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Ohio: Sen. Tom Niehaus

June 1, 2009 - 01:24 pm
NEWS FEED: Columbus Dispatch

Drilling reform advances

By Spencer Hunt

"It went up and came back down on the foundation," said Thelma Payne, 85. "That was a very rude awakening."

The same could be said for state lawmakers, environmentalists and oil and gas industry lobbyists, who now refer to the explosion and evacuation of 19 nearby homes in Geauga County as the "Bainbridge incident."

The December 2007 explosion was caused when a cloud of natural gas in the basement ignited. No one was injured. State mining regulators found that gas from an improperly drilled oil and gas well leaked into groundwater and then into area basement water wells.

As a result, state lawmakers plan to advance a bill that would impose new restrictions and higher fees on oil and gas wells.

Read More at Columbus Dispatch >
There have been 44 comments posted in response to this story.

February 18, 2009 - 03:32 am
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Hard U.S. stimulus figures lessen Ohio budget fears

By Aaron Marshall

Stimulus money for Ohio

Gov. Ted Strickland's office on Tuesday released a breakdown of the more than $8 billion that Ohio is expected to receive in federal stimulus money. The amounts are similar to other estimates released over the past few days.

• Medicaid reimbursements: $3 billion.

• Education (including school modernization): $1.5 billion.

• General government operations (health and human services, public safety, education and protection of natural resources): $326 million.

• Highways and bridges: $971 million.

• Transit capital grants: $203 million.

• Rail modernization: $9 million.

• Drinking water infrastructure: $58 million.

• Clean-water infrastructure: $224 million.

• Special education: $461 million.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 30 comments posted in response to this story.

February 12, 2009 - 11:50 am
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Stimulus falls short of Ohio's expectations, budget cuts loom

By Aaron Marshall

COLUMBUS - As the fallout began from the federal stimulus package agreed on by Congressional leaders Wednesday, Gov. Ted Strickland said that Ohio's upcoming state budget will face a hole. However, the Democrat couldn't say exactly how large that hole will be at this point.

"There will be a shortfall based on what's in the stimulus package," Strickland told reporters Thursday morning. "But because we do not have the numbers and because there were some last-minute changes in the formula for the FMAP (federal Medicaid money) and all that, it's impossible for me to tell you at this point exactly what the situation is.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 22 comments posted in response to this story.

February 11, 2009 - 09:42 am
NEWS FEED: Cleveland Plain Dealer

GOP senators one-up Democrats with Ohio film tax credit

By Aaron Marshall

COLUMBUS — Take two!

Looking to upstage House Democrats who on Monday called for a $10 million tax credit for film companies shooting in Ohio, Senate Republicans on Tuesday rolled out their own tax credit worth up to $100 million per year.

Sen. Tom Niehaus, a New Richmond Republican who serves as the second-highest ranking member of the Senate majority, said the tax credit would be transferable between companies and could spark an influx of film companies into Ohio.

"I think you want to be aggressive," Niehaus said. "If you think $10 million will get film companies to come to Ohio, I would think that $100 million would be an even bigger enticement.

Read More at Cleveland Plain Dealer >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.

January 29, 2009 - 02:57 am
NEWS FEED: Columbus Dispatch

Plan garners unexpected praise, usual dissension

By Darrel Rowland

The really unusual part happened inside, after the meaty 65-minute talk.

Bill Phillis actually was happy.

"This has been the first ray of hope that we've had since March 24, 1997, when the Supreme Court ordered the state to fix the system, and the state never has," he said.

But let's just say that warm glow didn't extend to numerous critics who wonder how Strickland is going to pay for it all -- both this year and especially in two years, when the federal economic-stimulus money is gone.

To many Statehouse types, Phillis, a 71-year-old former assistant state superintendent, has become a pain in the posterior over the years, mainly because he's seemingly never satisfied with what the legislature or administration does on school funding.

Read More at Columbus Dispatch >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.