Ohio declares State of Emergency, requests federal aid

Gov. John Kasich has declared a State of Emergency for Ohio and requested federal assistance in providing generators, power generation teams and water.

Details from the request to Pres. Obama:

* There are still nearly 1 million customer outages (as of 1 p.m. on June 30th).
* Full power restoration is not expected for 5-7 days.
* Power outages are disrupting communications across the state - Multi-Agency Regional Communication Systems (MARCS) towers are out in 10 counties and several 911 centers and sheriff's offices are running on generators.
* Ohio National Guard has been activated.
* Generator supplies are being exhausted and the state has no generator supply
* Water commodities will decrease as power continues to be out.
* Neighboring states were also affected, increasing the likelihood of reduced resources.

The letter specifically requests a 54 pack of generators with a Type 3 Emergency Response Package and enough water for 500,000 people for five days. The estimated cost of the assistance is $5 million.

Press Release on State of Emergency:

KASICH DECLARES A STATEWIDE STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER SEVERE STORMS KNOCK OUT POWER ACROSS 2/3 OF OHIO

Power Outages for One Million Homes, Businesses and Looming Heat Wave Mandate Immediate Statewide Response

COLUMBUS – Today Governor John R. Kasich declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Ohio after severe storms and high winds knocked out power for approximately one million power company customers across two-thirds of the state. The widespread outages could take up to a week to fully restore and, together with the current severe heat wave, could create crisis situations for the elderly, young children and those with sensitive medical conditions.

The governor’s declaration authorizes state agencies to take any necessary actions to assist local government authorities anywhere in Ohio to help respond, cleanup and recovery efforts and coordinate activities.

“I’m very concerned with the problems created by the combination of power outages and severe heat, and so I’ve declared an emergency for all of Ohio so that state resources and personnel can help local governments meet the needs and challenges that they face. Ohioans in affected areas should, if possible, stay tuned to their radios or TVs for information on where they can go for assistance. Those without power can call their local 211 numbers for information on where to turn for help. Folks should also knock on their neighbors’ doors to make sure they’re ok and look out for those who they know might need some extra help. Together we’ll get through this,” said Kasich.

Kasich has directed Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Nancy Dragani to open the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Columbus to coordinate state and local resources. Officials from all state agencies, volunteer organizations such as Citizen Corps and the American Red Cross are converging at the Emergency Operations Center to monitor response and recovery efforts within the affected areas. The state has already been in contact with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials and will request federal assistance if it is needed.

State agencies supporting the response efforts include the, Ohio Departments of Transportation, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Health, Public Safety, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
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Link to State of Emergency Proclamation

Press Release on Federal Aid Request:

GOV. KASICH REQUESTS FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR OHIO

Response to Power Outages, Storm Damage May Exceed State Resources

COLUMBUS – In the wake of Friday’s severe storms and massive power outages across Ohio, Governor John R. Kasich today asked the President for an Emergency Declaration for Direct Federal Assistance so that Ohio could begin receiving badly-needed generators and water from the federal government. The governor spoke to the President today to make the request, and also spoke with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate.

“I shared my concerns with the President that we have a serious situation and will need extra federal help. Massive power outages combined with severe heat create dangerous conditions, especially for the elderly and those with medical needs. The state has been working closely with local emergency management officials to meet immediate needs and going forward we need to make sure we have every available asset to protect Ohioans,” said Kasich.

Earlier in the day the governor declared a statewide emergency so that Ohio resources could begin flowing to local officials and aid their efforts to help Ohioans respond to and recover from the storms.

The governor’s request for federal assistance can be viewed here.

