Innovation Ohio

What you need to know about Ohio Politics and Policy

Mayors, Small Business Leader Discuss the American Rescue Plan and Local Aid

Yesterday, Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio, hosted three Ohio mayors and the Co-Chair of Small Business For America’s Future for a virtual “Local Aid Through the American Rescue Plan” panel.

Mayors Meghan George (Lakewood), Frank Whitfield (Elyria), and Steve Patterson (Athens) discussed how they are using local aid through President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to support their communities.

“The American Rescue Plan ensures that Ohio’s state and local governments can continue to fund critical public services. It also provides flexible funds that allow state and local leaders to decide how to best continue providing relief — especially to our small businesses,” said Desiree Tims.

“The resources in the American Rescue Plan are giving us a once in a generation opportunity to make catalytic investments in our cities and small businesses,” said Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield.

Anne Zimmerman — founder and owner of Zimmerman & Co CPAs Inc. and Co-Chair of Small Business for America’s Future — also joined the panel to discuss local aid through a small business lens. SBAF co-sponsored the panel with Innovation Ohio.

“This aid is incredibly important for our community. 60% of small business owners say that relief from the American Rescue Plan will be used primarily to keep their workers on the job. Strong small businesses create a strong economy for all of Ohio,” said Anne Zimmerman.

The American Rescue Plan is sending Ohio’s state and local governments a total of $12 billion. $5.4 billion goes to the state. Another $6.6 billion goes directly to local cities, counties, townships, and municipalities to maintain critical COVID relief programs and avoid budget cuts.

“There are several key provisions that the American Rescue Plan is providing — including mitigating negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic and helping us support investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure,” said Lakewood Mayor Meghan George. “Every single household and every single business is going to benefit from the American Rescue Plan here in our community.”

“COVID had a significant impact on small businesses in college communities like Athens. They built their livelihoods around having students in the uptown area. I can’t imagine how much more of a negative, long-term impact we would have experienced if the American Rescue Plan hadn’t passed,” said Athens Mayor Steve Patterson. 

The full panel can be viewed online here.

Innovation Ohio Condemns Bills to Ban Schools from Teaching “Divisive Concepts”

Today, Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio, released the following statement condemning two dangerous, broad-reaching bills (HB 327 and HB 322) that would ban Ohio schools and colleges from teaching “divisive concepts.”

“Republicans in Ohio’s Statehouse want you to believe that an academic concept — taught primarily in law schools and other institutions of higher learning — is a greater threat to our children’s education than systemic racism.

“More than a year into a global pandemic that has ravaged communities of color, we know this isn’t true. Unfortunately, Ohio Republicans don’t seem to care.

“Vaguely written and extremely broad, recent Republican-sponsored bills targeting K-12 and college curriculum are merely part of the far-right’s attack on Critical Race Theory (CRT) -— or rather the false narrative they have used to define it.

“CRT has been developed by Black legal scholars like Derrick Bell and Kimberlé Crenshaw over the past 40 years, and is responsible for concepts such as intersectionality and systemic racism. It is an important tool for those seeking to not only identify but solve problems of racial injustice in this country.

“However, CRT is rarely, if ever, taught in K-12 classrooms. So why are Ohio Republicans wasting their time trying to ban it?

“There are strikingly similar bills in Statehouses across the country, because national extremist groups are feeding them to Republican politicians. These out-of-state lobbyists are trying to control our children’s education; they don’t want our kids to think critically about the world around them and develop the skills to improve it.

“Republican attacks on our children’s right to a quality education coincide with their efforts to suppress voting rights and the right to peacefully protest. All out of new tricks, they serve as proof that when you fail to learn from history, you are bound to repeat it.

“But those of us eager to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as a way of life can’t afford to repeat a history defined by oppression and hate — our children’s education will determine whether we do.

“Now more than ever, it is crucial that Ohio children receive an honest education — one that exposes rather than hides our state and nation’s tragic yet triumphant history. They deserve to learn about Ohio’s own Carl Stokes, the first Black mayor of a major American city. Yet they also deserve to know why no major American city elected a Black mayor until 1967.

