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June 1, 2018
The League is releasing an abridged bulletin this week. The Legislature did not hold session this week and only a couple of committees met. Only one bill of municipal interest was discussed. You can expect a full-fledged legislative bulletin next week as the House and Senate resume their full legislative schedules. At this time, the House has not elected a speaker but is expected to elect one next week and resume legislative business.
OML UPDATE AT-AT-GLANCE
Here are the top three things you need to know from this past week:
- An article in the Toledo Blade in April cited the Nutrient Mass Balance Study for Ohio's Major Rivers, which confirmed that only 7% of total phosphorus comes from point sources, which are mainly treatment plants located in municipalities. You can access the article HERE.
- Governor John Kasich is reportedly considering an executive order which would address phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie. The League will monitor and report on whatever details from the proposed executive action emerge later.
- In the latest NLC State of the Cities report, economic development, infrastructure, budgets, housing and public safety are consistently the top policy issue discussed by mayors when presenting their own communities' State of the city speeches, for the fifth year in a row. Economic development was the most prominent topic with 58% of mayors discussing the issue extensively in their speeches. You can access the full National League of Cities State of the Cities 2018 report HERE.
REMEMBERING OML BOARD PRESIDENT AND LOCKLAND MAYOR JIM BROWN
The League is sad to announce the passing of Lockland Mayor Jim Brown on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Mayor Brown was on the League's Board for over 25 years and served as the OML Board President, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the League's Mayors Association of Ohio.
Jim Brown was Lockland's mayor for 36 years, making him the village's longest-serving mayor. He made invaluable contributions to the League and was a strong supporter of municipalities. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones, and he will be greatly missed.
SECOND REGIONAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD NEXT WEEK IN MASON
Next week, the Ohio Municipal League will be holding the second Regional Conference in Mason and we are looking forward to a productive and educational day with the municipal leaders in Southwestern Ohio. The conference will take place on Friday, June 8
th at the Manor House Banquet Center. Please take the time to register if you have not already done so, as this is an opportunity you will not want to miss.
The goal of these Regional Conferences is to provide an opportunity for League members prevented from attending our three-day Annual Conference held in downtown Columbus, either because of distance constraints or other issues to have access to the timely information our members receive at our Annual Conference and to experience some of the opportunities that the conference provides. We have put together a single day program of general session topics with presentations by featured speakers who are experts in their municipal sectors.
The Regional Conferences are an invaluable opportunity for municipal officials statewide to have the ability to be presented with critical information directly related to the success of their own communities, as well as connect and network with other local leaders in their area. This opportunity is not limited to League members but is a great opportunity for all municipal and local government officials to refresh their skill sets and get the most recent information on critical topics.
Registration information for next week and the forthcoming conferences, including the conference agenda, can be accessed
HERE
The dates and locations for the remaining Regional Conferences are as follows:
- Northeast: Friday, June 29th at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
- Northwest: Friday, August 17th at the Hancock Hotel in Findlay.
We encourage you to sign up for these remaining conferences as soon as possible, as space will be limited, and we look forward to seeing you there!
COMMITTEE RECAP: BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST
- HB 594 - LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS. Sponsored by Rep. Ramos (D - Lorain), would provide for payments to municipalities or school districts for their lost income tax revenue after a business lays off 50 or more employees within their jurisdiction.
During its first hearing before the House State and Local Government Committee, the bill's sponsor spoke to how the bill, which he calls the "Umbrella Act", is intended to assist local governments and schools in the event that they experience a large-scale layoff of 50 or more people within their jurisdictions by using dollars from the Budget Stabilization Fund (or "Rainy-Day Fund") to make up for the lost revenue due to those income taxes no longer being collected. The League is supportive of this legislation and will alert our members when future hearings are held on the proposal.
MAYORS CONFERENCE COMING SOON: REGISTER NOW!
From Wednesday, June 13
th through Friday, June 15
th, the Ohio Municipal League will be hosting the Mayors Association of Ohio's Annual Conference in Akron. After the annual golf outing Wednesday, the conference schedule will include workshops on topics ranging from gun safety and guns in schools to medical marijuana, in addition to many other important and timely topics Ohio's mayors should be aware of. We are happy to share with our members that gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray will be speaking at the conference along with a representative of the DeWine Campaign, to talk about their visions for Ohio's future and the role municipalities play in the success of our state.
The Mayors Conference is a unique opportunity to hear from expert speakers on a number of important topics, but it is also a chance to meet and trade best practices with leaders of cities and villages, rural and urban, all across Ohio. If you have yet to register, click
HERE and be sure to save your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!
COMMITTEE SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 3, 2018
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Tuesday, June 5, 2018
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SENATE JUDICIARY
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Tue., Jun. 5, 2018, 10:15 AM, North Hearing Room
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Sen. Bacon: 614-466-8064
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CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY TRESPASS (HOAGLAND F) To prohibit criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and aggravated trespass on a critical infrastructure facility, to impose fines for organizations that are complicit in those offenses, and to impose civil liability for damage caused by trespass on a critical infrastructure facility.
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Second Hearing, Proponent Testimony, AMENDMENTS
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HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS
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Tue., Jun. 5, 2018, 10:00 AM, Room 121
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Rep. Tim Schaffer 614-466-8100
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LODGING TAX-PRICING (Greenspan, D) - To specify that, for the purposes of the sales and use tax and local lodging taxes, the "price" on the basis of which a hotel intermediary must collect and remit the tax is the total amount paid by the customer for the hotel lodging, as advertised by the hotel intermediary.
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First Hearing, Sponsor Testimony
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TAX CREDIT-VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER/EMS (Keller, Rezabek) - To grant income tax credits to persons who serve as volunteer firefighters or emergency medical service technicians.
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Third Hearing, Opponent/Interested Party Testimony, Possible AMENDMENTS
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Wednesday, June 6, 2018
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SENATE WAYS AND MEANS
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Wed., Jun. 6, 2018, 9:00 AM, South Hearing Room
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Sen. Eklund: 614-644-7718
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UNPAID MUNICIPAL GARBAGE FEES (O'BRIEN S, YUKO K) To authorize all municipal corporations that charge a garbage collection fee to certify unpaid amounts to the county auditor, who must enter the fees on the property tax list to be collected in the same manner as real property taxes.
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Fourth Hearing, All Testimony, POSSIBLE VOTE
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NOAA AND PHS TAX EXEMPTION (PERALES R, BUTLER, JR. J) To require municipal corporations to exempt from taxation the military pay of members of the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service.
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Third Hearing, All Testimony, POSSIBLE VOTE
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SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
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Wed., Jun. 6, 2018, 2:30 PM, Senate Finance Hearing Room
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Sen. Balderson: 614-466-8076
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WATER SERVICE PROPERTY LIENS (BROWN E) Regarding property liens for unpaid county or municipal water service charges.
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First Hearing, Sponsor Testimony
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Thursday, June 7, 2018
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SENATE PUBLIC UTILITIES
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Thu., Jun. 7, 2018, 9:00 AM, Senate Finance Hearing Room
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Sen. Beagle: 614-466-6247
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MUNICIPAL WATER-WORKS ACQUISITIONS (GINTER T, ROGERS J) To govern acquisitions of municipal water-works and sewage disposal system companies by certain larger nonmunicipal water-works or sewage disposal system companies.
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Third Hearing, All Testimony
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PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE MONDAY FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE
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