Guest Column From State Representative Peter Beck

Efficiency is a Vital Part of Government Accountability

As a small business owner of nearly 20 years, I understand the importance of condensing spending during a recession and saving in a prosperous economy. Businesses routinely tighten their expenditures to fit a tough budget, and likewise, our state government should make the same sacrifices and maintain a high standard of fiscal responsibility.

However, rather than examining spending and reducing waste, many lawmakers in the Statehouse continue to channel tax dollars into unnecessary, inefficient or ineffective programs while handing the taxpayers the bill. Consequently, families and businesses felt the sting of our state’s high-tax, anti-growth policies this past Tax Day when they were forced to surrender additional funds as a result of House Bill 318’s tax increase.

I believe that rather than relying on the citizens and small businesses of Ohio to sustain our government bloat, we have a responsibility to ensure that the dollars we do spend are successful and streamlined. In an effort to reduce the burden on our already overwhelmed taxpayers, House Republicans proposed the “Future of Ohio” government reform package to make Ohio’s government more cost-effective and accountable. This package of 10 bills would trim waste from the budget while focusing state spending on the programs and services that Ohioans have come to rely on.

One of our caucus’s cost-containment measures is a bill to streamline Ohio’s more than 300 boards and commissions, while eliminating waste within state agencies. House Bill 25 was introduced in February 2009 by Representative John Adams (R-Sidney) to ensure that the taxpayers are not paying the government more than they should. It would consolidate the number of executive cabinet departments from 24 to 11 (compared with the federal government’s 15 departments) based on similar functions and missions. Had this legislation been enacted, it could have saved $1 billion annually and could have filled Ohio’s budget deficit without raising taxes or accruing more debt.

Continuing our caucus’s commitment to a cost-efficient, accountable state government, Representative Barbara Sears (R-Maumee) introduced House Bill 240 to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse from Ohio’s Medicaid system. This legislation takes into account the more than $400 million in suggested savings that were found by the Ohio auditor of state in 2006 and would have helped to save $122 million each year. Unfortunately, this vital efficiency measure has remained stalled in committee for months.

These bills would have required state lawmakers to look at internal waste before asking you, the taxpayer, to relinquish more of your hard-earned income. Although the House majority has refused to allow committee votes on these proposals, my Republican colleagues and I continue to fight for solutions that will not only render immediate savings but also fundamentally improve the structure of state government.

Ohio’s continuous growth of spending is unsustainable without also squeezing the taxpayers for every penny they have. With an impending $8 billion budget deficit, lawmakers need to start working today to prepare for what we already know will be an excruciatingly painful budget next year. As state representative of the 67^th Ohio House District, I will continue to work on your behalf toward a more efficient, effective state government.

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Rep. Beck may be reached by phone at (614) 644-6027 or in writing to State Representative Peter Beck, 77 South High Street, 10^thfloor, Columbus, OH 43215. He is also available via e-mail at district67@ohr.state.oh.us.

As someone who comes from a family of small business owners, I understand the importance of making sure Ohio creates an atmosphere that is conducive to business development. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but issues such as increased taxes and government regulation are making it more and more difficult for them to support a robust workforce.

The decision to “freeze” the income tax cut all Ohioans were promised in 2005 means that come tax time, refunds will be smaller or in some cases, people will have to write bigger checks than they anticipated. With many small business owners paying their taxes via the income tax, this move could not come at a worse time. Additionally, the recently-passed health care legislation places new mandates and costs on businesses. Now many of these companies are about to be hit again with increased premiums from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation – a move that will further drive up the cost of doing business here in Ohio.

 

Currently, the BWC is working to ensure long-term financial stability of the state’s injured workers’ fund, in part by addressing the disparity in premium rates paid by different Ohio businesses. For many years, certain group-rated companies have enjoyed substantial discounts on their premiums. The BWC is planning to reduce these discounts beginning July 1 – in addition to previously-approved discount reductions and added surcharges since 2005 – meaning many employers will see their premiums increase. Given the current economic challenges facing businesses throughout Ohio, increasing workers’ compensation premiums now would only place an additional burden on already-struggling employers.

To help reduce the financial strain this move would place on Ohio’s small businesses, the Senate passed Senate Bill 213 earlier this year. The bill would freeze maximum premium discounts at the level they will be on July 1 for two years and require the BWC to conduct a thorough study of the premium rating system. This would give the BWC time to develop a plan for determining workers’ compensation rates that are fair to all Ohio companies, regardless of size. 

It is estimated that the BWC currently has surplus of roughly $4 billion. SB 213 could save small businesses approximately $130 million over two years – money these companies could use during these difficult times to reinvest in their business and create new jobs. Senate Bill 213 is currently in the House Insurance Committee, and I am hopeful that members of the House will join us in addressing rising workers’ compensation premiums and their effects on small businesses.

