Ted Strickland and Richard Cordray wouldn't try to enrich their friends with millions of dollars in the largest transaction in state history, would they? that is the question that lurks behind this article in the News-Herald:We don't suspect Strickland or Cordray of engaging in chicanery. Both have been conscientious public servants who do what's in the best interest of taxpayers.When the liberal Ohio media starts asking these kinds of questions, one has to ask just how much money are we talking about?
Yet, the new state budget created the Buckeye Tobacco Settlement Financing Authority, consisting of Strickland, Cordray and state Budget Director J. Pari Sabety - all Democrats.
It's vitally important that this group remain vigilant and remain apolitical.
An investment of this type was just the reason Ohio voters threw Republicans out last fall.
Single-party power hijacked Republicans with allegations of pay to play, including convicted Coingate dealer Tom Noe.
Ohio doesn't need another crisis.
Strickland and Cordray can eliminate public misperceptions of insider games with the vow that their new agency will be transparent, with participants available for public scrutiny.
They must ensure political contributors aren't enriched by an estimated $25 million deal for underwriting firms and others.And of course, the paper stresses the importance that the committee be apolitical. Of course the committee will be apolitical, there aren't any Republicans on it.....
Oversight will be a vital part of this plan to raise $5 billion for school construction and enhanced homestead exemptions.
These funds would pay for a 20-year property tax cut to homeowners 65 and older or who have a disability.
These cuts also would be funded by future annual payments from a 1998 tobacco settlement and $1.6 billion over 20 years in excess taxes paid by electricity and natural gas companies, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Watch this one like a hawk, folks...
UPDATE: Matt over at RightAngleBlog has some thoughts...