“We must bravely acknowledge the role that systemic racism has played in our past and present, and empower our children to think critically about how they can uproot it. As Republicans seek to ban CRT, it is clear the time is ripe to do the opposite, and allow its many lessons to positively influence the next generation.

“We as Ohioans (and Americans) have confronted so much history together, but there is still so much to learn and work to do. Republicans’ pathetic attacks on K-12 and higher education must be stopped; our collective future depends on it.”

As President Biden Visits Ohio, Desiree Tims Praises American Rescue Plan

COLUMBUS — Today, as President Joe Biden visited Ohio, Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio, released the following statement praising the American Rescue Plan and its impact on the state:

“We are so grateful to have President Biden in Ohio today as the American Rescue Plan continues to help our state recover. 

“The president’s plan is having a real, direct impact on Ohioans’ lives. It provides support in so many ways — from child tax credits, to rental assistance, to small business relief, to protecting our veterans. It’s exactly the boost our communities needed. 

“I’m also thrilled to see the president place such a high priority on infrastructure. Rebuilding our state will mean stable, good-paying jobs in dozens of industries for thousands of people. And the result will be a stronger Ohio that’s ready to grow and flourish for years to come.”

New Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Launches in Ohio to Spotlight Community Needs

COLUMBUS, OH — Today, a new multiracial commission of top Ohio leaders announced the launch of the Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (OCRC). This nonpartisan and highly diverse commission will hold public hearings in a wide range of communities to provide robust public input throughout Ohio’s map-drawing process. 

“This past week, we witnessed an attempt by Statehouse leadership to shorten the redistricting process and decrease opportunities for public input. This new citizens’ commission will help hold the map drawers accountable to ensure no one can silence Ohioans during the redistricting process,“  said former State Representative Kathleen Clyde.

The OCRC aims to: 1.) Model a thorough and robust public engagement process for Ohio’s official redistricting commission, 2.) Develop and demonstrate citizen-derived principles of redistricting, and 3.) Draw unity maps based on community input and feedback. OCRC’s work will culminate in mapmaking recommendations and a report that includes model unity maps, which will be submitted as public testimony in the official redistricting process. 

The project is co-sponsored by the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC), Ohio State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) of Ohio. The Commission will partner with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University and MGGG Redistricting Lab at Tufts University for data collection, analysis and community mapping.

“Whether you’re in Akron, Toledo, or Cincinnati, gerrymandering harms all of our communities. The Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission will ensure the people’s voices are heard during this critical redistricting process,” said Ohio Organizing Collaborative Policy and Advocacy Director, Jeniece Brock. “This commission will engage the most marginalized communities to make sure they provide their input. All Ohioans deserve a say in how their districts are drawn and who gets to represent them.”

The OCRC is composed of academics, political party officials, community representatives, and others from across the state. It will be chaired by former State Rep. Kathleen Clyde and Greg Moore of the Promise of Democracy Foundation. The Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s Policy and Advocacy Director, Jeniece Brock, will serve as the commission’s secretary. 

Commission members will include:

  • Barbara Sykes, Former state representative, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OBLC) Foundation President & CEO
  • Tom Roberts, Former state senator, President of the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP
  • Andre Washington, President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) Ohio Chapter
  • Katy Shanahan, All On The Line Ohio State Director 
  • Kathleen Clyde, Former state representative
  • Greg Moore, Promise of Democracy Foundation  
  • Jeniece Brock, Health Scientist, Policy & Advocacy Director for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative 
  • Sam Gresham, Chair of Common Cause Ohio
  • Akii Butler, Ohio Student Association
  • Dr. Richard Gunther, Retired professor
  • Chris Tavenor, Ohio Environmental Council
  • Dr. Lis Regula, Professor and LGBTQ activist
  • Jeremy Blake, Newark City Council member, Equality Ohio board member
  • Dr. Ellen Greene Bush, Clinical Psychologist
  • Alan Bannister, Ohio political professional, former Ohio statewide political director for Joe Biden
  • Amina Barhumi, Council on American-Islamic Relations CAIR-Ohio

Additional members may be added to the commission in the coming days.

