The State of Ohio is a weekly news program spotlighting the latest happenings at the Statehouse, in the Governor’s office, at the Ohio Supreme Court and throughout the Buckeye State. Award-winning host Karen Kasler presents viewers with unique analysis and thoughtful perspective on important issues of statewide interest through interviews with political leaders, newsmakers, experts and Ohio citizens. The State of Ohio is the only TV show to bring to Ohioans the latest news about taxes, voting, education and other critical matters from where it all happens -- Capitol Square.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Topics: Politics
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A Franklin County judge may have dealt a big blow to the budget, permanently barring Ohio from spending roughly $250 million in anti-tobacco funds on other programs and balancing the state budget, settling a lawsuit filed early last year. Gov. Ted Strickland has gone against the parole board and declined clemency for Jason Getsy, the 33-year-old Youngstown area man scheduled to die on Tuesday. Just weeks after his agency took a budget hit of 42%, the head of the Ohio Historical Society, died suddenly. Dr. William Laidlaw was 66 years old. The fall ballot is taking shape, as the ballot board has agreed on language for two statewide issues. But they’ll have to come back next week to deal with the casino ballot issue. Meanwhile, the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio has backed the casino issue, saying it would raise $651 million annual tax revenue provide about $13 million annually for law enforcement training. The FOP opposed last year’s casino issue.

The state budget is almost a month old, and agencies are starting to recover from the weeks of uncertainty with interim budgets and also evaluating what they can and can’t do with the funds they’re getting from the $50.5 billion spending plan. Many agencies dealing with mental health, drug and alcohol addiction and other “safety net” concerns took big hits, and while the state’s food pantry network got more than was initially predicted, it’s still far below what food banks had requested. And now the people who run these programs and services fear more budget cuts in the future. Cheri Walter, the CEO of the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, Lisa Hamlar Fugitt, the executive director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks, and Joel Potts, the executive director of the Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' Association, talk about the impact of the budget on the agencies they run and people they serve.

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