Ohio Close To Budget Deal

Friday,  December 4, 2009 8:04 PM

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lawmakers are close to a budget deal, but construction reform could be the deal breaker.

"It's not going to go. It will not have the support of the legislative black caucus. We've been very clear on that from the very beginning," said Democratic Representative Tracy Maxwell Heard.

Maxwell Heard, the House Majority floor leader, says some Senate Republicans are attempting to ramrod legislation into the budget bill without any thought to minority interests.

"When you're talking about construction reform, we have to address the issues of inclusion, which is the biggest issue we've failed to respond to as a state the last 16 years," Maxwell Heard told ONN's Jim Heath.

Ohio State University President Gordon Gee disagrees. He will testify Monday that this construction reform proposal could save OSU millions of dollars.

Republican senator David Goodman says this is the only way Democrats can get his vote.

"Construction reforms make absolutely no changes to minority set asides. As well, we are willing to sit at the table and look at whatever concerns they have and work on them to their satisfaction. Right now they've walked away from the table. They said they're not even willing to talk about it," Goodman said.

Maxwell Heard says Democrats will talk, just not in this budget bill.

"This is not just a black thing. This is construction reform as an industry overall and there are many people waiting to speak to this," Maxwell Heard said.

The senate finance committee meets Monday to discuss construction reform.

Goodman will be a guest on Capitol Square this weekend. The show airs Sunday at 10 am, noon and 7 pm on ONN.

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