Leadership

Ohio’s Redistricting Dispute Goes Into Extra Innings

Due to the ongoing redistricting dispute, Ohioans won’t see state House and Senate candidates on the May 3 primary ballot. But when these races will be held — and what the districts look like — is still in question.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission recently approved its fourth set of state House and Senate district maps, which are tweaked versions of earlier maps the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled unconstitutional on a 4-3 vote. (Now the court will review the latest versions of the maps, even as federal judges also look into the dispute.)

Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said the commission’s latest action was a “slap in the face to Ohio voters.” In a radio interview, Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) blamed “out-of-state special interest groups” — led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder — for embarking on a “sue until they’re blue” strategy in Republican-controlled states.

Election officials say Ohio must have finalized maps by April 20 to hold a primary for state legislative races on Aug. 2 — the latest date a primary can be held.

Meanwhile, it appears the dispute over Ohio’s 15 U.S. House districts has been settled by default — at least for this year’s election — due to the Supreme Court’s schedule, Gongwer News Service reports. 3/31/2022

Political Roundup: Election Polls, Fundraising Figures

Here are some of the election-related developments the OMA is tracking:

• Gov. Mike DeWine holds a sizeable lead over his GOP challengers, according to the latest polling average from Real Clear Politics.
• In Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, businessman Mike Gibbons leads the GOP primary polls, while U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) has a strong advantage on the Democratic side, according to the Real Clear Politics‘ average.
• Based on 2021 campaign finance reporting, Republicans have outraised Democrats by 155% in campaigns for the Ohio Senate, and by 130% in Ohio House campaigns.

Meanwhile, if your business has a political action committee (PAC), the OMA’s general counsel, Bricker & Eckler, has published this PAC maintenance checklist. 3/29/2022

Bill to Fight Counterfeit Goods Heads to Governor

The Ohio legislature has given final approval to an OMA-supported measure (House Bill 272) that would give consumers some assurance that the goods they are buying online are legitimate.

The bill, which now awaits the governor’s signature or veto, aims to prevent counterfeit and stolen goods from being sold online by requiring marketplaces to verify basic information of high-volume sellers. This will help manufacturers protect their brands and strengthen their competitive edge. 3/31/2022

ODOT Director Warns Against Fuel Tax Rollback

In a March 29 briefing to the House Transportation Committee, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Jack Marchbanks said a plan (Senate Bill 277) to roll back the state’s fuel tax “would devastate the finances of ODOT.”

As reported by Gongwer News Service, the director said losing the recently expanded gas tax revenue would cost the state $4 billion, including more than $1 billion for local projects. 3/30/2022

Semiconductor Funding Takes Another Step Towards Passage

On March 28, the U.S. Senate approved a bill that includes $52 billion to spur domestic semiconductor projects, such as Intel’s forthcoming plant in central Ohio. Negotiations to marry the House and Senate versions of the bill will begin soon; a final vote could be held by late spring.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R, OH-5) is warning that the U.S. could lose the competition to develop electric and autonomous vehicles without adequate federal spending on emerging technologies. 3/30/2022

Steel Prices Surge 40% in Europe Due to War in Ukraine

Steel prices have surged since late January, due in large part to the war in Ukraine. According to trade data, Russia and Ukraine combined are the world’s second-largest steel exporters after China. European hot-rolled coil prices have exploded by nearly 40% over the past three weeks, while price hikes in the U.S. have been a bit more modest. 3/29/2022

Key Inflation Gauge at Highest Point Since 1982

The Federal Reserve’s favorite inflation gauge has risen to its highest annual level in 40 years. Including food and energy, the personal consumption expenditures price index increased 6.4% from the same period in 2021, the biggest jump dating back to January 1982.

On a related note, OMA Connections Partner RSM reports that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine risks destabilizing global food markets, adding “to the plethora of challenges” facing food and beverage manufacturers. Wheat and soybeans have seen the biggest price spikes in recent weeks. 3/31/2022

State of the State Address: Seize Our Ohio Moment!

On March 23, Gov. Mike DeWine addressed lawmakers in his first State of the State speech since 2019, laying out his priorities for the remainder of his first term. (Click here for the full text, or watch the address in its entirety.)

Speaking before a joint session of the Ohio General Assembly, the governor said now is the time to “seize our Ohio moment” — adding that “Ohio’s economy is surging, our state budget is on firm footing, and our bond rating is the highest it has been since 1979.”

Dewine highlighted Ohio’s recent manufacturing successes, including landing the Intel project, as well as his administration’s efforts to expand the skilled workforce and job training. 3/23/2022

OMA Government Affairs Committee Holds Q1 Meeting

On March 23, the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee held its Q1 meeting at the OMA’s headquarters in Columbus, as well as via Zoom. Chaired by Scott Corbitt, region vice president for Anheuser-Busch, the committee received briefings on the status of Ohio’s redistricting process and upcoming primary election, as well as updates on key legislation and efforts to legalize recreational marijuana use.

Members also heard from Kim Bojko, the OMA’s energy counsel, regarding troublesome legislation (HB 317) that would harm Ohio’s energy competitiveness (see related story in this Leadership Briefing). The committee will meet again June 1. 3/23/2022

OMA Energy Counsel Kim Bojko briefs Government Affairs Committee members on pending energy legislation.

Ohio’s Economic Barometer

Here are the most recent key economic indicators from a variety of sources:

• Ohio’s unemployment rate as of January was 4.3%, compared to 4% nationwide. (View jobless rates by county.)
• Ohio’s January labor force participation rate was 61.2%, compared to 64% in mid-2019.
• Ohio’s manufacturing GDP, as of Q3 2021, stood at more than $118 billion — a new record high.
• As of January, there were roughly 674,200 manufacturing jobs statewide, compared to 660,700 a year earlier.
• The average weekly hours for Ohio manufacturing employees was 40.9 as of January.
• The average hourly earnings of Ohio manufacturing production employees are $23.80 — and $29.24 for all Ohio manufacturing employees.

The Back-to-Normal Index, compiled by Moody’s Analytics and CNN Business, shows Ohio’s economy at 97% of its pre-pandemic level. But Opportunity Ohio, a conservative think tank, says federal data show Ohio significantly trails right-to-work states in economic recovery and job creation. 3/24/2022