On Friday, Eye on the Statehouse announces a “Fiscal Pistol.” It’s our way of recognizing an individual who, during the course of the week, demonstrated prudence in spending the people’s money.

This week’s Pistol is House Finance Committee Chairman Matt Dolan (R-Novelty) for urging spending cuts in order to close the budget’s $167 million revenue gap. Conversely, Governor Ted Strickland is advocating closing certain “tax loopholes.” Many believe the governor’s solution is simply a tax increase on businesses that will be undoubtedly passed on to consumers.

Eye on the Statehouse applauds Chairman Dolan’s stance, but also realizes the challenges accompanying this fiscally conservative approach. Therefore, we have a suggestion (well, ten in particular) for where to start cutting the fat.

In 2005, the Buckeye Institute released its “Ohio Piglet Book” highlighting the porkers in the 2006-07 state budget bill, including the most egregious wastes of taxpayers’ money – the Top 10 Little Piggies. In some form, these Piggies remain in the current budget.

1. The Department of Development will still maintain unnecessary office space in Singapore, Johannesburg, and several other countries. Ohioans’ tax dollars will again be used to pay foreign staffers and $35,000 worth of “gifts” to foreign officials. Receiving an additional $900,000 this year, the International Trade Offices will get $9.3 million over the biennium, up 11 percent from the last budget.

2. Still here from 2005: a whopping $24,455,000 allocated for the Department of Development’s Investment in Training Program.

3. $7,067,358 goes to the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. Regulating haircuts is the height of big government. (Boards, Boards, and more Boards).

4. $1,700,000 is used to bail out Ohio wine makers (”Ohio Grape Industries“).

5. $600,000 funds the seemingly misplaced “Sea Grants” budget item, yet again. This funds research on Lake Erie (sea?) by Ohio State.

6. The 2005 Piglet Book pointed out $250,000 funding the rock and roll museum from the Cultural Facilities Commission budget. It seems like those folks missed out this time, but plenty of others filled their place. For instance, Ohioans get to pay $1,650,000 to subsidize the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton.

7. $230,030 will continue to fund the Canadian Studies Center at Bowling Green State University. Bob and Doug McKenzie must be proud.

8. $100,000 will subsidize the Octagon House in Circleville, while another $100,000 will prop up an outdoor stage in Vinton County.

9. In the previous budget, the Roseville (pop. 1,933) Historical Society got $25,000. Taking its place is the Apple Creek Historical Society (pop. 983), getting $50,000.

10. The Ohio Arts Council will get to dole out $25,319,054 over the next two years on a variety of projects. While the future grants haven’t been awarded yet, in 2007 the OAC gave two grants, $89,676 and $85,017, to the Cincinnati Ballet and Ballet Met, respectively. Unbelievably, Governor Strickland’s budget already directly appropriates ballet to the tune of $450,000 a year.

Friday, May 25, 2007
Fiscal Pistol

This week’s pistol is Senator John Carey (R-Wellston), Chairman of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee and a member of the State Controlling Board. In the latter capacity, Senator Carey took aim at a startling lack of oversight when it comes to taxpayer dollars spent to treat state prisoners.

Though the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) is billed for more than $180 million in medical expenses, itemized bills are not even reviewed. Why? Because the agency thought it was too difficult to sort through the paperwork.

ODRC Chief Legal Counsel Greg Trout told legislators his agency was getting too much paper from hospitals and couldn’t figure out how to get the billing information electronically. The lack of oversight has most likely resulted in millions of tax dollars wasted.

An analysis by the Columbus Dispatch found, “Ohio taxpayers are paying premium rates for prisoners’ health care, sometimes more than double the actual cost of medical procedures as determined by the federal government. The system will spend more than $180 million this year on health care and pharmaceuticals, a 30 percent jump in just two years.”

Armed with this information, Senator Carey demanded the agency provide the Controlling Board with updated information regarding the billing process for medical records. “The fact they’re not receiving itemized bills is a concern,” Senator Carey said.

We hope Senator Carey continues to pursue this issue with dogged determination and forces the ODRC to stop wasting tax dollars. He is this week’s Fiscal Pistol.

