Public Policy Advocates

House Committee Schedule

Senate Committee Schedule

Ohio Qualifies as Finalist for Federal ‘Race To The Top’ Funds
 
Ohio survived the first cut for federal Race to the Top (RTTT) funds, along with 15 states and the District of Columbia, which were named Phase I finalists by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).  Ohio included in its Race to the Top application a $5 million bid to join eight states in a project related to a group of 40 high schools committed to project-based learning in a technology-rich environment.
 
Administration, legislative and education officials all stressed the importance of science, technology, engineering and math in Ohio’s academic and economic future at a STEM conference in Columbus.  In a statement from Governor Strickland and Superintendent Delisle, “We’ve made a major commitment to Ohio schools, because we believe that providing every Ohio child with high-quality educational opportunities will better prepare them for jobs and for life. Our selection as a finalist moves Ohio one step closer to receiving Race to the Top funds.”
 
February Report: State Tax Receipts Above Projections, Unemployment Unchanged
 
The February economic report from the state Office of Budget and Management restored some stability after a troubling January report (read more here).  February’s tax receipts were $25 million above projections, bringing the total deficit for year-to-date down to only 0.7%.  As tax returns begin to pour in between now and April 15, the state will have a better idea of whether any additional corrections will need to be made to the state Operating Budget.  Also released this week were the state unemployment figures for February, which remained steady at 10.8%.  Nationally, the unemployment also held steady at 9.7% for the month.
  
House and Senate Republicans Weigh in on GOP Auditor Primary
 
While the Ohio Republican Party has already endorsed Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost in the GOP primary for State Auditor, a handful of local conservative groups and House Republicans have come out in support of Rep. Seth Morgan (R-Huber Heights).  Mr. Morgan’s campaign announced the endorsement of Citizens for Community Values and Family First PAC, as well as the Greene, Brown, and Cuyahoga county Republican parties.  In addition to those groups, several of Rep. Morgan’s colleagues in the Ohio House of Representatives have endorsed his candidacy.  Meanwhile, Mr. Yost announced the support of 16 of Ohio’s 21 Republican State Senators as well as an overwhelming majority of GOP county auditors and county prosecutors.
  
Former Staffers Allege Wrongful Termination at Workers’ Compensation Council
 
Controversy swirled at the Legislature’s Workers’ Compensation Council after its director, Virginia McInerney, fired the council staff – executive assistant Stephanie Susan Irwin and staff attorneys Kim Finley and Shadya Yazback. In letters to the council chairman, Sen. Steve Buehrer (R-Delta), the three women accused McInerney of religious and age discrimination, harassment and retaliation and said she’d fired them after they refused to sign agreements forfeiting their legal claims against her. McInerney denied any wrongdoing. Finley said the fired staffers might pursue litigation.
 
Sen. Joe Schiavoni, a council member, wrote to Sen. Jon Husted (R-Kettering), chairman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee, asking him to convene hearings on the matter. Rep. Dan Dodd (D-Hebron), chairman of the House Insurance Committee and a council member, urged Buehrer to convene the council for a discussion of “potential legal consequences of these questionable firings,” and said he’s begun gathering information on the matter and will “utilize all available options to investigate this matter fully.” Dodd also said he was concerned that House Minority Leader Bill Batchelder (R-Medina), the former council chairman, learned of the firings before the current council members did.