On Wednesday, we here at 3BP asked the important question of ‘what did they know, and when did they know it’ in reference to Ohio Gov. Strickland, Ohio House Democrats and Ohio’s $1 billion tax revenue shortfall.
In short, because of the shortfall, the Ohio budget must be cut another $1 billion in order to ensure the budget is balanced as required by law. We surmised that the Strickland Administration must have known about the shortfall and held off on releasing the information until the Dem-led House passed their version of the budget so that the GOP-led Senate would be responsible for making the necessary cuts.
Turns out we were right. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Gov. Ted Strickland’s staff first warned him that April’s tax revenues were going to be a “significant problem” one day before House Democrats passed their $56 billion budget…
[…]
“We met with the governor on April 28 with our initial impressions of the tax filing season,” [Strickland Budget Chief] Sabety told the lawmakers. “At that point, the governor was aware there was a significant problem…”
[…]
In an interview this week, House Speaker Armond Budish, a Beachwood Democrat, said Strickland never informed him of problems with April revenues before the House passed its budget.
Never informed you?
Strickland knew the budget soon to be passed by the Ohio House was going to fall one BILLION dollars short of what was necessary, and he forgot to tell you?
Please tell me this is some sick joke, because if this is governing then it’s no wonder Ohio is in dire economic situation it’s in.
