Ohio budget disaster

The Ohio legislature has become a bandstand of ALEC-inspired extremism. And far-right Gov. John Kasich digs it all.

Kasich has just signed Ohio's new budget into law, and it's rife with social and economic engineering that only the Tea Party could love. For starts, this budget - written by "low tax" Republicans - increases the sales tax to 5.75%. In Ohio, the governor has the power to issue a line-item veto to strike down budget items - but Kasich opted not to do so for this and most other items in the budget.

Much has been made of the budget's abortion restrictions - but the budget also requires a forced ultrasound for some forms of contraception. Not just abortion. I'm talking about contraception - something completely different. It even redefines pregnancy to effectively outlaw intrauterine devices.

The budget also rewards low-performing charter schools - but provides nothing for charters that perform well.

Ohioans will be pleased to know they're paying a higher sales tax to help bail out failing charter schools. Then again, that's not a completely new concept in the Buckeye State, because Ohio has long been one of the most spendthrift states regarding the funding of failing private schools.

Time for the cities to stand up and nullify these toxic budget items.