By Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal
In May 2020, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced $775 million in state spending cuts in the face of what he expected to be lower tax revenues due to economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The cuts included $300 million whacked from K-12 education and $210 million from Medicaid, the health program for the poor. DeWine decided to make them instead of dipping into the state’s $2.7 billion rainy day fund.
In hindsight, the move is receiving scant support from a panel of Ohio economists.
More…
By Tyler Buchanan, Ohio Capital Journal
When a legislative effort was fumbled, it was said that Gov. Mike DeWine picked up the ball and ran with it.
As it turned out, the Ohio General Assembly did get the job done before the final bell sounded.
Sports metaphors abounded inside the Statehouse on Monday as two branches of government worked to enact a plan to allow college athletes to earn compensation off their own names, images and likenesses (NIL). More…
NOTE: In addition to Ohio’s million dollar vaccination lottery, the first winner of which will be drawn on Monday, many jurisdictions are following suit with incentives. In the last few days, this has included state lotteries announced for New York, Maryland, and Oregon Ohio has seen a dramatic increase in vaccination rates, the local impact of which we will cover tomorrow.
This recent piece in Route Fifty is part of the SoJo Exchange from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. The original post can be read here.
Boosting Covid-19 Vaccinations with $1 million Prizes, Free Crawfish, Hunting Licenses and More
By Brent Woodie, Route Fifty More…
Coronavirus, Featured, Solutions Journalism Network, State of Ohio
Special to 1812Blockhouse from Ohio. Find It Here.
Ohio. Find It Here. has launched its summer campaign that tells the rest of the country what Ohioans already know: Ohio is an amazing place to live, learn, work and play. The $4 million marketing campaign kicks off during National Travel and Tourism Week and runs through June. It will encourage people to find their future in Ohio with images of families and friends experiencing joy, happiness and excitement at Ohio’s unique attractions, in beautiful parks, at incredible universities and in top companies.
“This campaign showcases many of the opportunities and adventures that can be discovered in Ohio,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “As we emerge from the pandemic, I’d encourage Ohioans and visitors to safely explore all that Ohio has to offer.” More…
By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal
Two state legislators, including the chair of the Senate Primary & Secondary Education Committee, say a newly proposed funding formula is still alive in Ohio’s biennial budget.
State Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, assured a recent Central Ohio virtual town hall including local educational representatives that despite the fact that the majority of the funding formula introduced during the last General Assembly died at the end of the year, the biennial budget brings with it the formula that lessens the weight of property taxes, and expands eligibility for private school voucher programs.
“I believe in this budget there will be a school funding formula in it,” Brenner said. More…
By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal
In 1991, Sheridan High School freshman Nathan DeRolph thought Ohio’s education funding formula would change before he entered college.
He and his parents had filed a lawsuit against the state that would eventually make it to the Ohio Supreme Court, fighting against the overreliance on property taxes built into public school funding. “I kind of naively, I think, thought by the time I’m a senior in high school, this will all be wrapped up and hopefully there will be a new funding plan in place, and generations after me won’t have to deal with the same challenges,” DeRolph said.
Three decades later, he just watched his daughter graduate from high school, under the same funding system his family fought against, through multiple supreme court decisions. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) have unveiled a statewide litter campaign to prioritize and promote the conversation around litter in Ohio.
“Litter is ugly and costly,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “Earth Day is a great opportunity to recognize what each of us can do to help protect our planet. One of the things we can all do is help clean up litter – because a little bit of litter is a big problem.”
Research shows that 42% of Ohioans admit to having littered in the past month. Litter impacts many facets of Ohio, including Ohio’s transportation system, state parks, beach fronts, and waterways. More…
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Associated Press
Ohioans would receive a 2% personal income tax cut and the state would fund schools in a more equitable fashion under the latest version of the state budget introduced Tuesday by House Republicans.
The 2% cut would amount to $380 million in reduced taxes over two years beginning July 1, and is on top of $120 million in reduced taxes brought on by recently passed legislation that aligns Ohio tax code with federal law, according to majority GOP lawmakers.
The budget also provides previously announced $155 million in grants to help industries negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic. More…
By Tyler Buchanan, Ohio Capital Journal
Republican-sponsored legislation will seek to prohibit the Ohio government from instituting a “vaccine passport” program, but the drafted proposal does not appear to restrict private businesses from doing so.
Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, is soon introducing this bill in the Ohio House of Representatives. It has already received support from fellow Republican lawmakers.
The term “vaccine passport” refers to showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination that could allow entry into a given place or public event. The vaccine is optional in Ohio, and Gov. Mike DeWine has given no indication the state government will develop a vaccine passport program here. More…
Ohio General Assembly, Public Health, State of Ohio, Vaccinations
By 1812Blockhouse; State of Ohio
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Tom Stickrath have released an update on the number of Ohio law enforcement agencies that have implemented Ohio’s statewide minimum standards on use of force, deadly force, hiring, and recruitment.
According to the 2021 Law Enforcement Certification Report issued today by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, a total of 529 law enforcement agencies in Ohio have fully adopted the primary standards and 11 agencies are in the process of adopting the primary standards set by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.
Those updates reflect that all seven of Richland County’s law enforcement agencies are in some phase of the certification process, meaning that 100% of Richland County’s population is covered in this aspect. All 224 law enforcement officers are included. More…
By 1812Blockhouse; State of Ohio
There’s a bit of reverse directioning going on.
As COVID-19 case numbers are again on the rise in Ohio, Governor DeWine announced on Monday that many restrictions to prevent more infections are going away while certain others, such as mask wearing, are continuing.
Welcome to the latest chapter in a year-long set of moves to address the pandemic.
Changes announced will impact mass gatherings, including sporting events, fairs, festivals, theatres, etc.. Most will now allow these to take place while maintaining limitations on social distancing and other safety measures. More…
By 1812Blockhouse and Ohio Department of Health Release
The State of Ohio issued several updates on Thursday related to vaccinations, increase in variant spread, Advisory System changes, and more.
Over the previous two days, the State released updated statistics dealing with new COVID-19 infection rates in the state’s schools and long term care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living, etc.).
Richland County has shown a precipitous drop in the number of cases in local schools. The following infection levels were reported for the week ending March 31: More…
By Tyler Buchanan, Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio lawmakers recently approved a two-year transportation budget ahead of schedule and without much drama, sending the $8.3 billion package to Gov. Mike DeWine for a signature.
Legislators agreed to allocate billions of dollars toward maintaining and improving Ohio’s transportation infrastructure, including highways, roads and bridges. Despite the governor having proposed major cuts to public transit, lawmakers restored funding to pre-pandemic levels.
Both parties appear pleased with the final product, which will cover the upcoming Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023. More…
By FARNOUSH AMIRI and ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Report for America/Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — GOP lawmakers on Wednesday made good on their promise to check the authority of fellow Republican Gov. Mike DeWine by issuing the first override of his term after a yearlong battle over how the state should respond during a health emergency.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate voted after short debates in each chamber to reject DeWine’s veto of legislation restricting the state including local health departments’ ability to respond to emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic.
“Governor DeWine, through his letter Monday and his veto message yesterday, made his serious concerns regarding Senate Bill 22 known to the members of the General Assembly and to the public,” Dan Tierney, the governor’s spokesperson said following the override. More…
By 1812Blockhouse and State of Ohio
Information released on Wednesday and Thursday provides an updated picture of the current state of the pandemic across the Buckeye State and here in Richland County.
STATEWIDE CASE RATE
Governor DeWine announced that Ohio’s statewide case rate stands at 143.8 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. When Ohio reaches 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all health orders will be lifted. More…
