 Chairman’s Update
Good Evening, Independence Day festivities may have looked a bit different this year, but I hope you all had the chance to enjoy a lovely holiday spent with friends and family celebrating our nation’s independence. We live in a great country, and as President Trump said in his speech at Mount Rushmore, the best is yet to come. We have had four great years of President Trump’s leadership, and I look forward to another four when we re-elect him in November. Doubling what was added in May, an incredible 4.8 million jobs were added in June surpassing all expectations. The manufacturing and construction industries saw the greatest gains, and the unemployment rate dropped to 11% as states across the country began reopening. President Trump has built a strong economy for Americans that continues to bounce back even after the tough times we have witnessed. Let’s continue working to re-elect President Trump and to Keep America Great. Sincerely, Jane M. Timken
VIDEO: Portman Visits Tipp City Business Kept Afloat By Paycheck Protection Program In a new video, Senator Portman highlights his recent visit to Bruns General Contracting, where he met with company leadership and employees and learned that their Paycheck Protection Program loan kept the business afloat so workers stayed on payroll and operations continued at their Bruns General Contracting division and area job sites. The PPP loan was made possible thanks to the bipartisan CARES Act, which Senator Portman supported and President Trump signed into law. The video can be found here. Gov. DeWine Issues Guidance for Reopening K-12 Schools On Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced new guidance for resuming school in the fall. The newly issued guidance report advises schools to vigilantly assess symptoms, wash and sanitize hands to prevent spread, thoroughly clean and sanitize the school environment to limit spread on shared surfaces, practice social distancing, and implement a face coverings policy. Details on the new school guidance are available on coronavirus.ohio.gov. To assist schools in their efforts to implement the guidance, the Ohio Department of Education has created a document titled, “The Reset and Restart Education Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts,” which is designed to help teachers, principals, and administrators with solutions to safety challenges. The document provides resources and information for community decision-makers as they contemplate how to reopen safely. The guidance was developed in consultation with school superintendents, teachers, and parents. Governor DeWine also committed to working with the Ohio General Assembly on a plan to ensure that federal CARES Act dollars are made available to Ohio’s school districts for unforeseen expenses associated with creating a safe environment. Lt. Governor Husted Touts Start of USMCA with Trump Administration Last week, Lt. Governor Jon Husted celebrated the launch of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USCMA) with U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia during his trip to Ohio. Lt. Governor Hustedwas an early supporter of President Trump’s USMCA in order to obtain a better deal for Ohio and American innovators, job creators, farmers, and workers. The Lt. Governor joined a small roundtable with the Secretary at JobsOhio, the state’s non-profit, economic development organization. Yost Demands GM Pay Back $60 Million to Ohio for Breaking Promises Attorney General Dave Yost sent a brief to the Ohio Tax Credit Authority last week, demanding General Motors (GM) return the $60 million it received in state tax credits after breaking its promise to the state and the Mahoning Valley. GM took $60 million in tax credits from the state of Ohio after promising to maintain its Lordstown plant through 2028 and retain 3,700 jobs through 2040. GM reneged on its promise by closing the Lordstown plant in 2019. “Accountability is the key to good business and we’re holding GM accountable for not living up to its end of the contract,” Yost said. “We demand the money that is rightfully owed to Ohio – no more, no less.” LaRose Calls on Ohioans to Celebrate Independence Day with Active Citizenship As we celebrate the birth of our nation, Secretary LaRose, in a recent OpEd, called on each Ohioan to recommit themselves to active citizenship by being a voter and considering serving as a poll worker.
“This nation is not perfect, but there is no nation on earth that has done more than America has to advance the cause of human freedom – and we have the power to make it more perfect,” said LaRose. “Celebrate America by recommitting to active citizenship! Social media posts alone won’t do it – be a voter and be a poll worker. Get started by visiting VoteOhio.gov!”
Auditor Faber Finds Over $800,000 in Misused Taxpayer Dollars This week Auditor of State Keith Faber announced more than $800,000 in findings for recovery at Richard Allen Schools, a charter school in the Dayton area. “The law is straightforward – Richard Allen Schools chose to ignore their legal obligations and instead improperly spend hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for the education of our children,” said Auditor Faber. “We will continue to audit to the law and call out those that choose to manipulate for personal gain.” The school overpaid members of their board and failed to fulfill contractual obligations with vendors leading to the findings. Auditor Faber has zero tolerance for those misusing and abusing taxpayer dollars. His office has referred the findings for collection. Sprague, Husted Unveil the New OhioCheckbook.gov On Tuesday, Treasurer Robert Sprague and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced the completion of a months-long project to merge Ohio’s two government transparency websites into an all-in-one online portal. OhioCheckbook.gov combines the best features of its predecessor websites — OhioCheckbook.com and Ohio’s Interactive Budget — into a single resource that includes financial data about the State of Ohio, as well as hundreds of participating local governments. Moving forward, the merger of the two websites is expected to save the state approximately $900,000 per year.
“By working together, we’ve delivered a better, more transparent service for Ohioans and the media, while also doing it at a lower cost. Using technology and collaboration to improve customer service has been a goal of InnovateOhio and this is another positive example of how you can achieve that success,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “When government works together, it serves its people better,” said Treasurer Sprague. “We’re proud to partner with the DeWine-Husted Administration to increase government transparency while saving taxpayer dollars.” Release – Husted, Sprague Unveil the New OhioCheckbook.gov Kennedy Touches All 88 Counties Again
This week, Justice Sharon L. Kennedy rounded out her 88 county tour, with her final touch ending in Crawford County. Her stops this year included business tours, Lincoln Day Dinners, and speaking to a wide variety of organizations and schools, along with countless events – and she’s already back on the road to do it all again! “I am so fortunate that serving as a Justice affords me the opportunity to crisscross our great state,” said Sharon. “Stumbling upon old time diners, breathtaking views, both natural and man-made, and many other amazing attractions, but the best part about my travels are the people I meet along the way. For it’s the people in our small towns, and our big cities that make Ohio so wonderful, and I am blessed to have friends in all parts of it. It is an honor to serve each and every one of you. Thank you for making my work so special.” French Travels Ohio to Visit Local Courts and Judges
Justice French traveled the state this week to visit local courts and judges. As courts throughout Ohio reopened after the shutdown, they have made innovative technological changes and upgrades that keep the public safe. WFMJ in Youngstown covered Judi’s visit to the Mahoning County court to see the new technology in action. |
