt penalties for any such violation provided the penalties do not
exceed in severity the penalty designated by state law for a similar violation under state law. Am.
& En. 1545.09 and 1545.99
COMMITTEE SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
House Healthcare Access & Affordability, (Chr. Raussen, 466-8120), location to be
determined, 10:00 am
HB 456 HEALTH CARE (Raussen) To establish Ohio CARE and to amend section 5112.08 of the
Revised Code to limit or deny funds under the Hospital Care Assurance Program to a hospital
that fails to contract with Medicaid managed care organizations and to provide that these
provisions of this act terminate on October 16, 2009, when section 5112.08 of the Revised Code
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is repealed on that date.--5th Hearing-Health Information Technology’s Role in Health Care
Reform
MONDAY, MARCH 31
Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, (Chr. Niehaus, 466-4086), Rm. 121, 1:30
pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 1
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 1:30
pm
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 15
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 1:30
pm
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
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TUESDAY, APRIL 22
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 1:30
pm
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 29
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 11:00
am
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
House Session, (Chr. Husted, 466-3357), House Chamber, Webcast, Calendar, 1:30
pm
Senate Session, (Chr. Harris, 466-4900), Senate Chamber, Webcast, 1:30 pm
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PRESS RELEASE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION OF OHIO
ENDORSES BUILDING OHIO JOBS
The County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) has announced its support for
Governor Ted Strickland’s “Building Ohio Jobs” initiative. Strickland’s plan to create over
80,000 jobs was proposed during the Governor’s State-of-the State Address last month. It
would be submitted to the voters at the November general election, and, if approved, would
provide for the issuance of $1.7 billion in bonds by the state for various economic development
and infrastructure investments.
The issue was supported unanimously by nearly thirty elected county commissioners from
across Ohio that serve on the Association’s governing board. The County Commissioners
Association of Ohio, which represents Ohio’s county commissioners and the Summit County
Executive and Council, also urges the Governor and the General Assembly to continue to work
for a bipartisan approach in improving Ohio’s economy and strengthening the state’s vital
infrastructure assets.
According to Association President Daniel Troy, a Lake County Commissioner, “We are proud
to support the Governor’s bold initiative to improve Ohio’s economy and help create quality
jobs in our state. The proposal not only focuses investment in new opportunities for Ohio’s
economic future, but also provides over $1 Billion in partnership with local governments to
address Ohio’s infrastructure needs. Passage of this measure will help local officials throughout
our state in the task of upgrading our roads, bridges, water and sewer systems; cleaning up
and redeveloping contaminated Brownfield sites; and enhancing our environment through
expansion of the popular Clean Ohio program. A new initiative to improve Ohio’s struggling
town centers, the Main Street Program, offers an exciting opportunity to restore the hearts of
our communities .”
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Kerry Metzger, the Association’s 1st Vice President and a county commissioner from
Tuscarawas County added that “the benefits to counties were significant enough for the CCAO
Board of Trustees to support this initiative and its placement on the November ballot with a
unanimous, bipartisan vote!”
Commissioner Metzger also noted that “the Governor’s vision to invest in the rapidly developing
advanced energy, biomedical, and bio-product industries will generate benefits for counties, and
create good paying jobs for this and future generations of Ohioans.”
Commissioners Troy and Metzger, both former members of the Ohio House of Representatives,
realize that cooperation between the Governor and the General Assembly is essential in
moving Ohio forward. “During the state budget process, the Administration and the General
Assembly worked together in forging an unprecedented agreement on priorities for the next two
years. Part of this historic cooperation was the restoration of the partnership between the state
and its local governments. This was accomplished through the development of a progressive
formula to insure stability for local governments and libraries from the Local Government Funds
-- Ohio’s revenue sharing program. We sincerely endorse that same spirit of progressive
leadership in reaching common ground on the Building Ohio Jobs Initiative,” Commissioner Troy
concluded.
Founded in 1880, the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) promotes the best
practices and policies in the administration of county government for the benefits of Ohio
residents. CCAO provides legislative representation, technical assistance, and educational
opportunities for county commissioners and their staff.
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