The fallout continues over Gov. John Kasich's desire to set up a private entity with public money. Ohioans still remember the last Republican Governor's culture of corruption that cost our state millions of dollars. Are we ready for round two?
ACLU Ohio:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio expressed disappointment today regarding the lack of transparency and accountability measures in Ohio House Bill 1, which would privatize the state’s Department of Development. Under the legislation, JobsOhio would be allowed to operate secretly, with only quarterly public meetings. The legislation also exempts the organization from parts of state public records laws. The limited records it is required to disclose would only be released annually and not subject to immediate records requests.
“Government should be run efficiently, but not at the expense of the public’s right to know,” said ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link. “The state’s work on business development is unquestionably significant, and deserves to be scrutinized by government watchdogs, the media, and others.”
In addition to transparency concerns, the bill would also provide exceptions to parts of state ethics and lobbying laws. It would also prevent the state Inspector General from investigating potential wrongdoing by members of JobsOhio....
What???? The Inspector General could not investigate corruption, law breaking, or any shenanigans by these JobsOhio members????? This is outrageous! Kasich and the Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for trying to hide their backroom deals and possible lapses of ethics. Is this what Kasich learned on Wall Street? While Kasich has plans to cut funds for education, some fat cat business leaders could possibly be steering work to their own company or a friend/relative's firm. Students would be robbed of educational materials while Kasich's good old boys benefit.
In today's Dispatch, Randy Ludlow discusses the legislation in House Bill 1, which is Kasich's plan to privatize job creation:
...The bill may seek to proclaim that JobsOhio is not a public office subject to Sunshine Laws, but that doesn’t necessarily make it so.
In its 2006 Oriana House decision, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that private entities are subject to the Public Records Act if they function as the equivalent of a public office.....
...If Kasich and Republican lawmakers ignore the court’s legal precedent, they seemingly are begging some smart lawyers with a do-good group to file a lawsuit challenging the premise that JobsOhio need not turn over records upon request.....
Which organization or private citizen will file the first lawsuit?