Four Ohio legislators outlined their plans to pull the state out of its economic crisis by cutting costs at the Associated Press Legislative Review session on Thursday.
Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) plans to tackle “rampant predatory lending,” which he said was a large contributor to Ohio’s fiscal problems.
Auditor Mary Taylor (R), the only Republican in a statewide office, said that she plans to continue using performance audits to make local governments and organizations more efficient. She said that her office’s audit of the Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Office saved them $1 million by advising where to cut costs. “They were overstaffed and overpaid,” she said. Performance audits help organizations “make the tough decisions with the facts.”
Taylor also wants to pass a law that would require all government organizations to have a fraud reporting system in which employees can report fraud anonymously to a hotline. She said that her office has already recovered $11 million in fraudulent taxes, which led to many fraud convictions.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner (D) plans to cut costs in the voting process by gradually turning Ohio into a paper ballot-only voting state. She said voting machines are not reliable. They have seven-year lifespans and counties are responsible for buying replacements when they break.
Treasurer Kevin Boyce (D) was appointed last month by Gov. Ted Strickland. He said he wasnts to continue to use the Bid Ohio plan to build and strengthen the economy. The plan allows banks in small towns to use money from the State Treasury for loans. He also wants to protect homeowners from foreclosure with the Link Department program, which helps banks make better investments. He said that the program has created and retained more than 14,000 jobs.
The three Democrats said they supported using federal bailout money. “It will stimulate the economy, and we won’t have to cut programs,” Cordray said.
Taylor disagreed: “This would continue to delay the necessary tough decisions. If we are looking to improve, the government needs to live within its means.”
Neither Brunner nor Taylor said whether they have decided to campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Stephanie Webber can be reached at [email protected].
