Category Archives: Ohio

State Representative Jarrod B. Martin On Foreclosure Moratorium

Posted on May 21, 2009 by | Leave a comment

State Representative Jarrod B. Martin (R- Beavercreek), today responded to the passage of House Bill 3 from the Ohio House of Representatives.

House Bill 3 passed along a vote of 54-43. The measure establishes a six-month foreclosure moratorium in Ohio and requires lenders to pay a $750 filing fee to the Department of Commerce, on top of existing court filing fees.

“Today was a frightening day for the citizens of the State of Ohio. The House Democrats took action through the passage of House Bill 3 to insert big brother government into private contracts and the intimate relationship of attorney-client privilege”, Martin said.

Republican concerns include the constitutionality of several provisions, including the establishment of an additional filing fee, which creates a barrier to the courts. The moratorium also remains a concern as Republicans have argued it sets a dangerous precedent for the expansion of such practices in the future, and will create a backlog in the courts once the mandate is lifted.

Martin said, “I’m not a lawyer and I’m not a judge, but I’m pretty sure that Article II Section 28 of the Ohio Constitution says ‘the General Assembly shall have no power to pass retroactive laws, or laws impairing the obligations of contracts…'”

On several occasions during the more than three hour debate the House Republicans offered alternative legislation that would address the intention of helping those facing foreclosure, however, with the exception of one amendment requiring contact information for the Department of Job and Family Services be provided on foreclosure notices to borrowers, their offers to work in a bi-partisan manner along with the remainder of their amendments were tabled by House Democrats.

Martin stated, “I found it very offensive when my Democrat colleagues stated that they would prefer to work any further changes to the bill through the Senate rather than working with House Republicans in a bi-partisan manner.”

Most House Republicans believe the market response to the legislation will lead to increased cost and risk to borrowers and lenders; causing higher fees, higher down payments, and a rise in interest rates.

“I believe this bill will inevitably pass the burden onto other Ohioans and will result in further market declines”, Martin said.

The bill will now head to the Senate. It is likely that the Senate will not immediately address the bill with any further deliberation as they continue to work through Ohio’s budget shortfalls.

Representative Jarrod Martin serves the 70 House District in western Greene County including the cities of Fairborn, Beavercreek, and Xenia.

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Posted in Beavercreek, economy, Fairborn, House of Representatives, news, politics, Xenia

An official led prison break in Ohio

Posted on May 14, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Just as they favor giving convicted criminals stereos, digital cable TV, and free clothes and meals, liberals now support unmerited freedom of the duly incarcerated.

According to the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, leading the charge to release Ohio’s prisoners is Gov. Strickland. Throwing prisons out of their cells and into Ohio communities was supposed to take place
May 4. I guess Gov. Strickland chose Sunday to give his conservative and religious critics something to pray about.

That is how I read the Eagle Gazette’s special report.

With a near-record 50,919 inmates behind bars this month, as of May 4 Gov. Ted Strickland said he has no choice but to start releasing people because the state just can’t afford otherwise. His proposal is more than scare-tactic rhetoric. Ohio State lawmakers are considering sweeping prison reform in which prisoners will be sent to live in halfway houses in communities.”

A halfway house has no barred doors and windows. Consequently, the bad guys could leave and do more crime in our communities.

Why, then, our lawmakers bent on endangering Ohio communities. There are two reasons: (1) Prisons are overcrowded, and (2) the state says it can’t afford to our communities or provide for the welfare of so many criminals.

As an example, the Eagle Gazette claims that their own prison, the Lancaster’s Southeastern Correctional Institution, “houses 1,628 inmates when it is meant for 1,385.”

“Strickland predicts his proposed changes could reduce the prison population by 6,736 indefinitely and save state taxpayers nearly $28 million a year.”

The Eagle Gazette, however, refutes his claim. The report states that cost are about the same. But even if it did save the state $28 million, it would only reduce total costs by about 1.5 percent of it total prison budget.

What the Eagle Gazette didn’t mention was the underlying problem of state lawmakers criminalizing non-crimes. Not all crimes were crimes in the past and some laws that regulated moral corruption and crime have been repealed. There are crimes in which community rehabilitation would have been more effective and may have not only reduced future crime but also reduced the total costs.

The attitude of some goes something like this: It’s better to keep deadbeats and criminals off the street. Helping them find their place among the prison population makes the economy look better. High employment and growing GDP statistics attracts investors. Besides, it’s probably cheaper to imprison deadbeats than keep them on the more respectable welfare programs.

