Guest Column: Ohio "Grace Commission" Bill Introduced
April 30, 2009
by: Kris Jordan (R), Ohio State Representative

Government WasteWatch, Spring 2009

On March 10, 2009 I introduced House Bill 66 the “Pork Chop Bill,” in the Ohio General Assembly.  On the very next day, I stood alongside David Williams from Citizens Against Government Waste, and David Hansen, from the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions as they introduced their 2009 Ohio Piglet Book.  It was an asset to be alongside two fellow soldiers in the fight against government waste!

HB 66 creates the State Government Efficiency Commission, whose purpose is to root out wasteful and duplicative spending and to expand the private sector in Ohio’s state government.  In developing the “Pork Chop Bill,” I wanted to prevent bureaucrats from becoming members of the commission, because their goals would be to protect their own individual interests and to preserve the inefficient programs that plague Ohio.  That’s why the bill requires that no state agency employee, legislator, or a member of an organization that lobbies the General Assembly will be allowed to serve on the commission.  Instead, twelve qualified and respected business leaders, appointed three-each by the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and the Auditor of State, will be members.  Their goal is to grow our economy and protect taxpayers, not to protect government programs.

The Bill has been referred to as the Ohio Grace Commission because its goals are similar to those of President Reagan’s Grace Commission formed in 1982, at a time when our country experienced economic problems similar to today.  Back then, Ohio’s unemployment rate went from 11.5 percent to 13.8 percent.  Last December, our unemployment rate was 7.4 percent and today it’s 9.4 percent and still climbing.  Now more than ever we need to know what folks in government are doing with the money taxpayers give them, and to make those dollars go farther.

President Reagan thought that reducing the size of government was the key to fixing the ailing economy.  The reaction of our leaders in Washington during these tough times, however, is to try and beef up the economy by creating more programs and giving away more handouts. But, like most politicians, it seems they can’t tell the difference between beef and pork.  The federal stimulus bill, despite Obama’s promise for earmark reform, contains about 9,000 earmarks.  My favorite is the 1.7 million dollar earmark for pig odor research in Iowa.  If that’s not pork, I really don’t know what is!

I believe our leaders have set up a system where we tax too much, we spend too much, and we have the wrong priorities.  We need to create a better environment in Ohio that generates jobs and provides better opportunities.  Some have stated that the Republican Party has become the party of “no”, but I believe we are the party of better solutions.  This commission can provide those solutions that will help Ohio change its priorities, create jobs, and expand opportunities into the future.  I believe if it was good enough for Ronald Reagan, then it’s good enough for me!