Ohio Must Act Responsibly

With the poor economic conditions we are facing, there is a lot of talk about wanting to ensure the next generation has the same opportunities that we have had. In fact, I believe we all want to leave our children with an even better future. It’s human nature to want them to have more than we did.
Some of the life lessons we teach our kids as they grow older are that you have to work to be successful, you have to save up your money and you have to be responsible in the ways that you spend it. I’m working on this right now with my own kids; my seven year old thinks he’s saving to buy himself a cell phone! The question is: why can’t our government follow that advice?

With a budget that is $8 billion in the hole, we must do everything we can to reinvent the way our state government does business. That’s why I’m supporting legislation that will get us back on the right track, including a bill that will ensure our state spends its money as efficiently as possible.

House Bill 2 reduces wasteful government spending as well as ensures our state agencies are delivering services through the most efficient structure. It requires Ohio’s state auditor to conduct a performance audit of select state agencies every two years, which will make our government more productive and responsive. As the state’s fiscal watchdog, Ohio Auditor Dave Yost is in support of this legislation and is eager to see it move forward.

We must make sure that our government operates as cost-effectively as possible and is not bogged down by layers of waste or inefficiency. House Bill 2 will offer both short-term and long-term solutions, which will save tax dollars for our families and businesses down the road.

Another way Ohioans can keep more of their hard-earned money is to ensure that they are not taxed simply because they chose to die within our borders—an egregious policy known as the estate tax. House Bill 3 aims to abolish this “death tax” because when Ohioans are taxed for working, investing and spending in this state, I see no reason why we ought to tax them for dying here, too.

Most states do not have a “death” tax, which means Ohio is put at a disadvantage and causes people to flock to other states as a means of saving their money. The tax is a hit to the middle class—farmers and small business owners like those of the 70th House District—who must face this penalty if their assets obtain a value of just $338,333 (the lowest exemption of any state).

I believe people should keep their own money. I believe children should not be punished for what they inherit from their hard-working parents. And I believe that we need to find ways of ensuring Ohioans stay here to do business and raise their families, rather than contribute to the economies of other states.

The passage of House Bill 3 is an important part of strengthening Ohio. I expect to be working hard on this and other legislation that arise in the Ohio House of Representatives. As your voice in Columbus, I will certainly keep you informed and ensure that our state is not only taking initiative on the economy, but is doing so in the most responsible way.

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY WOULD BRING GREAT BENEFITS TO OHIO

As we enter the final months of the 128th General Assembly, I hope that the Ohio House will take action to make state government work in the best interest of Ohio’s citizens. With 10.5 percent of Ohioans unemployed, it is clear that current laws and tax rates restrict the growth of small businesses and propel them to relocate to other states, taking thousands of jobs with them. This trend has become a status quo in Ohio, with many lawmakers still wondering why we can’t hold on to jobs and economic opportunity. However, if we don’t significantly change the way Ohio does business, can we really be surprised when we continue to hemorrhage jobs?




When my colleagues and I reconvene in the fall, I will continue to urge the passage of legislation that makes government more efficient and decreases the cost to taxpayers. My fellow Republican representatives and I have introduced numerous cost-saving proposals to address the issue of out-of-control spending and government bloat.



House Bill 25, for example, would consolidate state agencies and fix the business climate through a leaner, more responsive government. Currently, Ohio has 24 cabinet level departments and more than 300 boards and commissions, many of which operate inefficiently and needlessly drain state funding. HB 25 would reorganize the cabinet level departments into 11 core missions, eliminating excess payroll, overlapping services and bureaucratic red tape. It is projected that the consolidation would save Ohio taxpayers $1 billion annually.



With Ohio facing a projected $8 billion budget deficit, cost-saving initiatives such as HB 25 would minimize the tax burden on Ohio’s citizens and ensure that vital areas of the budget are funded. Being among the highest taxed people in the nation, Ohioans have less discretionary income to put into local businesses, which directly affects the state’s ability to create jobs. The current biennial budget needlessly increases spending and the need to tax Ohioans at a time when accountable spending and job creation should be the priority.



When my colleagues and I reconvene in November, I would also like to see the consideration of HB 302, legislation I introduced in October 2009. HB 302 is another cost-saving measure that can help put Ohio on the road to economic recovery. When enacted, HB 302 will prohibit using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 2009 funds on signs that indicate a project was funded with ARRA dollars. These signs, which you may have seen on local construction projects, cost $1,300 apiece. For these signs, Ohio has forfeited $1 million in stimulus funding that could have been directed toward job creation.



Both of these proposals are examples of the action we can take to reduce wasteful spending and get Ohioans back to work. As your neighbor and a father, I think there is nothing more important than getting Ohio’s economy back on track so there will be more employment opportunities for our citizens and children. If we continue to run our finances into the ground, our economy will continue to falter. My fellow state legislators and I should use the sessions in the fall to protect our economic future.