Gov. Ted Strickland Monday unveiled his executive plan for Ohio’s yawning budget deficit: hope for a good Christmas shopping season or a federal bailout. The audacity of his hope is a poor substitute for coherence.Mr. Strickland’s comments came during an emergency press conference Monday. He wants, among other things, a $100 billion package of federal “block grants” to the states. “Block grants” are what bureaucrats call great wads of cash given away with no strings attached.
Ohio is required to balance its budget by law, although Washington is famously free of such unfashionable fetters. So, Mr. Strickland wants the federal government to run his deficit for him. Or, failing that, if Santa will bring him a robust Christmas shopping season, there might be enough sales tax revenue to see us through.
The governor joined the lengthening line of failed executives demanding cash so they continue doing more of what they have been doing. It is interesting that Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is not among them – he’s insisting that his state government actually balance the budget by doing things like slowing the runaway monster of Medicare spending.
A true leader sees opportunity in trouble. In ordinary times, it’s impossible to create big change in government. In these unordinary times, the Governor has a chance to truly change state government from top to bottom.
More than two-thirds of the 50 states spend less in state and local money than we do. Ohio ranks 15th among the 50 states in state and local spending – more than $8,500 for every man, woman and child in Ohio, according to the Tax Foundation. More than $21,000 per household.
Like the domestic auto industry, Ohio needs to junk its 20th-century business model and re-egineer. It remains to be seen whether the aging men at the helms of any of these enterprises has the vision, courage and energy to do it.
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