I am wondering how Gov. Kasich can justify the particular cuts he is making for in an attempt to balance the budget in Ohio. Yes, he is not planning on raising taxes which makes a great many people happy, however, the local governments are going to probably have to raise taxes to make up for the difference in the budgets they will be working with. I am all for cutting back where cutting back needs to take place. I am sure that Ohio needs to cut back just as I can find small things to tweak in my monthly budget. Meaning instead of buying Del Monte I buy Food Club. There has to be ways the government can buy less for more!
I am frustrated by seeing more cuts to places like libraries. Granted my community library is in a well off area of Columbiana County and we have not seen reduced hours, higher fees, etc... But I attend Junior League meetings at Newport Library in Youngstown that has posted on its doors "Due to budget cuts we have reduced our hours..." The people in most need of libraries are the communities such as those served by Newport Library and they do not have money for home Internet, extra library fees, etc... The Youngstown Vindicator did state that the Youngstown library system is planning on increasing its hours again but how long can that be maintained with budgets being cut?
I am currently 100% unemployed and not qualifying for unemployment (that's a long story unto itself no thanks to a previous employer). My husband makes "too" much money for us to qualify for anything but WIC and county medical for the children. Thank God we have WIC and the local Way Station to help with food. But I see that Gov. Kasich is cutting back on funding for the Department of Job and Family Services, Department of Health, Department of Mental Health, the Department of Aging, and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. Again, I am sure that cuts can be made such as use brand xyz's paper for copies instead of abc's more expensive brand. But these are organizations that have a great impact on a population that is in need of help. Not everyone tries to abuse the system and stay on the welfare programs forever. Some people do not have a choice and must rely on programs that help those in need.
Personally I am offended that in this Green age where we are seeing the direct affects of pollution to our world that there are cuts being made to the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources!!! Hello, Gov. Kasich!!! Once our natural resources are gone we are in trouble. We are in even more trouble because we keep polluting the land we live on and we are not creating sustainability. Maybe we should make our cuts somewhere else like not permitting the Gov to have his house made into the Gov's mansion with all the fancy security systems that were already in place at the actual Gov's mansion. Let's cut that waste from the budget because I am quite sure that Gov Kasich will not be giving back all that material used to secure his house once he is out of office. He will come up with some claim that it costs more than it is worth to take it down. Therefore his house will have a really nice security system that the taxpayers took care of for him.
Let's install solar panels in government locations, utilize wind power to fuel the needs of the Gov's mansion, etc... Use the savings from those as our cuts in the budget. I get it they do cost money up front and must be maintained over the course of their lifespan, but we will save money and resources in the long run. A few pennies a month here and there add up to dollars. It's what I am told to do by financial advisers on Oprah, the Today Show, and other television programs. If it works for the average citizen there must be a way to utilize those same principles for a government.
I just read a book, "Empty" by Suzanne Weyn, which I did borrow from the library, and it discusses a world that is at war not so far in the future over oil, the lack of it, the high cost of it, and all the things that can go wrong because of relying on a tried and true way of life instead of looking to innovate and find a new and better solution. I think we are on the verge of making the same mistakes that the characters in the book made.
Gov. Kasich think outside the box and come up with better solutions to the budget than just cutting programs that the rich do not need!!! You rely on the middle class to support your ideals and budget proposals through their taxes and back breaking work, don't forget since they make up the majority... they can also vote you out in a very short time. Make the choices that the people want, actually consult with them for their opinions, and never forget that you are not above the rest of us like a God you are appearing to be acting as. This country is not a dictatorship, don't run Ohio as if it were.
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