Friday, May 18, 2007
Fiscal Pistol

This week’s pistol is State Auditor Mary Taylor.

Following up on an audit of the Ohio Medicaid Program, Auditor Taylor recommended that the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee implement several reforms to improve the program’s efficiency.

In addition to encouraging increased monitoring and disclosure of important Medicaid components, the auditor recommended that Ohio enroll in the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS). PARIS is a free program that allows states to coordinate “information-sharing projects proven useful in verifying public assistance client circumstances.” In other words, it allows states to find those people who are cheating the system.

For advancing measures that improve Medicaid’s efficiency and could save taxpayers more than $7.5 million a year, Auditor Taylor is this week’s fiscal pistol.

Friday, May 11, 2007
Fiscal Pistol

This week’s pistol is someone new to the limelight, but nonetheless deserving: Glenda Williamson, former director of the Workforce Development Office of Ohio Department of Development.

Ms. Williamson stood up for Ohio taxpayers when she refused to sign off on the inaccurate time sheets of a politically connected subordinate. She believed the employee worked considerably fewer hours than documented.

The employee, Frankie Coleman, is the wife of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman. She also served on Governor Ted Strickland’s transition team. Ms. Williamson was fired shortly after challenging Mrs. Coleman’s time sheet. Strickland administration officials say the two events are unrelated.

The matter is now being investigated by the Inspector General Thomas P. Charles at the governor’s request.

Eye on the Statehouse thanks Ms. Williamson for having the courage of her convictions and doing the right thing.

Friday, April 27, 2007
Fiscal Pistol

This week’s Fiscal Pistol is House Finance and Appropriations Committee Chairman Matthew Dolan (R-Novelty) for slicing a considerable amount of money from the state’s biennial budget.

Thursday, Rep. Dolan announced that the committee’s updated budget bill would include several cuts to various state agencies and programs, amounting to a bill totaling $52.1 billion - $800 million less than the governor’s original proposal.

The budget still contains too much unnecessary spending. Still, we acknowledge that $800 million saved is a step in the right direction.

This is Rep. Dolan’s second Fiscal Pistol. He received Eye on the Statehouse’s inaugural award on March 2 for the tenacity he showed during a meeting of the State Controlling Board. The new budget chairman is certainly earning a name for himself as a treasury watchdog, but this week’s Porker of the Week will test his tight fisted reputation.

Friday, April 20, 2007
Fiscal Pistol

This week’s Pistol is Representative Steve Dyer (D-Green) for his attempt to bring more transparency to the legislative process.

Rep. Dyer’s H.B. 147 would “require expanded minutes for legislative committee meetings or a transcribed record of committee proceedings in lieu of minutes, and to require sworn testimony of all witnesses testifying before legislative committees.” The detailed testimony from both witnesses and legislators would then be posted on the General Assembly’s Web site.

Eye on the Statehouse supports Rep. Dyer’s effort. As the Cato Institute’s James Payne points out in his groundbreaking government budgeting analysis, government spending keeps increasing because the public has little too little information regarding the spending process. Rep. Dyer’s bill may change this in Ohio.

Fiscal Pistol
Friday, April 13, 2007

This week’s Fiscal Pistol goes to Rep. Mark D. Wagoner (R-Toledo). During a House Finance and Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services meeting, Rep. Wagoner made the suggestion that the Ohio Department of Drug Addiction and Alcohol Services (ODDAAS) should combine with the Ohio Department of Mental Health. Rep. Wagoner argued that this merge makes sense: both departments essentially do the same job, and they were combined in the 1990’s.

However, an ODDAAS representative argued that the agency receives increased visibility and greater leverage in receiving federal funding if it is a separate agency.

Eye on the Statehouse concurs with Representative Wagoner. It is unwise to spend money on two separate agencies, along with the many costs each incurs, if they both fill the same need.

Making a change won’t be easy, but legislators have an example to follow. In 2006, Lucas County successfully merged its drug addiction and alcohol services with its mental health department. In the process the county saved taxpayers over $270,000. Using this same amount of reduction (Lucas saved .5 percent from the $55 million combined budget), Ohio (with a $1.33 billion combined budget) could see savings of over $6.53 million in reduced administrative costs.

