Lawmakers look at comp time

Jan. 31, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to The News-Messenger

Some Ohio lawmakers want to change how hourly employees for small businesses get paid.

State Reps. Andy Thompson, R-Marietta, and Jarrod Martin, R-Beavercreek, want to allow small, private employers to give compensatory time to employees. That would mean employees who work more than 40 hours in a week could bank compensatory time instead of collecting overtime pay.

Thompson and Martin’s bill would apply only to businesses with gross sales of less than $500,000. Larger businesses are governed by federal law, which allows comp time for public-sector employees but not private-sector employees.

Faced with state cuts, governments urged to consolidate

Jan. 29, 2011, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

NEWARK — Ohio sends millions to government agencies in Licking County each year for both day-to-day operations and special projects. However, as lawmakers struggle to close an $8 billion budget deficit, the future of subsidies to local schools, counties and cities is up in the air.

This year, legislators might push consolidation efforts, urging governments to share services with their neighbors.

Licking County agencies received $298.3 million from the state in fiscal year 2010 to run schools and local government services. In addition, $27.8 million in state funds was used for capital expenses, according to the state’s Legislative Service Commission.

No one is sure how this number will change as Ohio lawmakers scramble to mend the budget gap.

MAKING HIS OWN SPACE IN CONGRESS

Jan. 23, 2011, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Zack Space was undecided on a monumental piece of legislation, and everyone wanted his ear.

On March 19, he rang up some constituents. He was voting against the health care bill. His decision was final.

His cell phone rang 10 minutes later. Space, who had just started his fourth year at the Capitol, had to tell President Barack Obama no, he did not support the bill coming up for a final vote.

Next, Space called his priest.

It’s hard to be a centrist in Washington.

Space was elected to the U.S. House in the 2006 wave that brought Democrats to power in Congress. In November, he was cast out when the tides reversed. U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, beat him by 13 percentage points. Space even lost his hometown of Dover by 83 votes.

GOP looks to end Ohio estate tax

Jan. 12, 2011, Newark Advocate

BY JESSICA ALAIMO AND RUSS ZIMMER

CentralOhio.com

COLUMBUS — A bill was introduced Tuesday at the Statehouse to eliminate Ohio’s estate tax, also known ominously as “the death tax” by its detractors.

The state’s estate tax is the strictest in the nation, said state Rep. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, one of the bill’s sponsors.

Although the federal government doesn’t tax estates worth less than $5 million, Ohio starts taxing estates at $338,000. This includes everything: cash assets, property, land and machinery.

Hottinger and state Rep. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City, rolled out a plan Tuesday to repeal the tax at a Statehouse news conference. Gov. John Kasich also supports the measure.

Ohio politicians review security after shooting

Jan. 11, 2011, Zanesville Times Recorder

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

Several Ohio members of Congress said they will review security procedures after the weekend mass shooting that targeted an Arizona congresswoman. None indicated it would lessen their public appearances.

In Tuscon, Ariz., a gunman fired on a crowd attending an event Saturday for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. Six died, including a federal judge, and 14 were injured, including Giffords.

More qualify for food aid, but few can make it last

Jan. 2, 2011, Coshocton Tribune

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

CentralOhio.com

LANCASTER — A couple of kids were trying to entertain themselves in a dull food pantry waiting room, but the adults among them were quiet.

However, there was a sense of community as each person was called to walk through the four long walls of wire shelves chock full of cereal, canned goods and personal care items. There also was a refrigerator full of milk and cheese and three freezers full of meat. It was the end of the month.

Christy Dilley, 26, and Natasha Blankenship, 27, both young mothers in Lancaster, were there for the same reason — their government food assistance didn’t stretch far enough. This was common for many in the room.

In November, more than 1.7 million Ohioans spent $241.1 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds, commonly known as food stamps, which are funded by the federal government.

Almost three-fourths of that amount was spent in the first half of the month, and 30 percent was spent in the first five days.

Collective bargaining process won’t go down without a fight

Dec. 31, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to The News-Messenger

Incoming state leaders plan to target public employment laws in 2011, but on Thursday backers of the collective bargaining process promised to put up a fight.

Officials from Policy Matters Ohio, a progressive think tank, argue that states without collective bargaining have the same budget shortfalls as Ohio. They also defended the state’s prevailing wage law and say that, overall, the state’s public employment laws are good for the economy.

“The right of public workers to unionize is not driving the fiscal crisis of states,” said Wendy Patton, a senior associate with Policy Matters Ohio.

Policy Matters Ohio has traditionally backed Democratic causes, and executive director Amy Hanauer has given to a number of Democratic candidates, including outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland.

Republicans will control state government next year. Gov.-elect John Kasich and GOP legislative leaders say collective bargaining leads to higher costs for state government and overpaid workers. They would like to see substantial changes to the state’s laws.