“The OCRC is made up of a broad, diverse cross section of Ohioans from across the state who support a fair redistricting process. We are looking forward to giving the citizens who voted to reform the redistricting process in Ohio the opportunity to finally have their voice heard,” said Greg Moore, OCRC co-chairperson.  

The OCRC’s activities will include hosting public hearings for community input, collecting publicly available data for mapmaking, and supporting public education on redistricting. 

The Commission will hold public hearings on the redistricting process on every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 6:00 pm EDT from May 2021 through September 2021.

The public and the press will be encouraged to attend these hearings — which will be virtual — to ensure widespread public awareness of and attention to Ohio’s redistricting process. For more information, please visit www.mapohio.org. 

Follow the Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission on social media:

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The Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (OCRC) is an independent, non-partisan commission made up of volunteer members. Commission members will include academics, political party officials, community representatives, and others from across the state. The Commission’s activities include: hosting public hearings for community input, collecting publicly available data for mapmaking, and supporting public education on redistricting. The work of the commission will be culminated into a report including recommendations and a unity map(s), which will be submitted as public testimony in the official redistricting process.

Celebrating the American Rescue Plan on this Special Mother’s Day — Statement from Desiree Tims

Today, as Ohio celebrates our first Mother’s Day with access to a COVID vaccine, we can also find joy in the many ways the American Rescue Plan is supporting moms and kids.

President Biden’s American Rescue Plan is providing direct relief to hardworking Ohio parents. It’s sending the families of 2,591,800 Ohio children $300 per month, per child. That is real, tangible support when Ohioans need it most.

President Biden’s plan is also helping get Ohio parents back to work. It’s investing about $1.3 billion to help child care programs reopen safely and expand existing COVID-safe care.

Ohio moms deserve the relief of knowing they can trust their children to reliable caregivers while they’re working hard to pay the bills.

Many Americans have also struggled to put food on the table during the COVID pandemic. That’s why the ARP is providing 1,465,000 Ohio families with an extra 15% to spend on food and nutrition through September.

In addition, it ensures that 600,000 Ohio children will have access to school lunches through the summer months. 

On this extra special Mother’s Day, we can be grateful for science, strong leadership, and policies that help support all the incredible moms throughout our state. 

In Solidarity,
Desiree Tims
President & CEO
Innovation Ohio

Desiree Tims Mourns Death of Ma’Khia Bryant, Calls for Meaningful Police Reform

COLUMBUS — Today, Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio, released the following statement mourning the death of 16 year-old Ma’Khia Bryant and renewing her call for police reform:

“It has been a week. Together, we have witnessed the deaths of too many Black Americans at the hands of police. Last week, it was Ma’Khia Bryant, who was just 16 years old. I continue praying for Ma’Khia’s family as the community comes together to mend our broken hearts. We can and must reimagine policing in America so bullets aren’t the first course of action.

“We hear this story way too often in city after city, state after state. Too many Americans are killed by police. And it hurts even more when it’s a child. We need accountability and justice for bad actors, but we also need to reimagine policing to prioritize de-escalation and community-based solutions. Lethal force must be an absolute last resort, not the first instinct.

“This is why we must come together and urge Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I hope you will join me in asking Ohio’s congressional delegation to support this bill. It’s one of many innovative solutions that will help save lives. After all, our children’s futures depend on it.

“Take a moment today to think of Ma’Khia Bryant, her family, and the action we can take to do something bold.”

Biden’s Visit — Statement from Desiree Tims

With President Biden visiting Columbus later today, we wanted to share a few thoughts about the groundbreaking American Rescue Package.

The American Rescue Package will help us build back better. Money in your pocket and a shot in your arm – it’s that simple. The American Rescue Package is the first step towards rebuilding after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ARP will help keep food on the table and keep struggling families out of poverty. Most Ohioans will receive $1,400 under the rescue plan, plus additional funds for children. This is exactly what Ohio families need. Some estimates show that the ARP will cut child poverty in Ohio in half.

