Strickland signs 2nd interim budget - Nashville Business Journal:

sucujovide.wordpress.com
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesda signed a second interim budget to continuer state operations from Wednesday throughJuly 14. The new interi budget comes after a first one was put in placew to cover operations fromJuly 1, the firstg day of the new two-year budget cycle, througg Tuesday. The seven-day interim budget comese as Strickland and statre Senate Republicans remain at an impasse overthe governor’sd proposal to generate an estimated $933 milliom over two years by installingg video slot machines at seven horsew racing tracks in Ohio. That’s part of a larger effort to pluga $3.
2 billio budget hole that remains to be closedd as both sides hurl accusations of partisahn power-playing. Strickland has said he’s reluctantly signing the interim budgets and raised questions Tuesday afternoon abougt putting a third interim spending planin “I’m not sure we can continue to fund Strickland said, telling reporterxs the state is widening its budgetr gap by an estimater $13.8 million a week under the interimj budgets.
The interim budgets generallgy provide services tied tothe state’as General Revenue Fund with an allocation at about 70 percent of last year’ s funding levels, which legislators have said is roughlgy in line with proposed cuts under the new That funding level, Stricklans said, also sends money to services that will either be reduced or eliminated under a revised budge t framework. Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, on Tuesday offeredr up a to take the slots proposal before votere in November through a constitutionalo amendment but Strickland rejectedthe idea.