General Assembly Update
There is
really nothing moving in the General Assembly at this time. However, there
have been several committee meetings with hearings on bills that have an
impact on township government and several new pieces of legislation
introduced. You may read these bills in their entirety at
www.legislature.state.oh.us.
House Commerce &
Labor Committee
HB 271 TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENTS (Patten,
Stewart, D.) To modify coverage of the Public Employees' Collective
Bargaining Law with respect to township fire departments.
(1st Hearing-Sponsor)
Rep. Patten said the
bill would give professional fire departments that serve at least 5,000
residents the opportunity to engage in collective bargaining. He said
current law allows such organizing only for firefighters in unincorporated
areas with 5,000 or more population. As a result, the law excludes from
bargaining firefighters in departments that may actually serve well over
5,000 residents, but that fail to meet the threshold because the
unincorporated area is too small. Co-sponsor
Rep. Stewart said he introduced similar legislation during his first term in
2002. He said the bill would affect about 14 township departments.
The OTA has
opposed this bill in the past and will continue to do so because of the
precedent this type of legislation will set and the costs of collective
bargaining.
Passed the House
HB 318 TAX RATE FREEZE
(Sykes)
To postpone for two years the last of five scheduled income tax rate
reductions, to reduce salaries of General Assembly members by five percent,
and to make conforming amendments.
This bill will delay the last income tax reduction that was put into
place in 2005. What this means is the state will potentially collect
roughly $840 million. This could have an impact on the Local Government
Fund, as this money goes into the state's general revenue fund, of which the
LGF receives 3.68% of the state's general revenue fund. This bill goes to
the Senate for hearings.
Introduced in the 128th General Assembly
HB 326
ESTATE TAX (Hottinger, Grossman)
To reduce the estate tax, to authorize townships and municipal corporations,
or electors thereof by initiative, to exempt from the estate tax any estate
property located in the township or municipal corporation, and to distribute
all estate tax revenue originating in a township or municipal corporation
that does not exempt property from the tax to the township or municipal
corporation.
SB 184
PRIVATE ROAD PLOWING (Gibbs) To authorize townships to use road
equipment and labor resources available to a township to plow certain
private roads and driveways either at the expense of the township or for a
fee charged to specified persons.
Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution
The Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution has
embarked on a strategic planning process to determine how to better
serve our state. To this end, the Commission has developed a brief
survey and would like to get your input. Below is the link that will
take you directly to the survey. It should take about 10 minutes to
complete. The OTA thanks you in advance for your participation in this
survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FuueY2sPsD2Zp_2bt6UjyRvQ_3d_3d
If the link is not active it can be pasted or typed
into a browser window, or the survey is available on the front page of
The Commission’s Web site at
www.DisputeResolution.ohio.gov
Issues on November Ballot
Please find attached a document that explains the three statewide issues on
the ballot this November. This document provides you the ballot language
and the arguments for and against each issue.
Next Meeting of the Ohio Commission on Local Government Reform &
Collaboration
The next
public hearing and meeting of the Ohio Commission on Local Government Reform
& Collaboration will take place on Friday, October 30. The meeting will be
held at the Engineer's Club of Dayton located at 110 E. Monument Avenue,
Dayton, Oh 45402. The public notice and parking options are attached.
Bureau of Workers' Compensation
The OTA received word from our Group Rating sponsor that
based on proposed BWC changes, your premiums will increase. Our group
rating program sponsor, FrankGates, is working in partnership with other
group rating sponsors to alter the proposed changes by BWC. To that extent,
a website has been organized to allow group rating members to voice their
opinion on the proposed BWC changes, namely the Break Even Factor Surcharge
for group rating participants. By entering information on the website, a
letter will be sent directly to BWC, the Governor, the Ohio House of
Representatives and the Ohio Senate. The OTA is encouraging all townships
to voice their opinion at
http://www.ohioworkerscompalert.com. If this link does not work, please
cut and paste the link into your web browser.