FYI - Please see items below the State Fair Help Needed section - these may
have an impact to next year's budgets.


Also, there was an attachment of a letter with a number of logos on it. My 
computer would not let me send this out with the letter attached (too large 
a file). So, I am attaching a copy of the letter (without the listing of 
those who support the letter as this would not copy either).


Have a great week! See some of you at the Butler County Fair and the Butler
County Township Association's Golf Outing and Dinner this Friday.

Christine Matacic
(513) 779-2659
(513) 652-2659 - cell


> STATE FAIR HELP NEEDED

> Are you traveling to the State Fair this week or next?  Or do you live
> in the central Ohio area?  The OTA is looking for a few good men and
> women to help us.
>
>
>
> The Ohio Township Association is the largest sponsor of awards at the
> Ohio State Fair and we distributes close to 120 different awards. As a
> sponsor, we try and have at least one OTA representative present at each
> of the award presentations.  Would you be willing to assist us and
> represent the OTA?
>
>
>
> We have two time slots that do not have a volunteer.  We are looking for
> help for the following time slots:
>
> - Tuesday, July 27 - 4:30 pm - Market Lamb Showmanship Awards - Brown
> Sheep Barn
>
> - Thursday, July 29 - 3:00 pm - Home Decorating & Design Day Awards -
> Youth Discovery Center
>
>
>
> If you are interested or available to represent the OTA at the State
> Fair for any of the above slots, please contact Shirlee Bostdorff, OTA
> State Fair Chair at [log in to unmask] or (419) 265-0057.
>
>
>
>
>
> LGF ESTIMATES FOR 2011
>
> Each July, the Ohio Department of Taxation issues estimates of the
> distributions to be made from the Local Government Fund (LGF) during the
> following calendar year.  The CY 2011 LGF distribution estimates have
> been posted to the Department of Taxation's website at
> http://tax.ohio.gov/channels/government/OhioDepartmentofTaxation.stm.
>
>
>
> The Department of Taxation estimates that CY 2011 distributions to the
> county undivided local government funds will be $606.9 million,
> excluding dealer in intangible tax distributions.  This represents an
> increase of $29 million or a 5% increase from the estimated CY 2010
> distribution levels.
>
>
>
> The OTA strongly encourages you to be fiscally conservative with your
> estimates while preparing your 2011 budgets.  Although the Department of
> Taxation is estimating a 5% increase, there are many unknown factors to
> consider over the next year.  First, the state has an $8 billion deficit
> that they will need to plug beginning July 1, 2010.  Additionally, the
> economy is not in rebound mode yet and there has been mixed data
> produced claiming we are out of this downturn.  Please, keep both of
> these issues in mind as you do your estimates for 2011.
>
>
>
> You may find more information about the Department of Taxation's
> estimates by following this link
> http://tax.ohio.gov/channels/other/services_for_local_govts.stm
> <http://tax.ohio.gov/channels/other/services_for_local_govts.stm>  and
> clicking on "Other Distributions."
>
>
>
>
>
> OPERS MEETINGS
>
> The OPERS Board requested that staff hold a series of meetings across
> the state for our members and retirees to discuss the recommended  plan
> design changes the Board proposed to the Ohio Retirement Study Council
> in November 2009.  Our next scheduled meetings will be on Tuesday,
> September 28 & Monday, October 25, 2010 held at the Ohio Public
> Employees Retirement System Headquarters.  Here is the information for
> you to disseminate to your membership.
>
>
>
> When: Tuesday, September 28 & Monday, October 25, 2010
>
>
>
> Time: 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm  (one session each)
>
>
>
> Where: 277 East Town Street - Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
> Headquarters
>
>
>
> Please use the link below for directions.  Parking is available on site
> for this event.
>
> https://www.opers.org/pdf/map-to-opers.pdf#zoom=100
>
>
>
> Who: All member and retirees of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement
> System*.
>
>
>
> *This meeting will require registration with OPERS by September 21st OR
> October 18th, via your MBS account or by calling 1-800-222-7377.
>
>
>
>
>
> LOBBYING HELP NEEDED DURING SUMMER MONTHS / ELECTION RECESS
>
> TPP History
>
> In 1931, after a 1929 constitutional amendment, tangible personal
> property (TPP) was separated from real property and applied only to
> property used in business.  The 126th General Assembly took decisive
> action to end the TPP by reducing assessment rates. Under the law,
> beginning on January 1, 2006, the TPP on general businesses and
> railroads was to be phased-out over a three year period; in addition,
> telephone property was to be phased-out over a four year period
> beginning in 2007.  (HB 66)  HB 66 provided that each individual local
> taxing authority would be fully reimbursed for its revenue loss during
> the first five years, from 2006-2010.  The Fiscal Year 2010 - 2011 State
> Budget (HB 1) extended revenue replacement for schools from 2010 through
