conditions of 2009. To that end, he created several new committees, including Economic Development and Housing & Urban Revitalization. Budish faced mounting criticism from opponents in February 2010 for not allowing the National Right to Life Oratory Contest winner to receive an honorary resolution on the House floor. However, he soon reversed his decision and allowed for the award to be given. He also was criticized for colluding with progressive political action committees in the 2010 election cycle. Charges on the matter were later dropped. With the Republicans regaining control of the State House in 2010, Armond Budish lost a second term as House Speaker, and was replaced by William G. Batchelder. He was chosen to remain as Minority Leader with the approval of his colleagues. On January 3, 2011 Budish was sworn in as minority leader, and pledged cooperation with Republicans. He stated he would be available "to help you and to help your colleagues forge the essential, equitable, bipartisan solutions to the economic and social problems Ohio faces." However, Budish has also acknowledged that he believes that the Republican Party is motivated to annihilate the Democratic voting base, and is out to make Ohio a one party state. Along with his duties as leader, Budish also serves the ranking member of the Rules and Reference Committee. Budish is also a member of the Ohio Arts Council; a member of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee; the Ohio Legislative Service Commission; the Program Committee of Ohio Government Telecommunications; and the Legislative Task Force on Redistricting, Reapportionment, and Demographic Research. Budish won a final term in 2012, defeating Republican Tony Hocevar with 83% of the vote. Policies, positions and initiatives Fiscal issues He has called the 2012–2013 Kasich budget proposal "horrific" and said they will have a "terrible" impact on all Ohioans. He has said a proposed $1 billion cut in local government funds will mean local officials will have to slash their budgets and cut police and firefighters. He called a proposed $3 billion reduction in basic funding for schools "horrific" and predicted it would force districts to cut teacher salaries and positions and increase the size of some classes to 50 students or more. He also pointed to developments in Florida, where newly elected Gov. Rick Scott fired the president of a similar public-private entity and has proposed to consolidate economic development operations into a reinstated Department of Commerce.