"Innovator" DeWine

If you happen to read the "Innovators in Action" report turn to page 22. You'll see a familiar face.
Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine's column "Using Competition Because Taxes are Too High" was selected as one of the 10 published in the most recent report. DeWine joins folks like Governor Jeb Bush (page 3) and Mayor Rudy Giuliani (page 8).
For those who don't keep up with such things, "Innovators in Action" is a respected national publication issued annually by the Reason Foundation, a public policy review organization. It promotes things like choice, transparency, competition and innovative thinking within government.
Editor Geoffrey Segal puts it well:
"Put a candidate on the campaign trail and watch him raise the banner of reform—but once in office, elected officials quickly discover that the road to reform is congested with failed programs, entrenched special interests, and a lack of political will.
"Innovators in Action showcases the efforts of visionaries who have moved policy from the theoretical to the practical. Thanks to this remarkable group of reformers, government has become more responsive, more effective and more efficient."

DeWine's column in a nutshell: He thinks taxes are too high. He forms a managed competition program to save the county money. He trudges through layers of swampy bureaucracy to get it done. The program's doing well.

To read the full report (remember he's on page 22) click here.
To read DeWine's reaction to being selected, click here.