The two-month state budget quagmire, once deemed a “perfect storm” by the governor, has culminated with a not-so-perfect ending for students.

Gov. Bob Taft signed an executive order yesterday in his attempt to balance a projected $720 million budget, a gap he claims lawmakers failed to mend. The order will cost Ohio State almost $7.7 million in instructional aid as part of a $39.2 million cut across Ohio for state universities.

Taft lamented over the conclusion of House Bill 40, the measure to balance the fiscal year 2003 budget.

“Today we suffer the consequences,” Taft said.

The governor issued an ultimatum to the General Assembly during his State of the State address more than a month ago. He warned if lawmakers did not pass his budget-balancing proposal, which included revenue enhancements and increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, he would be forced to make drastic cuts to higher education and state aid to schools. The governor noted his constitutional obligation to balance the budget by June 31.

The initial $531 million bill to balance the budget disappointed the governor when it failed to fill in the substantially larger hole that Taft had estimated. It also failed to include Taft’s “sin tax” proposal, which he expected to repair the majority of the shortage with an expected $160 million in new revenue from additional taxes on items like cigarettes and alcohol.

The order from the governor did not come as a surprise to OSU President Karen A. Holbrook.

“We have been bracing for this cut and for its consequences,” Holbrook said. “The cuts are unfortunate, but we understand the governor’s difficult situation.”

Holbrook admitted the frustration with the seemingly endless cuts state colleges have experienced in the past two years — this is the fifth one of its kind.

“This will definitely take a bite out of our progress,” she said.

The Senate’s version of the bill did not include language that would prevent the governor from making further cuts to higher education, despite attempts by Democrats to do so.

Other Republicans remain disconcerted about the actual size of the budget and whether the cuts to education were necessary.

“We told the governor time and time again that Ohio’s children could have been spared in this process,” said Rep. Timothy Grendell, R-Chesterland.

“The Department of Education could have experienced numerous cuts without a sacrifice to the quality of learning for our students,” Grendell said

Democrats are stewing over the cuts to education, as well as the manner in which Taft has handled the entire budget crisis.

“The governor chose to slash priorities like education and home assistance to the elderly, as opposed to targeting waste, mismanagement and less essential services,” said House Minority Leader Chris Redfern, D-Catawba Island.

“That is no way to balance the budget,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Greg DiDonato, D-New Philadelphia, agreed.

“The Democrats in this General Assembly will not quietly stand by as the governor decimates primary education in Ohio,” he said.

In January, Taft imposed $121 million in budget cuts to state agencies. Taft said many state agencies already had their budgets reduced by 15 percent earlier in the fiscal year — totaling more than $1 billion in the past 27 months.

In addition to the cuts in education funding, the governor slashed primary and secondary education $90.6 million in foundation formula and parity aid. Formula aid for districts includes a combination of state and local money. Parity aid was instituted two years ago to balance out funding for poorer school districts.

There is a move by Democrats to prevent the governor from making cuts to parity aid and to override an executive veto of language in the bill essentially tying the governor’s hands in cutting education spending.

There has also been discussion about potential lawsuits springing up from school districts finding the reduction to be unconstitutional.

Columbus Public Schools, already in “poor” condition according to the State of Ohio’s school district report card, will lose $3.2 million in funding because of the governor’s order.

The governor’s office said Taft will be vetoing the stipulation in H.B. 40 prohibiting him from making his executive order to cut parity aid either today or tomorrow.

Sen. Marc Dann, D-Liberty, introduced a bill yesterday voiding an executive order to cut funding for primary and secondary education.

Next on the governor’s plate is an estimated $49.2 million biennial budget deficit for the fiscal year 2004-2005.