Interim state budget in the works - Business First of Columbus:

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The office of Senate PresidentBill Harris, R-Ashland, said legislators are schedulefd to take up the state industrial commissiojn budget in the afternoon. Expected to be tacked onto that bill is an amendmenty that would provide for an interim budget through July 7 andallowinfg Gov. Ted Strickland to tap the state’xs rainy day fund to balance the budgetr for thisfiscal year. The temporary budget for the government’s fiscal year starting Wednesday calls for fullyu funding debt service but funding state operations at 70 percenty of spending levels through the yearendiny Tuesday.
Harris’ office said that is roughly the funding level in a final budger that both Statehouse chambers are working to finalize through aconferencd committee. Those talks, however, remain tied up because Senate Republicans, the majorith in that chamber, oppose Strickland’s plan to install video slot machinesw atthe state’s horse racing trackw and use that revenuer stream to help plug a projected $3.2 billionh budget gap without voter approval.
Harris said Saturdahy that should Strickland exercisee his authority to allow slots atracing tracks, the Senate will account for the “However, I cannot get past the fact that the voterz of Ohio – our constituentas – have spoken on expandedd gambling time and again,” Harris said in preparecd text. “Asking the to circumvent their will in such a shorgt time frame when there has been no formal public debatw and there are so many questions left unanswerefis unreasonable.” Strickland responde d Sunday, criticizing the Senate for offering objections but not solutions to the budget shortfall.
“I continue to wait for them to say what taxees they would increase or what service s they would further reduce to address the budget Strickland said in aprepareds statement.