Week in Review: Aug. 25, 2024

BALLOT ISSUES

The Ohio Ballot Board approved language Friday, Aug. 16 for the proposed redistricting amendment now known as Issue 1. The language largely reflected a draft circulated by Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office and drew strong opposition from board Democrats and the campaign group behind the amendment, Citizens Not Politicians. The only change made from the draft was one suggested by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), who moved a change to the description of the proposed redistricting commission stating it would “gerrymander” boundaries rather than “manipulate” them. Citizens Not Politicians immediately vowed to sue and followed through Monday with a challenge in the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing the board approved the "most biased, inaccurate, deceptive and unconstitutional ballot language ever adopted.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION

The DeWine administration announced Monday that Dayton will be the site of Ohio's second innovation hub, a similar program to the innovation districts in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. The state will provide $35 million for development of the onMain Innovation Hub along with a local match of at least $23 million and up to $37 million from the private sector. The project will involve government, academia and industry partners working to make Dayton a global leader in research and development of digital transformation technologies, the administration said. The state share will primarily go toward construction of the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) on the former Montgomery County fairgrounds site in the greater downtown area. The technology involved is meant to further advances in aviation and national defense, with a top priority being to support the U.S. Air Force "to revolutionize how it designs and manufactures everything from airplanes and missiles to sensors, hardware, software and more," according to the administration.

The state of Ohio is spending $94.5 million to provide high-speed Internet access to more than 35,000 households, Gov. Mike DeWine's office announced Wednesday. The money, which is part of the second round of funding through the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant (ORBEG), is going to two Internet service providers to complete six projects in 23 counties, according to a news release from the governor's office.

ECONOMY

Ohio's unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in July, up from 4.4% in June, as the state added 2,200 jobs over the month, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). ODJFS said Ohio's nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased from a revised 5,667,500 in June to 5,669,700 in July. The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 264,000, up from 254,000 in June. The number of unemployed has increased by 67,000 in the past 12 months from 197,000. The July unemployment rate for Ohio has increased 1.1 percentage points from 3.4% in July 2023.

ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Wednesday that he referred 597 voter registrations, including 138 where the individual allegedly cast a ballot, to the attorney general's office for further review of whether the individuals are citizens. LaRose said his office referred evidence that the registrations violate Ohio's Constitution, which bars non-citizens from registering to vote.

ENERGY/UTILITIES

"Read carefully! By signing this lease, you are giving up important legal rights!" The state's largest electric utility says private lease agreements between landlords and tenants should include this warning in extra-large font when power is mediated by Columbus-based Nationwide Energy Partners (NEP) or other utility resellers, i.e. "submeterers." More specifically, leases should disclose that submetered tenants will "lose the legal rights of a public utility customer," says American Electric Power (AEP) of Ohio, which caps the proposed lease notice requested by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) with the following advisory: "Do not sign this lease unless you are willing to give up these important rights." NEP and capital-area apartment owner Champion Companies, which partners with NEP in submetered multi-family dwellings, say such lease disclosures would be "abusive and inappropriate" and "egregious and inflammatory," respectively.

GAMING/GAMBLING

Ohio's sportsbooks raked in significantly more revenue in June 2024 than they did in June 2023, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC). Total taxable revenue from sports betting in June 2024 was $51.3 million, up from $32.8 million in June 2023.

TAXATION

In a politically mixed decision, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled Tuesday that counties' right to appeal Ohio Department of Taxation's (ODT) determinations under R.C. 5717.02(A) to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals (BTA), and ultimately to the courts, does not apply to arms-length settlement agreements between the tax commissioner and public utility owners of capitalized infrastructure -- a sector in which intervenors appeal settlements between state regulators and utilities all the time.

TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE

Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Executive Director Ferzan Ahmed Monday acknowledged customer service issues the turnpike has faced since launching its new toll collection system earlier this year, telling members of the commission that there are a "very large number of customers" who are dissatisfied with long wait times in order to address their questions and concerns over billing. Ahmed said that the new open tolling system plazas are designed to accommodate E-ZPass customers as well as customers who prefer to use cash or credit. E-ZPass customers are able to drive through the plazas at normal highway speeds, where sensors read and bill their transponders, while non-E-ZPass customers are directed to exit the main line to the right and go through toll booths. If a customer goes through the E-ZPass lanes without a transponder, or if there is an issue reading an E-ZPass transponder, the customer may receive an invoice demanding payment for a maximum fare, especially if it can't be determined where the customer entered the turnpike, Ahmed said. At that point, the customer has to reach out to the turnpike either through the phone or an online process.