By Marc Kovac
Record-Courier Capital Bureau
COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland was disappointed with Senate Republicans’ proposal to fill an $850 million hole in the state budget and urged lawmakers to work through the weekend to finish the job.
“At this point, the only thing standing in the way of stability and certainty for Ohio’s schools is the leadership of the Ohio Senate,” Strickland spokeswoman Amanda Wurst said Thursday.
The comments came on the day after Senate Republicans’ plan for dealing with the budget hole fell well short of the support needed to pass it from the floor.
Senate President Bill Harris said he needed Democrats’ votes for passage — something the minority caucus was not willing to give. Instead of a final vote, lawmakers left the Statehouse for the weekend and Thanksgiving holiday, with the next session not scheduled until early next month.
Harris presented the plan to the governor late Wednesday, hoping Strickland would support a partial income tax cut plus numerous other provisions aimed at reducing state spending in coming years.
Strickland does not support the plan.
“He does not believe this is a responsible way to address such a serious issue facing Ohio schools,” Wurst said.
, adding, This is not a reasonable proposal, because it increases rather than decreases state spending. It spends money that the state doesn’t have and may never have.”