Source: Lancaster Eagle Gazette, May 9, 2009.

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Posted in economy, Governor, news, Ohio, politics

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American Policy Roundtable Announces 40 Days of Prayer for Congress

Posted on May 7, 2009 by | Leave a comment

The American Policy Roundtable today called upon all Americans to lift the United States Congress in prayer for the next 40 days. The call went out via the national radio broadcast, The Public Square®, produced by the Roundtable and aired on over 140 radio stations and translators coast-to-coast.

“Criticism of Congress is high in every city and town, but the responsibilities before this Congress are even higher” stated David Zanotti, President/CEO of the Roundtable. “In the healthcare debate alone, Congress is now facing decisions that will impact every American. These are decisions that have life and death consequences for every household.”

The Roundtable has produced a daily Congressional prayer list to help people pray through the entire U.S. Congress, both House and Senate, in the forty days between May 7th and June 15th, 2009. The list is found on the Roundtable’s homepage at www.APRoundtable.org. Over one-million visitors log onto this site per year.

Individuals, churches, schools and organizations are all being invited by Internet email blasts to participate in the 40 Days of Prayer for Congress.

Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich are on the calendar for May 31 (25th day). Ohioans will be united in prayer
for their Representatives on June 6 and 7. Rep. Steve Austria day
is June 6. Dayton’s Rep. Mike Turner and House leaders John
Boehner and Dennis Kucinich are among others who will be remembered in Ohioans’ prayers.

For more information about 40 Days of Prayer for Congress, go here.

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Rep. Steve Austria on Cap and Trade Tax

Posted on May 7, 2009 by | Leave a comment

By Rep. Steve Austria

Under the cap and trade program, household energy costs are expected to increase between $1,600-$3,100 annually.

Last week, the House and Senate debated and passed the conference report to accompany the Democrats’ budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 13). This budget proposal paves the way for a massive new $646 billion energy tax, known as cap and trade.

Cap and trade limits the amount of carbon allowed to be released into the air. For example, if an energy-producing entity, like a coal-fired power plant, is unable to sufficiently lower its emissions; they must spend money to upgrade the plant or pay to release the carbon. This extra cost to industry is passed along to the consumer through increased energy prices. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that under this current proposal, the average American household’s energy bill could increase by $1,600 annually. According to one D.C.-based think tank, prices could increase to as much as $1,900, equivalent to what many families spend on groceries, clothes or property taxes in a given year.

In addition, states that rely on more carbon-intensive sources of energy, like coal, will suffer an even greater cost. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), approximately 90 percent of Ohio’s electricity generation comes from coal.

The program places new regulations on our domestic industries making them less competitive with countries, like China and India, that do not face similar restrictions. This could result in businesses establishing operations overseas or outsourcing jobs in an effort to dodge the regulations. This could further erode the job growth of the U.S. manufacturing sector where Ohio has a strong presence. Indeed, the impact cap and trade could have on the average American household, and Ohio in particular, is deeply concerning, specifically in this economic environment.

Source: E-Newsletter from Congressman Steve Austria, May 6, 2009

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Posted in economy, news, Ohio, politics, taxes

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April 2009 Porker of the Month

Posted on May 6, 2009 by | Leave a comment

By Marc Kilmer, Buckeye Institute Policy Analyst

Sitting in front of the “tube” is a favorite past time for some here in Ohio; and thanks to the Ohio Controlling Board, the Department of Development, and tax dollars from you, people across the country will now have one more channel to flip through. The Guardian Enterprise Group is proud to welcome Dot Two Entertainment, Inc. to Columbus, Ohio; and we are happy to award April 2009’s Porker of the Month to Mark Barbash and the Department of Development for this new television enterprise.

So what will new “family-friendly” television programming cost the taxpayers of Ohio? How about $25,000 to start. The State of Ohio Controlling Board under the recommendation of the Department of Development and Lt. Governor Lee Fischer, approved the $25,000 “Rapid Outreach Grant” to Dot Two Entertainmentfor costs associated with purchasing new equipment. In return Dot Two has promised to create and retain jobs. A key point though: a majority of the jobs retained are non-at-risk positions within the company.

It seems that by saying “new jobs” the company got another sweetheart deal: a $1.1 million loan that will also help with the purchasing of new equipment. The over one million dollar Innovation Ohio loan bears an interest rate of six percent for the next six years. Dot Two is a privately-owned company founded not even a year ago in July 2008. It is an expansion project by Guardian Studios, which produces commercials.

