In the Ohio House of Representatives, the difference between a Republican supermajority and a normal majority is now
14 votes
. That’s how many votes are splitting Republican Rep. Al Landis and Democratic challenger Josh O’Farrell. The small difference has already triggered an automatic recount and likely a series of lawsuits from Democrats over counting provisional ballots. The supermajority would allow Ohio House Republicans to pass legislation without worry of a governor’s veto and place any measure on the ballot — including personhood initiatives — without bipartisan approval.
City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr.
unveiled his 2013 budget proposal at a press conference yesterday
. The proposal will pursue privatizing the city’s parking services to help close a $34 million deficit. The privatization plan has already faced some early criticism from Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld. The budget will also make minor cuts elsewhere. In addition to the 2013 budget, the Tentative Tax Budget proposal, which Dohoney passed to City Council and the mayor yesterday, also raises property tax rates.
Meanwhile, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners
approved the 2013 budget in a 2-1 vote
. Democrat Todd Portune was outvoted by Republicans Chris Monzel and Board President Greg Hartmann. The final budget was basically
Hartmann’s “austerity” proposal
, barring some minor tweaks. The cuts could cost
150 or more Hamilton County jobs
.
Councilman Chris Smitherman is
facing a challenge
for his spot as president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP. The councilman’s opponent is Bob Richardson, a former officer of Laborers Local 265 and former president of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council. Richardson’s son told WVXU, “I think we have seen the NAACP veer off its core principles and turn into a tool for Smitherman and his conservative ideas.”
In a promising sign for the local economy, Greater Cincinnati banks are
taking in more money from deposits
.
opened yesterday
. But the hotel has critics, including Josh Spring from the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. Drawing a comparison to the situation between Western & Southern and the Anna Louise Inn, Spring said the hotel ended up displacing far too many people.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is
taking up research
into how autism develops.
A new report found expanding Medicaid in Ohio could
cost the state $3.1 billion
. The money would be enough to insure 457,000 uninsured Ohioans. Previous studies found states that expanded Medicaid
faced less health problems
.
One concern with the state’s “fracking” boom:
water supply
. Some are worried that the amount of water needed to fuel hydraulic fracturing, a drilling technique for oil and gas, will drain Ohio’s wells and reservoirs.
After some sentencing reform, Ohio’s inmate population is
not decreasing as fast as some state officials would like
. As the state deals with prison overpopulation and more expensive prisons, Gov. John Kasich’s administration has turned to privatization.
CityBeat looked at issues surrounding private prisons and the connections between the state government and private prison companies
here
.
having fewer abortions in the state
. The drop seems largely attributable to increased access to birth control. Better access to health care and improved health education are also factors.
Ever forget to take some medication? No longer. There is now a pill that can inform others when it’s taken.
This article appears in Nov 21-27, 2012.