First Ohio legislators proposed increasing the handouts for the entertainment industry through the special interest motion picture tax credit. Now, they’re proposing giving away more money for large sporting events. Any guess as to who would be footing that bill? That’s right, you, Ohio taxpayers.
In The Ohio Model for Bail Reform: Retaining Local Flexibility and Saving Money, The Buckeye Institute looked at Summit County, which uses a verified risk-assessment tool to inform pretrial detention decisions. They found that Ohio could see an annual cost savings of more than $67 million if it reforms its cash bail system and gives judges greater flexibility to use proven, evidence-based, risk-assessment tools to assess the risk an individual poses to the community rather than relying on cash bail.
The Buckeye Institute issued a statement on the submission of the Medicaid work and community engagement waiver by the Ohio Department of Medicaid. “Ohio’s waiver request is an important step in reforming the state’s health care system, and while we applaud this initial step, we are disappointed that the waiver is not part of a broader and bolder Medicaid reform package…This waiver is a good start, but Ohio should continue to reform and improve its Medicaid program to help lift people up and out of the program while protecting the traditional and vulnerable Medicaid population.”
Actions by the federal government have taken health care out of the hands of state officials and centralized it in Washington. The result: families are paying ever higher health insurance premiums for coverage they often do not want or need. This means less money to pay other bills, college tuition, or even buy food.
The Buckeye Institute commented on newly released unemployment data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, pointing out the positive signs, saying, “Ohio…has experienced positive job growth. Yet, another month of an unchanged labor force participation rate once again implies that some individuals are still not searching for jobs. Reforms to occupational licensing, and an end to preferential tax credits…would further expand Ohio’s job market and help Ohio reach its goal of being a national leader in job creation.”
The Buckeye Institute has filed a new amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in the case Thomas v. Schroer, arguing that it is a violation of the First Amendment for the government to discriminate against outdoor advertisements and signs based on the sign’s message. “While we all enjoy a scenic drive and beautiful roadways, the First Amendment is even more precious to Americans and its protections must not be violated in the name of highway beautification.”
The Buckeye Institute issued the following statement on legislative proposals designed to reduce regulatory burdens on Ohioans, saying, “Senate President Larry Obhof and the leadership of both chambers should be commended for continuing to go after red tape that strangles Ohio businesses and makes it difficult for people to begin working in the career of their choice…The proposals being considered by senators Peterson, McColley, and Wilson and Representative Roegner are a step in the right direction.”
In The Columbus Dispatch, Buckeye’s Quinn Beeson highlights the importance of occupational licensing reform to women who want to join the cosmetology profession. “In Ohio, an EMT who makes life and death decisions receives less training than a cosmetologist in whose hands you place your hair. This is ridiculous and illustrates why Ohio needs to expand opportunities for women and minorities and remove barriers to employment.”
Proponents of occupational licensing often claim that the reason we need licensing is to protect citizens – both their health and safety. And protecting people is of paramount importance. But what if public health and safety aren’t at risk? Or what if licensing requirements in one profession are completely out of line with a profession where workers are entrusted with peoples’ actual lives?
The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Ways and Means Committee on House Bill 133, where it outlined the onerous nature of Ohio’s “byzantine local tax policies and its arcane occupational licensing regime” and questioned why Ohio would extend “its failed policies to men and women from other states who have come to help restore our power, our water, and rebuild our infrastructure in the days after a disaster.”
