00:00:38>> LAWMAKERS HEAD HOME AFTER
PASSING A PASSEL OF BILLS, AND
00:00:40THE GOVERNOR LAUDS THE
LEGISLATURE FOR BIPARTISANSHIP.
00:00:42AND WHAT'S DOWN THE ROAD FOR
ODOT?
00:00:44TWO STATEHOUSE VETERANS OFFER
THEIR VIEW.
00:00:48ALL THIS WEEK IN "THE STATE OF
OHIO".
00:00:49AN OHIO MAN IS STILL FACING
EXECUTION ON WEDNESDAY, AND HIS
00:00:56FATE IS IN THE HANDS OF A
CLEVELAND JUDGE.
00:00:58CUYAHOGA COUNTY JUDGE STUART
FRIEDMAN HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A
00:01:03COMPETENCY HEARING FOR 53 YEAR
OLD ABDUL HAMIN AWKAL,
00:01:06CONVICTED OF KILLING HIS
ESTRANGED WIFE AND BROTHER IN
00:01:09LAW IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN
1992.
00:01:11AWKAL RECEIVED A LAST-MINUTE
REPRIEVE FROM GOV.
00:01:15JOHN KASICH LAST WEEK.
ONE DEATH PENALTY OPPONENT WHO
00:01:21TESTIFIED SAID AWKAL FEELS
REMORSE, AND THAT AWKAL THINKS
00:01:24THE CIA IS PLOTTING AGAINST HIM.
BUT THE OHIO PAROLE BOARD VOTED
00:01:298-1 LAST MONTH AGAINST
RECOMMENDING MERCY, WITH MOST
00:01:32MEMBERS CONCLUDING THAT AWKAL
PLANNED THE SHOOTINGS.
00:01:34IT WAS ANOTHER BUSY WEEK FOR
GOV.
00:01:36KASICH, WHO SIGNED ANOTHER
BATCH OF BILLS AND SPENT SOME
00:01:38TIME OUTSIDE OF HIS OFFICE
TALKING ABOUT THEM.
00:01:41HE SIGNED THE SWEEPING MIDTERM
BUDGET UPDATE BILL WHICH TRIMS
00:01:46STATE SPENDING BY 13.6 MILLION.
BUT HE TOOK OUT $30 MILLION
00:01:51THAT LAWMAKERS HAD SET ASIDE
FOR BONUSES TO HIGH-QUALITY
00:01:54NURSING HOMES AND STRIKING A
NUMBER OF OTHER PROVISIONS.
00:01:57AND HE MADE A RARE APPEARANCE
IN THE OHIO SENATE ON WEDNESDAY
00:02:01TO THANK THE REPUBLICAN-
DOMINATED BODY FOR PASSING THAT
00:02:04BILL AND SEVERAL OTHERS, WHILE
ALSO ASKING DEMOCRATS WHO OPPOSE
00:02:07HIM TO COME SEE HIM.
BUT DEMOCRATS SAY THEY HAVE
00:02:11COME TO SEE HIM, ABOUT THEIR
JOBS BILL, BUT THAT HE DIDN'T
00:02:13TAKE ANY OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
THE GOVERNOR ALSO SIGNED THE
00:02:18PACKAGE OF NEW REGULATIONS ON
OIL AND GAS DRILLERS IN OHIO -
00:02:21HE TOOK THAT SIGNING CEREMONY
TO AKRON, ON THE EDGE OF
00:02:23FRACKING COUNTRY.
AND KASICH ALSO SIGNED A BILL
00:02:27CREATING NEW RULES FOR CASINOS,
BINGO HALLS AND THE SLOTS-LIKE
00:02:31VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINALS THAT ARE
COMING TO OHIO'S SEVEN HORSE
00:02:33RACETRACKS.
LAWMAKERS WERE BACK AT THE
00:02:35STATEHOUSE FOR WHAT WERE LIKELY
THEIR FINAL VOTING SESSIONS
00:02:37BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
THEY APPROVED THE EDUCATION
00:02:39PORTION OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
UPDATE - IT INCLUDES THE SO-
00:02:42CALLED THIRD GRADE READING
GUARANTEE, WHICH ALLOWS FOR
00:02:45KIDS IN THIRD GRADE WHO DON'T
MEET READING SKILLS STANDARDS TO
00:02:48FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING
HELD BACK FOR UP TO TWO SCHOOL
00:02:51YEARS.
