April 1, 2011
, The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
BELLAIRE - Groups opposed to Ohio Senate Bill 5 - passed Wednesday - already plan to put the measure up for referendum in the Nov. 2 general election, a local union leader said.
They were just waiting for Gov. John Kasich to sign the bill into law, according to Michael Dossie, president of the Eastern Ohio Education Association. Kasich did that Thursday night.
SB 5 reduces collective bargaining rights for Ohio's public employees.
"Once he signs, the referendum begins," Dossie said.
The law's opponents need to have at least 1,000 initial signatures to begin the referendum process, he continued.
A minimum of 231,148 signatures - equal to 6 percent of the total vote for governor in 2010 - must be gathered to get the referendum on the November ballot, he said.
In addition, petition signatures representing 3 percent of last year's gubernatorial vote must be gathered in 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, according to Dossie.
The referendum must be filed within 90 days of the governor's signature, and those collecting signatures will get 10 days to go out and get more signatures if more are needed. From there, it will go on to the Ohio Ballot Board, where the ballot language will be crafted.
"The language is going to be very simple," he continued. "It's going to ask, 'Shall the law be approved?' Yes or no."
Rep. Alan Landis, R-Dover, was among the 58 Ohio House members voting in favor of SB 5 this week. He termed his vote "a business decision ... and a tough one."
"By voting for the bill, I voted to get it out of the Ohio House," he said. "The passage allows the bill's opponents to put it on the ballot and let everyone decide. I'm in favor of letting the people look at it, and letting the people decide."
Landis said the measure "affects every Ohioan in one way or another."
"We've had a lot of issues not dealt with over the years, and we had to deal with issues of the past so we can move into the future," he said. "In light of our budget deficit, we can't not deal with this."
Rep. Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, opposed SB 5.
"I voted for my constituents, who don't think it's necessary," he said. "Our top priority in the Ohio House should be to create jobs. This bill doesn't create one job. It hurts the middle class and the local economy.
"What's being done is against the will of people," he added. "Those people in the chamber watching ... you could see their frustration with this process. They don't feel like they're being heard."
They were just waiting for Gov. John Kasich to sign the bill into law, according to Michael Dossie, president of the Eastern Ohio Education Association. Kasich did that Thursday night.
SB 5 reduces collective bargaining rights for Ohio's public employees.
"Once he signs, the referendum begins," Dossie said.
The law's opponents need to have at least 1,000 initial signatures to begin the referendum process, he continued.
A minimum of 231,148 signatures - equal to 6 percent of the total vote for governor in 2010 - must be gathered to get the referendum on the November ballot, he said.
In addition, petition signatures representing 3 percent of last year's gubernatorial vote must be gathered in 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, according to Dossie.
The referendum must be filed within 90 days of the governor's signature, and those collecting signatures will get 10 days to go out and get more signatures if more are needed. From there, it will go on to the Ohio Ballot Board, where the ballot language will be crafted.
"The language is going to be very simple," he continued. "It's going to ask, 'Shall the law be approved?' Yes or no."
Rep. Alan Landis, R-Dover, was among the 58 Ohio House members voting in favor of SB 5 this week. He termed his vote "a business decision ... and a tough one."
"By voting for the bill, I voted to get it out of the Ohio House," he said. "The passage allows the bill's opponents to put it on the ballot and let everyone decide. I'm in favor of letting the people look at it, and letting the people decide."
Landis said the measure "affects every Ohioan in one way or another."
"We've had a lot of issues not dealt with over the years, and we had to deal with issues of the past so we can move into the future," he said. "In light of our budget deficit, we can't not deal with this."
Rep. Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, opposed SB 5.
"I voted for my constituents, who don't think it's necessary," he said. "Our top priority in the Ohio House should be to create jobs. This bill doesn't create one job. It hurts the middle class and the local economy.
"What's being done is against the will of people," he added. "Those people in the chamber watching ... you could see their frustration with this process. They don't feel like they're being heard."
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