Ohio House Democrats called on Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) to publicly condemn the threats of violence made against their leader and provide “additional security measures” for lawmakers.
“As Speaker and in recognition of your leadership role in the Ohio House of Representatives, you are granted additional security while in the statehouse,” House Democrats said in a letter to Householder last week.
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Ohio Democrats said they were “outraged” by Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposal for addressing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Ohio’s black population.
African Americans make up 14 percent of Ohio’s population, but represent 26 percent of positive COVID-19 cases, 31 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 17 percent of COVID-19 deaths.
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The state Controlling Board voted to split $90 million of federal taxpayer money aimed to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic between the Ohio Health Department – which will receive $8.5 million – and rural transportation departments across the state, which will receive the balance of $81.5 million to “aid for rural transportation systems,” according to a statement released by Democrats Monday.
“We need to ensure health care workers and officials on the ground have the tools they need to detect, track and contain this virus before we begin to reopen our state. This funding is a step in the right direction to get us where we need to be, but we’re not there yet,” said Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron).
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by Todd DeFeo The Ohio House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a nearly $68.9 billion, two-year state spending plan, one that garnered bipartisan praise for school spending and a reduction of the income tax on Ohio’s lowest earners. The measure includes a pay increase for direct service providers, eliminates a corporate jet timeshare tax exemption and increases the minimum age to buy tobacco in the state from 18 to 21 years old. The House voted 85-9 to pass the bill. It now heads to the state Senate for consideration, “and they’re likely going to mess it up,” Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes, D-Akron, said during remarks on the House floor before the vote. “This budget is absolutely and unequivocally an investment in Ohio, an investment in Ohio’s future and an opportunity to renew Ohio’s promise,” Sykes said. The spending plan eliminates the income tax for Ohioans who earn less than $22,250 per year. It also reduces income tax rates by 6.6 percent for the remainder of Ohio’s residents. The budget lowers the so-called “LLC Loophole” to $100,000. The loophole previously exempted some small business owners from paying income tax on their first $250,000 in earnings. “We believe this…
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A revised state budget proposal unveiled Thursday by House Republican leadership would introduce substantial income tax cuts for Ohioans but would do so by eliminating tax breaks for small businesses. The budget plan, House Bill 166, builds off of the budget proposal put forward by Gov. Mike DeWine, who said Friday that the bill sticks to the “essential principles” of his proposal. Under the proposal, Ohio’s lowest tax brackets would be completely eliminated, such that earners who make $22,250 or less annually wouldn’t pay any state income taxes. The state’s middle two brackets would also see significant reductions in income taxes. But these income tax reductions would be partially paid for by cutting down on the state’s small business tax deduction. Currently, small businesses don’t pay taxes on the first $250,000 of income, but that would be lowered to $100,000 under the new budget proposal. “We shouldn’t try to pick winners and losers. What we should try to do is set a balanced field out there and let people compete in business,” House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) said when unveiling the proposal. The Buckeye Institute, an Ohio-based conservative think tank, believes that Republicans are making a mistake in not…
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