Stop, watch and listen
Posted February 26, 2015 in eNews
In this e-news: A fierce debate over the Kasich budget; tax plan favors the wealthiest Ohioans; Medicaid proposal would do more harm than goodFierce debates –Watch our Executive Director Amy Hanauer spar with the conservative Buckeye Institute about Ohio’s budget on The State of Ohio TV show (starts at 5:17 into the broadcast). Moderator Karen Kasler deemed the debate a “fierce” one – bet you didn’t know ferocity was allowed on public TV! Research Director Zach Schiller also questioned the Great Ohio Tax Shift on public radio’s All Sides With Ann Fisher and Hanauer took on schools, taxes, communities and more on WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas.
Furthering inequality – Governor Kasich’s tax proposals would produce big tax cuts for the wealthiest Ohioans, while raising taxes for low- and moderate-income residents, according to our recent report, done in collaboration with the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. The average tax cut for the top 1 percent: $11,906.
War of words - Our analysis highlighting tax inequality under Kasich's proposal prompted the governor's press office to blast out a Twitter meme criticizing us (Glad they noticed!). Our response highlighted Ohio’s shameful infant mortality and cuts to services. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook so you’re not left out of the fun!
Drilling down - Researcher Wendy Patton highlighted concerns and opportunities in two February briefs. Reducing public assistance and boosting requirements for those who need it could hurt low-wage workers struggling to support themselves and their families, she found. And we love Medicaid expansion, which is helping more than 400,000 get care, but monthly premiums the Kasich administration wants to charge some recipients could backfire by discouraging patients from getting care, which ultimately drives up costs.
Listen to your mother – We were happy to see Wendy Patton quoted in Mother Jones this week about how a balanced budget amendment, being pushed on an annual tour by our Gov, would hurt states.
Financial Insecurity – Ohio ranks 35th among states for financial security, because of low wages, high college debt, and high rates of residents who don’t have a bank account. This ranking-rich report was put out locally by Policy Liason Kalitha Williams in collaboration with our old pal David Rothstein and with the smart folks at the national CFED, who authored the tome. One point of pride: a grade of A in health care for Ohio!
Dirty and a bad deal – Two major Ohio utilities tried to shift the costs of inefficient plants to Ohio consumers. Our researcher Mike Shields described the scheme and we’re thrilled to note that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has turned down one of those dirty, inefficient bids.