> 2013. In the case of other local taxing authorities, reimbursement was
> extended through SFY 2011.
>
>
>
> For schools the direct reimbursements are phased out over fiscal years
> 2014-2018. For other taxing authorities the direct reimbursements are
> phased out over the next six fiscal years (2012-2018). Direct
> reimbursements are eliminated completely in 2019.  During 2005 the total
> revenue local governments received from the TPP was approximately $1.7
> billion.  Of this amount, approximately $1.2 billion was for schools and
> $500 million was for all other local taxing authorities.  Thus, under
> the law as enacted in HB 66, when the reimbursements to non-school local
> governments end in 2019, there will be a permanent revenue loss of
> nearly $500 million each year to local governments.
>
>
>
> The revenue loss will impact virtually every unit of local government
> and levy funded agency in Ohio.  This includes police, fire, emergency
> medical services, children services, senior citizens, street and roads;
> alcohol, drug and mental health programming; developmental disability
> boards; parks, libraries, and the general operations of our local
> governments.  The importance of the revenue loss will vary from
> jurisdiction to jurisdiction because TPP represents from 3.5% to 25.8%
> of the total property tax duplicate on a countywide basis. In many cases
> this means that local governments will be asking residential property
> owners to pay more.  Levy requests will ask for more millage for longer
> durations and will appear on the ballot more frequently.
>
>
>
> What can you do?
>
> The OTA encourages you to familiarize yourself with this issue.  The
> Ohio Department of Taxation has an excellent recourse document that
> outlines how much each taxing authority is currently receiving in TPP
> reimbursements.  To view the spreadsheet, please visit
> http://www.tax.ohio.gov/channels/other/tpp_reimbursement_2010.stm.
> Download the Excel spreadsheet.  Each county has its own tab or page and
> then each page has a list of all political subdivisions receiving TPP
> reimbursement monies.  Find your county and learn how much your township
> is receiving, as well as other jurisdictions within your county.
>
>
>
> Next, take this information and share it with other elected officials,
> your current legislators and those running for election in November.
> If the General Assembly does nothing, local governments will lose this
> revenue.  In some cases this may be millions for townships and in other
> cases it may only be a few thousand dollars.  Remember, this is all
> relative as township budgets differ widely across the state.
>
>
>
>
>
> NEW ODOT PERMITS
>
> The Ohio Department of Transportation announced today that they soon
> will begin permitting for the use and movement of international shipping
> containers.  Within the next 5-7 business days, ODOT will be filing an
> administrative rule that will set forth a permitting process for these
> oversized loads.  The current weight limit on state routes is 80,000 lbs
> but the international shipping container permit will allow these units
> to carry 94,000 lbs.
>
>
>
> ODOT is expected to require the following with respect to an
> international shipping container permit:
>
> - Container must be sealed;
>
> - Must be used for exporting products only;
>
> - Must have an Ohio origin and destination for intermodal transit; and
>
> - must be route specific and trucks must stay on route.
>
>
>
> ODOT will issue 90 day or 45 day permits at a cost of $500 and $250
> respectively. Once the rule is filed, a public hearing will be held.  It
> is ODOT's intention to have this new permit operational by early fall.
> ODOT has agreed to work with local government jurisdictions to make sure
> local roads are protected.  When more information is released from ODOT,
> the OTA will share it with members.
>
>
>
>
>
> MEMBER ADVISORY:  OTA/Frank Gates WC Group Rating Update
>
> Please be aware that a regional TPA from Cincinnati named Sheakley is
> contacting Townships regarding workers' compensation group rating and
> has acknowledged making misleading statements.  Sheakley has NEVER
> administered a Township Group Rating Plan yet is estimating discounts
> that appear to be unattainable.  Don't fall for their false promises and
> marketing of high discounts just to get your business.  In 2010 Sheakley
> has ZERO Townships in group rating and has saved Townships ZERO dollars.
>
>
>
> OTA's philosophy over the past 20 years of working with our only
> ENDORSED TPA, Frank Gates/Avizent, is to include as many OTA member
> Townships in our group plans as possible.  By benefiting more Townships
> instead of benefiting only a few as Sheakley is attempting, all
> Townships win and the mission of the OTA can continue.  The OTA is an
> association for Townships.  Sheakley's group sponsors are associations
> not related to Townships and do not work on your behalf.
>
>
>
> The OTA, Frank Gates and the Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) have
> all received numerous complaints regarding Sheakley.  If this is a
> reflection of how they conduct business, our recommendation is to ignore
> them and stay with the ONLY proven Township Group Rating Plan offered by
