Advance energy equity with community solar
Policy Matters Ohio testifies in support of HB 197 before the House Public Utilities Committee Policy Matters Climate & Sustainability Researcher Molly Bryden today delivered proponent testimony on House Bill 197, which would establish a pilot program for community solar in Ohio. “Community solar presents Ohioans with an opportunity to lower their electricity bills while […]
$15 minimum wage would benefit 1 million working Ohioans
Ballot measure would eliminate carveouts that hold pay down for tipped workers, disabled workers, youth Nearly 1 million working Ohioans would benefit from a ballot measure that could appear before Ohio voters this November, according to a report released today by Policy Matters Ohio. “From the food processing workers who help us get dinner on […]
State tax system can work for all Ohioans
Advocates propose four policies to fix the tax code State legislators have tax policy options that would help Ohio families, workers, property owners, renters, and others with low or moderate incomes, according to a new brief from Policy Matters Ohio Tax Policy Researcher Bailey Williams. Policy Matters, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, and Northern Ohioans for Budget […]
Intel’s status report leaves unanswered questions
Intel Corp. recently filed its 2023 annual report with the state of Ohio on its performance under a $600 million grant that the state made last year for it to build two semiconductor fabrication plants. While this provided useful information – most notably, that completion of the plants has been delayed until as late as […]
Policy Matters Ohio responds to the State of the State
Gov. DeWine raises more questions than he answers Gov. DeWine delivered his annual State of the State address in Columbus today, outlining policy priorities and ambitions for the coming year. Policy Matters Ohio Executive Director Hannah Halbert released the following statement, with contributions from Policy Matters staff: In today’s State of the State address, Gov. […]
ADVISORY: Four tax policies for the people
Policy Matters, Children’s Defense Fund, NOBLE highlight tax policies that work for everyone Ohio’s tax system is upside-down and backward, catering to the wealthiest at the expense of the lowest-paid, and leaving our state with too few resources to meet critical needs. Researchers and advocates from around the state will discuss four policy proposals to […]
Ohio’s child care crisis explained
Policymakers leave parents, providers without options State legislators have driven Ohio’s child care system into crisis, according to a new report released today by Policy Matters Ohio. The state makes it more difficult than any other for parents to qualify for Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), and reimburses PFCC providers so poorly that the federal […]
New child care rules will hurt providers
State proposes changes that conform to letter, violate spirit of federal policy The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and Department of Children and Youth (DCY) may change the rules of Step Up to Quality (SUTQ), the state’s long-established rating system for child care providers. The planned changes will worsen the state’s child […]
DeWine would create barriers to health care for trans Ohioans
Policy Matters’ public comment to ODMHAS The DeWine administration is considering rules that will harm transgender and non-binary Ohioans by restricting access to healthcare. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (MHAS) closes its public comment period on the rules at 5:00 pm today. (The Ohio Department of Health is accepting public comment […]
Circuit breaker targets tax help to those who need it
Policy Matters details property-tax proposals The Ohio General Assembly’s joint committee to review the property tax began hearings today. It should consider a circuit breaker to provide property-tax relief to those who need it. Policy Matters Ohio recently outlined the benefits of such a policy, a form of which is already in place in most […]
Ohio’s tax system perpetuates inequality
As a share of income, top 1% pay less than half as much as lowest-paid, new study finds For decades, policymakers have chipped away at Ohio’s income tax, leaving the state tax system upside-down: Low- and middle-income families spend a far larger share of their income on taxes than wealthy Ohioans do. In 2023, the […]
Policy Matters Ohio commends Governor DeWine’s veto of HB 68
In response to Governor DeWine’s veto of HB 68, Policy Matters Ohio director, Hannah Halbert, issued the following statement: “Today, Governor DeWine vetoed HB 68, protecting the rights of Ohio kids and their families to make their own medical decisions. Children, their parents and other adults came forward to lead, educate and speak out against […]