Morning Links: Dueling Hearings

–> Dueling hearings: slots vs. more cuts

As Ohio enters its second day with an interim state budget, the political gamesmanship has escalated with dueling hearings today in an increasingly partisan stalemate.

Republican Senate President Bill M. Harris created a five-senator task force to examine the viability of Gov. Ted Strickland’s plan to raise $933 million during the next two years by adding electronic slot machines at Ohio’s seven racetracks.

Shortly after Harris’ announcement yesterday, Democratic House Speaker Armond Budish said the House Finance Committee will begin hearings today on the impact of another $1 billion in cuts if the Senate rejects the gambling plan.

The new round of hearings was announced after Strickland, Harris and Budish met in private, for a time without their staff, but failed to agree on a plan to resolve the budget impasse.

–> Ohio legislators refuse to compromise on budget

It’s the Dueling Banjos version of state legislative committee hearings.

On the north side of the Statehouse, beginning Thursday, Senate Republicans will begin asking questions about Gov. Ted Strickland’s proposal to install thousands of slot machines at the state’s seven horse-racing tracks.

Not to be outdone, Democrats in the Ohio House to the south will bring in groups that would be affected by the potential cut of an additional $933 million in state funding — the money Strickland has budgeted as revenue from slots in the next two years.

Despite their efforts to fight political salvo with returned political salvo, Democrats and the governor should take a lesson from Henry Kissinger’s foreign policy initiatives with China, the Soviet Union and North Vietnam: immediately open a back channel for resolution.

–> State explains estimate of slot-machine revenue

Senate Republicans plan to grill officials in Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration today on how they calculated revenue estimates from proposed electronic slot machines, saying there are more questions than answers.

But the administration says the $933 million in estimated income in the next two years was based on previous analyses conducted by the Ohio Department of Taxation and the Ohio Racing Commission.

–> ‘RAINY DAY’ OFFICIALLY HERE: OHIO’S RESERVE FUND DRAINED TO 89 CENTS; OTHER STATES ALSO STRUGGLE TO ENACT PLANS [Gongwer $]

The metaphorical storm clouds officially burst in Ohio on the last day of fiscal year 2009, when Gov. Ted Strickland‘s administration tapped out the bulk of the $1 billion-plus “rainy day” Budget Stabilization Fund – while opting to keep the change.

Office of Budget and Management Director Pari Sabety notified state leaders Tuesday that $1,012,289,234.00 had been transferred from the BSF to the general revenue fund so the state could end the fiscal year in balance.

The move, authorized by the legislature with the recently enacted Ohio Industrial Commission budget (HB 16), leaves a rainy day fund balance of 89 cents.

–> Tom Ganley kicks off bid for U.S. Senate

Car dealer Tom Ganley officially unveiled a new product Wednesday never seen on one of his many lots in 41 years of business.

It’s the 2010 Ganley U.S. Senate candidate, featuring a fully automatic Washington outsider message. But Ganley, kicking off his bid for the Republican nomination from his hometown of Brecksville, borrowed the theatrics of a Beltway insider: teleprompter, “Eye of the Tiger” theme music, large fawning crowd and speech full of populist themes about the American dream and need to end politics as usual.