BuckeyeBlog

Stimulus Money Sent to Phantom Districts in Ohio

Lynn Walsh — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:51:21 +0000

Lynn Walsh, Investigative Reporter for the Buckeye Institute, spoke with 610 WTVN’s Bob Connors this morning about the phantom congressional districts posted on www.recovery.gov. 10 districts in Ohio, that do not exist, received more than $5.3 million in stimulus funds, creating/retaining 11 jobs. Ohio only has 18 congressional districts. lynn.walsh.nov19.Bob Connors The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, [...]

Stimulus Works – Even in Districts That Don’t Exist!

Lauren Kresge — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:11:35 +0000

Buckeye Institute Investigative Reporter Lynn Walsh uncovered 10 brand new Congressional Districts in Ohio via the www.recovery.org website’s newest state and territory summary for Ohio. Walsh exposed the mistake on the Buckeye Institute affiliated OhioWatchdog.org and the story was picked up today by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Mayer Questions the Need for State Aircraft

Lauren Kresge — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:49:38 +0000

Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer calls for the Ohio to reevaluate the need for state maintained aircraft in the midst of budget woes and a severe decline in usage in this Dayton Daily News article.

Ohio’s Elected Officials Should Consider Highways

Lauren Kresge — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:40:47 +0000

It seems the State of Ohio is slow to move on Aviation Administrator James Bryant’s recommendation to sell 4 planes and 2 helicopters from an aging fleet. Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer also questions Ohio’s use of planes and helicopters for inner state travel instead of Ohio’s highway system in this Dayton Daily News article.

Matt Mayer on Bob Connors Radio Show

Lauren Kresge — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:09:21 +0000

Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer was featured on the Bob Connors radio show this morning discussing a multitude of Ohio issues including the impact that federal health care reform and cap and trade could have on Ohio’s budget. Matt also spent some time on Ohio’s own budget woes.

The Unintended Consequences of an Autism Mandate

Marc Kilmer — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:33:48 +0000

Some in Ohio are pushing for legislators to pass a law mandating insurance companies cover autism therapy. California has such a law, and it has just been dramatically expanded by court order: In a preliminary ruling, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant found that Kaiser Permanente’s refusal to pay for a child’s autism [...]

Passenger Rail Just Isn’t Popular

Marc Kilmer — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:42:36 +0000

In the push to reintroduce passenger rail in Ohio, it is often claimed that passenger rail has strong support from the public. As recent data by the Pew Charitable Trust shows, where passenger rail already exists it isn’t all that popular: Forty-one of Amtrak’s 44 routes lost money in 2008 with losses ranging from nearly $5 [...]

Those Who Forget History…

Marc Kilmer — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:05:25 +0000

If you really think the health care proposals being debated in DC will cost less than $1 trillion over ten years, the Wall Street Journal today has some history of other government health care programs that should disabuse you of that notion: The House Ways and Means Committee estimated that [Medicaid's] first-year costs would be $238 [...]

Smoking Ban Victory for Local Businesses

Lynn Walsh — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:51:49 +0000

It’s a victory for all small business in Ohio thanks to the Buckeye Institutes’ 1851 Center for Constitutional Law. Pour House, a locally owned bar in Columbus, will not be fined for smoking violations thanks to a court decision last Friday. The court ruled that Pour House should not have been fined since there is no evidence [...]

Matt Mayer on the Tax Foundation Podcast

Buckeye Institute — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:11:39 +0000

Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer recently spoke to the Tax Foundation’s Natasha Altamirano about Governor Ted Strickland’s plan to freeze a scheduled 4.2 percent cut in the state income tax. Listen to the discussion below courtesy of the Tax Foundation’s Tax Policy Podcast Series. Posted on October 14, 2009 Ohio Governor Ted Strickland recently announced a plan [...]