Business investor tax break creates problems, not jobs
State Senator Cecil Thomas This piece originally appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer in June 2017. It’s not news that Ohio is in the midst of a budget crisis. Gov. John Kasich is predicting a recession, the opioid epidemic is overwhelming local resources, and we’re about to cut vital services again. Some people will tell you […]
For-profit college graduates earn less and owe more, report says
By Karen Farkas, Cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – Students who attend for-profit colleges earn less and have more debt, according to a new report from Policy Matters Ohio. More state oversight is needed and Ohio needs to restrict funding, the report said. Last year Ohio spent more than $7.3 million on financial aid for students at […]
Trump budget cuts food stamps, consumer protection, EPA
By Jessica Wehrman, The Columbus Dispatch WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will release a budget today that is bold, brash and, according to many, faces a grim future in Congress. It’s bold because it presumes a 3 percent annual growth rate for the economy and, if its assumptions are correct, would balance the budget within […]
Medicaid changes could hurt health care in Ohio, expert warns
By Tom Jackson, The Sandusky Register SANDUSKY — Republican proposals to limit spending on Medicaid could be harmful to Ohio because of the state’s demographics, a health care expert said Monday in Sandusky. Wendy Patton is senior project manager for Policy Matters Ohio, a think-tank. She specializes in studying the state budget and devotes much […]
Kasich to Cite $800M Business Cost in Tax Fight
By JULIE CARR SMYTH, AP Statehouse Correspondent COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich is preparing to make an $800 million argument for his plan that would allow the state to process and distribute the taxes levied by cities, counties and villages on business profits. An Ohio Department of Taxation estimate released to […]
New regulations may be coming for consumer loans in Ohio
By Laura A. Bischoff and Jim Otte – Columbus bureau Columbus —State Sen. Louis Terhar, R-Cincinnati, pitches the new “Consumer Installment Loan Act” as a way to modernize Ohio’s banking and lending laws and give borrowers and lenders alike more clarity. But Kalitha Williams of Policy Matters Ohio, a liberal leaning think tank, sounds a […]
What good is an anti-labor secretary?
Many native Ohioans would make phenomenal top labor law enforcers for the United States. Andy Puzder is not one of them. The Cleveland-born Puzder, nominated by President Donald Trump to run the Department of Labor, better qualifies as top labor law violator. Ohio senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown should vote against his appointment. As […]
Central Ohioans unsure about what will happen if ACA is repealed
COLUMBUS (WCMH) — With a new administration taking over the White House next week and a Republican-controlled Congress vowing to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, many Americans are wondering what will happen to their healthcare coverage. For Talitha Johnson, a business owner who lives in Pickerington, the Affordable Care Act has been a […]
Students lacking support, or the consequences in ending the ‘5 of 8’ rule
The State Board of Education thought it was providing local school officials with helpful flexibility. Unfortunately, its decision nearly two years ago to eliminate the “5 of 8” rule concerning school staffing has proved problematic, or at odds with the objective of ensuring a strong education for all Ohio students in public schools. Policy Matters […]
New Powerhouse Statewide Coalition Calls on Kasich to Increase Transit Funding
Wednesday, a broad coalition of Ohio organizations delivered a letter to Governor John Kasich, asking him to increase public transit funding across the state. Ohio’s current contribution to public transit, about one percent of its total transportation budget, ranks 47th out of 50 states. “Ohio has done a terrible job funding transit for decades,” said […]
Why ArcelorMittal succeeds where LTV failed: Heart of Steel (photos, video)
CLEVELAND, Ohio — From Interstate-77, the gigantic flame rising from a stack at ArcelorMittal steel mill remains an icon of manufacturing in Northeast Ohio. “When you see that flame, that means we’re making steel in Cleveland,” said Mark Granakis, a former United Steelworkers president at the plant. The flame was extinguished in late 2001, after […]
Group’s Annual Report On Working Ohio Shows Low Worker Participation, High Income Inequality
Map of 2015 Ohio jobless rates by county Though Ohio’s jobless rate is below the national average and the state is on a job-gaining trend, a new economic report says there are still some numbers that show workers are still suffering in Ohio. At 4.8% for July, the state’s unemployment rate is firmly in pre-2008 […]