JANUARY 9, 2009 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMISSION MEMBERS DEBATE MISSION, RESEARCH compiled from Gongwer Some underlying tensions between different governmental entities already were evident during the inaugural meeting of the Commission on Local Government Reform & Collaboration on Monday. The panel is charged with the sensitive and challenging task of recommending ways to streamline Ohio's multi-layered local government system. Underscoring the varied opinions among panelists themselves, they even voiced differences over whether the first order of business should be to focus on devising a mission statement or to launch into research. A resolution by Ohio State University's John Glenn School of Public Affairs to provide research for the Commission became the subject of debate when Ohio Township Association Executive Director Mike Cochran said he was blindsided by the offer. "That's going to cause the greatest amount of disagreement between us - if people are getting communications and having in-depth discussions while leaving some people out," he said. Mr. Cochran said he was concerned that OSU's offer would give academics too much say over the direction of the commission and he endorsed a suggestion from Co-Chairman Troy for the panel to create a mission statement before pursuing research. "A lot of people sitting around this table, myself included, have preconceived ideas," he said. "I think we need to have a heart- to-heart among ourselves." Former House member Larry Wolpert, who co-authored implementing legislation, said the University previously had expressed interest in assisting the panel in its work and was reaching out to other state institutions to get involved in the effort. He said the Commission's mission already was clear in the statute: "to recommend ways to restructure and streamline" local government offices and services to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Studying the cost of providing local government services in Ohio is necessary for the panel to identify ways to improve the system, Mr. Wolpert said, suggesting the Commission seek an unspent $160,000 appropriation from last session to fund the research. The Commission elected Lake County Commissioner Daniel Troy and Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez to serve as co-chairs. Commissioner Troy requested that members devise Commission objectives that are within the language of the enabling legislation during the next meeting so the panel could agree to a concise mission statement. Obtaining consensus among different local government entities would be critical for lawmakers to take the Commission's report seriously, he said. "The General Assembly doesn't like to play referee - they don't want to take sides." In addition to Commissioner Troy, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Wolpert, and Ms. Lopez, the Commission includes the following members: Mark Mallory, Cincinnati Mayor; Martin Jenkins, Organizational Resource Group; Dan Foley Montgomery County Commissioner; Jennifer Economus, Ohio School Board Association; Lynda Murray, Ohio Library Council; Tim Downing, Attorney, Ulmer and Berne, Cleveland Office; Chester Jourdan, Executive Director, Mid-Ohio Regional; Robert Roland, Day Ketterer Limited; Tom Weidman, Market Master International; and Charleta Tavares, Columbus Councilwoman. Members agreed to meet at 10:30 on the fourth Friday of each month and scheduled the next meeting for Jan. 30. The Commission's final report is due July 1, 2010. 9-1-1 FUNDING - CONTINUES… SB 129, which included the 9-1-1 funding provisions, cleared the Legislature during the “lame duck” session and was signed by the Governor on December 30. An emergency clause was included as a part of the bill, so the collection of the monthly surcharge will continue uninterrupted although it will be at a lower rate. There is no question that legislators heard from their commissioners on this issue. The CCAO staff wants to thank you for staying on top of this issue, keeping this issue on the minds of the legislators, and convincing them of the importance of continuing 9-1-1 funding. The 9-1-1 provisions in SB 129 include all of the following: 1. A reduction of the monthly surcharge on wireless cell phones from 32 cents to 28 cents. 2. An extension of the sunset provision for another 4 years. The surcharge will now expire on December 31, 2012. 3. Increasing the minimum annual amount that each county receives from $25,000 to $90,000. 