Featured Article
Eliminate Income Tax and See Ohio Thrive
By Marc KilmerWhat should the state do to stimulate Ohio's economy? That's the question many Ohio residents and politicians are asking as the state continues to stagnate. Unfortunately, some seem to ignore the main problem facing the state - its oppressive tax climate. Without fundamental tax reform Ohio will continue to see jobs locate elsewhere and population growth dwindle.
Avoiding the Real Budget Problem
The
Columbus Dispatch
reports,
"[Governor Ted] Strickland yesterday ordered a 4.75 percent cut to
state agencies without affecting direct funding for grades K-12
education, universities, Medicaid, prisons and other priority areas."
In
More Medicaid Problems
in Ohio,
Buckeye
Institute analyst Marc Kilmer
writes, "In tight economic times, when expenses are rising and your
paycheck may even be shrinking, most families decide to cut back on
expensive items. It makes little sense to buy a pricey high-definition
TV when your electricity bill has doubled and your job is reducing
overtime, right? This kind of common sense thinking, however, is lost
on Governor Ted Strickland. At a time when state agencies are trying to
trim budgets and the state is facing large budget deficits, he is
trying to expand one of the most expensive parts of the state budget --
Medicaid."
Obama's Flawed Thinking on Charter Schools
"'I know you've had a tough time with for-profit charter schools here in Ohio,' [Senator Barack] Obama said. 'That is why I'll work with Gov. Strickland to hold for-profit charter schools accountable.' Charters that don't succeed will be shut down, he said. Lisa Zellner, spokeswoman for the Ohio Federation of Teachers, liked the sound of that. She said the problem with Ohio's charter-school program is 'there is too little accountability,'" according to the Columbus Dispatch.
In Setting the Record Straight on Ohio's Charter Schools, Buckeye Institute education policy director Matt Carr writes, "charter schools face the same academic accountability requirements as the traditional public schools. Their students take the same state exams and the results and subsequent ratings are reported in the same manner. Unlike the traditional public schools however, if a charter school receives the lowest rating for three consecutive years it will be closed. Also, unlike traditional public schools, charters that cannot attract enough students are forced to close."
Private Investment is Best Way to Help Cities
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports, "Business leaders and top elected officials are calling for reforms to state policies that they say have hobbled Ohio's cities and stymied the Buckeye economy."
In
Five Development
Principles for Ohio Cities,
Buckeye Institute Senior Fellow Sam Staley writes,
"Government investment does not create long-term job growth. Certain
types of investments, such as road and sewer infrastructure, help lay a
broad-based foundation for private investment. Their job creation and
impact on local wages, however, are relatively small. Public works
projects may provide a short-term infusion of cash that increases the
number of jobs in the short run but they don't provide a foundation for
sustained investment."
Buckeye
Institute in the News
Marc Kilmer was quoted in a Cincinnati Enquirer story on the cost of living in Ohio.
