The Ohio Department of Transportation is pitching the idea of leasing the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike to generate billions of dollars for infrastructure and other statewide priorities, according to information obtained by the Dayton Daily News.Hopefully they explained where the tolls go. Also, Kasich might privatize lottery:
On Thursday, Gov. John Kasich declined to answer questions about specifics in his upcoming budget, but in the past he has expressed interest in leasing the turnpike to generate money. The turnpike runs across northern Ohio from Pennsylvania to Indiana.Kasich spokesman Scott Milburn declined to confirm or deny the proposal. Kasich plans to unveil his two-year operating budget on Tuesday.
The Plain Dealer in Cleveland reports a plan to privatize the lottery management was submitted this week to the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission.Why don't you look at selling the state capital like the loons in Arizona did.
Kasich has said he's considering some privatization of government services in the face of an $8 billion deficit.
Kasich also was touting Bob Evans decision to move the headquarters to New Albany. He said they considered moving to Texas, and pointed out," the state of Texas has no income tax, from what I understand they don't have much regulation..."
Please governor, move.
However, the city of Columbus says that they offered Bob Evans more money than New Albany, and that Bob Evans had no intention of leaving the state.
"We felt like they misled us, the state and New Albany," said Dan Williamson, a spokesman for Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman. Columbus is expected to lose $600,000 annually in tax revenue because of the deal.Kasich took the opportunity to again tell people how terrible Ohio is:
Columbus offered Bob Evans several options - sweetened by millions in incentives - to remain in the city. The company chose a different path.
"Everything they asked for, we delivered. We feel like they used us as leverage to gain a better deal from New Albany."
The news conference was attended by Gov. John Kasich, who said the state's ability to entice employers to remain in Ohio will combat another serious problem - population loss.The state would be a lot better off if he just shut his damn mouth. This isn't Fox News, governor, quit running your mouth and throwing out stupid right-wing talking points.
Holding a packet of newspaper clippings detailing huge populations losses in most of Ohio's major cities, Kasich said people left the state in the past 10 years because their jobs were going to other states.
"Do you see what's happening in this state?" Kasich said. "People are heading for the exits.
"We've got to convince people to stay in Ohio. If we can make it worth their while to stay with jobs and low costs and pay so much in taxes and all that, we'll be OK. But it doesn't happen in a day."
Wait a minute - wasn't your political platform based on the need to keep recent grads from leaving Ohio when they got jobs? How is that different from what Kasich is saying?
ReplyDeleteHis solution to the problem is cutting taxes and adding $800 million to an already $8 billion budget hole. His tax cut will make substantial cuts in education spending worse. This would be the 5th in income taxes, which is a combined 20% from 2005.
ReplyDeleteMy position is that the income tax cut was a bad idea in 2005, and it is even worse now. We want to get some of the same results, we just differ greatly in the way to go about it.
Did you move to Illinois because of its low tax rates? Are you going to move because they raise their income tax? If I remember correctly, you were also considering living in Taxachusetts. I will guess that income tax rates didn't determine whether you would live in Ohio or not.
I think the governor's insistance on cutting taxes will make the state less attractive to people who are looking to relocate.
Ohio's problems have more to do with economic trends and demographics than they have to do with tax rates and regulation. Governor Kasich and Governor Walker in Wisconsin are operating out of the same playbook, I just want to know who wrote the playbook.
Ok. That makes sense. You're not disagreeing with his goal, just how he hopes to attain it. And you're right, low taxes aren't what would tempt me back to Ohio.
ReplyDelete