THEY ALSO PASSED THE BLUEPRINT
00:02:54THAT LEADERS IN CLEVELAND SAY
WILL IMPROVE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
00:02:57SYSTEM - IT MAKES SOME
CONTROVERSIAL CHANGES IN THE
00:03:00CONTRACT WITH THE CLEVELAND
TEACHERS' UNION AND ALSO ALLOWS
00:03:04FOR LEVY MONEY TO BE SHARED
WITH CERTAIN CHARTER SCHOOLS
00:03:06THAT PARTNER WITH THE DISTRICT.
THE BILL HAD THE SUPPORT OF GOV.
00:03:10KASICH AND SOME DEMOCRATS, BUT
OTHERS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT
00:03:13THE CHARTER SCHOOL PROVISION.
AMONG THE OTHER BILLS
00:03:18LEGISLATORS PASSED AND SENT ON
TO THE GOVERNOR:
00:03:19A PACKAGE TO CURB "COLLATERAL
SANCTIONS" THAT MAKE IT
00:03:23DIFFICULT FOR EX-CONVICTS TO
FIND JOBS, WHICH INCLUDES
00:03:26ALLOWING FORMER FELONS TO GET
WORK CERTIFICATES OR LICENSES,
00:03:28PERMITTING COMMUNITY SERVICE
INSTEAD OF FINES OR DRIVERS'
00:03:32LICENSE SUSPENSIONS, AND
ADJUSTING CHILD SUPPORT
00:03:35PAYMENTS WHEN A PARENT'S
EARNINGS FALL SHORT BECAUSE OF
00:03:38HIS OR HER CRIMINAL RECORD; A
BILL THAT INCREASES PENALTIES
00:03:42FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND
CREATES A FUND TO HELP VICTIMS,
00:03:45WHICH WOULD HELP VICTIMS TO HAVE
THEIR RECORDS EXPUNGED IF THEY
00:03:49HAVE PROSTITUTION OR
SOLICITATION CHARGES AS A RESULT
00:03:53OF BEING TRAFFICKED; A MEASURE
RENAMING THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF
00:03:57DEVELOPMENT AS THE OHIO
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCY,
00:04:00WHICH ALSO FINE-TUNES THE
PRIVATE JOBS CREATING AGENCY
00:04:04JOBSOHIO AND ESTABLISHES A
STATE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD; A
00:04:05PLAN THAT AIMS TO CURB THE THEFT
OF SCRAP METAL BY REQUIRING
00:04:09DEALERS TO PHOTOGRAPH ANYONE WHO
SELLS THEM SCRAP; AND A PROPOSAL
00:04:13TO CONVEY THE POTENTIALLY
LUCRATIVE LAND-GRANT STATUS ON
00:04:17CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY, WHICH
COULD ALLOW CENTRAL STATE ACCESS
00:04:22TO MILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING
AS PART OF THE NATION'S
00:04:26EXPANDED NETWORK OF PUBLICLY
FUNDED LAND-GRANT COLLEGES.
00:04:28TO CAP THE WEEK, THE GOVERNOR
MET WITH REPORTERS IN A LENGTHY
00:04:34SESSION AT THE GOVERNOR'S
RESIDENCE, FLANKED BY SENATE
00:04:36PRESIDENT TOM NIEHAUS AND HOUSE
SPEAKER BILL BATCHELDER.
00:04:38ONCE AGAIN THE GOVERNOR PRAISED
THE REPUBLICAN-RUN LEGISLATURE
00:04:43FOR SUPPORTING HIS MID-BIENNIUM
REVIEW AND PASSING MOST OF THE
00:04:46IDEAS HE INITIALLY PROPOSED
BACK IN MARCH - SAVE FOR HIS
00:04:50SEVERANCE TAX PROPOSAL ON OIL
AND NATURAL GAS DRILLERS TO FUND
00:04:52AN INCOME TAX CUT.
AND ONCE AGAIN HE TALKED ABOUT
00:04:56THE BIPARTISANSHIP HE SAW IN
SOME OF THE RECENTLY PASSED
00:04:59LEGISLATION.
