Latest news with #HouseBill309
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio bill would give counties the power to cut property taxes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A new Ohio proposal would give counties the authority to lower property taxes if they determine the amount collected is more than needed. Every county in the state has a budget commission, made up of the county auditor, treasurer and prosecutor, which is tasked with overseeing the taxation process for local governments. As Fort Rapids sale looms, Columbus church eyes plan to redevelop waterpark House Bill 309, introduced by David Thomas (R-Jefferson) in May, would require the panels to review the budgets of taxing authorities annually. If a local government is collecting more money than a public entity — such as a school or law enforcement agency — needs, the legislation gives budget commissions the power to suspend or reduce tax rates. 'If the local government doesn't actually need the full amount of that revenue, or if they're providing the service for less, or can, why should the taxpayers still be charged a much higher tax rate?' Thomas said. Christopher Galloway, the Lake County auditor, testified in support of the bill at its first hearing. He said county prosecutors' different interpretations of legal precedents have resulted in budget commissions' responsibilities being unclear and varying across counties. Galloway claimed that while the Lake County budget commission has 'been a rubber stamp' on tax budgets for decades due to its prosecutors' legal opinions, its neighboring county of Geauga rolls back rates when an entity's budget does not require the full amount of taxes. He said he wants all 88 counties to have that ability. Chillicothe paper mill will close in August after stating it would remain open 'HB309 won't be talked about around kitchen tables like a statewide initiative to eliminate property taxes, but it is in fact a REAL and effective means of controlling property taxes in the State of Ohio,' he said in written testimony. The legislation comes as many Ohioans are expressing frustrations with the costs of property taxes, including a group of citizens who recently started collecting signatures to amend Ohio's constitution and eliminate property taxes altogether. 'Clearly, our taxpayers are telling us across Ohio that the current status quo is not working,' Thomas said. However, not everyone is in support of the bill, with some claiming it is an attempt to undermine the will of voters. The nonprofit League of Women Voters is among those who have criticized the legislation. 'House Bill 309 is just another example of this gerrymandered state legislature's effort to take power away from local governments and voters,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'Slowly but surely, corrupt politicians in the Ohio Statehouse are trying to end local control and reduce the rights of Ohio citizens. What Ohioans need are real solutions to real problems, not this.' Dispensary reacts to Ohio marijuana limit changes Thomas disagreed with such concerns, stating if the legislation passed, voters would still have the 'full authority and say over the services they want.' The provision has also been folded into a larger property tax relief overhaul, House Bill 335, which combines multiple bills and would deliver $3.5 billion in property tax relief, according to Thomas. House Bill 309's second hearing will take place on Wednesday, when opponents of the measure will have the chance to testify. House Bill 335 was introduced last week and awaits its first hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NC Senate passes bills to help the child care industry
Child care advocates rallied in Raleigh last summer in support of calls for better state funding. (Photo: Greg Childress) The state Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation meant to help the state's struggling child care industry. House Bill 412 would allow larger class sizes in child care centers if the staff-to-child ratio stays the same. Child care center employees would be able qualify as lead teachers if they have five years of teaching experience as an alternative to a North Carolina Early Childhood Credential. The bill would also set up a workgroup on developing group liability insurance plans for child care providers. 'A lot of child care centers are having trouble finding and keeping insurance,' said Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett). Child care businesses tend to operate on thin profit margins. At the same time, child care is unaffordable for many families. Child care centers face staff shortages that force them to limit enrollment. Wages are low and many workers do not have health insurance through their employers. The median wage for child care workers in the state was $11.69 in 2022, according to a report last year from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. More than 40% of early childhood educator households participated in safety net programs the report said. Legislators are focused on child care this year, with lawmakers considering increases in child care subsidies, and with an active task force Gov. Josh Stein assembled looking at questions of child care financing and funding, child care for the public sector workforce, and child care worker compensation. Wide swaths of the state are considered child care deserts. Rural families are more likely to use home-based child care or have friends and family watch their children, according to the NC Early Childhood Foundation. House Bill 309, which makes it clear that for building-code purposes, home-based child care should be treated as a residence and not commercial building, also passed the Senate unanimously. Both bills go back to the House to see if House members agree with the Senate's changes.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idaho legislators address ‘monetization of politics' in new campaign finance bills
Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, answers a reporter's question during a press conference on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Republican House leadership introduced four bills on Friday to address the influx of out-of-state spending involved in Idaho elections. A total of $17 million was spent on campaign and independent expenditures on 2024 legislative races. More than $9.3 million of that money was spent on materials to oppose or support candidates, according to an official website managed by the Idaho Secretary of State. 'We've never seen that before, so it's our intention to do a little bit better job of identifying who's sending that money in here, where that money's coming from and what it's getting spent on,' House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, said about the legislation. 'The voters deserve to know that.' Moyle, alongside House State Affairs Committee Chairman Brent Crane, R-Nampa, introduced four bills to the committee, including: House Bill 306, which would establish 'criminal libel,' is a bill to make it a felony for someone to publish false statements about another person, establishing a maximum $100,000 fine, imprisonment for at most five years, or both. House Bill 307 is a bill to allow the Idaho Secretary of State Office to investigate false claims against a candidate and publish its findings on its website. House Bill 308 is a bill to require electioneering communications costing more than $1,000 to be reported within 24 hours closer to primary and general elections, and require political committees to upload materials they make about a candidate or campaign to the Idaho Secretary of website. House Bill 309 is a bill which would require lobbyists to disclose expenses on a weekly basis during the legislative session and a monthly basis outside of session. The legislation has support from Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, who said in a press conference before the committee meeting began that Idahoans have a right to know who is trying to influence their opinions during elections and who is trying to influence lawmakers. 'You can see it playing out in this session where there's a lot of pressure,' McGrane said. 'If you go to the speaker of the pro tem's office, they've got stacks of postcards from some of these organizations putting pressure on the process, and so adding transparency and disclosure is a key part of this effort.' Crane said the legislation addresses what he considers 'monetization of politics,' or wealthy groups outside of Idaho getting involved in the state's politics. Out-of-state campaign spending responsible for many of Idaho's negative campaign ads 'I'm extremely concerned,' Crane told the committee. 'In fact, I'm angry about the out-of-state money that is being spent to influence the outcome of elections in Idaho. If I had a magic wand and I could do what I wanted to do, it would be only Idaho dollars spent on Idaho elections.' In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruled campaign contributions are protected free speech, thus allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited money on political campaigns. The legislation introduced on Friday is meant to enhance campaign finance transparency, Crane said. 'We just want to let you know that we take it seriously when out of state money is being spent, especially dark money out of state,' Crane said. During the 2024 primary election, the political committee that spent the most to oppose Idaho legislative candidates was the Make Liberty Win PAC, based in Virginia. The committee spent $716,000 to support and oppose Idaho candidates in 2024. Moyle was one of the candidates the PAC attacked the most, with $112,000 spent against him during the primary, IdahoEd News reported. The political committee sent mailers across his district falsely labeling him as 'anti-gun,' KTVB reported. The committee voted to advance the bills for a full hearing at a later date. Crane said he would give the legislation a few weeks to circulate among legislators until then. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