What exactly can you expect to see when you are flipping through the channels? Well, according to their website, www.dot2network.com, lots of movies. The new network will premiere major motion pictures like “Gridiron Gang” and “Stranger than Fiction.” So what happened to their “family-friendly” programming? A look at their website seems to hint that it may not be their top priority. Out of the 20 shows listed on their on-air schedule, only four of them are focused on children’s programming. The other 16 are themed around cooking, traveling, and home improvements. So what does the company say to all of this? Well, a call to the stations manager left us talking to his voicemail. The company who started this expansion, Guardian Enterprise Group, is based here in Columbus but was not able to provide any answers.

The justification in providing the grant and low-interest loan was easy, according to the operating request made to the controlling board; “Ohio is in competition with multiple states for this project due to attractive tax credits and rebates. State incentives are needed to keep Dot Two in Ohio and create and retain jobs.” Dot Two has not even been around for a year, so what evidence does the state have that this company will even be around to retain jobs?

Guardian Television Network brought in more than nine million dollars in revenue in 2006 and 2007 that is before selling its main broadcast license last year. Guardian operated WSFJ, Channel 51 beginning in 1975, but the company has recently sold the station to another broadcast group in the hope of “restructuring” their company. Does a company that is in the process of “restructuring” deserve taxpayers’ funds?

This new television venture will distribute their content via satellite on digital sub-channels. A main reason Guardian decided to expand in this way was to help the company “share ad revenue.” Does this mean with the birth of digital television less than 60 days away, more and more television stations will be asking for state funding in order to take advantage of more stations and more content? Hopefully this is the end of grants and loan-breaks for television stations offering programs you could get free at your local library. Until then, sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy your tax dollars transmitting across the screen!

Source: Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, April 26, 2009

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Posted in business, economy, news, Ohio, politics

Swine Flu Virus Reaches Ohio Via Biological Attack?

Posted on April 26, 2009 by | Leave a comment

The deadly swine flu virus hitched a ride in a 9 year old boy from Lorain, Ohio. The boy had returned from a trip to Mexico with his family. They had traveled all over Mexico including a visit to a farm.

The virus is new strain combined of strains from North America, Europe, and Asia. The unique combination has led some to speculate about the possible biological attach.

Contrary to some spectacular news reporting, the swine flu virus is not new to North America. There have been minor outbreaks of this type of flu since the early 1900s. It is contracted usually by contact with infected pigs or people. As in this case, it was probably spread by birds that inflected pigs that was passed on to humans. This is a more unusual outbreak because it is being widely spread from humans to humans. It is spread by sneezing, coughing, and the like. Therefore, it should be deemed unusual.

Nevertheless, the unanswered question raising speculation that terrorism may be a factor is why is it more severe and deadly in Mexico than in America? Another question not raised is why did it happen around the same time of President Obama’s visit to Mexico?

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Posted in health, news, Ohio

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Ohio House Approves Gov. Strickland’s Politically Correct Outcome-Based Education Plan

Posted on April 24, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Last week, the Ohio House of Representatives finalized its revisions of Gov. Strickland’s evidence-based school funding reform.

According to a recent AP report,

Strickland proposed a dramatic overhaul of Ohio’s school funding formula that would boost the state’s share of the cost and reduce what taxpayers are expected to contribute to their local schools. His proposed “evidence-based” education system would require schools to use programs based on research findings and would set standards for students, teachers and districts. Districts would be audited annually and could be shut down for repeated failure to meet academic and operating standards.

The evidence-based system is the same as the outcome-based system that was defeat the last time it was proposed. This version coincides somewhat with “No Child Left Behind” requirements. The main issue with the proposed system is its inclusion of politically-correct attitude, feeling and behavioral outcomes. This may also be called mind-control or brainwashing for good secularist citizenship. If 80% of Ohioans are religious, an additional 80% of Ohio children will be made good practical atheists. That is something evolutionists like Richard Dawkins, Strickland, and followers would gleefully approve.

Despite the changes made by the House, Rep. Stephen Dyer, chairman of the budget subcommittee on primary and secondary schools, said the essence of Strickland’s “evidence-based” is still intact.

The following are some of the more significant changes mentioned in the AP report.

  • Extending implementation from eight years to 10 years.
  • Increasing base teacher salary from $45,000 to $49,914.
  • Capping growth in state aid at 1.9 percent a year, compared with the 15 percent and 16 percent Strickland had proposed.
  • Giving the state six years, rather than two, to pick up a larger share of local school costs.
  • Allowing districts more flexibility in how soon they start new initiatives such as lowering student-teacher ratios, lengthening the school year, and implementing all-day kindergarten.

