Guest Column from State Representative Jim Buchy
It is that time again for fresh starts, new beginnings, and resolutions, and the government should be included in all of the fun. With 2013 in the books and 2014 now beginning, the government has a great opportunity to make a New Years Resolution, too.
In June of 2013, the state of Ohio passed our biennial budget. Our state Constitution requires Ohio to pass a balanced budget every two years, and this practice has helped our economy recover and move in the right direction. The government has a responsibility to its people to be discerning and resourceful with taxpayers’ money, and the federal government is not exempt from this responsibility.
Washington should follow Ohio’s lead. We worked together to reduce taxes and cut spending, which has greatly helped Ohio’s economic outlook to improve. For the well-being of America, the federal government needs to spend less time in partisan bickering and more time listening to its citizens and their concerns. People are worried about the future of our country, and that is understandable. The government needs to start doing a better job for the sake of our children and grandchildren, to ensure that they have every opportunity to pursue the American Dream.
I joined with other Ohio legislators to pass Senate Joint Resolution 5, which calls for a convention of the states limited to the purpose of proposing an amendment that would require a balanced budget by the United States Congress. Ohio’s balanced budget has allowed us to pour more money into important services like public education and health care, while cutting taxes for the citizens of this state.
The federal government is long overdue to prepare a budget and stop the spending that has put our country in fiscal turmoil. I hope that they will make it their 2014 resolution to be responsible and pass a reasonable budget. And I am thankful for our nation’s history, and the foresight of our predecessors that provided a way for the states to hold the federal government accountable. Thanks to the passing of S.J.R.5 and Governor Kasich signing it into law, my fellow legislators in Columbus and I can continue to fight for the fiscally responsible federal government that Ohioans and all Americans deserve.
In 2014, I hope the federal government will take the lead of Governor Kasich by balancing the budget and begin paying our debt back to China. Governor Kasich’s leadership in solving Ohio’s economic crisis over the past three years has made Ohio a prime destination for new business. If our federal government made the right choices to secure the countries financial position global leaders may decide to do business in the USA.
Best of luck with your own resolutions, and I want to wish everyone in the 84th House District a Happy New Year!
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