If this Dispatch story is accurate, then yes:
Gov. Ted Strickland and legislative leaders appeared close to a budget agreement last night that would implement a plan to place slot machines at Ohio’s seven horseracing tracks without a statewide vote.
Sources with knowledge of the closed-door negotiations said there was genuine optimism that the full House and Senate would vote early next week on a final two-year state budget, two weeks after failing to meet the June 30 deadline for enacting the new spending plan.
Although talks were continuing, sources confirmed that the framework of the agreement would have Strickland implementing a plan to place thousands of electronic slot machines, also called video lottery terminals, at Ohio’s racetracks via executive order, while lawmakers would approve some minimal legislative language addressing the issue. Details were sketchy.
If true, this means essentially that Governor Strickland spent two weeks castigating Republicans when he would sign a basic compromise on slots in the end (executive order w/ legislative implementation language).
The real problems seems to be that the budget process wound down to the last minute and Strickland’s slot proposal threw a monkey wrench in the process. Surprise, surprise politics happened.
But, also not a surprise, I think Strickland reacted poorly. And I think he did so because he felt the pressure from both sides. He felt the political heat stemming from his re-election bid and worried about raising taxes or expanding gambling. But he also felt the heat from his supporters who were angry over cuts to libraries and social services. There was no easy answer. Mr. Nice Guy wasn’t so nice when push came to shove.
But his petulant reaction when the Senate refused to simply sign off on his gambling proposal did not help the two sides reach a compromise. What motivation did the GOP have to help Strickland when he was castigating and insulting them at regular press conferences? The Senate may not have moved as quickly as Strickland would have liked but I don’t recall Bill Harris slamming Strickland and calling him out as Strickland did the GOP.
Now it seems both sides are avoiding public spats:
“I think everybody recognizes that the course we were on collectively was not a constructive course,” said Sen. Jon Husted, R.-Kettering. “Everybody is working in a more constructive manner,”
I continue to believe that cuts and cost saving measures have not been fully explored largely because the House refused to consider them and thus set the budget back weeks if not months. But it looks like Strickland is going to get at least part of his wish with expanded gambling at racetracks instead.
