Editorials elsewhere

www.cantonrep.com Tuesday, February 18, 2003 By The Associated Press

Excerpts of recent editorials of statewide and national interest from Ohio newspapers:

The Cincinnati Post, Feb. 15:

Americans are peeved at France: for its obstinacy on Iraq; for the patronizing incoherence of its foreign minister; for its double-crossing of NATO ally Turkey; for simply being France.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert is considering striking back by slapping trade restrictions on imports of French wine and bottled water. As satisfying as it might be to annoy our oldest ally, the speaker should drop the idea. It’s petty, and it won’t do any good.

So how should Congress deal with the French? Ignore them. We’re bigger people than these petty reprisals, and if the French think they’re getting to us, they’ll keep it up because France’s claim to great power status lies largely in its nuisance value.

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The Marion Star, Feb. 16:

We suspect residents wonder what a gallon of gasoline will cost if and when the United States goes to war with Iraq.

After all, it jumped to more than $1.70 a gallon at stations this week, and we are in the dead of a cold winter where demand is far from peak.

The experts tell us talk of war, terrorism, unrest in Venezuela, an unusually low supply of fuel and other complicated factors have pushed the price of oil on the world market.

These explanations have merit to a point, but we also note that energy giant BP posted an amazing 49 percent growth in profits for the final quarter of 2002. High oil prices were cited as one reason for BP’s strong financial performance, which actually reversed a negative trend.

Although many residents get frustrated with typical mid-week price fluctuations in our free-market economy, the recent trends warrant real concern.

The American Automobile Association has expressed concern about the recent gasoline hikes. While the group acknowledges the oil issues cited by the major gas suppliers, it added that “nothing fully justifies the dramatic increase experienced across the United States in the last month.”

The AAA spokesperson didn’t come right out and use the phrase “price gouging,” but the message was clear.

Our government should keep a close eye on the oil industry to make sure it does not exploit world tensions to boost bottom lines. Every penny or dime they charge takes money from people who might spend it elsewhere and help stimulate the economy.

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Warren Tribune Chronicle, Feb. 13:

Gov. Bob Taft has opened the door — just a bit — to the idea of supporting a temporary sales tax to balance Ohio’s budget. But the one-penny sales tax hike would have to be in place by April 1, sooner than House Republicans believe is possible, to balance the budget by June 1.

House Speaker Larry Householder said Taft’s sales tax proposal came too late to be included in the bill approved late Tuesday by the House Finance Committee.

Should Ohio’s lawmakers approve a 1 percent increase by April 1, the state could raise $195 million by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, said Tom Zaino, the state tax commissioner.

Accelerated tax collections also can raise an additional $288 million, but Taft believes any further cuts in state agencies are not acceptable.

But there does appear to be a consensus growing in Columbus about how to handle the state’s deficit although it has not yet jelled. We hope the lawmakers will find a way to do so without any more tax increases — even temporary ones.

Should lawmakers decide to agree to temporary increases, they will have to spell out a date when temporary increases will be removed. Unless that is done, temporary tends to become permanent.