In addition, the Senate is also examining possible changes to how Ohio’s workers’ compensation system is administered. Ohio is one of only a few states to have an entirely state-run workers’ compensation system, and now is the time to see if there are alternatives to our current approach that would benefit employers and businesses while still protecting injured workers. That is why we passed Senate Resolution 118, which established the Competitive Workers’ Compensation Task Force. The group is tasked with studying alternatives, including market place competition, with respect to the worker’s compensation system in Ohio.

Members of the task force represent employees, employers, insurance companies, managed care organizations, third-party administrators, local governments, business owners, lawyers and legislators. The group will evaluate the workers’ compensation insurance options currently offered by the BWC to determine if they are competitive with those available in other states. They will also look at the efforts made by other states to open their workers’ compensation markets to private competition. The group must submit a report detailing their findings to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 15.

One of the top complaints legislators hear from business owners is how rising BWC rates are impacting their ability to compete and create new jobs. A rise in premium rates also makes it more difficult to attract new businesses and jobs to our state, as the workers’ compensation system is one of many factors companies use in deciding where to locate and expand. By studying options to our current workers’ compensation system, we can determine if any changes are needed in order to ensure businesses continue to see Ohio as an excellent place for relocation and expansion.

The BWC has taken numerous steps in recent years to change its operations and the way it determines premiums; however, there remains much work to do to ensure the system is working with small businesses and not against them. SB 213 and SR 118 will help determine the best course of action to keep employers’ premiums affordable while continuing to protect injured workers.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.

I realize we are short on rainfall for our area but does it have to always rain on Friday?  Once again, scattered showers came to town on Friday night!  Kil-Kare officials decided to brave the weather and try to get a race in.  It looked promising when we first arrived.  It looked like the rain was going to hold off.  We were able to get our practice in.  We then had our driver’s meeting-more on that later in the article.  We finally lined up to qualify.  A few cars qualified and then came the rain.  It was just enough rain to cause the track to be slick.  It finally stopped and they dried out the track.  At last, I got to qualify.  The track was very green.  However, the NASCAR Whelen GreenPro #4 was just fantastic!  I got fast time 14.51!!    And you guessed it!  The rain came, again!!  Kil-Kare officials called it a night.

                At the driver’s meeting at Kil-Kare, the track officials announced that Impact Racing Appareal had been declared below standards for SSA.  SSA tests all the racing suits etc. to meet safety standards.  Every piece of my equipment is Impact-my helmet, race suit, gloves-everything!  They told us that they highly suggested we replace all that equipment.  We have decided to just wait a little while to see if more information comes out concerning the safety of my equipment. If there someone that would want to help pay for it or part of it, the cost is around $1400.

                Saturday I got up and went to check the weather.  If it was 100% chance of rain, I was planning on going to the JS (prom at Dayton Christian) then have some friends over for a bonfire and cookout.  But it looked like I was going to get to race, I was excited because we were so fast Friday night at Kil- Kare.  We unloaded the GreenPro Landscaping late and it was good right out of the box.  To help clear up some confusion from last week, the first practice is about learning the track.   Just like the NASCAR teams, you can bring your best to the track just to find out the track conditions changed.  It is no different for us.  This process is called getting “dialed in” and that is what Gary is great at. 

                Practice went well at Columbus.   We fueled the car up with racing fuel from Estes Oil in Franklin.  We set out to qualify.  I was hoping to get the fast time again but could do it.   We did qualify in the top 4.   The top 4  put me on the pole.   I would like to thank Link Burgess, he calculated that I would start on the outside of row two after the seven car inversion.  Link is a World War II veteran and is 87 years old and so smart.   He has been on several championship teams over his 45 plus year in racing!   I went to Dad who writes down the lap times of my competitors so I can figure out how the start of the feature MAY be. Tonight it was perfect.    The outside pole car most likely would get around the pole car.  It would give me the opportunity to go for the lead early in the race.   I could then save my tires.  The rain came and it got called. 

                 We do not talk much about business but I still need an anchor partner.  I need two more co-sponsors if I’m going to have the resources to make NATIONAL NASCAR Whelen history this year. We know with God all things are possible but even David had three stones in his pouch when he went to do the impossible.

Thanks Sloan and Crew

Sloan takes the GreenPro Landscaping/ Koehkle componets NASCAR Whelen late model to a 2nd place finish... Still got to get better there is a lot of good fast car up there....

 

Pain in the…
By Jan Beedle




My crucial appointment with a pain management specialist was at 11 a.m. on a Friday in April. I decided to arrive at 10:30 a.m. to deal with the usual paperwork for a new patient. Due to one delay after another, I don’t think it mattered that much. I wasn’t called into the inner sanctum until 12:30 p.m. Meantime, the receptionist called for Cindy and two Cindys collided in the doorway. They could have left in worse shape than before.