Chronology

* June 30: Gov. Kasich spoke to the President and requested federal assistance to respond to the storm. He also spoke with utility company CEOs and local elected officials to make state resources available to expedite recovery activities.
* June 30: Gov. Kasich declared an emergency for the entire state of Ohio so state agencies can assist local government response and recovery efforts. The National Guard was activated to help deliver needed supplies and conduct door-to-door checks in select areas to identify vulnerable Ohioans threatened by the severe heat.
* June 29: Ohio’s Emergency Operations Center in Columbus was activated to coordinate state and local storm recovery efforts. The state contacted Federal Emergency Management Agency officials to let them know federal assistance may be needed.
* June 29: Severe storms and high winds during evening rush hour knocked out power for approximately one million homes and businesses across two-thirds of the state.

Residents without power can call their local 211 numbers for information and assistance, or 911 in an emergency. Information is also available online at www.ema.ohio.gov and on Twitter at #OHwx and #severeweather.
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Email from Gov. John Kasich:

Today I declared a state emergency and asked President Obama for federal assistance with the hundreds of thousands of people experiencing power outages. Friday's storm came at a time when we were already experiencing tremendous heat and we are doing everything we can to get help to those who need it.

I am calling on people to help their neighbors, especially seniors and those with medical situations. Knocking on someone's door and asking if they need a hand just might save a life.

If you have a local, non-emergency situation please contact your local EMA or dial 211.

Remember to stay away from downed power lines, drink lots of water, and help your neighbor.

Sincerely,

John Kasich
Governor of Ohio

As a side note - they need to think about gasoline supplies. We were in Columbus for the We The People Convention and had trouble locating a gas station that had power - or that could process a credit card transaction. In fact, the closest we found for our route (which we changed from normal due to the traffic from power outages) was in Carey, shortly before I-23 meets up with I-75.

Vote on slogan for Ohio's new license plate

Periodically, the state of Ohio changes its licence plate and drivers license design and this time around, they are seeking votes from the public as to what the new slogan should be.

There are some local items on the list, including Glacial Grooves, Lake Erie, Put-In-Bay, Perry's Victory, Roller Coaster Capital of the World and Toledo Museum of Art. Older slogans, like The Buckeye State, DiscoverOhio.com and The Heart of It All, are also included. Of course, the state motto, With God All Things Are Possible, is a choice as well.

The complete list of contenders:

17th State
1st Electric Light Bulb
1st Professional Baseball Team
1st Traffic Light
40,948 Square Miles
Annie Oakley
Appalachian Plateau
Beautiful Ohio
The Buckeye State
Cardinal
Cleveland Orchestra
Cy Young
DiscoverOhio.com
Dunbar House
Edison
Est. 1803
First Ladies Library
Glacier Grooves
The Heart of It All
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Heisman
Hocking Hills
Home of Astronauts
The Horseshoe
Inventors
Iroquois for Beautiful River
Jesse Owens
Johnny Appleseed
Ladybug
Lake Erie
Manufacturing Leader
Marietta-1st Settlement
Mother of Presidents
Newark Mounds
Ohio Burgee
The Ohio Caverns
The Ohio River
Perry's Victory
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Put-in-Bay
Red Carnation
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Roller Coaster Capital of the World
Rubber Capital of the World
Serpent Mound
So Much to Discover
Spiegel Grove
State of Perfect Balance
Steel
Taft Museum
Tecumseh
Toledo Museum of Art
University Circle
West Side Market
White Trillium
With God All Things Are Possible
Woody Hayes
Wright Brothers
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

To vote for your favorite, go to myplate.ohio.gov

Applications being accepted for Small Business Advisory Council

Press Release:

Columbus – Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor today announced that she is accepting applications to fill five seats on the nine-member Small Business Advisory Council established in state law as part of CSI Ohio: The Common Sense Initiative.

“We are looking for individuals with a small-business background who can provide guidance to CSI Ohio as we review new rules and regulations and identify those that place adverse financial burdens on Ohio’s job creators,” Taylor said. “It is important for us to achieve the right balance of regulations that don't hinder our small business community, yet protects the health and safety of all Ohioans.”

The nine-member Small Business Advisory Council was established in Senate Bill 2 (Hughes), which Gov. John R. Kasich signed into law on March 4, 2011. The council will meet at least quarterly and is charged with advising the governor, lieutenant governor and CSI Ohio on the adverse impact government rules and regulations have on small businesses.

