State Senator Keith Faber
Faber tells locals about administration accomplishments, discussions
By Bob Robinson 

GREENVILLE – Ohio had 88,000 new business filings in 2012, an all-time high. Ohio unemployment is below the national average. School districts get an 11.2 percent increase, the largest in history. 

These were just some of the accomplishments of the Kasich administration since 2010, according Ohio Senator Keith Faber. He spoke at a recent Darke County Republican Men’s Club meeting at the Brethren Retirement Community. He also talked about some of the areas under discussion, including Medicaid reform. 

“Two and a half years ago there was an $8 billion deficit with double digit unemployment. We balanced the budget and cut taxes, including killing the death tax,” Faber said. “There has been a growth of private jobs while the number of public jobs has decreased.” 

Faber, president of the Ohio Senate, added there is discussion this year about using $400 million for an additional tax cut or for business incentives. 

“We think there is a way to do both,” he said. “We are working on it.” 

Faber addressed a complaint from many local governments that in 2011 the state balanced its budget on the backs of local governments. 

“Yes, we asked you to share in the reductions,” he said. “Local revenues were decreased by two to four percent. The state reduced its budget by 18 percent.” 

Local government revenues are increasing now, he added, noting sales tax revenues were going up. 

“In education, we believe in payment for performance,” Faber noted. “But nobody talks about it because it isn’t controversial.” 

School districts are receiving an 11.2 percent increase overall, the largest in Ohio history. Individual district revenues are determined by a sliding scale, however nobody gets a decrease. Rich districts (property values are up) and districts where enrollment is down will still receive the same amount of money. 

“Nobody gets a decrease,” Faber repeated. “State revenues to those districts are frozen.” 

Faber also addressed the concern over Common Core Standards. Those are directed by governors, not the federal government, and Ohio isn’t doing it, he said. 

“There are no federal standards on education. None. We have Ohio Core Standards and student-specific data is not shared,” Faber said. He added the Ohio Core is based upon math, English, history, government, biology and physical science. 

Some of the items under discussion are tax reform, Medicaid reform and combatting drugs. 

Faber said there was ongoing discussion on the best way to raise revenue. 

“Do we want income taxes or consumption (sales) taxes?” he said. “With a consumption tax you make the decision. An income tax is a tax on your labor. We want to encourage jobs, not discourage them.” 

Faber said he was against the expansion of Medicaid, noting Obamacare is an attempt at the federal level to get more into health care. 

“Medicaid is not efficient, but it’s designed to help the poor. We want to reform it; we want to go to the feds and say ‘give us some flexibility.’” 

The individuals receiving Medicaid basically fall into three categories, Faber added: people who can’t work, people with a substance abuse problem or partial disability, and people who won’t work. 

He noted 70 percent of the prison and jail populations are due to crimes committed because of some form of addiction. 

“The reality is we have a drug problem and it’s costing us. We need to have a serious conversation about dealing with it.” 

Faber said a subsidized federal treatment program would save judicial and societal dollars. He added those who need help should get it, and those with a substance abuse problem need to move into a treatment program.

“We need the flexibility,” Faber repeated. “Better service for less money.” 

What does it mean locally? 

“Ask your sheriff,” Faber said, adding the change in the prison system would be dramatic. 

The Darke County Republican Men’s Club meets at 8 a.m. the third Saturday of each month in the Chestnut Cafeteria (former employee’s cafeteria) at Brethren Retirement Community. The public is invited. 

Published courtesy of The Early Bird