March 6

Senate, House Leadership Continue Talks On HB194 Repeal Bill; Opponents Fight For Ballot Issue: Gongwer

As legislative leaders continue discussions on how and when to handle a possible repeal of the elections overhaul bill, proponents of a referendum on the legislation said Monday they stand firm in their fight against such an effort.

Fair Elections Ohio, the organization behind a November ballot issue to scrap the measure (HB 194) that it says suppresses Ohioans' ability to vote, said it has found support around the nation for its referendum effort.

Fair Elections Campaign Director Greg Moore said he and former Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner have met with their allies in Washington D.C. and elsewhere. "We have found that they are energized by our effort to fight this voter suppression in Ohio," he said during a conference call with reporters.

Meanwhile a bill (SB 295) stalled in the Senate would repeal the original legislation. Senate leadership has not made a decision on when the bill will return to committee, said Angela Meleca, spokeswoman for President Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond).

"We're waiting to hear from leadership on how they would like to proceed," she said in a Monday interview. "Our intention is still that, yes, it will go forward."

Senate leadership has also not decided on whether to also draft a replacement bill to enact certain portions of House Bill 194, Ms. Meleca said.

"President Niehaus has met with the minority caucus leaders and is hoping to come up with a bipartisan decision with them on how and when we proceed," she said.

The House's position on the bill is still up in the air, Speaker Bill Batchelder's spokesman Mike Dittoe said.

"Conversations are ongoing and members of the House leadership have not taken a position one way or the other as to whether or not that would be a bill that would get through or what the final outcome will be," he said.

The lower chamber has also not discussed a replacement measure, Mr. Dittoe said. "I think we're going to start with figuring out when and if House Bill 194 should be repealed and take action after that has been decided first."

Mr. Moore said Ohio voters have the right to weigh in on whether to keep the bill. "We will continue to resist any efforts to remove that opportunity from them by the legislature or the Secretary of State's office."

Petee Talley, secretary treasurer of the Ohio AFL-CIO, said the state made strides in the 2008 election to have "free and fair elections that encourage every Ohioan to have their voice heard."

"The historic participation by communities of color in the 2008 election provided us all with a glimpse of what it means to have a sustained and meaningful minority voting trend and the promise of political participation that truly reflected the growing diversity within our country," she said.

She said Ohio's labor movement stands with voting rights, civil rights, and other communities "in making sure that we stand united to push back on such efforts to replace any kind of legislation that the legislature might move forward in their attempt to repeal and replace House Bill 194."

Ms. Brunner said "it's time to close the rule book."

"Even with open dialogue that would seemingly be to try to encompass multiple points of view, it's just too late, and we'll be in a situation where voter confusion will actually be a problem for November's election," she said. "With Fair Elections Ohio, we are building a campaign organization moving forward to educate people about what is in this voting law and to promote a 'no' vote on November the sixth this year."

Mr. Moore said he anticipates a multi-million-dollar campaign regarding the HB194 referendum but it would not reach the levels seen with last fall's successful issue to repeal collective bargaining law changes (SB 5).

"We are working on a campaign plan that will be sufficient to get us, we think, the necessary votes to win," he said. "We certainly don't believe we will have anything near the resources that were expended by our friends in labor and other allies on SB5."

Reports: Ohio gas tax could mean income-tax cut

6:55 AM, Mar. 6, 2012  |  

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Associated Press

COLUMBUS -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich plans to unveil a new energy policy this week that could deliver a personal income-tax cut by taxing certain resources extracted through a new form of oil and gas drilling, according to published reported.

Public documents indicate Kasich's plan also makes changes to various existing petroleum taxes and gives a tax break to some smaller operators, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reports.

The newspaper said the new tax structure could bring $666 million to $1 billion to the state in five years, based on current market prices.

"We want to lower income taxes to help out all Ohioans and to especially help out small businesses because they're so important to Ohio's economy," said Kasich, who during his 2010 campaign pledge to phase out the state's personal income tax.

His proposal, which would need legislative approval, would tax natural gas liquids extracted from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations below the state. That butane, ethane and propane is reached through hydraulic fracturing. The drilling technique referred to as fracking involves blasting chemical-laced water deep into the earth to create fractures and free the gas.

The oil and gas industry opposes the new tax, saying it brings revenue to the state through new jobs and various other taxes, and that the tax could drive away companies considering Ohio as a site for drilling.

"We applaud the idea of reducing the state income tax," said Tom Stewart, executive vice president of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, told The Columbus Dispatch. "We question whether one industry should be asked to pick up the slack."

The new tax would be 1.5 percent of gross sales in the first year and 4 percent in following years, The Plain Dealer reported. About $17 million per year would go toward costs of regulating the industry.

The income tax would come into play with revenue growth of at least one-third of 1 percent, and the administration projects the first income tax cuts would come in 2013.

The new tax would be offset by the reduction in income taxes, for a "revenue neutral" effect, with money shifting to Ohio residents, said Scott Milburn, a spokesman for the governor.

But Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder, a Republican from Medina, has expressed concern over the plan, said spokesman Mike Dittoe.

"The governor and the speaker and the Senate president have been speaking rightfully all year about ways to balance the budget without raising taxes and any form of a tax increase would mostly likely be a concern to the speaker and most members of the House Republican caucus," Dittoe said.

House Democrats Robert Hagan, of Youngstown, and Mike Foley, of Cleveland, this past week introduced a bill calling for a 7 percent tax on oil and natural gas extracted through hydraulic fracturing. The state currently asks for "a pittance," Hagan said.