Eye on the Statehouse applauds Representative Wagoner for his commitment to eliminating government waste.

Pistol of the Week
Friday, April 6, 2007
This week’s dual pistols are Reps. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Ross McGregor (R-Springfield). They were the lone voices for lower spending during a long and contentious hearing with Governor Ted Strickland’s budget director earlier this week.

The hearing was more of the same spin from the Strickland Administration. Tortured budget numbers combined with the misleading sound bite, “this budget has the lowest percentage of increase in 42 years.” But Reps. Hottinger and McGregor read between the lines and saw a problem. There’s still an increase in spending!

“Spending can’t hide in a budget bill,” Rep. Hottinger said. Rep. McGregor pointed out, “We’re facing a decline in revenue but we’re ramping up expenses.”

They were the only two members of a 31 member committee to ask, “Do we really need to spend all this money?” Many of the other committee members were busy making sure their pet projects were maintained, and in most cases, expanded with additional funding.

Last year, 16,600 Ohioans lost their jobs, while 2.2 million new jobs were created elsewhere across the country. However, state government continues to grow without regard to how more spending adversely impacts the state’s economy and overburdens taxpayers.

Bravo to Reps. Hottinger and McGregor for their advocacy on behalf of the taxpayers. We hope their colleagues will soon follow their example.

Pistol of the Week
Friday, March 23, 2007

This week’s pistol is Rep. Armond Budish (D-Beachwood). At a recent House Finance subcommittee on Agriculture & Development, Rep. Budish questioned the Ohio Respiratory Care Board’s need to have nine board members.

Rep. Budish asked, “How much savings would there be if your board was decreased from nine to five members?” After not receiving a straight answer from the witness, Rep. Budish once again repeated the question.

While state would only save around $8,000 dollars a year from cutting back on the number of Ohio Respiratory Care board members, we thank Rep. Budish for his willingness to investigate and delve deep into the state budget process.

We hope rest of the budget is given the same scrutiny.

Pistol of the Week
March 9, 2007

This week’s pistol is Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Carey.

In response to a Senate inquiry, it was discovered that the Ohio Board of Regents spent over $113,386.83, during a two-year period, at some of central Ohio’s finest restaurants including, Hanke’s Cuisine, Lindey’s Restaurant and the Granville Inn.

Sen. Carey skewered the Regents for its extravagant tax dollar spending on breakfasts, lunches and dinners. He was livid and pointedly stated, “That could be a hundred and thirteen $1,000 scholarships for Ohio students is how I look at it.”

Senator Carey’s discovery prompted Governor Ted Strickland to immediately freeze this type state food spending. The governor promised to “make sure our agencies are spending wisely, cost effectively and keeping expenditures in line with the mission of their agency.”

We will be watching to make sure the governor keeps his promise. Nonetheless, he deserves credit and an honorable mention for his swift action.

Pistol of the Week
Friday, March 2, 2007

This week’s “Fiscal Pistol” is State Rep. Matthew Dolan (R-Novelty). As a new member of the State Controlling Board, Rep. Dolan quickly set the tone of last Tuesday’s meeting by frequently grilling those looking to spend our tax dollars.

Rep. Dolan’s ire was first raised by the University of Akron. The university sought release of $400,000 to buy buildings, destroy them, and then build intramural sports fields on the land. In the lengthiest exchange of the meeting, Rep. Dolan pointed out that every year universities come to the Statehouse seeking money to refurbish their buildings, so why were they now looking for taxpayers’ money to expand?

Later in the meeting, Rep. Dolan placed a “hold” on the Ohio Department of Health’s request for $800,000 to print and distribute rules regarding the new statewide smoking ban. Even though the rules had yet to be set, the agency was extremely eager to get the money.

Rep. Dolan’s tough questioning resulted in the Health Department being kindly asked to return when they actually had rules to distribute. An honorable mention goes to Controlling Board President Joe Secrest who asked the agency official, “How can you print rules that aren’t there?” drawing laughter from those in attendance.

Rep. Dolan is the new chairman of the House Finance Committee. We hope he applies the same fiscal scrutiny as leader of this important committee. Eye on the Statehouse will be watching.

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