COLUMBUS -Majority Republicans in the legislature say they are listening to the Democrats, but so far the only major idea the GOP gives credit for is one most lawmakers in the minority abhor -an expansion of a 9-year-old program that sends public dollars to private schools.
Rep. Dixie Allen of Dayton, who proposed the expansion of Ohio's school voucher system, was the only Democrat to vote in favor of the 2-year, $51 billion spending plan, compared with five in 2003, when Republicans could not muster the 50 votes needed for passage.
Although most of the chamber's 39 Democrats withheld their support, the negotiating went more smoothly this time around, Democratic leader Chris Redfern of Port Clinton said. The difference was that Jon Husted is speaker, not Larry Householder, Redfern said.
While Householder had an eye on higher office, Husted is a focused soldier for (Gov.) Bob Taft
Redfern said.
Jon said early on to me that he is going to be judged in the two-year cycle on how he got the budget passed Redfern said. Jon and I had many conversations. They all started and ended with a great deal of courtesy and respect.
While Allen got some of the credit for expanding the voucher program, other ideas the Democrats have pursued made it into the House budget, Redfern said. Those include raising the death benefit for families who lose a relative killed while serving in the military from $20,000 to $100,000 and continuing the 6 percent cap on tuition increases at state-supported colleges, he said.
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