> OTA/Frank Gates.  If Sheakley has made misleading statements to your
> organization please forward them to the OTA/Frank Gates so BWC can be
> notified.  Don't risk losing your OTA/Frank Gates group rating discount
> by joining a TPA that has never administered a group rating plan for
> Townships.
>
>
>
>
>
> OBM SAYS JUNE NUMBERS BEAT ESTIMATES BUT REVENUE STILL OFF FOR YEAR
>
> The Office of Budget Management released preliminary revenue charts for
> June, which showed tax collections beat estimates for the month by $136
> million, or 9.6%. The positive variance for the last month of FY 2010
> was due mainly to timing issues with the domestic insurance tax and a
> $45 million overage in the personal income tax compared to agency
> projections.
>
>
>
> The bump in June, however, still left tax intake just short of OBM's
> mark for the year by $121.5 million, or 0.7%. Along with failing to meet
> OBM expectations for the fiscal year, the FY 2010 tax revenue total was
> $860 million, or 5%, less than collections from the year before. OBM
> closed the books on the fiscal year last week, reporting a carryover
> balance of $139 million. The FY 2011 spending plan, however, assumed a
> carryover of $192 million. Of interest to commissioners, the cumulative
> sales tax numbers proved 1.2 % above estimates for FY 10, but
> unfortunately this still represented a .5% decline in actual dollars
> from FY 09.
>
>
>
>
>
> FEDERAL LEGISLATION UPDATE
>
> The US House Energy and Commerce Committee passed Rep. Bobby Rush's
> Bereaved Consumer's Bill of Rights Act of 2009 (H.R. 3655) last Monday.
> NATaT worked with Congressman Joseph Pitts from Pennsylvania, who
> successfully encouraged Ranking Member Joe Barton from Texas to offer
> NATaT's amendment that would exclude political subdivisions of states
> from the bill.  Congressman Shimkus from Illinois spoke directly at the
> hearing for the amendment on behalf of townships in Illinois.  However,
> the amendment wasn't adopted by the Committee.
>
>
>
> Last Thursday night, the US Senate passed a stripped-down version of the
> FY 2010 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 4899) that did
> not include the mandatory collective bargaining provision known as the
> Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R. 413/ S. 3194).
> This is great news because the House-passed version of the supplemental
> spending bill included the measure. The Senate passed version of
> supplemental spending bill has now been sent back to the House. We will
> continue to monitor the status of the bill and provide you with updates.
> Attached you will find a letter that was sent last week to Senators
> urging them to reject the mandatory collective bargaining language.
>
>
>
>
>
> Taxability of Certain Fringe Benefits for State & Local Governments -
> Know the Law.  Ask the Right Questions.  Get the Facts.
>
> FREE WEBINAR
>
> Date:
>
> August 25, 2010
>
> TIME:
>
> 2:00 pm
>
> This FREE webinar is for:
>
> - State and Local Government Entities
>
> - Tax professionals
>
> Learn about:
>
> - What is a fringe benefit?
>
> - How to I report taxable fringe benefits?
>
> - What is an accountable plan?
>
> - Which fringe benefits are taxable?
>
> - What are the withholding requirements on taxable fringe benefits?
>
> - What resources are available to determine taxable fringe benefits?
>
> E-MAIL QUESTIONS:
>
> - We will try to address e-mail questions that are sent in prior to the
> event at the end of our presentation.  Send your specific questions to:
> [log in to unmask]
>
> - All questions must be received prior to August 2, 2010 to be
> considered.
>
> Register on-line at:
>
> http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=69748
>
> Information:
>
> - Visit www.irs.gov and search Webinars for information on other
> programs available in the future.
>
> - If you experience difficulty viewing the event, please use the e-mail
> option or call 866-956-4770.
>
> - The event will be archived for later viewing, approximately two weeks
> after the date of the event, on IRS.gov.
>
> Sponsored by:
>
> IRS Small Business/Self Employed, Communications, Liaison and
> Disclosure, Stakeholder Liaison Field Operation and Federal, State and
> Local Governments.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Heidi M. Fought
> Director of Governmental Affairs
> Ohio Township Association
> 6500 Taylor Road, Suite A
> Blacklick, OH 43004
> (614) 863-0045
> (614) 863-9751 Fax
>
>
> NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the named
> individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information
> that is privileged or confidential. It is not to be transmitted to or
> received by anyone other than the named addressee (or a person
> authorized to deliver it to the named addressee). It is not to be copied
> or forwarded to any unauthorized persons. If you have received this
> electronic mail transmission in error, delete it from your system
> without copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender of the error by
> replying via e-mail or by calling the Ohio Township Association at (614)
> 863-0045 so that our address record can be corrected.
>
>
>
>