Leadership

State Budget to be Unveiled Next Week

Governor Kasich will unveil his final two-year state budget next week. Budget bills allocate state funds for public purposes but they also frequently become vehicles for revisions to taxes and other laws.

In prior budget bills, Governor Kasich had proposed modification to business taxes, frequently with the goal of personal income tax reductions.

Tune-in Monday, January 30, at 1:00 p.m. to watch the press conference. Official budget documents will be housed on the Ohio Office of Budget & Management website.

OMA will provide analyses of budget bill provisions that directly affect manufacturers.

The OMA Tax Committee will take a deep dive into the tax and expenditure provisions within the budget with invited policymakers when it meets on February 16. Also, the OMA Government Affairs Committee will provide a budget status and manufacturing advocacy game plan at its March 15 meeting.

Register to attend OMA committee meetings in person or by phone.  1/26/2017

Yost Unveils Fiscal Health Tool for Ohio’s Local Governments

This week Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost released a new tool to help cities and counties assess their financial health. It is intended to provide an early warning system to municipalities to facilitate early identification of financial problems.

The new tool generates “financial health indicators” for all 247 cities and 88 Ohio counties. The auditor’s office developed 17 early warning signs by analyzing cities that eventually entered fiscal emergency.

You can search the fiscal health of your city and county on the state auditor’s website.  1/26/2017

Ohio Invests in Smart Mobility Technologies

Governor Kasich announced this week a focus on “smart mobility” in his upcoming budget, including support for the development in Ohio of autonomous and connected vehicles, and drones.

In the announcement, the governor’s office stated: “For more than a century, Ohio has been at the heart of transportation manufacturing, innovation and research. Those ties grow stronger with each passing year and the innovations developed here will continue to build on our state’s historic role as a world leader in transportation technology.”

Read the governor’s release.  1/26/2017

Maritime Industry Day at the Capitol

Ohio’s maritime ports and Great Lakes shipping companies were joined by the OMA in a maritime industry day at the Statehouse this week. The goal of the activity was to inform legislators about the under-appreciated importance of Great Lakes shipping to the state’s economy.

Almost 40 million tons of cargo move through Ohio’s Lake Erie ports each year: iron ore, coal, grain, and other products. This commerce generates $3 billion in business revenue, and supports more than 28,000 Ohio jobs. Over the past five years, the industry has invested more than $130 million in Ohio’s maritime infrastructure.  1/26/2017

Medical Marijuana: Not Open for Business in Ohio

OMA Connections Partner, Frantz Ward, reminds us about the implementation process for medical marijuana in Ohio: “HB 523 became “law” on September 28, 2016. Regulations for cultivators are set to be finalized by May 6, 2017. Regulations for physicians, testing laboratories, processors, patients, caregivers, employees, and dispensaries are scheduled to be finalized on September 8, 2017.”

Per Frantz Ward: “Ohio has enacted a law that set forth a process that will make medical marijuana legal, but the details of that legalization are being phased in over a two-year period. This seems to have resulted in marijuana being recommended and dispensed to, and consumed by, citizens of the State of Ohio before these practices are lawful. We are not aware of any criminal prosecutions arising out of this situation, however, and we do know that individuals are acting as if they believe it is legal to consume medical marijuana in Ohio. We would say it is not.”  1/25/2017

Thank You for Your Feedback

We send all members a quick annual survey to understand the services you value and where we might improve service.

We really appreciate your responses. Our whole staff and the OMA board of directors see the results.

In 2016, our overall satisfaction score from our manufacturing members was 3.54 out of a possible 4.0; our associate members scored us 3.57 out of 4.0 last year.

One example of a change we made as a result of your input was that we held two of our policy committee meetings outside of Columbus last year – specifically in Canton and Cleveland – because you asked for more regional opportunities. It was a small step, but it was in direct response to you. We continue to look for ways to improve service and services based on your feedback.

To each of our members, thank you!  1/26/2017

NAM Reports the Extent of Regulatory Burden on Manufacturers

As the incoming Trump administration prepares to roll back misguided federal regulations, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has released a new study revealing the number of business and operational hurdles that manufacturers face on a daily basis as a result of the nation’s current regulatory structure.

