Redistricting – Last week the statehouse committee charged with producing a map proposal that could garner bipartisan support, co-chaired by Rep. Adam Bird, met for the second time on the day a final map was due. Democrats submitted a proposed map with 8 Republican-leaning districts and 7 Democratic-leaning districts, based on average voting results over the last decade. On the other hand, Republicans thumbed their nose at their constitutional mandate and did not propose a map. Responsibility for drawing the maps now moves to the Ohio Redistricting Commission (made of all elected officials), which has until Oct. 31 to pass a bipartisan map. Ohio’s Constitution requires lawmakers to ask for public input before redrawing congressional maps. As always, it’s important for state legislators to know our wishes, that we want fair maps and a fair process. If they are going to cheat again in this process, we need to make it difficult and embarrassing for them. Gerrymandering is a direct attack on our democracy. For a short video from Ohio Senator Kent Smith, click here.
Property taxes – The property tax reform group Governor DeWine created when he vetoed provisions of the state budget last spring has presented its recommendations. Read about those here. And just a few days after, before having much time to evaluate the group’s ideas, Ohio Senate Republicans (except Senators Blessing and Patton) joined the House majority in overriding one of Gov. Mike DeWine’s school-related vetoes, which restricts the types of levies that can be put on the ballot. Clermont County school districts are undoubtedly still reviewing this override’s implications for their planning, but it seems likely this legislation reduces their ability to control how their limited funding can be used. Learn more about this legislation here.
