Kasich delivers yet again; 2012 proposals demand reform and tax cuts

This Governor has been the best in our lifetimes, taking on Ohio's entrenched special interests repeatedly for the betterment of this State and our children.

Today's Dispatch has it here: The Governor is proposing a host of reforms in state and local government and a 5% personal income tax cut.

There is no doubt that these reforms suit COAST's style just fine, but moreso, without significant reforms in state and local government, Ohio will be left in the competitive dust.

More will be coming on this in the COAST newsletter and blog entries, but COAST wants to lead the cheer for another round of reforms from this breakthrough Governor!

Ha ha ha! Whose endorsement would matter the most?

The Enquirer asked its readers with respect to the Presidential context, whose endorsement would matter the most, among local elected officials, including Rob Portman, Steve Chabot, Governor Kasich, John Boehner, Jean Schmidt, etc.

Last, dead last, was Schmidt.

We wonder why.

Streetcar wounded, but defiantly soldiers on

 In a show of pointless persistence, second only to the example above, City leaders say the streetcar is still a "go project."

1. (Left arm) Before resigning from Council, former Democratic Jeff Berding appoints Republican Wayne Lippert, who vows to vote against the streetcar until the City gets its finances in order. Council is now comprised of 4 anti-streetcar Republicans, 4 pro-streetcar Democratics, and 1 pro-streetcar Charterite who is a registered Republican and tends to vote that way. However Charterite Bortz is forbidden from having anything to do with the streetcar due to ethical conflicts. Under council rules (PDF Pg 14, #6.6), "on a tie vote, the matter is lost."
   "'Tis but a scratch...I've had worse."
2. (Right arm) ODOT personnel today advised Ohio's TRAC board to reallocate all $51.8 million that had been previously recommended for the streetcar. Two of the ten board members expressed reservations about defunding a project assigned the highest score under the old Molitoris rules. We kindly refer them to PDF page 24 of TRAC's Policy & Procedures, which says, "It should be emphasized that the TRAC process does not require that a selected project have a numeric ranking nor that the TRAC must fund projects in order of their ranking. The ranking is a means to help the TRAC generally prioritize and rank projects in order of their transportation and community/economic development benefits." "It is explicit TRAC policy that projects can be selected regardless of their score, ranking, cost, or functional class. The reason is that no ranking system can completely measure all project attributes. If other factors arise that the TRAC finds important to a project, the TRAC can select the project for funding."
   "Just a flesh wound."
3. (Right leg) The Ohio Senate unanimously passed HB114, the transportation budget, including a provision which “prohibits state or federal funds appropriated by the state from being used for the Cincinnati streetcar project.” The Feds purposely pass funds through the state first so they have recourse for funds recovery should the recipient city go bankrupt. Legislators obviously see the project as something less than a guaranteed money-maker.
   "Right, I'll do you for that...kill yah. ...I'm invincible!"
4. (Left leg) Councilmember Charlie Winburn introduces a "cease and desist" motion in Council to halt all spending and activity on the streetcar. Citing the police/sheriff outsourcing deal as precedent, he reminds the City that when the votes aren't there to see a project through, it's best to abandon it before wasting everybody's time.
   "All right, we'll call it a draw...I'll bite your legs off."

Not dead yet...but it might as well be.

Please thank Governor Kasich for cutting streetcar funding!

Common sense returns to Ohio 

COAST was thrilled to see Mayor Mallory concede today that Governor Kasich is pulling state funding for the Cincinnati streetcar project.  

COAST asks that its members write to Governor Kasich and thank him for this bold, fresh, common sense approach to Ohio's and Cincinnati fiscal challenges.

This decision is a major win for streetcar opponents and is a direct result of your overwhelming grassroots efforts to defeat streetcar funding.  Opponents of the streetcar flooded Ohio's Department of Transportation with more than 2,000 letters and e-mails opposing state funding for this boondoggle.  

Unfortunately, you would think this would be the final nail in the coffin of the ill-conceived streetcar project, but unfortunately it just is not so.   

First, Mayor Mallory continues to lobby federal officials for more streetcar funds.  Second, Mallory told the Enquirer today that he still intends to finish the streetcar project. Finally, perhaps as early as today, Cincinnati City Council plans to vote on accepting state and federal funding for the project (yeah, even if it is going to be yanked).  If they City signs a contract with the federal government for its $25 million grant, it will require the City to operate the streetcar at a loss for 35+ years. 

All of this is in spite of the fact that (i) the City does not have the capital funds to build the project, (ii) the City has no plan and no monies to fund the $10 million operating deficit, and (iii) there already have been more than $15 million in cost overruns identified, all of which must come from the City's general fund.  Finally, only 28% of City residents think the streetcar project is a good idea.

Call your Council member today (352-3000) to ask them to oppose the approval of the acceptance of the state and federal grants. Cecil Thomas (352-3499) seems to be the most on the fence.

Thank you Governor Kasich for saving us from these politicians bent on bankrupting the City.

Congratulations on inauguration

This week, COAST welcomes to public office, the following COAST-endorsed candidates:

In Columbus:  Governor Kasich and Lt. Governor Mary Taylor, Auditor David Yost, Attorney General Mike DeWine, Treasurer Josh Mandel, State Senator Shannon Jones, State Representatives Ronald Maag and Bob Mecklenborg and Ohio Board of Education member Debe Terhar. 

