Republicans play power politics with TEL issue, show savvy on redistricting

Paper: Dayton Daily News (OH)

Date: May 28, 2006

COLUMBUS — Before the legislature recessed for the summer, Ohio Democrats got a reality check.

Lately Democrats have been almost giddy with visions of the governor's residence dancing in their heads.

When over-giddy, they might imagine taking control of the Ohio House or Senate or even both.

Democrats may win some big elections on Nov. 7. Republicans, however, won't give up one-party rule without a fight, Tom Noe and Gov. Bob Taft's subterranean approval ratings notwithstanding.

Republicans had a problem with the TEL, for Tax Expenditure Limitation, a constitutional amendment that Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the GOP candidate for governor, helped get on the fall ballot.

Republican mayors, school board members and others joined in the complaint that TEL would wreak havoc with local budgets and services. It also could have wreaked havoc with Blackwell's campaign.

The amendment would limit the growth of state and local government spending to 3.5 percent a year or the combination of inflation and population growth, whichever is greater.

No problem.

In a heavy-handed display of raw power, Republican legislators — with Taft's help — last week killed the TEL amendment.

In what could be construed as a betrayal of the thousands of Ohioans who signed petitions to get the amendment on the ballot, the GOP-controlled legislature gave the committee backing the TEL permission to withdraw it.

In its place, lawmakers passed a diluted, legislative TEL. It would not apply to local governments. Also, it could be wiped out by a simple majority vote of the legislature.

Blackwell, who once called the TEL the centerpiece of his campaign for governor, bragged that lawmakers had enacted a "key component" of his "economic recovery agenda."

Democrats could only fume about these shenanigans.

They should blame themselves, however, for what happened Thursday.

Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, and Rep. Kevin DeWine, R-Fairborn, had come up with a new system to draw legislative and U.S. House districts.

Do-gooder groups called it an improvement over the current system of gerrymandered districts that provides little competition.

Democrats found reasons to oppose the plan. They said it didn't place a high enough priority on making districts competitive. They couldn't keep the speaker from bringing up a resolution to put it before voters on Nov. 7.

Such resolutions require support from at least 60 members, meaning Democratic votes were needed.

It failed, with Rep. Dixie Allen of Jefferson Twp. providing the only Democratic vote.

Republicans forced a vote on a second redistricting plan, one that Democrats themselves had proposed last year. Again, all Democrats but Allen voted no, and it failed. Democrats, huffed Republicans, put politics ahead of reform.

Before the second vote, Democrats figured out they were being set up as "anti-reformers" and called for immediate adjournment.

Republicans easily voted that down.

Contact this writer at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Author: William Hershey COMMENTARY

Section: Local

Page: A10