THE GOVERNOR WAS ASKED WHY HE
00:05:02DIDN'T INVITE THE LEADERS OF
MINORITY DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE
00:05:05AND SENATE TO JOIN HIM FOR THIS
WRAP-UP PRESS CONFERENCE.
00:05:07>> WE DID NOT INVITE THEM TO
THIS BECAUSE WE INVITED THE
00:05:15LEADERS, THE ONES WHO ARE THE
FOUR MEN WHO PASSED THIS
00:05:20THROUGH.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHEN IT CAME
00:05:25TO A LOT OF THESE LEGISLATIVE
ISSUES, THERE IS A CASE WHERE
00:05:30THEY WERE CONSULTED.
IN THE CLEVELAND SCHOOL PLAN,
00:05:34THE VOTE IN THE HOUSE WAS 78.
YOU HAD THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE
00:05:39SUPPORTING IT.
YOU NORMALLY INVITE THE SPEAKER
00:05:45AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
IF THAT SHOULD CHANGE, THAT IS
00:05:48WHO WILL BE AT THE NEXT
CONFERENCE.
00:05:50>>
ONE BILL THAT IS NOT ON ITS WAY
00:05:56TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK IS THE
ONE THAT WOULD CREATE THE
00:05:57STRICTEST BAN ON ABORTION IN THE
COUNTRY, THE SO-CALLED HEARTBEAT
00:05:59BILL, WHICH WOULD BAN ABORTION
AFTER A FETAL HEARTBEAT IS
00:06:01DETECTED.
THE HEARTBEAT BILL PASSED THE
00:06:03HOUSE LAST JUNE, AND IF IT
DOESN'T PASS THE SENATE BY THE
00:06:05END OF THE YEAR, IT'S DEAD FOR
THIS SESSION.
00:06:06THE BILL IS BACKED BY A
COALITION OF PRO-LIFE ACTIVISTS,
00:06:09BUT OHIO RIGHT TO LIFE IS ON
RECORD AS OPPOSING IT ON
00:06:12CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS.
REPUBLICAN SENATE PRESIDENT TOM
00:06:16NIEHAUS HAS TAKEN HEAT FROM
HEARTBEAT BILL SUPPORTERS FOR
00:06:19NOT MOVING THE MEASURE IN HIS
CHAMBER.
00:06:20BUT NIEHAUS SAYS HE WANTS A
COMPROMISE BETWEEN BOTH SIDES.
00:06:24THIS WEEK, SUPPORTERS SAID
THEY'D COME UP WITH A DEAL.
00:06:27REPUBLICAN LYNN WACHTMANN OF
NAPOLEON IN NORTHWEST OHIO
00:06:32SPONSORED THE BILL IN THE
HOUSE, AND WAS IN FRONT OF THE
00:06:35STATEHOUSE THIS WEEK WITH OTHER
HEARTBEAT BILL BACKERS AS THEY
00:06:38HELD DOWN A HUGE INFLATABLE
BALLOON IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART.
00:06:40HE SAID THE DEAL COULD SATISFY
BOTH THOSE PUSHING THE HEARTBEAT
00:06:45BILL AS WELL AS OHIO RIGHT TO
LIFE.
00:06:46>> THE NEW LANGUAGE THAT THE
FOLKS WORKED ON THE LAST FEW
00:06:50DAYS
DOES A BETTER JOB OF SEPARATING
00:06:56THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE BILL,
WHICH WOULD PROTECT THE ENTIRETY
00:07:02OF THE BILL, HOPEFULLY, FROM A
BAD COURT DECISION.
00:07:04>> BUT FOR OHIO RIGHT TO LIFE,
THIS BILL BRINGS NO REAL CHANGE
00:07:07FROM THE HEARTBEAT BILL THE
GROUP OFFICIALLY OPPOSES.
00:07:08PRESIDENT MIKE GONIDAKIS, WHO'S
ALSO A LAWYER, SAYS THE
00:07:11LANGUAGE ON SEVERABILITY IS
UNNEEDED UNDER OHIO LAW.