Raising the pay scale of teachers is a good thing, but don’t let it be a distraction from the real issue. As noted above, the state plans to control local education. If the Left achieves this goal, the plan of world socialists (the Left) will be complete. That means Capitol Hill politicians will ultimately control all schooling, and in the end the United Nations will dictate the content and structure of American schooling.

If you think the above is preposterous, then consider this: the federal government now owns American financial businesses, they recent passed universal health care (medial socialism), our welfare economy is based on Marxist socialism, and American education is now within their reach. The goal of NAFTA is to create a North American Union according to United Nations plans. Many of the federal leaders approve of the global currency discussed at the last G20 summit.

As Professor Economics Charlotte Twight explained in her book Dependent On D.C., the federal government has every intention to bring Ohio education under its total control. Gov. Strickland is a member of the Capitol Hill club seeking to achieve the goals of the Left.

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Posted in economy, education, news, Ohio, politics, taxes

Real problems undermining our children’s economic future

Posted on April 15, 2009 by | Leave a comment

By John Mitchel

A while back the Beavercreek (Ohio) mayor was investigated for an alleged conflict of interest regarding a service contract with a private developer. Before the 2008 election, the Ohio Elections Commission investigated a candidate for Greene County recorder for removing an opponent’s yard signs. Recently a former Xenia Assistant Prosecutor appeared in court for allegedly scamming a client during an estate settlement. I suppose covering allegations on ethically challenged elected and appointed officials are warranted, but there are much more serious infractions being ignored by public officials and the press.

Take for example other shenanigans going on in Greene County. For nearly two years this reporter has been investigating the 2003 BRAC Initiative Agreement between Greene County Commissioners and the Dayton Development Coalition. There’s a mountain of evidence that points to bid-rigging, illegal campaign contributions and money laundering, a violation of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Just follow the $1.9 million that starts with Greene County tax dollars; then through no-bid contracts, goes to the Dayton Development Coalition; then to Greentree Group, a Beavercreek government support contractor and then to Washington lobbying firm, PMA, which is under investigation for illegally bundling campaign contributions to John Murtha, Dave Hobson, Steve Austria and over a hundred other members in the U.S. Congress. From there it turns up as campaign donations from associates and family of these private corporations to Hobson, Austria and other elected officials. Finally, the money is spent on questionable expenditures, including spending by “Dave Hobson for Congress” on pest control, maid service and lawn-care, not to mention over $90,000 in other undisclosed expenditures. (Source: www.opensecrets.org)

If both public officials and the press take the time to address petty squabbles among city councilmen, intra-party bickering involving a two-dollar yard sign and relatively low-dollar abuses by former public officials, you’d think they would be all over a $1.9 million “earmarks-for-campaign-cash” scheme perpetrated in part by former and current U.S. Congressmen. These are the real problem that undermine our children’s economic future and it’s time the media shine a bright light on their abuses.

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Posted in Beavercreek, economy, Greene County, Ohio, politics

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Another attempt by Ohio legislators to legalize casino-style gambling

Posted on April 14, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Apparently, Ohio lawmakers don’t get it. Ohioans are not in favor of padding the pockets of businesses or politicians with family-destroying addition money. For many gamblers, gambling is pathology. This pathology results in the ruin of personal finances, family welfare, and individuals lives. Yet, Ohio politicians seem blind to anything except money, which is evident in the following Dayton Daily News article.

State Reps. Todd Book, D-McDermott, and Louis Blessing, R-Cincinnati, said on Tuesday, April 7, that they’re drafting legislation based largely on an Ohio Racing Commission plan to put 14,000 slot machines at Ohio’s seven racetracks without a vote of the people.

They’re gathering cosponsors and hope to introduce the bill next week, Book and Blessing said.

Separately, Philip Craig, executive director of the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association, said he is gathering legislative support for a plan to permit slot machines at bars and restaurants, also without the vote of the people.

The effort has support from bar owners such as David Grusenmeyer in the Dayton area, who said business at his three bars is the worst he’s seen in 24 years. He owns two bars in Huber Heights and one in Fairborn.

Work on both proposals comes with the Ohio Ballot Board scheduled to meet on Monday, April 13, to consider a petition from backers of a proposal for casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. The board must give its OK before supporters can begin to gather the 402,275 signatures needed to put the proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot.

