OPENING OF THE 125TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY--Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, is surrounded by his family as he is sworn-in by Gov. Bob Taft, right, during the opening of the 125th General Assembly, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday, Jan. 6, 2003. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

SENATE PASSES BUDGET BILL--Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, left, confers with Minority Leader Greg DiDonato, D-New Philadelphia, during session at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, June 5, 2003. The Senate passed the $49.3 billion two-year spending plan with a bipartisan vote of 24-9. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

DEM'S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLANS--Sen. Ray Miller, D-Columbus, stands near a bust of former Rep. George Washington Williams, in the Williams room, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, May 21, 2003. Sen. Miller lead a news conference, which announced Senate Democrats' priorities for health and human services in the biennial budget. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

SCENES FROM THE SENATE--Sen. Bill Harris, R-Ashland, gestures as he speaks during session, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003. Sen. Harris is chairman of the Finance Committe, which will be taking-up a budget correction bill and attempt to deal with the state's projected $4 billion deficit over the next two years. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

BUDGET CORRECTION BILL #3--With the portrait of former Senate President Richard Finan hanging in the renamed Finan Finance Room, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bill Haris, R-Ashland, gestures as he speaks with Sen. John Carey, R-Wellston, right, and Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, prior to a hearing of HB 40, the third try at balancing the budget, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003. The House passed the bill yesterday without raising sin taxes, which were requested by governor Bob Taft, but the Senate may add a temporary one-percent sales tax to the House bill. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

BUDGET HEARINGS--Sen. Eric Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, bottom, Sen. Mark Mallory, D-Cincinnati, center, and Sen. Ray Miller, D-Columbus, listen to the gloomy fiscal news from director of budget Tom Johnson, during a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 22, 2003. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

SENATE SESSION--Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, laughs as he meets with reporters following session, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 29, 2003. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)

TAFT'S PAINFUL BUDGET CUTS--Sen. Marc Dann, D-Liberty, speaks about his proposed legislation that would block Gob. Bob Taft from making cuts in funding for primary and secondary education, during a news conference, at the Ohio Statehouse, in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, March 5, 2003. Also seen from left are: Rep. Peter Ujvagi, D-Toledo; Rep. Claudette Woodard, D-Cleveland Heights; Rep. Bill Hartnett, D-Mansfield, and Rep. Sylvester Patton, D-Youngstown. (Jack Kustron/Photoj.com)