00:07:13GONIDAKIS SAYS HE HASN'T SEEN A
NEW VERSION OF THE BILL, AND
00:07:19THAT THERE'S BEEN NO MEETING TO
DISCUSS IT, BUT HIS
00:07:22ORGANIZATION STILL HAS BIG
PROBLEMS WITH THE MEASURE.
00:07:23>> AS THE BILL IS CURRENTLY
DRAFTED, THE SUBSTITUTE
00:07:26VERSION, THERE'S NUMEROUS
CONCERNS, WHETHER IT BE AN
00:07:29INFORMED CONSENT, POWERS GIVEN
TO STATE OFFICIALS OR OBVIOUSLY
00:07:32THE BAN PORTION.
SO, A LOT OF ISSUES THAT NEED TO
00:07:36BE ADDRESSED.
>> WACHTMANN SAYS HE'S STILL
00:07:38OPTIMISTIC THE HEARTBEAT BILL
WILL BE PASSED BY YEAR'S END.
00:07:40IN THE MEANTIME, ITS BACKERS,
LED BY JANET FOLGER PORTER WITH
00:07:44THE NATIONAL ANTI-ABORTION
GROUP FAITH 2 ACTION, CONTINUE
00:07:47TO HOLD RALLIES AT THE
STATEHOUSE AND TAKE OUT FULL
00:07:50PAGE ADS CALLING OUT INDIVIDUAL
REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO ARE
00:07:53ANTI-ABORTION AS "RINOS" -
"REPUBLICANS IN NAME ONLY" -
00:07:58ACTIONS THAT HAVE IRRITATED EVEN
SOME WHO SUPPORT THEIR CAUSE.
00:08:01WACHTMANN IS AMONG THOSE WHO
HAVE CRITICIZED THEIR STRATEGY,
00:08:06BUT PORTER SAID SHE'S NOT
CONCERNED.
00:08:07>> YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THE
SENATE SAID THAT THEY
00:08:11OR ARE GOING TO PASS THE PART B
BILL.
00:08:16AT THAT POINT, YOU DO NOT HAVE A
LOT TO LOSE.
00:08:19BY TAKING THE MESSAGE DIRECTLY
TO THE DISTRICT AND
00:08:22COMMUNICATING TO THEM THE
ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT RAN ON
00:08:24PROTESTS LIKE PROMISES, THAT ARE
PART OF THE PRO-LIKE REPUBLICAN
00:08:28PARTY, ARE HOLDING UP THE MOST
PRO-LIFE BILL.
00:08:30WHAT IS EXCITING TO ME, WE ARE
IN THIS LAST WEEK OF SESSIONS
00:08:35BEFORE THE RECESS.
BUT I AM MOST ANXIOUS TO DO IS
00:08:38RUN THANK YOU ADDS.
I CANNOT WAIT TO RUN THINGS YOU
00:08:42THAT WHEN THE SENATE RUNS THE
MOST PRO-LIFE BILL.
00:08:45AS YOU CAN TELL, WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL THE BILL
00:08:48IS CAST AND BABIES ARE
PROTECTED.
00:08:50I CARE MORE ABOUT PROTECTING
BABIES THAN MAKING FRIENDS IN
00:08:54THE SENATE.
>> MEANWHILE, THE BILL'S
00:08:55STRONGEST OPPONENTS - THOSE WHO
SUPPORT ABORTION RIGHTS - ARE
00:08:57ALSO STILL WATCHING IT, SAYING
THEY'RE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE
00:08:59THEIR SUPPORTERS IF THE BILL
MOVES IN THE SENATE.
00:09:00NOT ONLY WOULD THE HEARTBEAT
BILL HAVE TO START ALL OVER IN
00:09:03THE NEXT SESSION IF IT DOESN'T
PASS THIS ONE, THE ENTIRE OHIO
00:09:05HOUSE AND HALF THE OHIO SENATE
IS ON THE BALLOT THIS FALL.
00:09:08AND THAT PUTS PRESSURE ON BOTH
SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS, SINCE
00:09:15THERE COULD BE CHANGES IN THE
MAKEUP OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
00:09:17NEXT YEAR.
AS WE'VE BEEN REPORTING HERE
00:09:20FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF
00:09:23TRANSPORTATION HAS HIT A BAD
STRETCH OF ROAD THIS YEAR.