In Washington: our newest Senator Rob Portman and  returning Congressman Steve Chabot, who defeated COAST’s declared Public Enemy #1, Steve Driehaus (may he be retired from public office forever!).

In Hamilton County: Consistent conservative Chris Monzel replaces liberal spender David Pepper (may he also be retired from public office forever!)

COAST takes particular note of the fact that its 2009 Fundraiser headliner (John Kasich) and its 2010 Fundraiser speaker (Rob Portman) this week took the oath of office for the two top elected positions in/from Ohio.

What comes next?

Dividends already

            COAST was thrilled to read the day after the election that the first act of Ohio’s new Governor John Kasich is to kill the $400 million slooow-speed 3-C rail line boondoggle.  Read here great piece on just how bad the 3C line would have been for Ohio.   He also promised to take on labor union practices that are bankrupting Ohio.  COAST could not be more pleased with this opening shot from our new Governor.  Ohio’s new Attorney General, Mike DeWine, has pledged immediately to join the litigation against ObamaCare.

            Still, Ohio legislators and Governor Kasich are facing a yawning $8 billion (that’s with a “b”) deficit over the coming biennial.  This creates an unprecedented opportunity for a fundamental re-thinking of the size, structure and indeed mission of Ohio government. COAST hopes they seize it.

Vote Kasich; he'll kill "high speed" pork

Who was it that said insanity is expecting a different outcome from identical inputs?

Ohio is facing a $9 billion deficit which will result in deep cuts to education and safety. We got into this hole by overspending on frivolous things. Now Governor Strickland wants to waste even more money to revive a 39 MPH train that died from lack of use in 1976, one which voters have rejected at the polls four times.

Spending your way out of a deficit is like eating yourself out of obesity. Kasich gets this and wants to cut the pork. If elected, he promises to kill the 3C Snail Rail Boondoggle.

Robert Samuelson says:

"Somehow, it's become fashionable to think that high-speed trains connecting major cities will help "save the planet." They won't. They're a perfect example of wasteful spending masquerading as a respectable social cause. They would further burden already overburdened governments and drain dollars from worthier programs -- schools, defense, research."

"President Obama calls high-speed rail essential "infrastructure" when it's actually old-fashioned "pork barrel." The interesting question is why it retains its intellectual respectability. The answer, it seems, is willful ignorance. People prefer fashionable make-believe to distasteful realities. They imagine public benefits that don't exist and ignore costs that do."

"The absurdity is apparent. High-speed rail would subsidize a tiny group of travelers and do little else. If states want these projects, they should pay all costs because there are no meaningful national gains. The administration's championing and subsidies -- with money that worsens long-term budget deficits -- represent shortsighted, thoughtless government at its worst. It's a triumph of politically expedient fiction over logic and evidence. With governments everywhere pressed for funds, how can anyone justify a program whose main effect will simply be to make matters worse?"

How indeed. It's time to make matters better. To change the outcome, we need to change the governor. Elect John Kasich and Mary Taylor.

Anti-rail-boondogglism is spreading

Our favorite word is becoming quite popular. John Kasich is riding his opposition to the 3C Snail Rail Boondoggle straight into the governor's mansion. After hovering within a few points of Strickland for months, recent polling pushed him up from “toss-up” to “leans Republican” in Rasmussen's Election 2010 Gubernatorial Scorecard. Snail killers are in high demand.

Up in Wisconsin, their Republican candidate for governor issued a similar proclamation against their "high speed" rail boondoggle (see below). He's now favored to win too, and the boondogglers feel threatened.


Over at the Capitalist Tool, Steve Forbes says all this high speed rail nonsense is nothing more than Railroading the Taxpayer.

"Bottom line: All of these rail projects couldn't pass even a laugh test in the private sector, yet they will soak up capital that otherwise could be used for productive purposes. And it's not just the capital. Almost all high-speed rail schemes around the world operate at a loss. Even those touted as turning a profit are usually helped with off-balance-sheet government subsidies.

The mission of the next Congress is clear: Tear up all of this pork-laden, misbegotten track."

Reason Magazine summed it up pretty well in Why Cities Are Broke or, There is Something Tragic About a Train...

"... or a light rail system or a streetcar boondoggle that just makes people (well, pols and their civilian enablers) wet their pants over the prospect of tossing 19th-century technology and 21st century debt obligations at cities and states and countries that are already dead broke."

Another Reason to Vote for Kasich

He promises to kill the 3C Snail Rail Boondoggle!

"I don't support a 39 mph train, OK? It's not going to happen if I'm governor, OK?" Kasich said to reporters gathered for the occasion, according to published reports. "If you want the train, I hope you can get over that and vote for me anyway. But you're not going to get that train. It's a white elephant, we can't afford it, we can't pay for it. And who's riding it?"

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says that the 3C Snail Rail Boondoggle is a good idea for Ohio because the number of freeloaders riding other inter-city choo-choos has increased a little bit recently. Just like Ohio's train, these others also lose more money per ticket than passengers pay. LaHood fails to grasp that the last thing you want when selling at a loss is more customers.

Thankfully, Kasich gets it. We need a governor who will stop wasting our money.

Kasich captures lead on "no new tax" pledge

John Kasich had been trailing Ted Strickland in the polls by 5 or 6 points for several months in the Ohio Governor's race.

Then he signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge from Americans for Tax Reform, promising to oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes.

Now the latest Rasmussen poll has Kasich leading Strickland by 5 points. The magic of fiscal conservatism works every time it's tried!