We’re so tired of waiting: A committee to review the $9 billion a year Ohio spends on tax breaks still hasn’t met and is months behind schedule. Some tax breaks make sense, many of them are costly and unproductive. The General Assembly passed a bill to form the review committee
The data is in: The U.S. Census Bureau released income and poverty data this week proving what many of us already know: Federal programs like food aid, refundable tax credits, Social Security and the Affordable Care Act make Americans healthier and less poor. Hannah Halbert found that last year marked
Turn around: Every now and then we get a little bit angry that the General Assembly fails to close unproductive tax loopholes. But on the bright side, after years of tax cuts for Ohio’s wealthiest, the 2018-2019 budget doesn’t significantly cut revenues for public services. There’s still a lot of
Slash and burn budget: Like many of you, we watched the events in Charlottesville in horror last weekend. We continued to be horrified as President Trump defended white supremacists. That’s why we are more determined than ever to dismantle all forms of white supremacy — including those that exist in
Policy Matters Executive Director Amy Hanauer discusses smart trade policy at a hearing on NAFTA Drowning in debt: More than 687,000 Ohioans owe a combined $19 billion in federal student loan debt. Many struggle to make payments and have enough money left over to cover basic expenses. That’s why the
Keeping ‘em honest: Last December, Ohio passed a bill that created a special committee to review the state’s more than $9 billion worth of tax breaks. As our Zach Schiller pointed out Monday, committee nominations were due in April. As of Monday, state legislative leaders still hadn’t nominated a single
Veto victories: Governor Kasich protected Medicaid expansion with a crucial veto of the legislature’s attempt to undermine it. Then the legislature protected counties and transit agencies from even more cuts, with a crucial override of the Governor’s veto of this funding. Confused yet? Medicaid expansion provided 723,000 previously uninsured Ohioans
Policy Matters weighs in on state budget sent to Governor Kasich The budget bill the General Assembly sent to the Governor would reduce health care coverage with harsh new restrictions on Medicaid expansion eligibility and a freeze in enrollment. Policy Matters Ohio has asked the Governor to veto these measures.
We’re standing up to attacks on programs that help everyday Ohioans live healthy and productive lives. Zach Schiller introduces CBPP president Bob Greenstein at the City Club Don’t cap our care: The American Health Care Act strips away at Medicaid and effectively ends the expansion program – leaving states to
Author: Jack Shaner Testimony Good afternoon Chairman Oleslager, Vice-Chair Manning, Ranking Member Skindell and members of the Committee. I am Jack Shaner, consultant to Policy Matters Ohio, a member of the Ohioans for Transportation Equity coalition. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. In our testimony, we encourage the General
Guest column/Health care has a lot to lose
By Wendy Patton As jobs keep getting harder to come by in Jefferson County, more and more residents are finding work in hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices and directly in the homes of patients who need care. So much so, that in 2015, 23 percent of Jefferson County’s work force