The New York Times wrote a comprehensive story yesterday on the extent state governments across this country, led by Democrat and Republican Governors alike, are facing the same dire financial straits as we are.
"The plunging revenues — the result of an unusual assemblage of personal, sales, capital gains and corporate taxes falling significantly — have poked holes in budgets that are just weeks and months old and that came about only after difficult legislative sessions." Sounds familiar.
For the whole story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/us/17fiscal.html?_r=1&em.
For a national map of the states' conditions: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/17/us/20081117_budget_graphic.html
Unfortunately, part of the problem here is that as Ohio grapples with its own deficit, we often pay the price. The recent cuts, and layoffs, in our Job and Family Services Department are a direct state cut. And our Public Defender Service, which is a mandated service, is supposed to be reimbursed by the state at a 50% rate--but is reimbursed at less than half that amount, costing us millions of dollars. Ohio's cuts may end up impacting us in all sorts of other ways as well.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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2 comments:
If the state is required to pay 50%, then why don't we sue to make thme pay it?
If we get rid of the duplication in services and administrative costs that accompany 88 administrators in each of the counties and switch to a state-ran operation like Pennsylvania - we could save millions.
Under the leadership, or lack thereof, of Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters the mentality is lock-them-up and throw away the key. Certainly people who commit crimes need to go to jail. But when you send a guy with 200 worth of cocaine to prison for 50 years, well you do the math. Or when you send a robber to jail for stealing 250 dollars to jail for 90 years. Again you do the MATH. No one supports crimes but how about coming up with solutions??????
What about criminals in suits?
Also, they SHOULD close Queensgate. My cousin who has a severe learning disability (and he smokes pot) keeps ending up in jail for jaywalking. So he's jaywalking with a joint in his pocket and they keep busting him. Stupid? Yes. But geez what are other solutions?
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