Taylor will appoint five members of the nine-member council, while the president of the Ohio Senate and Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives will each appoint two additional members. State law requires each of the members to possess a small business background and represent businesses of various types, sizes and geographic locations within Ohio.

Taylor urges those interested in seeking an appointment to the council to contact her office at 614-728-6717 or CSIOhio@governor.ohio.gov. Applicants must also complete a boards and commissions application located here. The deadline for application submissions is May 6, 2011.


CSI Ohio was launched on January 10, 2011 by Gov. John R. Kasich to reform Ohio’s regulatory policies to help make Ohio a jobs and business-friendly state. CSI Ohio will review Ohio’s regulatory system to eliminate excessive and duplicative rules and regulations that stand in the way of job creation.

Buckeye Institute's State of the State Report

Press Release:

BUCKEYE INSTITUTE RELEASES STATE OF THE STATE REPORT

April 6, 2011-COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions today released its second annual State of the State report Ohio's Weak Economy Struggles to Prop Up an Oversized Government. The report shows an economic snapshot of the state and each county.

The main points of the report are:

* The average private sector salary fell while average government salaries at all levels increased.
* Median household income in Ohio has decreased nearly $3,000 to roughly $45,000.
* National median household income is about $50,000.
* All counties lost private sector jobs from 2008 to 2009.
* Ohio lost 537,500 jobs (11%) since January 2000, second to MI.
* Ohio has the 5th worst business climate, 18th highest tax burden and 6th worst population growth from 2000-2009.

"Private sector Ohioans are making less money while government employees continue to receive significant pay increases that we can't afford," Mary McCleary, Policy Analyst for the Buckeye Institute stated. "We have 537,000 fewer private sector workers supporting the same size of government we had 10 years ago, but it is more costly than ever."

The full report can be viewed at http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/uploads/files/2011StateoftheState(1).pdf


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The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is Ohio's premier free market think tank. The Buckeye Institute has provided the research and solutions to Ohio's toughest public policy challenges in economic freedom and competitiveness, job creation and entrepreneurship, and government transparency and accountability for over 21 years.

Mary McCleary is a Policy Analyst at the Buckeye Institute. She is the author of Dipped in Gold: Upper- Management Police and Fire Retirees become Public-Service Millionaires. McCleary has also been published in major newspapers around the state of Ohio and appeared on radio programs for her work.

Promises of tax cuts and the state's $851 million budget deficit

The state of Ohio is facing an $851 million budget deficit following a decision from the Ohio Supreme Court that a source of funding, income from slot machines at racetracks, is subject to a ballot challenge and cannot be implemented as planned.

Just like most politicians who don't want to make the tough decisions, Gov. Ted Strickland and the Democrats in Columbus have decided that the best thing for the state, the residents and our current economy, is to 'delay' a planned income tax cut.

Yes, you heard me correctly. They believe that the best thing to do is to raise your taxes, taking more of your money for their purposes. The tax cut they want to 'delay' is part of a phased-in plan that was passed several years ago. Interestingly, most of the organizations that rank states for business-friendliness or for tax purposes have touted this phased-in plan as a good thing for Ohio.

But despite the fact that the lower tax rates appear to be working in our favor, the easiest way to deal with a budget deficit is to raise taxes - no matter the dire negative consequences to the residents and the state economy.

Now comes some members of the Republican Party who think that 'delaying' only two-thirds of the cut is a good thing.

Perhaps they've missed the lesson.

The Plain Dealer has some interesting quotes in their story on the GOP plan:

Ohio Senate Republicans rolled out their plan to fill an $851 million hole in the current state budget Wednesday, but Senate Democrats immediately shot it down.

"It is in conflict with our core values and counts on money that can't be relied on," said Senate Minority Leader Capri Cafaro, a Youngstown-area Democrat.

