senior scribes
The views expressed on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County News Online
text

State Representative Jim Buchy
Ohio Legislature Backs Innovative Program to Help Local Governments
 
A few years ago Ohio’s economy was on a downward spiral, our credit rating was downgraded and our state was in a fiscal mess.  When Governor Kasich took office we balanced the budget which required making up for an $8 billion dollar budget hole; and we did it without raising taxes.  Making difficult decisions was necessary at this time.  As the economy went down so did local government funds.  Providing unique ways to help the budgets of local governments has been a priority of all members of state government.
 
To relieve some of the financial burden on our local communities, Attorney General Mike DeWine has enabled local municipalities to use the state’s debt collection service to bring in funding that is justly owed to local governments but not being paid for any number of reasons.  The leadership of the attorney general resulted in the legislature joining this commitment.
 
To carryout this program, state government officials had to focus on increasing efficiency and only hiring a minimal amount of new employees. The program is operated at no costs to the local governments; however, fees generated in the collections process are circulated into the collections division to fund the program.  In the most recent state budget the legislature ensured the continuation of the program by enabling the Attorney General’s office to have the funds necessary for the program and technological advancements.
 
Since the start of this innovative program, 54 political subdivisions have enrolled and the state of Ohio has collected more than $3.2 million for local governments and closed over 820,000 accounts of debt owed to local governments.
 
It is common for municipalities to have outstanding debt because for various reasons some residents cannot pay the bills owed to the community.  In some cases the municipality has a debt collection program managed in the municipal government or they may contract with an out of town debt collection service.  No matter how our communities have decided to handle debt collection, this service  could have an impact on communities struggling with budget issues.
 
Because of this program we have been able to recover debt owed to local governments, which allows them to put that money back into our communities.  In state government we understand the vital role played by local governments. Continuing to work for ways to reduce their costs and strengthen their financial position is a benefit to all Ohioans.
 
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyoctober2014.



 
senior scribes
senior scribes

County News Online

is a Fundraiser for the Senior Scribes Scholarship Committee. All net profits go into a fund for Darke County Senior Scholarships
contact
Copyright © 2011 and design by cigs.kometweb.com