00:09:25ODOT REVEALED IN JANUARY THAT A
1.6 BILLION DOLLAR HOLE IN ITS
00:09:30CONSTRUCTION BUDGET WAS GOING
TO FORCE DELAYS OF YEARS OR
00:09:33EVEN DECADES IN DOZENS OF MAJOR
PROJECTS THAT COMMUNITIES WERE
00:09:36COUNTING ON.
THE AGENCY THEN STARTED MAKING
00:09:40CHANGES - TRIMMING ITS PAYROLL
BY 400 POSITIONS, CHANGING
00:09:43BUDGETING POLICIES, ASKING FOR
COST-SAVINGS ON PROJECTS AND
00:09:47TRYING TO FIND NEW REVENUE FROM
PRIVATIZATION OF REST AREAS AND
00:09:50NAMING RIGHTS FOR BRIDGES.
THOSE MOVES HAVE SAVED ODOT
00:09:54ENOUGH THAT ITS TRANSPORTATION
REVIEW ADVISORY COUNCIL, OR
00:09:57TRAC, LAST WEEK VOTED TO MOVE
UP MOST OF THOSE DELAYED
00:10:00PROJECTS - BUT THEY STILL WON'T
BE BUILT ON THE TIMEFRAME THAT
00:10:04CITIES AND COUNTIES HAD
INITIALLY PLANNED FOR.
00:10:06AND THERE'S A REAL ISSUE OF
WHETHER THOSE KINDS OF SAVINGS
00:10:11CAN BE WRUNG OUT YEAR OVER YEAR
TO KEEP ODOT ROLLING, AND IF
00:10:15NOT, WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE
00:10:19OF ODOT AS THEY SEE IT ARE TWO
VETERANS OF STATE GOVERNMENT.
00:10:21REP. REX DAMSCHRODER IS A
REPUBLICAN FROM FREMONT AND IS
00:10:26ON HIS SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN
THE OHIO HOUSE OF
00:10:28REPRESENTATIVES.
HE CHAIRS THE HOUSE
00:10:31TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
GENE KREBS IS A FORMER STATE
00:10:34REPRESENTATIVE FROM PREBLE
COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST OHIO AND IS
00:10:37THE SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND POLICY
00:10:38AT GREATER OHIO, A THINK TANK
THAT WORKS ON ISSUES RELATED TO
00:10:41TRANSPORTATION, GROWTH AND LAND
USE.
00:10:42>> GENE, STATE OFODOT SPEECH
THAT THE DIRECTOR GAVE WEEKS
00:10:55AGO, HE AND CHIEF TALKED ABOUT
THE CHANGES MADE AT 0 DOT.
00:11:00SUMMER TECHNICAL, LIKE THIS IDEA
OF CARRYING OVER MONEY YEAR-
00:11:03OVER-YEAR.
SOME OF THEM ARE MORE
00:11:05CONCEPTUAL, PRIVATIZING 104 REST
AREAS, CREATING SPONSORSHIP
00:11:09OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAD AN EASY WINTER THIS
00:11:12WINTER, SO WE HAVE LOST MONEY
SPENT ON SALT.
00:11:15HOW MUCH OF THIS CAN BE REPEATED
OVER TIME AND HOW CAN THESE
00:11:19KINDS OF SAVING BE BROUGHT HERE
OVER YEAR?
00:11:21YOU HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE YOU DO
NOT THINK IT CAN BE DONE.
00:11:25>> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO
COMMEND THE DIRECTOR FOR HAVING
00:11:28COME OUT A AND SAIDODOT FACES
TIRES IT -- AND SAID ODOT FACES
00:11:37A DIRE SITUATION.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR
00:11:40YEARS.
A MOMENT HE DID THAT, THAT
00:11:42CHANGE THE GAME.
HE HAD DONE A GOOD JOB A LOT OF
00:11:45HIS REFORMS.
THE DIFFICULTY IS, AS OHIOANS
00:11:50CONTINUE TO TRADE IN HOMERS FOR
HONDAS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
00:11:57DECLINE OUR GASOLINE USAGE.
AND REMEMBER, IT IS A TAX PER
00:12:01GALLON.
EVERY TIME YOU TRADE IN A 20-
00:12:05MILE PER GALLON CAR FOR A 30-MPG
CAR, ALL THESE FACTORS HAVE
00:12:10COMBINED.
