Race to the finish: News from Policy Matters
Posted May 06, 2017 in eNews
Protecting our care: As the thoroughbreds gallop to the finish today, we’re racing to fight back against threats to Ohio’s health. On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that puts health care for millions of Americans at risk. We explain just how damaging that legislation would be to Ohio. Meanwhile, the budget passed by the Ohio House also threatens health coverage for Ohioans by taking aim at the successful Medicaid expansion program. We need to resist both by telling our U.S. senators to oppose the health care bill and telling our state senators to remove the bad provisions from 2018-2019 budget.
Mixed bag for the House budget: We applauded some good things in the Ohio House budget – like saying no to Governor John Kasich’s tax shift plan and increasing funding to combat Ohio’s drug epidemic. But the House failed to limit an unnecessary and costly tax break, missing a golden opportunity to shore up Ohio’s fiscal situation.
Invest in students: Our Victoria Jackson wrote a report and submitted testimony explaining why Senate Bill 5 will not improve access to higher education. The bill would give big tax breaks to Ohio’s wealthiest families while failing to address the real root of the college affordability problem: lack of public investment.
People over Wall Street: The Cincinnati Enquirer published an op-ed by Policy Liaison Kalitha Williams calling on Senator Portman to stand up for prepaid debit card users instead of big banks. Portman supports a resolution that would roll back important rules to protect prepaid debit card users, even though those rules would protect many Ohioans.
Hope and valor: Last week our Cynthia Connolly worked a table at Station Hope, a community event in Cleveland that celebrates the city’s social justice history. Later today, the Cuyahoga Democratic Women's Caucus names our Executive Director Amy Hanauer the 2017 “Woman of Valor.” We are so proud!