Noticing on the paperwork that the office charges if a patient is 15 minutes late, I wondered, what about if the reverse was true?

After turning in an hour’s worth of paperwork, the receptionist called me to fill out more of the white stuff. Mind you, I was there for leg and hip pain. By the time I left, I suffered from leg, hip, back and neck pain. The chairs in the stuffy waiting room were not built for longevity. My body was molding into the chair.
The door from the inner offices burst open. A well-dressed, but rumpled street clothes exclaimed to the outer staff, “Off to lunch; outa here.” Guess this is what is referred to as pain management.

In these tight quarters, I noticed waiting patients hacking and sneezing. I realized I could leave with Asiatic Flu, hives, along with the back and neck pain, but my leg and hip pain might be gone.
A dapper dandy entered the picture. He carried an expanded matching briefcase. After a wink and a few coos, the aggressive young sales representative sailed into the offices. This led me to question which was more important – medicare, Medicaid payments or drug freebies?

Ah, a patient with crutches hobbled out to set up a follow-up appointment or preferably, knee surgery. Receptionist informed him he might have to wait and call back to enlist the services of his favorite surgeon, while he recovered from heart surgery. Whaa-aa-a?

A pleasant smiling face ushered me into a small room at 12:30 p.m. where I waited another 20 minutes, after answering the same questions I submitted previously on the lengthy paperwork. At last, a comfortable chair and another upon which to rest my swollen feet.

At this office, I didn’t have to disrobe, wrap myself in a piece of stiff cotton, exposing my body, as I jumped onto a cold examining table four feet higher than I could step. I usually devised a way to climb the obstacle, exposing more skin than I hoped. The door would swing open at that moment, with an, “Are you decent? At least, I didn’t have to face that question on this day.

The assistant stated, “I need to go over a few items with you. Remember, you can’t take narcotics from any other doctor while coming to our facility or you’ll be promptly dismissed.” Really, didn’t know I had been seen by a doctor or accepted.

I spoke, “If I had gotten the first narcotic from you, I wasn’t aware of it.”
My mind raced to the rest of the day and the weekend. My sister and niece to be picked up at the Dayton Airport at 3 p.m. and are staying with us through the weekend; granddaughter’s wedding is Saturday; our sixteen-year-old cat with kidney failure and diarrhea; our twelve-year-old dog upchucking this morning…could I deal with much more? Hoping to be pain-free by now, I pictured myself struggling to walk down the aisle or shoeless.

I made it through the doctor’s visit without a hitch. He set me up with a painkiller to last until after the injection, which was to be the following Thursday. The PT set me up for my first PT session the next morning.
Thursday morn, Hubby and I showed up at the appropriate time at the Dayton Mall office. Doors were locked tightly and no lights. A nurse saw us trying to get in and said that no one was there on Thursdays. We went to use the phone at Urgent Care and the receptionist offered to call to rectify the situation. Apparently, someone or someones goofed, because Dr. only gave injections on Fridays at this office. I called when home to reset. Personal obligations took priority until April 23 at 9:15 a.m. I’ll reschedule PT after the pain subsides. Watching great-grandson tomorrow and a once-a-year writers seminar the next Friday. Hope I have enough painkillers to make the date. By now, I’m prepared for a nervous breakdown…trauma, trauma.

After reading the AARP magazine from a year ago (only one of two) in the waiting room, I realized the need to reform health care was surprisingly accurate.

Through my personal experience, sounds like some infrastructure is needed in the business of turning out healthier bodies. Due to lack of health care professionals, patient overload, a ton of paperwork and time limitations, Urgent Care becomes any old time care.

Finding out the basic doctor took a much-needed week’s vacation, I fear catch-up took its toll. Could a physician ever catch up? He needs a rest occasionally to keep alert and geared to patient needs.
The AARP article claims that Americans spend more time and dollars on health care than on food, clothing and housing; they spend five times what they spend on gasoline and oil.

Can patients afford to take time off work for Physical Therapy, doctor appointments and other treatments? With lay-offs and job loss looming, this is not a good idea. These people are twice as likely to suffer bouts of depression, heart attacks and strokes. Pain can cause people to “feel guilty, ashamed and demoralized.”
Meanwhile, I’ll deal with the waits like everyone else and accept the fact that I am fortunate for the health care I do receive. Thanks to all the physicians, nurses, technicians and other health care workers for the effort to continue to provide the best available health care in the world. It all boils down to the fact that coordinating and communicating these efforts in our overpopulated country is becoming more of a chore.

Sloan Henderson Motorsports, LLC
"Today Is Tomorrow's History"
www.sloanhenderson.com
Phil 4:13

Livestock Care Standards Board Will Help Strengthen and Protect Ohio’s Agriculture Industry

This past November, Ohio voters approved State Issue 2, which sought to establish the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. This bipartisan group would be tasked with creating and enforcing guidelines for the care and well-being of livestock and poultry in Ohio. As agriculture is our state’s number one industry, assuring consumers that their food was raised responsibly and safely will help strengthen the relationship between famers and the public.

