State Representative Danny Bubp (R-West Union) says "double digit" cuts are coming to the budget for Ohio.
Bubp said he could not be more specific at this time, but added that the state of Ohio was looking at a budget deficit of eight to ten Billion dollars, approaching twenty percent of the total budget, and that cuts were unavoidable.
Bubp said "the people spoke loud and clear on Nov. 2 that they want change in Ohio" and that current spending levels are "putting the future of all Ohioans in jeopardy and we cannot do that."
Bubp acknowledges that the spending cuts being proposed will affect nearly every person in the state and likens the coming cuts to taking medicine.
"The medicine might not taste good, but it's necessary to nurse the patient, in this case the state budget, back to health."
He said that the Republicans, who control the State House and Senate chambers and the Governors Office, would be working to create jobs and "put out a welcome sign for businesses" in Ohio.
Bubp said he was already working on a couple of bills in the first full week of the 2011 Legislative Session.
Rep. Bubp also has some bills he is working on, as well as some committee assignments under the new Speaker of the Ohio House Bill Batchelder:
Bubp was appointed last week by Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) to serve as chairman of the House Judiciary and Ethics Committee during the 129th General Assembly. In addition, he will serve on the Veteran's Affairs and Criminal Justice committees.Bubp said he was already working on a couple of bills in the first full week of the 2011 Legislative Session.
"We're working on crystallizing and improving our concealed carry law to protect the second amendment rights of our citizens", Bubp said.
He also said he was working with Rep. Dr. Terry Johnson of the Portsmouth area on legislation to fight painkiller "pill mills" in Ohio.
"These pill mills are responsible for far too many drug deaths in our state", Bubp said.
"We have to work to make sure doctors and law enforcement are on the same page to keep these pills off the street."
One solution Bubp discussed is to make better use of a statewide reporting system so doctors, pharmacies and law enforcement agencies can spot patterns of prescription drug abuse.
Regarding his appointment, Bubp said "I'm deeply honored to have been appointed by Speaker Batchelder to serve as chairman of the Judiciary and Ethics Committee."
"I will continue to seek pragmatic solutions to the concerns of our community and help create jobs for our state."
Rep. Bubp is rumored to be considering running for the Ohio Senate seat currently occupied by the term limited (and retroactively tax raising) Tom Niehaus. Bubp's Republican primary opponent will likely be fellow State Rep. Joe Uecker. Both Uecker and Bubp are term limited in the statehouse at the close of this next term.
