COLUMBUS - State Representative Seth Morgan (R- Huber Heights) today filed a petition with the Ohio Supreme Court requesting the court to require the Strickland Administration to comply with Ohio's public records laws.
"This unfortunate action came after, not one, but two public records requests filed by my office have gone completely ignored by the governor and his administration," Morgan said. "These public record requests were designed to allow the Legislature and the people of Ohio to review the foundational documents the governor used to develop his ‘evidence-based' education plan."
Morgan, ranking member of the House Finance and Appropriations Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, and Assistant Minority Leader Louis Blessing spoke to the issue at a press conference held at the Statehouse today.
"This budget process has been one of the most difficult in obtaining information from the administration," Blessing said. "The transparency is just not there and it is in fact shocking that after two requests the governor's office has yet to even acknowledge Representative Morgan's appeal. The law is being ignored and there was no other course of action but to file this petition."
Specifically, Morgan filed a petition with the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus to compel the governor's office to abide by Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43(B)(1). The law specifies that all public records shall be promptly prepared and made available both for inspection and copying by any person.
Morgan has twice filed public records requests with the office asking for specific information regarding Strickland's proposed education reforms contained in House Bill 1. Morgan's requests have not been acknowledged.
In his original March 12th request, Morgan asked the Strickland Administration for any and all documents relating to the "evidence-based model" for per pupil funding in House Bill 1.
The request included:
- E-mail communications regarding the model or education funding in general
- Studies, original research, or research utilized in the development of the model
- Notes or reports stemming from meeting with interested parties, interviews with experts or at public forums
- Copies of any proposals and contracts with outside consultants relied upon in the development of the model
The Strickland Administration testified before the subcommittee that 4,100 pieces of "evidence" were gathered over the two years the governor traveled the state, which were used to develop the education reform plan.
"During this difficult time in our state's history and with a future of uncertainty, it is unfortunate that the Strickland Administration allow its reputation to be stained by this lack of transparency," Morgan said. "I call on the governor's office not to allow its unwillingness or inability to present this evidence to become scandalous. I call on Governor Strickland to not allow this to become ‘evidence gate.' "
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