Is the Era of Good Feelings Over?
From the PD
Columbus — The Tom Noe scandal refused to die as House Republicans and Democrats faced off in a floor debate Tuesday over how to best ensure that state auditors are truly independent.
By a party-line vote of 51-45, majority House Republicans pushed through House Bill 166, an internal auditing measure sought by state Auditor Mary Taylor, the lone Republican to win a statewide executive office in November.
The legislation now heads to the Ohio Senate, although Gov. Ted Strickland indicated Tuesday that he would veto it. The bill would create an Office of Internal Auditing within the state budget office and create the position of chief internal auditor. It also would establish an internal audit committee composed of financial experts appointed by legislative leaders.
“This legislation reflects the direction the state must go forward in order to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that money is spent on programming,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Carol-Ann Schindel, a Leroy Township Republican.
But House Democrats said the bill would cause an explosion of growth in state government. They prefer an executive order issued by Strickland in August calling for a review of internal financial controls and an audit committee composed of state officials.
Joe C. said,
Wrote on October 10, 2007 @ 10:40 am
Since when have Democrats been worried about “an explosion of growth in state government?” I’m certainly against growing the gov’t, but can someone explain to me the theory as to how this explosion would take place.