The American rescue package will provide massive support for our local communities. The ARP will give local governments in Ohio $4.6 billion to help pay for first responders, public health professionals, and vital city services. It will also provide $5.5 billion to the state of Ohio.

The ARP will keep health costs down and help reopen schools. The American Rescue Plan’s investments in healthcare and schools will help Ohio families afford quality healthcare and safely get our kids back to school – in person.

President Biden’s visit shows how important Ohio still is politically. With all the important elections in 2022, including the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races, it’s no surprise that President Biden would come to Ohio this early. It’s another reminder that Ohio isn’t a red state, it’s a rigged state. Over the next two years, we have an incredible opportunity to rebuild progressive power in Ohio!

I hope you’ll help spread the word!

In solidarity,

Desiree Tims
Innovation Ohio CEO

Lame Duck Lawmakers Pass Government Shutdown Bill

closed_crop Overview Senate Bill 329, a little-noticed bill rushed through the recent lame duck session, could have disastrous consequences if allowed to become law. Without a veto from Governor Kasich, SB 329 would effectively allow for the dissolution of state government departments, potentially throwing thousands out of work and open the door to privatization, while threatening the effective continuation of public services and programs that provide for the state’s economic vitality and competitiveness. How it Would Work Under SB329, Gubernatorial Departments would be required to make an affirmative case every four years to justify their continued existence, involving a time- and resource-intensive process. Agencies would be required to review and report on the legal justification of rules and procedures, potential for privatization, conduct a multi-year analysis of cost effectiveness, and benchmark all regulations against other states. Creates Chaos Not Reform
  • The extensive reviews mandated for Departments every four years would be time and resource intensive, and duplicate reviews already performed by the Auditor of State, JCARR, and the Governor’s Common Sense Initiative Office.
  • Nothing in the legislation would eliminate burdensome rules or regulations, it merely provides for the elimination of Departments currently empowered to oversee them.
  • Without an affirmative act of the legislature to keep departments open, state rules, licenses, and contracts would remain in effect, raising significant questions about how the executive branch could continue to carry out its obligations under Ohio law. The bill permits, but does not require the legislature to transfer these obligations to other departments.
Dangerous
  • Many programs that Ohioans rely on, including vital education, public safety, and other essential services would be put at risk, with no provisions to ensure these functions continue after closure of a cabinet department.
  • By closing departments that carry out essential functions, the proposal could put Ohio into conflict with federal requirements, and may violate parts of the state Constitution, such as the obligation to establish and maintain a workers’ compensation program.
  • By forcing the review of 25 cabinet agencies every four years, the legislation could consume much of the legislature’s oversight capacity and put essential services at the mercy of an already slow legislative process.
Tilts the Balance of Power to One Party, Branch of Government
  • Empowers the legislative branch by eliminating a future check on its authority by the executive branch; the bill’s automated future elimination of departments by the failure of the legislature to act would provide no opportunity for the executive to exercise its veto authority.
  • Empowers the majority party to appoint members of standing committees, postpone reviews, and, ultimately, to continue operation of a government department without bipartisan support.
  • Protects today’s and future legislators from blame by eliminating departments automatically, without an affirmative act of lawmakers required.
Unnecessary and Ineffective
  • The arguments in favor of the proposal (to review, modernize, and eliminate unnecessary regulation) are all currently served by existing functions of the general assembly;
  • Meanwhile, the claim that unneeded or overly technical licensing law creates a burden is not served by the legislation which would not eliminate any rules or licenses either in SB 329 or through the expiration of statutes creating Departments.
Represents a Right-Wing Wish List
  • Without eliminated government departments and staff, executive would have little option other than to employ private contractors to carry out essential health and safety functions (police, fire, etc.).
  • Elimination of cabinet agencies would reduce the significance of the state as a public sector employer, weaking the power of its employee unions.
  • The departmental review process emphasizes market-based solutions, such as private credentialing, wherever possible as an alternative to state regulation and licensing.
  • Straight from the Conservative Playbook. Similar measures have been proposed by right-wing lawmakers in a number of states and in Congress.
  Take Action Call Governor Kasich at 614-466-3555 to ask him to veto this bill

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