Geauga record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1952-1962, 1959-01-22
BROUGTITON'S REPORT
from COLUMBUS

Opening the 103rd regular ses-
sion Of the Ohio General Assem-
bly, on January 6, the new legis-
lature devoted nearly all of the
schedule for the first week to
routine matters of organization.
Only enc bill was introduced;
1t passed both branches as an
emergency measure, effective
Immediately; the vote in the
House was 104 to 25, and in the
Senate "a to 9. This bill, sponsor
ed by the Governor-elect, reduc-
ed the salary of the director of
highways from thirty thousand
to twenty two thousand five
hundred dollars; this reduction
| of $500 was in contrast to incre-
ses totalling $50, 500 for fifteen
other directors and administra-
tors of top state operating de-
partm entS.
In voting for this bill most
members appeared to think, as
I as do, that first step in eff
icient, effective state govern
ment administration is to pro-
vide reasonable salaries to att
ract capable executives. Given
this, it is up to a Governor to
surround himself with good men
who will do the job that taXpay-
ers have right to expect from
them; or, if they don't, to re-
move them and get somebody
who can and will.
AS a background for those who
may read these weekly reports
which I shall submit regularly
while the legislature is in sess-
ion, the following comments on
the makeup of the present leg
islature may be helpful.
Party-Wise, the Democrats are
in control of both branches; in
the House, there are 78 Demo-
Gratis and 81 Republicans; in the
Senate, 20 Democrats and Is Re-
publicans. 1t is apparent that if
the vote is on strict party lines,
the Democrats can pass any reg
ular bill they want since the
simple majority required to pass
a regular measure in the House
is 10, and in the Senate it is II.
But where more than a simple
majority is required, such as a
two-thirdS vote for an emergen-
cy bill or a three-fifths vote to
override a veto, Democrats will
be unable to carry a measure
without support from the Repub-
lican side.
In a great many intances, of
course, the voting is not on strict
party lines; sometimes it is in
fluenced by so-called blocs, such
as the labor group, the farm
group, the big city VS. the rural
group and so on.
1t is interesting to note, and
it may be quite significant in de-
termining the nature and the
outcome of much of the legiSla-
ton considered in this session,
that the Democrats majority is
composed largely of members
from the bigger cities; this is a
change since it has been gener-
ally true that when Republicans
hold the majority the balance on
the majority side is slightly in
favor of the rural or smaller
counties.
Another factor that may show
up in the voting on some legiS-
lation, particularly on highly
controversial bills, is that so
many of the majority party
members are starting their first
terms. Of the 20 Democrats in
the Senate, 7 are new members;
this is high, but the ratio in the
House is even much higher than
this with AZ of the 78 Democrats
being first term members. In
the main, it is to be expected
that new members are likely to
be somewhat influenced by the
wishes and persuasion of the old
er members of their own party.
Folowling the usual practice
Of the party in control, the chair
man and the majority of the
members of each standing COM
mittee will be Democrats. Nat
urally, a complete change-over
of this kind is going to slow down
Aannri.,rn L