Ohio Chambers of Commerce Release Redesigning Ohio Report on State Government (WCPN broadcasts on it tomorrow)

Just as scrutiny of public employees and their wages and benefits hits a fever pitch and Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich is about to take office, several chambers of commerce have released their report on how state government should be redesigned. The stated goal is to make state government, "become more flexible, adaptable and innovative -- searching constantly for new ways to improve services and heighten productivity."  

Redesigning Ohio - Executive Summary

Redesigning Ohio - Full Report

Redesigning Ohio - Press Release

Sections 6 (Civil Service), 7 (Pension Benefits), 8 (Health Care) and 10 (Local Government) in the executive summary are worth noting (I've not read the full report or press releases yet but you can read the Crain's Cleveland Business article about it, out today, here).

Section 10 gives a hint at where the Kasich administration and/or the Ohio General Assembly will go with the Local Government Fund:

Strategically redirect the state’s Local Government Fund toward buying better results by earmarking 15 percent of the fund in FY 2012 and 20 percent of the fund in FY2013 for local government reform demonstration projects.

As a reminder, Pepper Pike has received about $125,000 from this fund each year.  I'm not of the total amount of the fund available for statewide distribution but this section's recommendation is to reduce that by 15% and then 20% and redistribute it for "local government reform demonstration projects."

I've not looked but the full report may have examples of what is meant by "local government reform demonstration projects" - I'm assuming joint districts and other forms of regionalism, perhaps technology-oriented as well.

Read more and listen to the WCPN/Ideastream Sound of Ideas show on this topic tomorrow, from 9-10am here.