Ohio Senators Portman and Brown must fight for a better aid package that meets Ohio’s needs As the COVID-19 virus surges and unemployment claims remain high, Republicans in the U.S. Senate put forward a COVID-19 aid package that falls far short of what Ohioans need to get through the pandemic
Senate should provide more support for local governments in the next aid package Today, the mayors of Athens and Chillicothe joined the Ohio Municipal League and Policy Matters Ohio to highlight the fiscal pressure small cities are under during the COVID-19 pandemic and the recession it’s causing. In a virtual
Introduction Across Ohio, people are doing their part to take care of themselves and each other by wearing masks, staying home, and supporting local businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic and the recession it is causing are taking a toll on millions of Ohioans who have lost their jobs, gotten sick or
Wendy Patton & Zach Schiller Introduction Raise revenues to get through the recession Taxes are how everyone comes together and does their part to keep our society running. The public revenue our taxes generate pays for teachers, health inspectors and bus drivers. State and local governments face soaring needs but
Policy Matters outlines ways to raise $1 billion, protect essential services State and local governments face soaring needs but dwindling tax collections as the COVID-19 pandemic pounds the economy. Policy Matters Ohio today released a report that identified 20 tax measures the Ohio General Assembly can take to raise more
Trump administration, 18 states ask Supreme Court to end the ACA Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and recession, the Trump administration and 18 state attorneys general filed briefs asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the lawsuit succeeds, hundreds of thousands of Ohioans and
Local governments are responsible for keeping our family, friends and neighbors safe. Teachers in our public schools, people who make sure our water is clean to drink, and the people who respond to calls for emergency assistance all work for public institutions or local governments. We all pay taxes. We
Wendy Patton & Will Petrik During tough times, government leadership can keep our society going. The government can step in to keep families putting food on the table, help people who are sick get medical care and make sure parents who have to work have safe places to care for
House bill provides more funding to help Americans get back on their feet The latest stimulus package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would direct $3 trillion to help Americans get through the COVID-19 pandemic and the recession it’s causing. Now the bill is in the Senate’s hands and
Good afternoon, Chairman Merrin, Ranking Member Rogers and members of the committee. My name is Wendy Patton and I am a senior project director of Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with the mission of creating a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio. Thank you for the opportunity
Will lawmakers walk the talk? The Ohio Department of Education’s draft plan to reopen the state’s schools strives to keep students safe from the coronavirus, but doing so is likely to be more expensive in low-income communities. More than two decades ago the Ohio Supreme Court found the state funding
Introduction During difficult times, people come together through government action to tackle big challenges. President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal put Americans back to work, supported home ownership and improved national infrastructure. During the Great Recession of 2008, the federal government supported state and local governments and helped save the American