4. Beginning March 1, 2009, limiting to five the number of wireless PSAPs per county that can be funded with surcharge revenue. As a note, if your county currently funds more than 5 wireless PSAPs, the county will be required to make a county plan amendment prior to March 1, 2009, in order to comply with the funding restriction established by Sub SB 129. Such a plan amendment appropriately would be considered a "necessary adjustment" to the county 9-1-1 plan as described in ORC Section 4931.45(A)(8). Consequently, ORC 4931.45(C)(2) must be followed and the board of county 2 commissioners must call a meeting of the 9-1-1 planning committee for the purpose of considering an addendum to the county plan, which can be approved by a majority vote of the 9-1-1 planning committee. STATE REVENUES COME UP SHORT AGAIN; SALES TAX INTAKE DROPS IN DECEMBER as reported in Gongwer State tax collections in December missed estimates by $24.5 million even though the Office of Budget and Management recently revised its projections based on the historic proportions in the economic slump. Most of that deficit was caused by another dip in sales tax intake, which was $26.4 million, or nearly 4%, under last month's updated projections. Those downward revenue estimates prompted Gov. Ted Strickland's administration to order a third round of budget adjustments of $640 million and boosted the total of biennium budget repairs to $1.9 billion. The latest hit to state coffers coincided with a stream of dismal retail sales reports that reflected the poor showing over the holiday shopping period and in turn prompted another Wall Street skid. Columbus-based Limited Brands, Inc., for example, reported a 10% drop in sales over the five weeks ending Jan. 3 compared to the same period a year ago. Also on Thursday, the latest bad economic news came from a U.S. Labor Department report that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits across the nation rose to 4.6 million, the highest since November 1982. Unemployment claims have swamped the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, where registrants have been met with delays in call-in and online services. On Thursday, the agency announced extended Wednesday-Saturday call center hours until further notice. Total state tax revenue in December was $1.529 billion, or 1.6% below the revised OBM estimates. Aside from the non-auto sales tax category, most other taxes hit the agency's new marks or were under the estimates slightly. Based on the new estimates, the fiscal year-to-date tax revenue collections of $8.44 billion are 0.3% less than OBM anticipated as of last month. STRICKLAND JOINS GOVERNORS IN ASKING FOR $1 TRILLION FEDERAL BAILOUT FOR STATES Gov. Ted Strickland was one of several big state governors to get in line behind banks, auto companies, and insurers Friday in asking the federal government to help bail them out of a deepening financial morass. Mr. Strickland joined New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, New York Gov. David Paterson, and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on a teleconference with reporters to describe their federal spending wish list to President-elect Barack Obama. As state budget revenues have sagged deeper and deeper over the past several months, governors have increased their request for federal assistance: they are now asking for a $1 trillion package. In addition to previous requests for infrastructure investments and help with Medicaid and other social services, the governors added education spending to their list of needs from the federal government. 3 If Ohio doesn't get significant federal aid, the state will have to reduce spending in the upcoming biennial budget to about 75% of current levels, Gov. Strickland said. The Governor has already ordered about $1.9 billion in reductions for the current biennium. While governors support the massive infrastructure spending that President-elect Obama has proposed, states' social safety nets are frayed and in need of federal repair, he said. "We aren't crying wolf here. These are real dire circumstances we're facing here today," he said. "If we don't get this federal assistance... the least among us will suffer greatly." Gov. Doyle said states have made considerable progress in improving their education systems in recent years, but risk backsliding during the recession unless the federal government provides $250 billion for pre-Kindergarten through higher education spending. "The future of this country really rests on a strong education system," he said. In addition to the $250 billion request for education spending, Gov. Corzine said states are seeking the following: • $350 billion to jumpstart so-called "shovel-ready" infrastructure construction projects in sectors such as transportation, water, sewer, school, and technology. • $250 billion in "counter-cyclical aid" to shore up social services, such as an increased federal Medicaid match, more funding for unemployment compensation, food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and child care. • $150 billion for "middle class tax cuts." YOUTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO CLOSE MARION, DELAWARE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES as reported in The Columbus Dispatch The Department of Youth Services said Thursday it is closing a youth detention center in Marion and a residential treatment facility in Delaware in budget-cutting moves prompted by the downturn in the state's financial situation. Director Thomas Stickrath said the decision to shutter the Marion Juvenile Correctional Facility and Delaware's Freedom Center would save the agency an estimated $24 million per year.