Current Issues
Occupy Wall Street in Ohio-Cleveland and Columbus
The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread across Ohio. Participants are mainly protesting social and economic inequality corporate greed, and the power and influence of corporations, particularly financial institutions. Their rallying cry is we are the 99% and we will not longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the (richest) 1%.
Two recent events should be noted. In Cleveland a mother and her two children, ages 5 and 7, had been told that the sheriff will arrive at her house at 11:30 A.M. on Tuesday, November 15th, for eviction. This mother had made every attempt to pay and to cooperate with the bank, Fannie Mae, but has been denied an extension of a mere 3 weeks. However, with the threat of the encampment by the Occupy Cleveland group and the support of some local pubic officials, Fannie May granted a 30 day extension allowing the family to stay in their home.
On Columbus on Wednesday, November 16, beginning at 3:00 pm Occupy Columbus and its supporters will be camping out on the statehouse lawn. It will be a time to recognize the million and a half homeless persons in the United States. People should bring sleeping bags.
For more information on Occupy Columbus go to www.occupycolumbus.org. For information on Occupy Ohio go to http://www.facebook.com/OccupyOhio.
Join Get on the Bridge Action on November 17 for a national jobs bill-Columbus
There will be an action calling upon Congress to pass a national jobs bill. Called Get on the Bridge, it will be a march on November 17 meeting first at the First Congregational Church at 444 E. Broad Street in Columbus at 4:30 pm and then marching to the 670 overpass ramp. This ramp is structurally deficient and in need of repair. It is the kind of infrastructure improvement that with a jobs bill, people could be put to work to fix
This is an opportunity to get the 99%'s voices heard, be a part of the movement! The march is being organized by ProgressOhio. To RSVP or get more information, contact coby@progessohio.org or call (614) 441-9145.
Support non-partisan Ohio redistricting process
Ohio’s politicians are going into backrooms to draw districts which benefit themselves -- to ensure their own re-elections without being accountable to the voters. They have created bizarre districts that zig zag across Ohio. Cities and counties are so split up that one city council district in Toledo will be split into three different congressional districts. One congressional district has a 933 mile border – farther than the distance from Columbus to New Orleans.
A coalition, supported by over 25 nonpartisan organizations has put together a proposal to reform Ohio’s redistricting process and with enough support this issue can be on next November’s ballot, so that Ohio’s voters can decide. The proposal would include a non-partisan politically balanced commission in which all discussions would be open to the public. The commission would be required to adopt the plan which best meets the following criteria: Creates compact districts, minimizes splits of counties, townships, municipalities, and wards, maximizes the number of politically balanced districts, and balances the number of districts which favor each political party.
To move forward, sufficient support is needed to gather 385,000 signatures by July 3, 2012 and mobilize a statewide educational campaign for the Nov. 2012 election. You are encouraged to have your group or organization to endorse this plan, and commit your time, money, and influence to supporting the effort to put this on the ballot. For more information go to www.drawthelineohio.org or contact Jim Slagle at jslagle@ohiocitizen.org.
Call Your Congressperson to oppose the National Right to Carry Concealed Weapons Reciprocity Act
HR 822 is a reciprocity bill that will allow people with permits from any state to use those permits to carry loaded hidden guns in public in Ohio (or any other state) whether allowed in that state or not. In some states someone can get a permit on the internet. This bill is making its way through the US House and is being introduced in the Senate. It also takes states rights away by having this federal legislation override stronger state laws. The House will consider HR 822 next week when it returns from recess.
You can do two things to stop this bad bill from making Ohio less safe for our families.
1. Call your US Representative and ask him/her to vote no on HR 822.
2. Call our US Senators Brown and Portman ask them to vote no on any bill of reciprocity on concealed carry whether as a stand alone bill or as an amendment attached to another bill.
For more information contact the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence at www.ohioceasefire.org or call (419) 244-7442
Most Ohio school levy requests are not passed
Somewhat lost in the excitement of the rejection of Issue 2, was the failure of the vast amount or school levies to pass. Last Spring the Governor and Ohio General Assembly refused to raise revenue through the closing of tax loopholes or other revenue enhancements. to cover the projected $8 billion deficit. As a result K-12 education funding Ohio has been reduced by $1.8 billion. This has and will force local school systems to have to go to voters to maintain local funding to continue to operate the schools at the same level as before.
