After several media reports detailing inaccurate reporting and wasteful spending surrounding federal stimulus money in Ohio, eight congressman in Ohio are asking that an independent oversight board be established. Republicans John Boehner, Pat Tiberi, Jim Jordan, Bob Latta, Steve Austria, Jean Schmidt, Michael Turner, and Steven LaTourette sent this letter to Governor Ted Strickland yesterday.

Boehner said, “Only an independent, bipartisan panel can assure Ohioans that federal ‘stimulus’ dollars are being spent effectively to provide relief to our state’s struggling economy.” Currently Winston Ford, from the Ohio Inspector General’s Office is repsonsible for overseeing all stimulus money coming into the State of Ohio.

“We’ve called for a stimulus board to oversee the stimulus projects in Ohio, exactly for this reason,” said Congressman Tiberi. On March 4, 2009 a similiar letter was sent to Govornor Strickland, urging once again for the development of an oversight board. The suggestion at that time was for the board to be made up one elected official from both the Republican and Democratic parties, a Certified Public Accountant, and auditors.

Congressman Austria referenced the reporting error of www.recover.gov as a main reason for the development of an oversight committee. “It is an egregious misuse of taxpayer dollars to pay people to create phantom districts, giving the illusion that the stimulus dollars are creating real jobs,” Austria said.

Governor Strickland has not yet responded to the letter.