Let's start with this one... Is Cafaro really saying that letting Ohioans keep their money that was promised to them 'is in conflict with' his core values? I'm not really sure.

And the hypocrisy of criticizing the Republican plan that 'counts on money that can't be relied on,' is just priceless. State Auditor Mary Taylor said the entire budget these same people voted for and touted relies upon one time funds that 'can't be relied on' for continuation. And the huge hole in the budget was created for the same reason - relying upon money that can't be relied upon.

Of course, if people and businesses continue to flee the state because of the high tax rates and bad decisions made in Columbus, even the 'delay' in the income tax cuts will turn out to be money that can't be relied upon.

The Republican plan would delay two-thirds of a 4.2 percent state income tax cut. Gov. Ted Strickland and fellow Democrats in the General Assembly want to suspend the entire cut until 2011. Republicans instead proposed that the rest of the money to fill the budget gap -- which resulted from an Ohio Supreme Court decision that slot machines at racetracks are subject to a ballot challenge -- would come from a variety of sources.

Those include $200 million in casino license fees, $50 million from sentencing reforms, a $30 million raid on the state's Housing Trust Fund as well as $10 million from oil and gas drilling at Salt Fork State Park.

So rather than drill for oil and gas at a state park, Democrats want to tax us more. Where are the priorities here? What's more important to them: letting Ohioans keep the money they've earned and keep a tax cut promised several years ago, or drilling in one of the state parks? Seems like a no-brainer to me...

And raiding the Housing Trust Fund appears to be no different than raiding the tobacco settlement fund - the politicians are good at raiding funds designated for a specific purpose whenever they are faced with that choice or cutting spending.

Strickland doesn't think the Republican plan is a responsible way to solve the budget crisis, said his spokeswoman Amanda Wurst.

Really? The 'responsible' way would have been to not rely upon a questionable source of funding in the budget in the first place.

On the other hand, what is more responsible? Keeping a campaign promise to not raise taxes or taking the easy way out of a budget deficit by raising taxes?

I'm sick and tired of politicians telling us they've cut everywhere they possibly can while actually increasing spending in many areas where it is not required. Our elected officials in Columbus should just start eliminating departments, cutting funding to projects and tasks that are not mandated, reducing the szie of Ohio's government and tightening the state's belt.

That's what we're all doing - going without things that we'd like to have because we don't have the funds to cover their costs. Will some special interests be upset? Yes - they will. But better that some special interests be upset over their loss of funding than all Ohio residents have to pay a higher tax just so some politician won't have to explain logic and reason and priorities to them.

As for all of us - let us be sure to learn a very valuable lesson: promises of tax cuts aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Homeless man votes in Ohio and then goes home to Chicago?

Shelby Holliday has a video and story about her experience at the polls in Columbus yesterday. One of the voters admits to her that he's not from Ohio and as soon as he votes he's getting back on a bus and going home to Chicago.

We've got a major problem in Ohio and our Secretary of State is making sure that the potential for fraud exists. In order to ensure such things can happen without challenge, she told Boards of Elections that they did not have to allow observers in to watch the early voting. Many counties made the decision to do so anyway, like here in Lucas County, but not all of them have.

The scarier part is that this is the same location where a Republican poll observer was turned away.

Shelby documents just one example from her time at one polling location in one city. Is this happening all over the state? And what are we going to do about it?

McCain over Obama by 6 points says Ohio Newspaper Poll

The race for president is still tight in Ohio, but is trending toward Sen. John McCain.

An Ohio Newspaper Poll shows McCain has a 48% to 42% lead over Democratic opponent Barack Obama. The margin of error is +/- 3.3% for the survey which was conducted Sept. 12-16.

Some interesting tidbits from the poll:

* A majority- 53% - said they are either the same or better off than they were four years ago. (If a majority of voters are not experiencing difficulty or find themselves better off now, this does not bode well for candidates who are selling themselves as a solution to a bad economy.)