Recently, the General Assembly approved House Bill 414, which outlines the composition of the Livestock Care Standards Board as well as its operation. The Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture will serve as the chairperson for the board and will be joined by 12 other members representing family farmers, consumers, academia, local humane societies and statewide farm organizations, as well as the state veterinarian and food safety experts. Board members will serve three-year terms.

The board must meet at least three times a year. At these meetings, members will review current and proposed rules governing the care of livestock and poultry. These rules must take into consideration a number of factors, including best management practices, disease prevention, food safety practices and the protection of local, affordable food supplies for consumers.

To help keep the rule-making process as open and transparent as possible, all of the rules proposed by the Livestock Care Standards Board must go through the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, which consists of lawmakers from both the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House. This will ensure that members of the public have the opportunity to comment on the proposals before any action is taken.

During the debate on State Issue 2, questions were raised about the impact of the Livestock Care Standards Board on local humane societies. House Bill 414 ensures that local humane societies will continue to enjoy all the authority and responsibility they possessed before the passage of Issue 2 while encouraging them to work cooperatively with the board when livestock care issues are involved.

House Bill 414 was recently signed into law by the Governor, but this is not the end of the discussion on the care of livestock in Ohio. The Humane Society of the United States is currently working to place a statewide issue on the ballot that would put in place new regulations for the confinement of livestock such as cows and pigs. These proposals were drafted with little input from Ohio farmers and those involved in the state’s agriculture industry, and could cause the food costs to rise and increase costs for farmers. This type of debate is one of the main reasons the Livestock Care Standards Board was formed, as it allows Ohioans to decide what is best for our state’s farms, rather than outside organizations.

Maintaining a strong relationship between farmers and the public is essential as consumers are taking an ever-increasing interest in where their food comes from and how it was raised. The Livestock Care Standards Board will work cooperatively with members of the agriculture industry and consumers to ensure that the animals that provide food for Ohioans and others across the country are well-cared for on the farm.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.

CHANGING YOUR APPEARANCE WITH SURGERY AT THE LIBRARY
Written By:  Christy Trent

I’ve never been one to think I would want cosmetic surgery, but as I get older and things begin to feel the pull of gravity, surgery is looking a lot better! There are two things though that keep me from going under the knife. One is knowing what it’s like to go thru bone surgery. I thought I would breeze through my bunionectomy surgery. Unfortunately it has sidelined me more than I believed it would, forcing me to slow down from my typical 90 mph pace. I cannot for the life of me even begin to imagine having my skin cut, stretched, and sewn back together. Yikes!

The second thing that keeps me from tightening the skin on my face are the botched pictures I have seen of bad plastic surgeries. They scare me to death; eyebrows that are way too high, eyes that look like a cat gave birth to you, and noses that are pencil thin.

But that’s not to say all surgeries are bad or too painful. Many people, men and women, go thru plastic surgery every day and come out looking beautiful. I am just terrified of it for me.
The book, Straight talk about Cosmetic Surgery, by Arthur W. Perry, M.D. gives lots of good advice and displays interesting pictures for anyone considering plastic surgery. One thing I was surprised to learn is plastic surgery, or cosmetic surgery, has been around since Ancient Egypt! I assumed it was a relatively new thing, but there is historical evidence ancient Egyptians had surgeons who repaired facial injuries and deformities. For many years cosmetic surgery was seen only as reconstructive surgery, fixing broken noses and cleft lips. The mid-nineteenth century saw the first nose job (rhinoplasty). A few years later protruding ears were pinned back and breasts were reduced in size. At this time cosmetic surgery was very controversial. Many people saw it as being unnecessary and unethical. The beginning of the 20th century saw eyelids lifted, wrinkles filled in, and the first face lifts performed. World War One is credited with giving surgeons plenty of reconstructive surgical practice due to horrible war wounds. Out of these tragedies of war surgeons perfected their skills.
It wasn’t until the 1960s though that cosmetic surgery really caught on, and by 1980 everyone was doing it.

Today it is affordable for the average person and no longer only available to the wealthy or the famous. The United States is the leading country for cosmetic surgeries with Mexico running a close second. A clinical study even proved that depression actually decreased in people who had cosmetic surgery. And now animals are getting into the act. In California you can get a facelift, rhinoplasty and breast reductions for your dog!
Whether you want to fix a bump on your nose, or enlarge your A cup to a C cup, inform yourself thoroughly before you decide to do something surgical. Talk to a board certified surgeon, research everything about the procedure you are interested in, and talk to people who have already gone through it. The local library has many up to date books that can help you navigate the scary waters of cosmetic surgery.