I thought State Representative Barbara Sykes raised an important issue in a recent letter to the Columbus Dispatch regarding a little noticed provision in the most recently passed state budget legislation (Ohio Am. Sub. H.B. 66). The provision removes the state auditor’s authority to sign state-issued checks. Instead, starting Dec. 1, this authority will transfer to the director of the office of budget and management, an appointed position that reports directly to the governor. It seems to me that recent history in Columbus would argue for increased checks and balances rather than less of them. After the November election the legislature may want to revisit this issue, or at the very least have a public conversation about the provision and why it was included.