Monday, January 14, 2013

Influence


When an elected official loads up government agencies/departments with his supporters,  those appointees magically throw out progress to follow the course set out for them.  Ohio is such an example. Governor John Kasich has eliminated any influence from the previous Democratic governor by firing those that worked under Gov. Ted Strickland.

Most recently, the Kasich appointed members of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) eliminated a project and the jobs associated with it.

SolarServer:

On January 9th, 2012 the Public Utilities Commission in the US state of Ohio (PUCO) voted 3-1 to deny approval of a 50 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the state.
 
American Electric Power Inc. (AEP, Columbus, Ohio, US) proposed to build the Turning Point Solar Project on a former strip mine, and hire 60% of its workforce from Ohio veterans.....

....Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) appointed all four members of the PUCO, and Innovation Ohio has drawn a connection between the ruling and Kasich supporter FirstEnergy Corporation's (Akron, Ohio, US) opposition to the project.... 

Kasich would rather get the backing of First Energy Corporation than allow a solar project to move forward. The solar project would have created 600 jobs. This is sad because Ohio vets don't get the needed jobs, consumers won't enjoy lower utility bills with an increase in solar power, and FOK (friends of Kasich) are now dictating which state projects should be funded.

In the case of the Ohio Department of Education, the board has been loaded with pro-charter school members appointed by Kasich.  A recent appointment, the President of Ohio Christian University, has demonstrated the far right agenda Kasich wants.

While we see more tax dollars going to failing charter schools, a lack of effort to eliminate these schools, and a push by Kasich to mandate more in education while cutting funding, Ohioans must decide if Kasich deserves a second term. In my humble opinion, Ohio will suffer greatly if Kasich is allowed to further destroy the public school system in Ohio.  Any citizen can see that charter schools are not making the grade (see the charter school grades), but Kasich and the Ohio GOP continue to promote them. Enough is enough.