state budget
Ohio Budget: Lawmakers’ priorities not quite on target, advocates say
The money invested in a state budget should be fully reflective of the state’s values, public advocates say in arguing the current proposals considered by Ohio lawmakers have a long way to go in reaching that goal. The comprehensive, two-year budget is being negotiated inside the Ohio Statehouse and includes billions of dollars in proposed […]
It’s time Ohio lawmakers fund alternatives to youth incarceration
By Kenza Kamal, Policy Director at Juvenile Justice Coalition It costs Ohio taxpayers $185,303 to incarcerate one child for one year. This is a staggering amount for us to spend on youth incarceration, an ineffective and harmful approach to the needs of communities in our state–particularly young Black Ohioans, who are six times more likely […]
‘The People’s Budget.’ Advocates call for tax code, education changes in new state budget
Elected officials and local advocates are calling for state budget changes that emphasize issues spotlighted during the pandemic, including economic inequality and education system flaws. Policy recommendations were spelled out by think-tank Policy Matters Ohio and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative to change tax code and fill loopholes they say would not affect ordinary Ohioans, but […]
Ohio Senate plan ramps up public transit funding. Will the increase stay?
Some want to see lowering of electric vehicle fees It’s been something of a wild ride for public transportation funding during the budget negotiation process thus far in 2021, but advocates are pleased with the direction things are headed. Gov. Mike DeWine called for a significant decrease in spending on public transportation in his budget […]
How much should Ohio invest in public transportation? Advocates make case for more funding
Advocates are urging lawmakers to invest more money into Ohio’s public transportation systems and commit to long-term support for this transit spending. Gov. Mike DeWine presented deep cuts to public transportation in his proposed budget. The Ohio House of Representatives restored much of the funding in its transportation budget passed earlier in March. But this […]
Higher ed officials see affordability, community colleges as bridge to student recovery
Affordability and equity are at the top of the list as higher education officials look at their operating budget for the next two years, and it’s up to the state to help. State leaders speaking for community colleges and state higher education in general at Tuesday’s House Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education pushed on the […]
Mailbag: What’s up with the proposed $50 million ad campaign for Ohio?
Welcome back to another installment of the Ohio Capital Journal Mailbag, the only column that is single-handedly driving coastal millennials to relocate to the Buckeye State. Let’s get to it: Got a question about Ohio politics/government? Send them by email to [email protected] or tweet them to @tylerjoelb. I’m curious what the $50 million ad campaign […]
It’s the extremist regressive politics, not a lack of PR, that makes people not want to move to Ohio
Ohio could be a helluva bargain for out-of-staters looking to relocate. Plenty of sweet move-in offers they can’t refuse. Cost of living, for one. Quaint Midwestern farm towns, for another. Urban centers that boast world class cultural attractions, if not winning sports teams. Good places to raise a family. Premier medical institutions and universities. Treasured […]
Mayors: Bankruptcy imminent if pandemic income tax lost
A bipartisan group of Ohio’s mayors said of the policies they’ll be watching over the next year, keeping the income tax changes implemented early in the pandemic is the most vital. Members of the Ohio Mayors Alliance met on Monday to lay out their priorities, which unsurprisingly focus mainly on the end of the COVID-19 […]
School safety center pushed as part of DeWine’s criminal justice budget
As part of his criminal justice budget proposal, Gov. Mike DeWine wants to spend millions to fund a center monitoring threats to school safety. On Wednesday, DeWine elaborated on budget recommendations specifically in the area of public safety. This includes $5 million going toward the Ohio School Safety Center, “which assists local schools with improving […]
Some ideas for Gov. DeWine on how to help struggling Ohioans
In his Aug. 25 news conference Gov. Mike DeWine outlined some good work the state is initiating to expand COVID-19 testing in underserved communities — presumably including neighborhoods of Black and Latinx Ohioans and people with low incomes. He indicated he’s open to ideas about how to help all Ohioans — no matter where they […]
Police organization slams Ohio AG over training cuts
Protests have consumed U.S. cities since a black man died May 25 after Minneapolis police knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. And brutal police conduct in the ensuing protests have raised further questions about the training American officers receive before they’re given a gun, a badge and sweeping power over people. Gov. Mike […]