HAVING SAID THAT, SOME OF THE
00:12:13OTHER THINGS -- USING UP WHAT
YOUR POLITICAL TRIPS I HAVE HERE
00:12:19-- GETTING ODOT TO BE A TARGETED
AGENCY, ONE OF THE FIRST FOUR
00:12:25UNDER THE SENATE BILL FROM
SENATOR SCHAFFER.
00:12:28VIRGINIA DID ONE, THEY FOUND
$630 MILLION OF SAVINGS.
00:12:33>> BUT THAT WAS IN ONE YEAR.
>> ONE YEAR.
00:12:36THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN STRUCTURE
THAN WE ARE.
00:12:39>> IF ODOT DOES THAT, HOW MUCH
DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND?
00:12:45THIS WOULD BE ONE-TIME MONEY.
>> LET ME DEPRESSED THE
00:12:49LISTENERS AND VIEWERS OUT HERE.
EVERY YEAR, ODOT HAS A DECLINE.
00:12:54INFLATION OF THEIR CORE
MATERIALS AND THE DECLINE OF GAS
00:13:00TAX REVENUES.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT 7% DECLINE OF
00:13:03PURCHASING POWER AT ODOT EVERY
YEAR.
00:13:10WE WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE GAS
TAX TWO PENNIES A YEAR YEAR
00:13:14AFTER YEAR JUST TO MAINTAIN THE
STATUS QUO.
00:13:15IF YOU WANT TO START FIXING A
LOT OF THESE BRIDGES AND
00:13:19OVERPASSES THAT HAVE HIT THEIR
50-YEAR EDGE OF THE LESS THAN,
00:13:25-- LET STAND, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT DECADES.
00:13:28THIS WILL NOT INCREASE THE GAS
TAX.
00:13:31JIM MCGREGOR WAS BEATING HIS
REELECTION CAMPAIGN FOUR YEARS
00:13:37AGO, PRIMARILY ON THE SUPPORT
FOR THE GAS TAX.
00:13:40>> YOU WERE THERE IN THE
AUDIENCE FOR THAT STATE OF ODOT
00:13:47SPEECH.
YOU AND ERIC KEARNEY WERE
00:13:52SUGGESTING MAYBE IT IS TIME TO
TALK ABOUT RAISING THE GAS TAX.
00:13:55DO YOU THINK IT IS TIME TO TALK
ABOUT THE GAS TAX?
00:13:57>> LET ME SAY THIS.
IF MY CHOICE IS DRIVING ON A
00:14:02ROAD FULL OF POTHOLES WITH MY
NEW CAR WHICH I DO NOT HAVE, OR
00:14:07PAYING MORE IN THE GAS TAX, I
WOULD PAY MORE IN THE GAS TAX
00:14:11AND HAVE A NICE HIGHWAY IN FRONT
OF ME.
00:14:13ON MY WAY DOWN HERE TODAY, GAS
JUST WENT UP 20 CENTS OVERNIGHT.
00:14:18THE NEXT GUEST ASIAN AFTER I
FILLED UP, IT WAS STILL $4.59.
00:14:24>> YOU MEAN $3.59?
>> YES, I'M SORRY.
00:14:30IT WENT UP 20 CENTS.
IT CHANGES.
00:14:3420 CENTS OVERNIGHT, JUST LIKE
THAT.
00:14:36UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN.
IF WE CANNOT COME UP WITH ANY
00:14:43KIND OF SOLUTION, BEFORE I DRIVE
MY NEW CAR -- AND THAT IS
00:14:49$50,000 -- IF I START DRIVING IT
AND I HAVE THE CHOICE TO PAY
00:14:52MORE IN THE GAS TAX AND DRIVE ON
A GOOD ROAD, COMPARED TO
00:14:58DRIVING THE NEW CAR ON IPOD
HILL-FILLED ROAD, I AM ONE
00:15:02PERSON THAT WOULD BE IN FAVOR
FOR BUILDING A BETTER HIGHWAY.
00:15:05IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT, YOU DO
NOT HAVE TO DRIVE A CAR.
00:15:08I AM NOT SAYING THAT I WANT TO
RAISE GAS TAXES.
