A state senator says he has an idea to give local officials more control over what they pay construction workers on government projects. But as Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow reports, critics say it will end up cutting wages for those workers in those communities. For the third straight legislative session, a “right to work” bill has been proposed in the House. There are about 87 weeks – more than 20 months – till Election Day 2018. And the state already has its first official candidate for governor - Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni (D-Boardman).
Speaking of governor, all three of Ohio’s living former governors were at the Statehouse this week for an event for the Capitol Square Foundation, which, among other things, raises money for improvements to the Statehouse. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles caught up with Richard Celeste and Bob Taft.
This week also brought the first official candidate to one of the other statewide executive offices on next year’s ballot – Secretary of State. House Majority Floor Leader Dorothy Pelanda of Marysville says she’ll run for the Republican nomination for that office. And Jon Husted, the current Secretary of State, announced the results of his investigation into non-US citizens on the voting rolls last year.
And finally, Andy Chow led a discussion about the budget before the Columbus Metropolitan Club this week with Tax Commissioner Joe Testa and Budget Director Tim Keen, and asked Keen about the school funding formula in Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget.