Township Officials:
This is a legislative update that will cover federal legislation, state
legislation and other issues of importance. Should you have any
questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or the
appropriate person listed.
Federal Update - Social Security - Government Pension Offset and
Windfall Elimination Penalty
An article in the Washington Post this past week indicated that key
Members of Congress from both parties have held tentative talks about
"overhauling" the Social Security system, and Congress could turn its
attention to reform as soon as this fall. Congressional consideration
of Social Security reform could offer an important opportunity to push
repeal of the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination
Provision. Such repeal will be a top priority for NEA in any reform
debate.
Our efforts to move GPO/WEP repeal as part of overall reform of the
Social Security system will be greatly enhanced if we can demonstrate
maximum support among Members of Congress for the repeal proposal. As
of today, The House version of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R.
235) has 274 bipartisan cosponsors - an impressive number that is close
to the record level reached in the last Congress. The Senate version
(S. 484), however, has only 24 cosponsors.
Senate
<http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/bills/?bill=13133141&cs_party=all&cs_status=all&cs_state=ALL>and House <http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/bills/?bill=12402161&cs_party=all&cs_status=all&cs_state=ALL> cosponsor lists are available through the nationaleducation association website.Additional pressure is needed to build up the Senate cosponsor list, aswell as continuing to increase support in the House. Action Needed:Contact Senators and Representatives and urge them to cosponsor S.484/H.R. 235 - the Social Security Fairness Act - if they have notalready done so. Urge all Members to support including repeal of theGPO and WEP in any comprehensive Social Security reform package.Ohio Statehouse UpdateBUDGET UPDATEThe Ohio House passed Am. Sub. HB 1 last week and sent the state'sbiennial budget to the Senate for passage. However, in light of recentfiscal numbers released by the Office of Budget and Management (OBM),the Senate will likely have to cut money and programs from the propose
dbudget. The fiscal outlook for the state is even more dismal thanpredicted, as income tax revenue was much lower than projected.The Senate will be working to put together a budget that will take intoaccount the lower revenue figures and they have begun working in groupson major issues. Technically the budget bill is to be passed by June30th, as the state's fiscal year begins July 1st. There is apossibility that the budget will not be done by June 30th. We will keepyou updated on the progress.Attached is a letter that the OTA sent members of the Senate last weekwith respect to some of our concerns and praise for the budget bill.Please talk to your Senators about these issues. Recently Introduced Bills: (To view bills, please visitwww.legislature.state.oh.us)INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSEHB 153 POLICE DEPARTMENTS (Yuko) To authorize regional water andsewer districts to establish police departments. Am. 109.71, 109.73, and109.77 and En. 6119.60, 6119.61, 6119.62, 6119.63, and
6
119.64HB 159 UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE (Skindell, Hagan) To establish andoperate the Ohio Health Care Plan to provide universal health carecoverage to all Ohio residents. Am. 3922.01 to 3922.15, 3922.21 to3922.28, 3922.31, 3922.32, and 3922.33HB 166 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES (Carney, McGregor) To authorize thecreation of transportation innovation authorities by specifiedgovernmental entities and to establish the powers and duties of suchauthorities. Am. 5501.03, 5501.311, 5531.09, and 5531.18 and to enactsections 5539.01, 5539.02, 5539.03, 5539.031, 5539.04, 5539.05, 5539.06,5539.07, 5539.08, 5539.09, 5539.10, and 5539.11INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE (To view bills, please visitwww.legislature.state.oh.us)SB 120 SMOKING BAN (Schuler) Regarding exemptions from the smokingban. Am. 3794.01 and 3794.03SB 121 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES (Niehaus) To authorize the creationof transportation innovation authorities by specified governmentalentities and to establish the powers and
d
uties of such authorities. Am.5501.03, 5501.311, 5531.09, and 5531.18, 5539.01, 5539.02, 5539.03,5539.031, 5539.04, 5539.05, 5539.06, 5539.07, 5539.08, 5539.09, 5539.10,and 5539.11Recent Legislative Action: (To view bills, please visitwww.legislature.state.oh.us)PASSED IN THE SENATESB 7 FRAUD REPORTING (Wagoner) To require the Auditor of State toestablish a fraud-reporting system for residents and public employees tofile anonymous complaints of fraud and misuse of public funds by publicoffices or officials. 32-0 (Earlier AMENDED) SENATE COMMITTEE HEARINGSWays & Means & Economic DevelopmentSB 111 TAX PAYMENTS (Stewart) To make permanent the temporaryreimbursements for local government and school district tangiblepersonal property tax losses. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)CONTINUEDSen. Stewart said it is important that the state permanently continuereimbursing schools and local governments for the loss of tangiblepersonal property taxes that are being phased out. The House versio
n
ofthe budget (House Bill 1) extends the hold harmless provision through2011 while the tax reform law extended it to 2010 for schools. AthensCity Schools in his district receives $1.2 to $1.4 million a year inhold harmless payments that it cannot afford to lose without makingstaff and program cuts.SB 109 PROPERTY TAXES (Gibbs) To exempt from real property taxationthe value of single-family residential property owned by a developer orbuilder until the developer or builder transfers possession or title.(1st Hearing-Sponsor)CONTINUEDChairman Gibbs said the bill would provide some relief to builders whomust pay taxes on vacant properties before they are sold and that itwould help builders provide jobs.Environment & Natural Resources CommitteeSB 110 HOUSEHOLD SEWAGE (Niehaus) To revise the Household Sewage andSmall Flow On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems Law, and to declare anemergency.SB 100 HOUSEHOLD SEWAGE (Grendell) To revise the Household Sewage andSmall Flow On-Site Sew
a
ge Treatment Systems Law, to establish theHousehold Sewage Treatment System Revolving Loan Program and theHousehold Sewage Treatment System Grant Program in the Department ofHealth, to make appropriations, and to declare an emergency.Multiple witnesses appeared for both bills. Please refer to legislativealert sent to OTA members on Friday, May 8. Ohio Commission on Local Government Reform and CollaborationThe Commission has met four times and has put together a work plan andresearch proposal for the next 14 months. The Commission will begintaking testimony at the May meeting where the Tax Commissioner isscheduled to come in and present on local government tax structure.Regional meetings will be scheduled in the fall around the state and theOTA will send out alerts as to the details about those meetings.Beginning June 1st, a website, hosted by Miami University - Center forPublic Management and Regional Affairs, will be totally up and runningfor the Reform Commission. The w
e
bsite will bewww.ohioreformandcollaboration.org. The site will have a place forpublic comment, e-mail notification of meetings and testimony before thecommission.For additional information about any of these matters, please do nothesitate to contact the State Association.Sincerely,Heidi M. FoughtDirector of Governmental AffairsOhio Township Association6500 Taylor Road, Suite ABlacklick, OH 43004(614) 863-0045(614) 863-9751 FaxNOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the namedindividual or entity to which it is directed and may contain informationthat is privileged or confidential. It is not to be transmitted to orreceived by anyone other than the named addressee (or a personauthorized to deliver it to the named addressee). It is not to be copiedor forwarded to any unauthorized persons. If you have received thiselectronic mail transmission in error, delete it from your systemwithout copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender of the error byreplying vi
a
e-mail or by calling the Ohio Township Association at (614)863-0045 so that our address record can be corrected.
|
