John Kasich presidential campaign, 2016/Budgets
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 John Kasich |
Governor of Ohio (2011-2019) U.S. House, Ohio, District 12 (1983-2001) Ohio State Senate (1979-1983) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
- John Kasich said on November 2, 2015, that he would eliminate the U.S. Department of Commerce if he were elected president. Kasich said, "Commerce is a case study in Washington dysfunction. It's like a basement that politicians keep stuffing pet projects into and it never gets cleaned out. As a result, needed efforts suffer and costs and efficiency are ignored. I will break it up, put the pieces we need in the right places, send other pieces back to the states and simply stop doing those things that aren't needed." On his website, Kasich said, "Essential work of Commerce would be transferred to other agencies and unneeded programs, political projects, and expensive bureaucracy—as well as the cabinet position itself—would be eliminated.[1][2]
- Kasich unveiled "The Kasich Action Plan" on October 15, 2015. The proposal called for balancing the budget in eight years by reforming the tax code, downsizing the Department of Transportation to focus on safety and research, shrinking the Department of Education by consolidating more than 100 programs into four key block grants, and incorporating job training programs into a handful of block grants administered by the states. The plan also called for looking for savings in the Medicaid program.[3][4]
- Kasich rejected a proposal to accept $1 in tax increases for $10 in spending cuts in August 2015. "If the government takes more, they'll spend it," he said.[5]
- Kasich served as the ranking member and later as chairman of the House Budget Committee in the 1990s. In 1993, he authored the Penny-Kasich Plan, which would have balanced the budget through spending cuts instead of tax increases. The plan was to cut $103 billion from the federal budget over a span of five years, but it failed by six votes.[6]
- Kasich sponsored the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and he was "widely recognized as the its [sic] chief architect and a key player in negotiating its passage." In 1998, former President Bill Clinton (D) announced the first federal budget surplus in 29 years.[7][8]
- Kasich served as chairman of the House Budget Committee from 1995 to 2000.[9] In this position, Kasich inherited a federal budget with a deficit of nearly $164 billion and ended with a surplus of over $236 billion.[10]
- The Cato Institute gave Ohio Gov. Kasich a "B" rating for fiscal policy in 2012, crediting him with various tax reductions and credits, but criticizing him for raising a hospital tax in 2011. The group quoted Kasich as saying, "Too many successful entrepreneurs are fleeing the state to escape high taxation. When they leave, we lose the money. That’s one thing; we also lose the jobs, and their entrepreneurial spirit."[11]
- In 2013, Kasich signed Ohio's biennial budget and used his line item veto authority to veto 22 items, including earmarks regarding workforce development funds, commercial truck cargo inspection equipment, and funding for the Thomas Edison grant program.[12][13]
- One of Kasich's first actions after taking office was to privatize Ohio's economic development functions by creating a private, nonprofit company called JobsOhio.[14] Critics argued that the lack of transparency would prevent JobsOhio from being accountable to the public.[15]
- In 2011, Kasich signed a transportation budget that included a provision creating a public private partnership.[16]
- In 2013, despite the wishes of the state legislature, Kasich expanded Medicaid and accepted funds under Obamacare.[17][18]
- According to the Republican Governors Association, Kasich's 2011 budget cut taxes by more than $800 million while closing an $8 billion budget shortfall.[19]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term John + Kasich + Budgets
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "John Kasich wants to dump Commerce Department," November 2, 2015
- ↑ Kasich For America, "Kasich Action Plan," accessed November 2, 2015
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Tax cuts, spending freeze part of GOP candidate Kasich's ambitious plan to balance budget," October 15, 2015
- ↑ John Kasich for America, "Kasich Action Plan," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ CBS News, "John Kasich: 'I expect to win this one'," August 16, 2015
- ↑ Examiner, "Ohio Gov. Kasich OK with balanced budgets, unsure of 'Cut, Cap' bill, aide says," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Politifact, “John Kasich touts role in balancing budget, creating surplus, boosting jobs," October 31, 2010
- ↑ Cleveland.com, “After some lean and mean years, a maverick goes mainstream in Congress: John Kasich 5.0," May 13, 2014
- ↑ House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, "Past Committee Members," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ The White House, Office of Management and Budget, "Historical Tables," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ The Cato Institute, "Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2012," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, “Kasich signs budget, but veto keeps alive Medicaid expansion," July 1, 2013
- ↑ Vorys, "Ohio Statehouse Update: Governor Kasich Signs Biennial Budget Bill, Issues Veto Statement," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ PolitiFact, "Dismantle the Department of Development and privatize job-creation efforts," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Cleveland.com, “How effective is JobsOhio? Experts say private nature of Gov. John Kasich's brainchild makes evaluation tough," August 23, 2013
- ↑ Idea Stream, “Governor Kasich Signs Transportation Budget Into Law," March 30, 2011
- ↑ Huffington Post, “Ohio Medicaid Expansion Backed By GOP Gov. John Kasich," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Ohio will expand Medicaid after months-long battle between governor and legislature," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Republican Governors Association, "Gov. John Kasich (OH)," accessed December 23, 2014
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