Mary Taylor on State of the State

Release:

Columbus, Ohio- Almost 28 years ago, President Ronald Reagan faced a lagging economy, similar to the challenges we are experiencing today. As he delivered his first Inaugural address, Reagan expressed what so many Republicans still believe when he said: "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."

Governor Strickland is pinning his hopes on balancing this state budget with one-time federal bailout money to avoid making the tough decisions necessary to get Ohio back on the right track. This is not the leadership Ohioans deserve. Governing is about making tough decisions.

We need strong leadership with a long-term vision to make Ohio a better place to live, work and raise our families. We have already seen one budget from this Governor that avoided these tough decisions and, in fact, resulted in a structural deficit of $1 billion. This was six months before the current recession began.
Governor Strickland owns this crisis and we must demand that he live within the means the taxpayers of Ohio are willing to pay. He must provide real tax relief for you and Ohio's businesses so that when our children graduate from high school and college, they can find good paying jobs and raise their families right here in Ohio.
You have made tough decisions around your kitchen tables, choosing between what you need and what you want - now it's time for Ohio to make those same tough decisions.
We need a state government that is accountable to its citizens, efficient and effective. We can no longer afford to pay for programs that don't work.

Ohio needs spending discipline, tax relief and tough-minded principled leadership.
Please join me and demand that Governor Strickland stick to his campaign promise to "turn around Ohio."