As you can see, the proposed bill is intended to benefit only a few businesses. The reason Ohio needs slot machine gambling at racetracks and in bars is to bailout them out of their financial recession.

Even worse is the repeated use of this golden cash cow to save education from its supposed financial woes justification is getting nauseating.

The state’s weak economy combined with money woes at the tracks make it the right time to discuss expanding the Ohio Lottery to include slot machines at the tracks, said Book. The proposal will call for 51 percent of gross revenue to go to education, said Blessing.

If the economy were so bad that people aren’t spending enough of their unemployment or stimulus checks, how would gambling solve this cash flow problem? Maybe, the best thing for voters handing onto to their dollars is for such business to cease to exist. Taxpayers should refuse to allow politicians to use their tax dollars to prop up poorly managed businesses or those whose products and services are no longer in great demand. The larger they are the louder the sound of good riddance should be heard. Such shouting might even stimulate voters to put those politicians who supported this bill and others like it on unemployment, in my humble opinion.

Source: Dayton Daily News, April 8, 2009

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Posted in business, economy, education, news, Ohio, politics

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Ohio Ranked at 45th on the Happiness Index

Posted on April 7, 2009 by | Leave a comment

On Nov. 6, 2009, the misery index peaked. The cause was attributed to too many Democrats winning elections. Soon after, masses of Ohioans were visiting their doctors asking for tranquilizers or Prozac to numb the cataclysmic consequences of Democratic control of the economy. The misery index didn’t just peak it burst the barometer.

The folks on MainStreet have devised a new barometer to measure our financial misery. Instead of calling a misery index, they have taken a more positive and patriotic approach. They now measure our happiness via our economic misery the supposed lack thereof.

The folks on MainStreet make a reasonable argument for a happiness index.

“We all know that money alone can’t buy happiness, but having a job, home and enough money to cover your basic budgetary needs is a good start.

“The Happiness Index, which looks at household income, debt, employment and foreclosures, is a fresh take on the old and tired Misery Index, made popular in the 1970s. The Misery Index takes into account unemployment and inflation rates and seeks to identify the most financially miserable places to live.

“The Happiness Index, on the other hand, is all about which states are best weathering the current economic storm.”

Who can argue against chucking the Misery Index for one that is not so personal but is rather only about the financial misery or happiness of states. After all, states are only made up of things like individuals and people. Stuff like animals, bugs, plants, stupid buildings, and the like are just colorful ornaments.

Anyway, as the title of this post indicates, the state of Ohio must be feeling pretty unhappy. Out of 50 states–that is those in the U.S.–Ohio’s place in the economic rat race to happiness is almost at the bottom. The folks on MainStreet ranked Ohio at an overwhelmingly depressive 45.

If the trend holds, the government will want to give Ohio doctors and drugs companies a gigantic stimulus package to put Ohioans on Prozac, Ritalin, or some other wonder working drugs to keep Ohioans on-track to happy prosperity.

Lest I become the first patient, let me return to the hard work of the folks on Main Street.com. Their efforts are meant to show us poor Ohioans how a low percent of our portion of the multiple trillions of dollars of debt outside of our loans on home and other property, how a low percentage of unemployed, and how low number of foreclosures per household makes our state a happy one.

Being an analytical ole’ cuss, I see something rather interesting. Most happy state in dis-union is Nebraska. On the “non-mortgage debt as a percent of income” category, the happiest state was at 29.2% while poor miserable Ohio was at 33.9%. That’s a meager difference of only 4.7%. On the “unemployment category, the happy, happy state has an unemployment rate of 4.2% while our depressed state has an unemployment rate of 9.4%. That is a small difference that equates to many thousands times of unhappiness. On the last category called “one foreclosure per number of households,” Nebraska is on a high of about 25,187 while Ohio suffers severe withdrawals of 452. These increasingly troublesome differences can mean only one of three things:
(1) Warren Buffet, a Nebraskan, is paying for these results. (2) The high Nebraskan who sits on a mountain of paper gold is bailing-out his would-be miserable state. Or, (3) Ohio is among the kings of bad mortgage loans to people wanting desperately to participate in the American Dream while still hallucinating on the welfare drug–or something similar.

In my opinion, Ohioans need less stimulants and more real food. Government is not capable of creating or maintaining a healthy diet or a healthy economy for all or even most citizens. That is because too many of state representatives are high on drugs like power, lobby money, and other items of special interest.

Source: MainStreet, April 6, 2009.

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Posted in economy, Ohio, politics

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