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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > January > 14 > Entry
Will the rookies fix the state budget crisis?
While local officials make cuts to the sheriff’s office budget, Job and Family Services and nearly all other functions of government, they look to Columbus with wanting eyes for any help they can get.
What they see may not be very encouraging, points out the Cleveland Plain Dealer in this very well written piece:
COLUMBUS —It’s a monumental task that would flummox even the most experienced group of lawmakers: balancing a multibillion dollar budget during the worst economic climate in decades.
But the 99 state representatives who took office this month aren’t all tested veterans. They are one of the greenest classes ever, with nearly a third of them brand new. The Ohio House, under Democratic control for the first time in 14 years, is less experienced both in leadership and membership than at just about any point in Ohio history. It’s not just because the balance of power has swung. Voter-approved term limits continue to exact their toll on experienced state lawmakers who must leave after eight years.
Thirty-two House members have never been lawmakers before, and the newly empowered Democrats have only a handful of graybeards who have ever been in the majority party, which does the heavy lifting of running legislative committees that move key legislation like the state’s operating budget.
And into the House Speaker’s chair slides Rep. Armond Budish, a Beachwood Democrat who, with only one term under his belt, is the least experienced Speaker in modern Ohio history.
Picked to lead the lower chamber largely on the strength of his prolific fund-raising ability, Budish and the five other members of his leadership team have a total of 16 years of experience. Guided by this group, House Democrats will get the first crack at the state budget when Gov. Ted Strickland unveils his proposal in the coming weeks.
Check out the full story on their site. There’s much more to it. Then come back here and tell me what you think?
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