In the breakdown, the higher your education level, the better off you say you are, with 85% of respondents without a high school diploma saying they are worse off now than they were four years ago. A large majority of Democrats - 68% - say they are worse off. Independents are evenly split at 50% but only 26% of Republicans say they're worse off now. Interpreting the results from an educational perspective is easy - people without education are not doing as well as those with an education. This is pretty much a given. Interpreting the discrepancy between the opinions of Democrats and Republicans is another matter entirely.

* A significant majority - 70% - believe in global warming, but most do not think man-made emissions are to blame. (Yes, Ohioans know how to think critically.)

* A majority - 57% - support building more nuclear power facilities. (This is a plus for McCain who has indicated his support for this source of energy as well.)

* A majority - 55% - think the most important priority for an energy policy is alternative energy. The other choices in the survey were more drilling, nuclear plants, conserve energy and don't know. There was no 'all of the above' choice.

The political party breakdown on this question was 71% of Democrats, 52% of Independents and 41% of Republicans selecting 'alternative energy' as an answer. Conversely, for 'more drilling,' the results were 16% of Democrats, 20% of Independents and 43% of Republicans. Independents had the highest percentage for 'conserve energy' at 22%.

* A majority - 65% - support providing health care for all Americans, even if it means raising taxes. (This is a plus for Obama who supports a universal health care concept.) The choices were universal coverage, even with higher taxes, no taxes for universal coverage and don't know. 87% of Democrats, 67% of Independents and 44% of Republicans selected 'universal coverage, even with higher taxes.

* A majority - 57% - think Obama's race won't have any impact on the presidential race. (This shows that some elected Democrats in Ohio are out of touch.) Interestingly, it was Republicans who gave the 'no impact' answer most, 66% versus Democrats (33% of whom thought his race would hurt him) and Independents (who were evenly split between 'no impact' and the other choices of 'help,' 'hurt' or 'don't know.')

* 51% think McCain's age won't make a difference. 51% of Democrats, but only 39% of Republicans think it will hurt him.

All in all, I'm not surprised by the results of this snapshot of likely Ohio voters.

Ohio unemployment: numbers vs. percentage

The media was awash yesterday with the news that Ohio's August unemployment rate of 7.4% was the highest it's been since 1992.

EGAD!!! It's all Bush's fault!
NO - it's that Democrat Strickland!

But the reality of the situation is a bit different when you take a look at the details and not just just the headlines and the spin.

The unemployment rate is a reflection of the number of people unemployed divided by the total estimated number of people in the labor force and then multiplied by 100 to get the percentage.

And percentages can be deceiving.

If you have 100 people available to work and 20 of them are out of work, your unemployment rate is 20%. If you have 1000 people available to work and 50 of them are not working, your unemployment rate is 5%. Obviously, if you're comparing only percentages, it would seem that the 20% rate was much worse, even though fewer people are unemployed.

So it is with Ohio's rate. The number of people unemployed in August in Ohio was, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 445,000. If you look at their historical records, that's actually 38% less than the record number of 715,200 unemployed in December 1982.

We had fewer people unemployed in August 2008 than we did in December 1982.

But, because we have fewer people in the workforce these days, the percentage is high.

We are, of course, comparing apples to apples in that the unemployment rate is always the number of people not working divided by the total estimated number of people who can work. But what does it really mean?

Is Ohio worse off now, because of a higher rate, than it was in 1982 when more people were actually unemployed? That's the question.

Sadly, the facts behind the statistics are often overlooked when it comes to how politicians and others spin the numbers. With a Democrat governor, Republicans will blame the high percentage on him and his administration of the state. This being a presidential election year, Democrats will blame the Republican in the White House.

And in trying to put the blame on each other, they will miss the real problem: that Ohio has not been a place where businesses want to be, which is why we have residents who cannot find jobs, and that our out-of-work residents either can't or won't do the jobs that are available.

Ohioans (both employed and unemployed) would be better off if those politicians would focus on making our state more business friendly, rather than focusing on how to 'spin' the numbers.