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Opposition to Blackwell spending amendment grows
JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap state and local government spending took on new momentum Friday when two public universities, the lieutenant governor and some Republican legislators grew more vocal with their concerns.
The boards of trustees at Ohio State and Bowling Green passed resolutions opposing the Tax & Expenditure Limitation – just three days after its champion, Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, won the Republican nomination for governor.
Ohio State President Karen Holbrook said the proposal could “severely impair our ability to meet the goals of the university’s academic plan and to continue rising in the ranks of the nation’s premium universities.”
The Intra-University Council of Ohio, which represents public universities in the state, has passed a similar resolution.
Gene Pierce, spokesman for Citizens for Tax Reform, the group behind the proposed amendment, said he disagrees with the universities.
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Opposition to Blackwell spending amendment grows
By: Walker
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By JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS – Republican leaders have never made much of a secret of their distaste for Kenneth Blackwell’s pet constitutional amendment restricting state spending.
But now that the secretary of state is the party’s only hope for holding on to the governor’s mansion, Republicans are looking for a way of attacking the Tax Expenditure Limitation ballot issue without bruising the candidate inextricably linked to it.
“It’s a good wedge issue for Republicans, but it’s misdrafted,” said Dale Osterle, an Ohio State University law professor with expertise on initiative and referendums. “The trouble becomes whether the language means what they thought it meant,” he said. “Now they’re worried that this could be used as a political issue against Blackwell.”
Opponents still hope to kick the issue off the Nov. 7 ballot via the courts. A hearing is set for June 9 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court on challenges filed in 26 counties to the petitions that placed the TEL on the ballot.
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