Clashes between Taft, lawmakers typify turbulent year in state capital

December 28, 2003
By Jim Provance
Toledo Blade

(edited for space- click here to read the entire story in the Toledo Blade)

COLUMBUS - Gov. Bob Taft and the General Assembly spent much of Ohio’s bicentennial year fighting over guns and what became the largest tax increase in state history.

But then they stood together to trumpet passage of a unique prescription-drug discount program that could benefit as many as 1.7 million senior citizens and the uninsured.

The bulk of the attention went to the fighting, a fact not lost on Democrats.

"We’re going to sit back and let [Republicans] bloody each other, and then we’ll send a fruit basket to Ken Blackwell," said House Democratic leader Chris Redfern (D., Catawba Island).

Despite the fighting, Sen. Randy Gardner (R., Bowling Green), the second-highest-ranking member of the chamber, said 2003 was a year of bipartisanship, at least in terms of final votes.

"If Republicans want to take credit for maintaining funding for Passport [home health care for the elderly], Democrats can say, ‘Not without us you didn’t,’" he said. "If Democrats want to say, ‘The Republican majority raised taxes in Ohio,’ Republicans can say, ‘Not without you we didn’t.’"

The year began with the governor and lawmakers arguing over what taxes to raise and by how much in the face of fading tax collections.

The year ends with the filing of a voter initiative driven by Republican Secretary of State Blackwell to force the General Assembly to roll back that penny-on-the-dollar "temporary" hike in the sales tax. The resulting debate is likely to dominate the General Assembly in 2004, a legislative election year.

The $48.8 billion, two-year budget enacted July 1 contained $3 billion in higher taxes. That included $2.5 billion anticipated from bumping the sales tax from a nickel on the dollar to 6 cents, as well as new taxes on such items as 1-800 numbers, satellite TV, dry cleaning, and taxi rides.

Meanwhile, the state tax on gasoline was raised from 22 cents, where it had been for a decade, to 24 cents. It will climb to 26 cents next July and to 28 cents a year later to fuel maintenance and construction of roads and bridges.

The higher taxes seemed to come back to haunt the governor as his poll approval numbers plummeted and voters rejected his ballot initiative to borrow $500 million to invest in high-tech and biomedical industries.

"That’s not going to deter me for one moment from focusing on our jobs and economic development agenda," said Mr. Taft during a recent interview. That’s the challenge that underlies everything else in our state."

GOP infighting

As 2003 draws to a close, lawmakers are threatening to override Mr. Taft’s veto of a bill restricting his ability to unilaterally close mental retardation facilities as well as his anticipated veto of a bill allowing Ohioans to carry concealed firearms.

Mr. Taft said he continues to hold out hope a compromise may yet be reached that would allow him to sign the concealed carry bill as well as a separate measure that would meet his demand that the names of those who receive permits would be public.

"It’s a rocky relationship at times," said Herb Asher, professor of political science at Ohio State University. "There’s always some underlying tension between the executive and legislative branches, but it’s surprising when it materializes while the same party controls both branches."