CEA Legislative Update - Fall 2016

Body

State

HB 394  UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

The bill has had two hearings since the legislative committee last met. The most recent hearing was on 9/15/16.  Senator Mike Skindell has replaced Sen. Kenny Yuko (who has cancer) on the unemployment compensation study committee. Discussion.

SB 340 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTS  

(Seitz) To regulate the use of indemnity provisions in contracts related to public improvements.  The bill was introduced on July 25th.  It has not been referred to committee yet.

SR 601 CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION 

(Sen. Frank  LaRose, Sen. Michael Skindell) Honoring the Construction Employers Association on its One Hundredth Anniversary.  The Resolution was passed.

 

Lame Duck  - Discuss possible issues

Drive In – Quick discussion

Elections - Discussion

 

Ballot

ISSUE 32
Proposed Municipal Income Tax (Increase), City of Cleveland

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the Ordinance providing for a 0.5% levy increase on income, to a rate of 2.5% per annum, for the purposes of general municipal operations, maintenance, new equipment, extension and enlargement of services and facilities and capital improvements of the City, and for the purposes of payment of debt charges and for the elimination of deficits existing in City funds and for all other lawful purposes, effective January 1, 2017, be passed?

The issue is a proposed raising of the city's income tax.  An increase has not happened in more than 30 years.  Mayor Jackson said raising the tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent is necessary to deal with a projected deficit next year.  The tax will generate $80 M for the city.  It will go towards services, including public safety and snow removal, trash collection, building inspections, security and programming at recreation centers, senior housing programs and mowing of vacant lows. The city also would hire as many as 120 police officers, 60 paramedics and support staffers in numerous departments.

The tax increase will affect everyone who works in the city of Cleveland. It could also affect Cleveland residents who work outside the city depending on their individual tax circumstances.

The increase will cost about $50 for every $10,000 a person earns each year.  About 88 percent of people affected by the tax, live outside the city limits. Only Cleveland residents are able to vote on the issue. GCP and COSE endorsed the issue.

ISSUE 108

CLEVELAND CSD

Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal)

Cleveland Municipal School District

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Cleveland Municipal School District for the purpose of current expenses of the school district and of partnering community schools at a rate not exceeding 15 mills for each one dollar of valuation (of which 1 mill is to be allocated to partnering community schools), which amounts to $1.50 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for four years, commencing in 2016, first due in calendar year 2017.  It is a four-year renewal of the 15-mill operating levy that supports the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) – with 1 mill set aside for partnering with high-quality charter schools.

Some of those who have endorsed the issue are GCP, COSE, Cleveland State, President, Cuyahoga Community College, President, and the Downtown Cleveland Residents Association.

Minimum Wage (May election 2017)

Cleveland voters on May 2, 2017, will get their say on a proposal to phase in a $15 minimum wage citywide, beginning with $12 an hour in January 2018.  This will be a special election.

Raise Up Cleveland, with the support of the Service Employees International Union, Councilman Jeff Johnson supported legislation. The proposal now seeks a $12 minimum wage in Cleveland beginning in January 2018, with $1 annual raises for the following three years. After that, the minimum wage would be tied to the cost of living index. The minimum wage would remain at $8.10 an hour in the rest of the state.

Members of Raise Up Cleveland sued City Council in the Ohio Supreme Court, accusing the Council Clerk of unlawfully refusing to accept signatures. The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed the complaint. Thus, the issue will NOT appear on the November ballot.

Part Time Employment

A proposed city charter amendment, seeking to establish a set of regulations governing the employment of part-time workers has been floating around.   This issue did not make it to the ballot. It was a proposal to establish a workers' rights commission for part time workers in Cleveland. The proposed charter change had appeared on previous working lists kept by the elections board for the November election and was in line to be on the ballot.  Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley said the organizers asked that it be withdrawn.