Legislators fell down on the job

Regarding Friday’s Dispatch article “State agency takes fall for mystery amendment,” I find it ironic that Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and Finance Committee Chairman Ryan Smith “didn’t find out about the provision until after they voted for the budget bill.” It seems that a basic function of the job of a legislator is to read and know what is in a proposed law before voting — not after.

While the Legislative Service Commission graciously tries to fall on its own sword, it is the job of those who are elected (and paid) to know what is contained in proposed legislation before voting. While legislation, particularly budget related legislation, can be long and at times challenging to review, how can legislators perform their job if they do not know the content of proposed legislation before they vote?

Our legislators need to take the time to carefully read and review proposed legislation before voting.

Barbara Pfeiffer Columbus for the environment” and “poses absolutely no danger to ... the environment.” Once this slurry is released to the waterways it coats the river substrate and smothers all aquatic life, i.e. insects and mussels. These animals are vital to the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

Coating the river also destroys vital breeding habitat for many fish species. So, to say that this “mud” is “safe for the environment” is incorrect. The cleanup of this “mud” is a destructive process. I have been involved in such an episode, and it is a long and involved process.