Public Policy Advocates

House Minority Leader on the Ohio Budget Process

We recently sat down with House Minority Leader William Batchelder (R-Medina) to discuss the Ohio Budget Process.  The video can be found here.

Strickland Names New Lottery Commission, Interim Medicaid Directors

Governor Ted Strickland announced last week he has appointed Kathleen Burke as the new Executive Director of the Ohio Lottery Commission.  Ms. Burke is a partner at Jones Day in Cleveland, where she has practiced law for 35 years.  Ms. Burke will be tasked with overseeing the implementation of VLTs at Ohio’s racetracks, as approved in the biennium budget bill. 

Governor Strickland has also announced his replacement for outgoing State Medicaid Director John Corlett.  Governor Strickland will appoint Maureen Corcoran, a deputy director in the Office of Ohio Health Plans (OHP) as acting interim State Medicaid Director after John Corlett’s departure August 31.

Judge Rules Use of Tobacco Funds Unconstitutional; State Immediately Appeals

A Franklin County Common Please judge ruled last week that the state cannot use the $258 million from the Ohio Tobacco Settlement Fund for budgetary purposes.  The money has been appropriated to help balance the state’s Medicaid budget for the upcoming biennium.  However, the judge ruled that the money must be used specifically for anti-smoking initiatives.

Governor Strickland said that he was disappointed with the ruling, and Attorney General Richard Cordray immediately asked the 10th District Court of Appeals for an emergency stay and an expedited appeals process.  President of the Senate Bill Harris also expressed concern over the lower court’s ruling.  Mr. Harris said he believes the ruling to be flawed, and expects the 10th District court to overturn the decision.

Supreme Court Will Hear Slots Arguments September 2nd

The Ohio Supreme Court scheduled oral arguments on the issue of slot machines at Ohio’s racetracks for September 2nd.  A group called LetOhioVote will try to convince the Court to declare that the slot machine plan must be approved by voters.  This is the first of what most expect to be several lawsuits against the Governor’s plan to allow the state Lottery to introduce slot machines at state racetracks, which is expected to bring in $933 million in tax revenue over the next two years. 

Also pending before the court is a lawsuit over whether the Commercial Activity Tax should be applied to the sales of food.  The Ohio Grocers’ Association will argue that food should be exempt from the CAT tax, and ask the state for $355 million in refunds for taxes already collected and remitted.  In addition to the $355 million refund, the state could also lose $188 million in annual tax revenue if the grocers are successful.

Senate President Announces Priority Legislation for Fall Session

Senate President Bill Harris announced some of the specific legislation he plans to address during the Senate’s fall session, beginning in September.  These topics include redrawing legislative districts, Third Frontier, political donations, and texting while driving.  Redistricting is expected to be a topic of much discussion, as legislative districts are scheduled to be re-drawn again in 2011.  Mr. Harris is hoping to pass a bill soon so that the process by which these districts are drawn will be changed before 2011.  There are two different proposals currently pending in the Senate that deal with this issue, and both will be given hearings, according to Mr. Harris.