On election day school levy results across Ohio were not encouraging. There were 187 school levy issues on the ballot, and 95 of those ballot issues passed. That is a 51% approval rate; on the face of it, somewhat encouraging. However, of those 187 school levies 70 of those levies were renewals of previous levies passed by school districts. Of those 70 renewal levies, 90% of those passed. Of the 117 school levies that were seeking increased funds to make up for the losses in state funding or for other purposes, only 32 of these levies passed. This means that only 27% of the levies seeking an increase in local educational support in Ohio passed. It is also interesting to note of those 117 school levies asking for an increase in funds 23 of those were categorized as needed for “emergency operating costs.” Of those 23 levies for emergency operating costs, only three were passed in Ohio.
With non-implementation of the Ohio Supreme Court’s DeRolfe decision which ruled that the state's method for funding public education was unconstitutional, organizing efforts will need to re-focus on raising revenue in the Ohio State budget.
The Issue 3 passage illustrates the need to educate and inform about health care coverage
Issue 3 as passed amends Ohio’s constitution to exempt Ohio from the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that all individuals have health insurance. Because only the U.S. Supreme Court can un-do the “individual mandate,” many people thought Issue 3 was meaningless. It’s not. It was so badly worded that it will freeze in place and prohibit any future changes to dozens of other already existing Ohio laws, rules and reporting requirements on which Ohioans depend to keep us safe and healthy. Among the things it may prevent include: strengthening rules against insurance company practices, improving Ohio’s workers’ compensation law, and tracking infectious disease.
Nevertheless, it was so poorly phrased on the ballot and the resources were not available to mount an effective campaign that it was passed. As we move forward, it is important to be able to educate groups of what really the Affordable care Act really is all about. If you would be interested in participating educating groups contact UHCAN Ohio by contacting Gary Benjamin in Cleveland-gbenjamin@uhcanohio.org; Kathleen Gmeiner in Columbus-
kgmeiner@uhcanohio.org, or Donald Washington in Cincinnati-dwashington@uhcanohio.org
Occupy Wall Street in Ohio-Cleveland and Columbus
The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread across Ohio. Participants are mainly protesting social and economic inequality corporate greed, and the power and influence of corporations, particularly financial institutions. Their rallying cry is we are the 99% and we will not longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the (richest) 1%.
Two recent events should be noted. In Cleveland a mother and her two children, ages 5 and 7, had been told that the sheriff will arrive at her house at 11:30 A.M. on Tuesday, November 15th, for eviction. This mother had made every attempt to pay and to cooperate with the bank, Fannie Mae, but has been denied an extension of a mere 3 weeks. However, with the threat of the encampment by the Occupy Cleveland group and the support of some local pubic officials, Fannie May granted a 30 day extension allowing the family to stay in their home.
On Columbus on Wednesday, November 16, beginning at 3:00 pm Occupy Columbus and its supporters will be camping out on the statehouse lawn. It will be a time to recognize the million and a half homeless persons in the United States. People should bring sleeping bags.
For more information on Occupy Columbus go to www.occupycolumbus.org. For information on Occupy Ohio go to http://www.facebook.com/OccupyOhio.
Join Get on the Bridge Action on November 17 for a national jobs bill-Columbus
There will be an action calling upon Congress to pass a national jobs bill. Called Get on the Bridge, it will be a march on November 17 meeting first at the First Congregational Church at 444 E. Broad Street in Columbus at 4:30 pm and then marching to the 670 overpass ramp. This ramp is structurally deficient and in need of repair. It is the kind of infrastructure improvement that with a jobs bill, people could be put to work to fix
This is an opportunity to get the 99%'s voices heard, be a part of the movement! The march is being organized by ProgressOhio. To RSVP or get more information, contact coby@progessohio.org or call (614) 441-9145.
Support non-partisan Ohio redistricting process
Ohio’s politicians are going into backrooms to draw districts which benefit themselves -- to ensure their own re-elections without being accountable to the voters. They have created bizarre districts that zig zag across Ohio. Cities and counties are so split up that one city council district in Toledo will be split into three different congressional districts. One congressional district has a 933 mile border – farther than the distance from Columbus to New Orleans.
