News Flash: Kasich wants to cut taxes!

Some times, taxpayers are simply played for suckers.

OK. Let's change that lede to: "Most of the time, taxpayers are played for suckers."

Deep down, we all know it, too. But most of us are simply too busy with work, family, extracurriculars, household responsibilities and community obligations to stop and think about it.

It's probably a good thing we don't stop and think about it, too.

If we did, we would be rightfully appalled at our federal and state governments.

Take Ohio Governor John Kasich. (Please.)

At 5:06 p.m. today, I received, from a taxpayer-funded email, the following subject line: "NEWS: 'Kasich to lawmakers: I want to cut taxes – tell me how.'"

No… shi----nola. That's what it said.

(You and I paid for this "noreply@governor.ohio.gov" email, too.)

The governor's email then quoted the following from Associated Press reporter Ann Sanner: "Ohio Gov. John Kasich wants to cut tax rates on incomes and small businesses, and his administration is open to suggestions from lawmakers about how to do it, the state's budget director said Tuesday."

Well, Ohio lawmakers: Here's your time to shine. (Or bow down, as Beyoncé would say.)

The governor has played the same political game with you that the Republican senators in Congress have played on Obama. You do get that, don't you? He's playing the "It's not my budget, it's your budget" game.

Fine. Call his bluff. Take ownership of the damned budget. Earn your pay.

Three weeks ago, I wrote: "What ought to be of real concern for Republican lawmakers – at least those who claim to be among the party of fiscal responsibility – are the significant tax increases in Gov. Kasich’s $64 billion budget – a budget that increases spending by 23 percent over former Gov. Ted Strickland's $52 billion budget just five years ago."

The only southern Ohio lawmaker I know of who has spoken out against the budget proposal is State Rep. John Becker.

I'd like to know what Rep. Cliff Rosenberger and Sen. Bob Peterson think of the $64 billion budget. Hello?

Did I mention that the ultra-conservative (by comparison) Gov. Ted Strickland spent $12 billion less than this Kasich-proposed budget?

“I’ve reviewed the budget proposal,” Rep. Becker, a Clermont County Republican, said, “and can sum up my receptivity with three words: Dead on Arrival.”

GOOD!! Thank you, Representative Becker. At least you have some courage and conviction. That's a rare commodity in public office these days.

If the governor is sincere in his statement: "I want to cut taxes – tell me how," two thoughts come to mind: 1. Cut Spending! And, 2. Did your office really send out such an asinine email in which the governor of the great state of Ohio admits that he cannot figure out how to cut taxes? Really? C'mon, man.

Here's a bit of history for you, Governor; and more importantly for you, Ohio lawmakers. In Highland County, former commissioner Gary Heaton, current commissioners Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst, and county auditor Bill Fawley did something revolutionary: They CUT SPENDING. They CUT A LOT OF SPENDING. They CUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM AN ALREADY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.

No one died because of these cuts. No one marched on Governor Foraker Place because of these cuts. No one camped out on the courthouse lawn in protest. People worked together on behalf of local taxpayers.

The local officials worked with each county department leader and found reasonable and manageable reductions in county expenses. They did this because there were serious reductions in county revenues.

They did not increase taxes on an already overtaxed populace. THEY CUT SPENDING.

But like I said on March 6, let's let the rabbit out of the hat and level with Ohio taxpayers. These new taxes are all about more spending and more control in Columbus and more wealth redistribution of a kind similar to something – if proposed by Ted Strickland – that the John Kasich of 2010 would have opposed with his last partisan campaign breath.

If the 99 members of the House of Representatives and the 33 members of the Ohio Senate cannot find significant areas on spending cuts in a $64 billion budget, call our county auditor or our county commissioners. They might provide some assistance at a nominal fee.

Barring that, spend some time at www.ohio.gov and look at all the dormant, taxpayer-funded, agency websites. Then ask a few questions. Such as: "How much do we spend on this website that never changes?"

Stop by these myriad agencies. Talk to the department managers. Ask each one of them for a proposal to reduce spending. If they cannot provide a proposal, give them one. Start with these two words: Furlough days. Trust me, the vast majority of us in Ohio's 88 counties will never notice.

How many of the Ohio Assemblymen (Assemblypeople) know that the Buckeye State has a Commission on Fatherhood?

How many of the Ohio Assemblypeople know that we do not have a Commission on Motherhood?

How many of the Ohio Assemblypeople know that the Ohio Inspector General has issued a report of investigation finding wrongful conduct by the former executive director of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood?

You want to cut spending? Eliminate the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood.

After that, give me a call. We'll find a few other savings for Ohio's hard-working taxpayers.

We'll start with an across-the-board reduction in pay for all members of the Ohio General Assembly.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.