RELEASE: $104 Million Expansion Circumvents Process

Release:

Columbus – State Representative Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) today spoke out against 21 State Controlling Board requests that increase state spending by more than $100 million and contradict the legislative authority of the General Assembly.

“Unfortunately, members of the current administration cannot live within their means and have ignored the most important piece of legislation that the 128th General Assembly has passed—the state budget,” Hottinger said. “This continued trend of state agencies attempting to circumvent the legislative process by asking the Controlling Board for additional funding increases is unacceptable.”
Specifically, Hottinger questioned 21 appropriation requests by 14 state agencies, which would increase state expenditures by more than $104 million over the next biennium.

“The $104 million price tag associated with these requests could have avoided devastating cuts to our public libraries and saved educational programs for economically disadvantaged children,” Hottinger said. “The budget boondoggle of 2009 is still fresh, and cuts to public programs and their devastating effect on the people of Ohio still populate news headlines. When will we examine the fundamental structure of state government and how we do business?”