00:15:12I AM SAYING, IF THAT IS THE
ALTERNATIVE -- THERE ARE A LOT
00:15:16OF STATES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE A
LOT OF THE ROADS ARE MISERABLE.
00:15:19OHIO IS NOT THAT BAD RIGHT NOW.
I MADE A MAJOR EXCEPTION.
00:15:24I DROVE ALL THE WAY TO ORLEANS
-- NEW ORLEANS AND BACK LAST
00:15:29YEAR.
ALL PRETTY GOOD ROADS.
00:15:33WE TOOK A DIFFERENT ROUTE COMING
BACK.
00:15:35UNLIKE OUR TURNPIKE, I PAID NO
FEES AND HAVE GOOD HIGHWAYS THE
00:15:41WHOLE WAY.
ANOTHER THING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
00:15:42IS OUR TURNPIKE.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT, I'M
00:15:45SURE, IN ADDITIONAL FEES THAT WE
PAY FOR TO HAVE A GOOD ROAD.
00:15:50I LIKE GOOD ROADS, AND I THINK A
LOT OF OHIOANS DO.
00:15:55>> WE WILL GET TO THE TURNPIKE
IN A MINUTE.
00:15:57GENE, YOU HAVE HEARD FOR A
WHILE, EVEN OUR GOOD ROADS WOULD
00:16:03FALL INTO DISREPAIR IF ODOT DID
NOT CHANGE SOME THINGS.
00:16:07DO YOU STILL HOLD ONTO THAT?
THERE IS NO APPETITE TO RAISE
00:16:11THE GAS TAX.
>> WE ARE ALL OUT OF OUR
00:16:16PLEASANT SOLUTIONS.
ALL OF OUR SOLUTIONS ARE OF WITH
00:16:18SOLUTIONS.
INCREASING THE GAS TAX FROM A
00:16:22MACRO ECONOMIC STANDPOINT, YOU
ARE INCREASING ACTIVITY, BUT
00:16:25THAT ONE NETWORK LONG TERM.
PORTLAND, ORE. TRIED A VEHICLES
00:16:30MILD TRAVEL TAX.
THEY HAD TO ABANDON THAT EARLY
00:16:34BECAUSE EVEN IN THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF PORTLAND, THEY COULD
00:16:37NOT TOLERATE BIG BROTHER LOOKING
TO SEE HOW MANY MILES THEY HAD
00:16:40DERIVED.
>> THEY WOULD MOUNT A BOX IN
00:16:44YOUR CAR AND A MONITOR HOW MUCH
YOU DROVE AND WHAT ROAD YOU'RE
00:16:47USING.
>> WHAT I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR
00:16:52IS FOR ODOT TO TAKE AN AGNOSTIC
VIEW OF MOVING PEOPLE AND GOODS
00:16:57IN THE MOST SAFE MANNER
POSSIBLE.
00:17:01SOME TIME THAT MAYBE BY HIGHWAY,
BARGE, RAIL, SIDEWALK, BICYCLE.
00:17:06I WILL GIVE YOU A CASE IN POINT.
AT THE INTERSTATE 77/71 SPLIT,
00:17:14WE WILL BE SPENDING $1.5 BILLION
ON THE PROJECT.
00:17:17THAT IS ALMOST THE ENTIRETY OF
OUR GAS TAX FROM ONE YEAR.
00:17:21YET, THAT IS ONLY TO MOVE 20,000
CARS FOR 20 MINUTES EACH MORNING
00:17:28AND AFTERNOON OFF THE HIGHWAY.
THAT IS THE WHOLE PROBLEM.
00:17:31IF YOU COULD SEND $600 MILLION
TO DO SOME ALTERNATIVE
00:17:42TRANSPORTATION, MOVE PEOPLE OR
GOODS THROUGH, YOU COULD SAVE
00:17:47$900 MILLION.
>> BUT YOU HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO
00:17:48BUY INTO THAT AND THERE ARE A
LOT OF COSTS TO START IT UP.
00:17:53>> THAT IS WHY I HAVE TO COMMEND
DIRECTOR RAY.
00:17:54HE SAID WE ARE HAVING FISCAL
ISSUES.
00:17:58IT IS LIKE GOING TO BE 12 STAGES
OF GRIEF.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions