Ohio consumers win: federal payday rule survives Congressional threat
Columbus, Ohio – A rule to protect consumers against fraudulent practices by payday and car title lenders survived threats in Congress, handing a big win to the more than 100 Ohio organizations that fought for it. In October, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule with common sense consumer protections on small dollar […]
Think tanks outline a brighter future for all Ohioans
Policy Matters Ohio, Innovation Ohio Education Fund brief leaders on ‘A Winning Economic Agenda for Working Families’ COLUMBUS – Policy Matters Ohio and Innovation Ohio briefed advocates and local leaders on their recently released report, A Winning Economic Agenda for Ohio’s Working Families. The report, available here, outlines a variety of statewide policies aimed at […]
Mulvaney shutters office that protects student borrowers
Last week, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Mick Mulvaney announced plans to close the CFPB’s Office for Students and Young Consumers by merging it with the Office for Financial Education. This will weaken the CFPB’s ability to stand up for borrowers. The Office for Students and Young Consumers is the only federal office […]
Trump Administration deceptively cites academic research to justify Medicaid proposal
Policy Matters analysis exposes misinterpretations, contradictions Earlier this year, the Trump Administration announced it would encourage states to seek waivers for Medicaid demonstration projects that would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to access health care. To justify their proposal, the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies (CMS) references a body of […]
Tax breaks demand strict scrutiny
Statehouse committee should curtail tax break mission creep Policy Matters Ohio testified before the Tax Expenditure Review Committee today, arguing for more rigorous review of tax breaks that sap more than $9 billion each year from the state. Wendy Patton, senior project director, told the committee, “The committee should recommend cutbacks in tax breaks to […]
Trump tax takes from workers, gives to wealthy
President Donald Trump returns to Cleveland Saturday to tout his tax law. Policy Matters Ohio’s Executive Director Amy Hanauer issued the following statement about the tax plan: “The Trump tax plan showers rewards on the wealthiest and corporate interests, while short-changing most Ohioans. Our research finds that the promised cuts primarily benefit Ohioans who already […]
Throughout Ohio, many common jobs pay poverty wages
Last year, six of Ohio’s 10 most common jobs paid so little that a typical worker would need food assistance to feed a family of three — generally less than $26,000 a year. From the booming Columbus metro area to struggling Youngstown, too many jobs across Ohio don’t pay enough for families to get by. […]
Policy Matters Ohio and Innovation Ohio release Winning Economic Agenda for Ohio’s Working Families
Contact: Amy Hanauer, 216.361.9801 Keary McCarthy, 614-425-9163 COLUMBUS – To address job security, economic anxiety, and stagnant wages, Ohio’s two premier progressive think tanks teamed up to offer a winning agenda for Ohio’s working families during this important election year. Policy Matters Ohio and Innovation Ohio Education Fund today released A Winning Economic Agenda for […]
Proposed farm bill could make thousands of Ohioans go hungry
In an effort to pay for lavish tax cuts for the wealthy under the Trump Tax law, the House Agriculture Committee passed Chairman Rep. Mike Conaway’s (R-Texas) Farm Bill, which threatens over 1.4 million Ohioans who rely on food assistance to get enough to eat. Ohio is among states with the highest levels of food […]
Tax breaks need stronger evaluation
Policy Matters Ohio said in testimony today before the Tax Expenditure Review Committee that a more in-depth analysis is needed of the tax breaks that cost the state more than $9 billion a year in revenue. The committee held its first hearing on five sales-tax breaks. Wendy Patton, senior project manager, told the committee that, […]
Ohio’s Medicaid proposal will hurt working people
The Kasich Administration plans to ask the federal government to waive Medicaid rules and allow the state to end health coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries who fail to meet monthly work requirements, a plan that will almost certainly cause many working people to lose coverage. A new report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Budget and […]
Review of tax breaks should be based on rigorous evaluation
Over the next five weeks, Ohio’s new legislative committee to review state tax breaks will meet three times to examine 15 tax breaks worth a total of $4.6 billion, nearly half the cost of all state tax breaks combined. State revenue spent on special-interest tax breaks drains resources from the things Ohio needs to prosper […]