OHIO’S BUDGET WILL CONDEMN THOUSANDS TO CONTINUED NEGLECT AND STRUGGLE
THE SAFETY NET IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF SAVING MANY OHIOANS FROM HARM!
Click the image for a PDF copy of the flier.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD
Governor Ted Strickland speaks at Noon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Join our demonstration & send a message to state leadership about our concerns with this budget.
We need to ask why we don’t have Progressive Tax Reform!
JOIN US AS WE:
- DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE RECENT BUDGET
- ASK WHY THE POOR, THE NEEDY AND OTHERS MUST SUFFER
- ASK WHY WE MUST CONTINUE TO WAIT
July 24, 2009
11am to 12:30pm
Crowne Plaza Hotel
777 St. Clair Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
]]>Funeral March June 25tag:organizeohio.org,2009:cms/index.php/site/index/1.382009-06-23T14:55:03Z2009-06-29T19:33:04ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.org
ABLE Action Information
As the state of Ohio faces billions of dollars in deficits, Governor Strickland and the Ohio State Legislature have refused pleas to increase tax revenue that would save critical health, human services, education and basic needs.
Therefore, in response to the actions of the governor and legislature, Advocates for Budget Legislation Equality (ABLE) will be holding:
A New Orleans Funeral March and Funeral for the death of critical needs in Ohio if progressive revenue increases are not enacted.
When: Thursday, June 25
Time: 11:00 am
Where: Meet at Tom Johnson Statue at Public Square in Cleveland
And march to the state office building at 615 west superior where the funeral will be held.
Come! Join Us! Together We Can Make Our Voices Heard!
The funeral will be led by Rev. Tony Minor
For more information call 216-651-2606
]]>Resourcestag:organizeohio.org,2009:cms/index.php/site/index/1.352009-03-27T18:24:35Z2009-08-17T17:27:36ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgBelow you will find helpful resources for use during the FY 2010 - 2011 biennial budget process.
]]>The Ohio Forumtag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.222008-07-23T00:13:01Z2008-07-22T18:14:16ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgThe Ohio FORUM is a nonprofit organization of community activists with a wide range of issue areas and journalists working to communicate ideas to the public and stimulate policy debate by tapping into the power of the media.
Over the years, editors have come to recognize the Ohio FORUM for well-written, well-researched, and thought-provoking commentary on topics including school reform, prescription drug costs, nuclear power, unemployment compensation.
On average, media packets reach 1.45 million households through print and 2.45 million listeners and viewers through the broadcast media. Commentary from the Ohio FORUM regularly appear in Cleveland Plain Dealer (circ. 400,593), Cincinnati Enquirer (circ. 206,012), Columbus’ Minority Communicator (circ. 90,000), Youngstown Vindicator (circ. 85,000), Cleveland Free Times (circ. 85,000), Zanesville Times Recorder(circ. 25,000), Dayton Communicator (circ. 20,000, Toledo Journal (circ. 19,500), Medina Gazette (circ. 16,800), Athens Messenger (circ. 12,500). Forum materials also receive significant local use/coverage by broadcast media throughout the state.
]]>Important Facts You Should Knowtag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.212008-07-23T00:11:35Z2009-06-29T19:38:36ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.org
Child care vouchers assist low-income families by ensuring children are properly cared for and parents succeed in their transition to work. Families whose incomes fall below 165% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines can receive payment for all of part of their monthly child care expenses. Eligibility requirements to receive child care vouchers changed. Previously, families living at 185% of the poverty line and lower were eligible. Now, only families at 165% of poverty or lower are eligible for vouchers.
Approximately 84,000 ofOhio�s children are served by subsidized child care programs each month. (Source: Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services).
