The Buckeye Institute commented on the Tax Foundation’s newly released 2018 State Business Tax Climate Index, saying, “Unsurprisingly, Ohio ranks near the bottom of the barrel at 45 out of 50 – the same ranking we have had for the past two years. As Ohio stands still, other states are moving forward on tax reform which is a contributing factor to our uneven labor market.”
The Buckeye Institute released its latest policy brief, Competition Saves Taxpayer Money on Water and Sewer Line Repair, looking at the importance of open bidding for water and sewer lines. Ohio has aging water and sewer systems that are constantly in need of repair and many need to be replaced. Unfortunately, some localities are limiting competition by requiring the pipes be made of a more expensive material, when it would be in taxpayer’s interest to consider all materials that are deemed safe.
The Buckeye Institute released its latest policy brief, Building a Better Future: An Analysis of Ohio’s Tax and Spending Policies, which looks at the tax and spending policies Governor John Kasich and the Ohio General Assembly have adopted since 2013 and their impact on Ohio’s economic growth. “Contrary to the arguments levied by opponents of tax reform, this analysis shows that the tax reforms implemented by Governor Kasich and the General Assembly have led to economic growth in Ohio.”
The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee on the proposed bailout for the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation that is outlined in House Bill 239. When governments intervene in the energy market, or any business, policymakers allow for unfair advantages at taxpayer expense, and energy companies that do not receive the benefits of a government bailout are often unable to offer their services competitively.”
The United States Supreme Court agreed to hear Janus v. AFSCME, which The Buckeye Institute asked the court to take up in its amicus brief, supporting Mark Janus and the First Amendment. In its brief, Buckeye showed that unions can survive without compelled contributions and, alternatively, that this change will lead unions to better serve their members. “Forcing employees to pay for speech with which they disagree and forcing them to pay fees to a union in order to keep their jobs is unjust and unconstitutional.”
The Buckeye Institute issued a statement on the Reagan Tokes Act, which would move Ohio away from determinate sentencing and move toward indeterminate sentencing for certain offenses. “Incentives matter, and the Regan Tokes Act takes a step in the right direction in keeping dangerous criminals in prison longer and incentivizing inmates to get the rehabilitation and training necessary to become contributing members of society upon release.”
The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Finance Committee on the DataOhio project and the transparency policies that are included in House Bill 3. “Transparency helps citizens better understand what their government has done, what it is doing, and what remains to be done with their tax dollars. Fiscal transparency helps keep government accountable to the citizenry, fosters a more informed public, and facilitates a better dialogue between the people and their elected representatives.”
The Buckeye Institute commented on newly released unemployment data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, saying, “In August, the two payroll surveys diverged painting a contrasting picture of the Ohio labor market. The household survey…continued the bad news from July, with the unemployment rate increasing even as Ohioans left the labor force…However, the payroll survey…showed good news as private-sector employment increased by 11,000 in August.”
The Buckeye Institute, along with the National Federation of Independent Businesses, CATO Institute, and other nonprofit organizations, filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States asking it to take up the case of Garco Construction, Inc. v. Secretary of the Army that could overturn Auer deference. “In taking up Garco Construction v. Army the Supreme Court has the opportunity to overturn Auer deference and bring some clarity to government regulations, by reasserting the judiciary’s duty to say what the law is.”
