The April 9 guest column from Susan Tave Zelman on the need for fair school funding in the Ohio budget (“Fair school funding must be priority“) notes that, ”As usual, we see an array of ‘Christmas Tree’ nonfiscal items [in the budget], such as a House amendment declaring the state will only recognize two sexes, male and female.“ House Speaker Matt Huffman, she wrote, ”defended its inclusion in the budget as putting an end to ongoing debates on the issue.”
But what does recognizing two sexes have to do with the budget? Aren’t items in the budget supposed to relate to the budget? The supposed need for this nonbudget issue is just Huffman’s personal opinion. Also, if Ohio’s two-year budget passes with that amendment in it, Ohio will be the laughing-stock of the country…