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Leadership.
If this issue has any central theme, it is leadership and the importance
of having strong leadership in any organization. An anonymous scholar
once said, “A leader faces the music, even when he doesn’t
like the tune.”
The first two articles in this issue talk about two hotly debated
topics at the statehouse, school funding and taxation. These subjects
intertwine and ironically, we can’t talk about one without
talking about the other.
The school funding article that starts on page four is a reprint
from the March 4, 2001, edition of The Columbus Dispatch. The author,
Glenn Sheller, provides a balanced view of the issue and asks the
question we’ve all wanted to hear, “what happens if the
legislators and the Supreme Court don’t agree?”
The Governor along with leaders of the House and Senate, have spent
more time than they care to account for on this one subject causing
most other concerns of the state to be put on the back burner until
an answer can be found. The release of the state’s bi-annual
budget was also delayed due. Even if the House, Senate and Governor
come to an agreement on how to fund Ohio’s public schools,
all may be for naught if the answer doesn’t stand up to the
Supreme Court. Then what? Does public education in Ohio stop? Will
Ohio be in a constitutional crisis?
Four individuals on the Ohio Supreme court are creating all this
uncertainty. The same activists who have consistently created uncertainty
for Ohio’s businesses and rendered decisions that harm the
state’s economy. Our elected leaders need to make some difficult
decisions in order to stand up to the Supreme Court’s activist
majority.
The issue of school funding is related to the next article written
by Robert Lawson, Ph.D., and Director of the Center for Economic
Growth and Prosperity at the Buckeye Institute. This article, starting
on page six, discusses a recent state tax study conducted by the
Buckeye Institute.
According to the information in this article, the state is over
taxed and state spending has grown too much. This has lead to a
weaker economic climate and fewer job creations in our state. The
Buckeye Institute’s information shows that Ohio’s convoluted
tax structure desperately needs changed and provides six proposals
to do so.
Finally, on page eight, we introduce you to our new chairman, Ron
Budzik, who succeeds a long line of top leaders at the Ohio Chamber.
Ron is vice president, government affairs for The Mead Corporation
headquartered in Dayton. Ron’s vast commitment to the Ohio
Chamber dates back to the 1970’s when he was a member of our
taxation committee. His experience in government affairs issues
in Ohio and other states is a great asset to the Ohio Chamber.
As we all hold our breath awaiting a school-funding decision, we
are also hearing of steps to cut the state’s budget due to
lower than estimated tax revenues thanks to a slowing economy. Our
elected leaders have a laborious job on their hands: cutting taxes
while finding more money to support our school system. Tough decisions
need to be made. We’ll just have to wait to see what leaders
step up to the plate, and if the gang of four at the Ohio Supreme
Court trumps their efforts again … if you can call that leadership.
Andrew E. Doehrel
President
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