Rotunda Rumblings
Judgment day is approaching: The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio will shortly conclude several years of investigations into FirstEnergy related to the House Bill 6 scandal, and the PUCO will then determine the appropriate sanctions for the Akron-based power utility.There is a significant discrepancy between the punishment that FirstEnergy suggests and the far harsher sanctions that critics are demanding, as Jeremy Pelzer writes.
The story goes on: According to Mary Frances McGowan, Attorney General Dave Yost has appealed a Franklin County judge’s decision that ruled the state’s EdChoice school voucher programs are unconstitutional. The Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals, which has all Democratic judges, will now hear the case. It would be heard by the Republican-majority Ohio Supreme Court if it were to be appealed further.
Read more Ohio politics stories
-
Top-down reform to fix PUCO s pro-utility slant can wait no longer: editorial
-
Our two-party system is hopelessly fractured. Republicans have to change: Thomas Bier
-
Our two-party system is hopelessly fractured. Democrats have to change: Jonathan Holburt
In honor of a Clevelander who served in an all-Black Women’s Army Corps battalion that cleared a 17 million-piece backlog of U.S. servicemember mail during World War II, U.S. Representative Shontel Brown wants to rename the Collinwood Post Office, according to Sabrina Eaton. To honor Tech. Sgt. Alma Gladys Minter, a pioneering member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the Six Triple Eight, Brown presented legislation this week to rename the post office located at 890 East 152nd Street.
E-Check criticism: During a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican from the Columbus area, expressed concerns about the E-Check car emissions testing program in the Cleveland area, claiming that it costs Ohioans millions of dollars yet does not provide healthier air, according to Eaton. He urged Ohio to collaborate on better options with Katherine Scarlett, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) chairperson nominated by President Donald Trump. According to Husted, rules and regulations don’t change even though technology does, even if they don’t make sense. Even while newer cars emit fewer pollution, he pointed out that the program currently costs roughly $14 million a year and questioned whether it is really helping the area fulfill air quality regulations.
In private?The inaugural meeting of Gov. Mike DeWine’s property tax study group began Thursday with a discussion on whether or not future sessions should be private. The legal answer is no, according to co-chair Bill Seitz, but he didn’t mind discussing it in public. There were conflicting responses, and no decision was taken. The 11 members decided not to testify in public. The last thing we want is for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to come in here and whine about their exorbitant property taxes, Seitz stated.
Greetings from the Land:According to McGowan, more than fifty mayors from all around the nation are gathering in Cleveland to exchange ideas about how to handle the upheaval in Washington as it affects their cities. The Democratic Mayors Association’s 2025 summit is being hosted by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who is also the organization’s current president. This year’s summit’s theme, Community Over Chaos, is anticipated to highlight the ways in which Democratic mayors are resolving neighborhood problems and provide a forum for discussing the effects of the Trump administration on local communities.
Dann’s second action: Marc Dann is making a surprising reappearance in the courtroom, not in politics, seventeen years after he resigned in shame as Ohio’s attorney general.According to the Columbus Dispatch, Dann has taken on high-profile cases against the state of Ohio in an effort to rebuild his career. In addition to opposing changes to the pension board and a $1.7 billion budget shift for a Cleveland Browns stadium, he recently prevailed in a dispute involving pandemic unemployment payments.
Vice President JD Vance’s estimated net worth is $12 million, according to Forbes. Compared to a year ago, when Trump selected Vance as his running mate and Forbes assessed the Ohioan’s value at $10 million, that is $2 million higher. Before he was even sworn into the Senate, his financial situation was reflected in his 2022 financial statement, which was the most recent at the time. Therefore, this year’s raise isn’t the result of Vance receiving a windfall right out of the blue after assuming office; rather, it’s a reflection of the stock market’s growth, updated financial reports, and a clearer picture of his holdings.
assault testimony: According to a court document seen by Associated Press, U.S. Representative Jim Jordan was one of the people questioned under oath this month regarding the sexual assault of Ohio State University players by a team doctor decades ago. In a federal case filed by former student athletes against the institution for failing to prevent sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, who passed away in 2005, Jordan gave his deposition last Friday. Jordan, who was the assistant coach of the Ohio State wrestling team from 1986 to 1994, has been accused by numerous former wrestlers of knowing about the abuse and doing nothing about it. Jordan’s denial of any knowledge of Strauss’s crimes or the cover-up was reaffirmed by the 10-term congressman’s office, which had declined to confirm Friday’s deposition.
Buckeye Brain Tease
Question: On Thursday, the inaugural meeting of Governor Mike DeWine’s property tax study committee was held. In recognition of that, which Ohio township, city, or municipality has the highest property tax in 2024?
Send an email to [email protected] with your response. The newsletter for the following week will highlight the first accurate respondent.
We appreciate everyone who responded to our final trivia question: What is the state beverage of Ohio?
In 1965, tomato juice was made the official state beverage.
The first person to email with the right answer was Larry Holmes, a reader of Capitol Letter.
Birthdays
Friday, July 25: Martin L. Davey, the 53rd governor of Ohio (1884–1946); Aidan Cooper, legislative assistant to state Representative Phil Plummer
Saturday, July 26: Former State Senator Dave Burke; State Representative Jeff LaRe’s legislative assistant Dalton David; Frank Strigari, owner of ZHF Consulting and lawyer for Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC; Success Group lobbyist Robert Van Kirk
Sunday, July 26: Tom Pappas, president of Pappas & Associates; Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right To Life
Straight from the Source
While I’m all for hitting a home run, I also want to make sure we hit some singles and doubles.
Bill Seitz, a former state representative, outlined his objectives for the governor’s new property tax working group in this manner. Seitz co-chairs the team, which met for the first time Thursday to start looking into both immediate relief and long-term changes for Ohio homeowners.
Capitol Letter is a daily briefing that gives people who are very interested in state government choices quick, concise information.Sign up to receive Capitol Letter for free every weekday in your inbox.