The study, called “Holding Us Back: Regulation of the U.S. Manufacturing Sector,” is based on extensive interviews, a survey of the NAM membership and an analysis of hundreds of specific federal regulations.

Key findings include:

• Manufacturers face 297,696 restrictions on their operations from federal regulations.
• Eighty-seven percent of manufacturers surveyed say that if compliance costs were reduced permanently and significantly, they would invest the savings on hiring, increased salaries and wages, more R&D or capital replacement.
• Ninety-four percent of manufacturers surveyed say the regulatory burden has gotten higher in the last 5 years, with 72% saying “significantly higher.”

Read more from NAM here.  1/18/2017 

Senate Recommends Wilson to Replace Jones in 7th District

This week the Ohio Senate announced the recommendation of its screening committee to appoint Steve Wilson to the vacant 7th district seat. Sen. Shannon Jones resigned the seat to become a Warren County commissioner. The district includes all of Warren and part of Hamilton and Butler counties.

Wilson is the former chief executive and current chairman of LCNB Corp. and LCNB National Bank. He serves on the board of trustees of his alma mater, Miami University, Oxford, and is vice chair of the Warren County Port Authority. He is a past chair of the American Bankers Association and the Ohio Bankers Association, former board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, as well as a former Naval Officer.  He and his wife, Jill, reside in Maineville.

The 24-member Senate Republican caucus is responsible for appointing a temporary replacement to the seat. The caucus plans to meet by the end of January to accept the screening committee’s recommendation and seat the new member.  1/19/2017

Cuban Trade Mission Coming Up this Summer

A delegation of Ohio business, trade associations, and elected officials will embark on a trade mission to Havana, Cuba this summer.

The Ohio delegation will focus on business opportunities in health care, higher education, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and alternative energy and exports of manufactured and consumer goods.

The itinerary will include meetings with U.S. Embassy officials, touring the Port of Mariel and special economic development zones, meetings with foreign ambassadors, Cuban entrepreneurs, and relevant Cuban ministries overseeing business sectors.

The delegation will be accompanied by Ohio-Cuba expert and attorney Luis Alcalde of Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter. Luis, a graduate of The Ohio State University, has spent years working on U.S. – Cuba legal and business relations and is a member of the Engage Cuba Ohio Council.

If you have an interest in the trade mission, contact Luis Alcalde, Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter, at (614) 462-5480.  1/19/2017

Speaker Rosenberger Announces House Committee Leadership

This week Speaker Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) announced House chairs and vice chairs for the chamber’s committees and subcommittees.

Of particular note, Rep. Ryan Smith (R-Bidwell) will continue to serve as chairman of the House Finance Committee for the 132nd General Assembly, after previously serving as chair in the 131st General Assembly.

The House Finance Committee is tasked with passing the state operating budget proposal, which will be unveiled by Governor John Kasich later this month.

Rep. Smith is serving his third term as representative of the 93rd House District, which includes Gallia and Jackson counties along with parts of Lawrence and Vinton counties.

Speaker Rosenberger also announced that Rep. Scott Ryan (R-Granville Township) will be appointed vice chair of the House Finance Committee. He is currently serving his second term as representative of the 71st House District.

Other chairs of committees of importance to manufacturers:

Economic Development, Commerce & Labor, Chair: Rep. Ron Young (R-Leroy Township), Vice chair: Rep. Anthony DeVitis (R-Green)

Education & Career Readiness, Chair: Rep. Andrew Brenner (R-Powell), Vice chair: Rep. Marilyn Slaby (R-Copley)

Energy & Natural Resources, Chair: Rep. Al Landis (R-Dover), Vice chair: Rep. Christina Hagan (R-Alliance)

Higher Education & Workforce Development, Chair: Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington), Vice chair: Rep. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg)

Public Utilities, Chair: Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), Vice chair: Rep. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township)

Transportation & Public Safety, Chair: Rep. Doug Green (R-Mt. Orab), Vice chair: Rep. Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake)

Ways & Means, Chair: Rep. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), Vice chair: Rep. Gary Scherer (R-Circleville)

Full committee membership is expected to be announced later this month.  1/12/2017