A coalition, supported by over 25 nonpartisan organizations has put together a proposal to reform Ohio’s redistricting process and with enough support this issue can be on next November’s ballot, so that Ohio’s voters can decide. The proposal would include a non-partisan politically balanced commission in which all discussions would be open to the public. The commission would be required to adopt the plan which best meets the following criteria: Creates compact districts, minimizes splits of counties, townships, municipalities, and wards, maximizes the number of politically balanced districts, and balances the number of districts which favor each political party.
To move forward, sufficient support is needed to gather 385,000 signatures by July 3, 2012 and mobilize a statewide educational campaign for the Nov. 2012 election. You are encouraged to have your group or organization to endorse this plan, and commit your time, money, and influence to supporting the effort to put this on the ballot. For more information go to www.drawthelineohio.org or contact Jim Slagle at jslagle@ohiocitizen.org.
Call Your Congressperson to oppose the National Right to Carry Concealed Weapons Reciprocity Act
HR 822 is a reciprocity bill that will allow people with permits from any state to use those permits to carry loaded hidden guns in public in Ohio (or any other state) whether allowed in that state or not. In some states someone can get a permit on the internet. This bill is making its way through the US House and is being introduced in the Senate. It also takes states rights away by having this federal legislation override stronger state laws. The House will consider HR 822 next week when it returns from recess.
You can do two things to stop this bad bill from making Ohio less safe for our families.
1. Call your US Representative and ask him/her to vote no on HR 822.
2. Call our US Senators Brown and Portman ask them to vote no on any bill of reciprocity on concealed carry whether as a stand alone bill or as an amendment attached to another bill.
For more information contact the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence at www.ohioceasefire.org or call (419) 244-7442
Most Ohio school levy requests are not passed
Somewhat lost in the excitement of the rejection of Issue 2, was the failure of the vast amount or school levies to pass. Last Spring the Governor and Ohio General Assembly refused to raise revenue through the closing of tax loopholes or other revenue enhancements. to cover the projected $8 billion deficit. As a result K-12 education funding Ohio has been reduced by $1.8 billion. This has and will force local school systems to have to go to voters to maintain local funding to continue to operate the schools at the same level as before.
On election day school levy results across Ohio were not encouraging. There were 187 school levy issues on the ballot, and 95 of those ballot issues passed. That is a 51% approval rate; on the face of it, somewhat encouraging. However, of those 187 school levies 70 of those levies were renewals of previous levies passed by school districts. Of those 70 renewal levies, 90% of those passed. Of the 117 school levies that were seeking increased funds to make up for the losses in state funding or for other purposes, only 32 of these levies passed. This means that only 27% of the levies seeking an increase in local educational support in Ohio passed. It is also interesting to note of those 117 school levies asking for an increase in funds 23 of those were categorized as needed for “emergency operating costs.” Of those 23 levies for emergency operating costs, only three were passed in Ohio.
With non-implementation of the Ohio Supreme Court’s DeRolfe decision which ruled that the state's method for funding public education was unconstitutional, organizing efforts will need to re-focus on raising revenue in the Ohio State budget.
The Issue 3 passage illustrates the need to educate and inform about health care coverage
Issue 3 as passed amends Ohio’s constitution to exempt Ohio from the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that all individuals have health insurance. Because only the U.S. Supreme Court can un-do the “individual mandate,” many people thought Issue 3 was meaningless. It’s not. It was so badly worded that it will freeze in place and prohibit any future changes to dozens of other already existing Ohio laws, rules and reporting requirements on which Ohioans depend to keep us safe and healthy. Among the things it may prevent include: strengthening rules against insurance company practices, improving Ohio’s workers’ compensation law, and tracking infectious disease.
Nevertheless, it was so poorly phrased on the ballot and the resources were not available to mount an effective campaign that it was passed. As we move forward, it is important to be able to educate groups of what really the Affordable care Act really is all about. If you would be interested in participating educating groups contact UHCAN Ohio by contacting Gary Benjamin in Cleveland-gbenjamin@uhcanohio.org; Kathleen Gmeiner in Columbus-
kgmeiner@uhcanohio.org, or Donald Washington in Cincinnati-dwashington@uhcanohio.org