THURBER: OH House speaker caught off guard by costs of bill – imagine that!

By   /   September 17, 2012  /   4 Comments

By Maggie Thurber l Special to Ohio Watchdog

Maggie Thurber

In a conversation with reporters Wednesday, House Speaker William Batchelder admitted to being caught off guard by the costs of Ohio‘s revised exotic animals law.

In a move to “do something” after a troubled man released his collection of exotic animals and then committed suicide, the General Assembly revised its law requiring permits, fees and inspections for anyone housing any defined exotic animal. The new law also called for animals to be confiscated under certain conditions.

Apparently, lawmakers, including Batchelder, R-Medina, failed to realize that taking possession of such animals would result in the need to house  and feed them until such time that they could be returned to the owners or otherwise transferred out of the control of the state.

It’s going to cost $3.5 million to build a facility to house the animals — and around $500,000 a year to maintain it — whether any animals are actually there.

Batchelder said he never imagined the bill would entail the construction of a permanent structure to house the confiscated animals.

What, exactly, did he think the state was going to do with them when it took them? And why didn’t he ask at the time the bill was debated?

This happens way too often: Politicians act without consideration of the long-term consequences — and costs — of what they vote to do, and then are surprised when they find out.

Batchelder admits as much, telling reporters, “…I’m not really sure what this means in the long term. I guess we’re counting on this thing going on and on.”

“I’m just not sure what we’ve gotten ourselves into,” he said. “We’re going to be taking a look at this.”

To his credit, Batchelder said other options may be available, like using animal sanctuaries around the country, and he expects members of the House Finance and Appropriation Committee to look into the matter.

With the Controlling Board having approved a $3.5 million, no-bid contract to construct the facility, that can’t happen soon enough.

While you wouldn’t expect such lack of comprehension from someone with Batchelder’s length of time in public office, hopefully this is a lesson learned. Ohio taxpayers deserve no less.

 

 

Please, feel free to "steal our stuff"! Just remember to credit Watchdog.org. Find out more

  • Flagstone

    I am appalled that the Ohio taxpayers are being subjected to this outlandish boondoggle. For heavens sake, euthanize any animals that are seized and charge the idiots who housed them . Does no one have common sense anymore???

  • http://www.facebook.com/polly.britton.7 Polly Britton

    This is just one more example of how our current Governor has manipulated the legislature to achieve his personal goals. The question was asked repeatedly during the hearings of this bill, ‘Where will these animals go?’ NO ONE could answer the question; the only answer ever given was where the animals would NOT go — to a zoo or an overcrowded “sanctuary”. No mention was ever made of building a multi-million-dollar facility to house them. The committees were told repeatedly that it would cost the state $800,000 to run this program and the remainder would be collected through permit fees paid by the animal owners. Yeah right. Want to take any bets on how long the animals live that are moved into that new facility? Did anyone else catch the statement made in one of the first articles about the facility’s being used for ‘other purposes’ once the animals are no longer housed there? Sounds to me like this was just a clever way to get the Controlling Board to hand over $3.5 million to Ohio Dept of Agriculture to put up a building.

  • http://twitter.com/nomatter73266 Man via Integrity

    She states “Batchelder said he never imagined” LMAO – DO YOUR JOBS!

  • http://www.facebook.com/polly.britton.7 Polly Britton

    I need an email address for Maggie Thurber, please.