More than 25,000 individuals are served through PASSPORT (at home elderly care) (source: Ohio Department of Aging
In Ohio , 12,493 seniors with average incomes of about $600 a month receive food boxes. The contents typically include cheese, fruit juice, cereal, pasta, and canned goods. (source: Columbus Dispatch)
The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food banks, Ohio�s largest charitable response to hunger have partnered with ODJFS to provide emergency food distribution programs to more than 12 food banks. OASHF represents 12 food banks which distribute food to more than 3,300 member charities. In 2006, OASHF distributed more than 92 million pounds of food and grocery items through the Ohio Food Bank network. More than 1.2 million Ohioans receive food assistance through this network.
Medicaid provides healthcare coverage for low-income children, pregnant mothers, working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. In 2005, the total number of Ohioans enrolled in Medicaid was 2,038,717. (source: Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services)
Medicaid was reduced from 100% to 90% of the Federal Poverty Level, which removed 25,000 parents from the Medicaid program. (eligibility for a family of three was reduced from $16,000 annual income to $14,500)
In 1995 the General Assembly eliminated GA Med altogether and capped enrollment for Disability Medical Assistance. Currently enrollment for Disability Medical Assistance is closed. Low income, uninsured Ohioans without dependents are left out of any assistance to help meet their basic healthcare needs.
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How Does the Budget Process Work?tag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.202008-07-23T00:05:59Z2009-06-29T19:38:00ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgEvery two years, the state budget is re-created. Right now decisions are being made in Columbus for the next biennium budget, meaning the budget will be planned for the next two fiscal years. So fiscal year 2009 will end June 30, 2009, and fiscal year 2010 will begin on July 1 of 2009. The process of creating a new biennium state budget has many steps. Here are the basics:
The process starts in July of even-numbered years. The Office of Budget and Management (a state office known as OBM) begins by corresponding with state agencies in order to see how much each agency requests for their own budget.
OBM works with the Governor and the Governor’s staff to create an Executive Budget.
The Governor presents the Executive Budget first to the Ohio House of Representatives and it is introduced by the Speaker of the House in the form of a bill. This happens early in January or February of every odd-numbered year. The Ohio House of Representatives is made up of elected State Representatives.
The House of Representatives reviews the budget. Specifically the Finance Committee of the House of Representatives and its subcommittees hold hearings on the budget. During those hearings the public can express their views and opinions. The committee members discuss the Executive Budget and they can draft changes to it in the form of amendments. Then they present their changes to the rest of the House.
The full House then votes on the budget bill. Other legislators have an opportunity to propose amendments before the final vote called floor amendments (because they are made from the “floor” of the House). Each amendment must be passed separately. It is possible to pass the budget and only some (or none or all) of the amendments proposed to it.
Once the House version of the budget is approved, with any added amendments, it is passed on to the Senate. In the Senate, made up of elected State Senators, the budget review follows basically the same steps. Neither the House nor the Senate has to make changes to the Executive Budget, but based on the process of public testimony and feedback from various members of the public (like a Rally in front of the Statehouse), they make changes.
Once the budget passes through the House and the Senate, the whole budget bill (along with all the approved amendments) goes to Conference Committee (where representatives from both the House and the Senate debate the bill and try to come to an agreement). The Conference Committee then prepares a report to present to the House and Senate.
If both the House and the Senate agree to the Conference Committee report, the bill then needs to be reviewed by executive agencies and the Governor. Once the Governor signs the budget bill, it becomes a law immediately. The Governor does have the power to veto (disapprove) the budget if he chooses to.
Right now, Ohio is facing deficits in its budget. The solution to achieve a balanced budget is either to decrease spending or raise revenue. In Governor Strickland’s Executive Budget, there are some revenue-enhancements, and many cuts to spending. Revenue-enhancements usually happen in the form of taxes. Many people that do not want to see cuts in spending encourage raising taxes in a fair or progressive way as the solution to get necessary funding for services and programs.
]]>What We Dotag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.182008-07-22T23:51:04Z2008-07-22T17:52:33ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgClick on the subcategories in the right-hand menu to read about our program work with ABLE and Ohio Forum.
]]>What is A.B.L.E.tag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.172008-07-22T23:48:51Z2009-07-25T01:36:52ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.org
Meet at Tom Johnson Statue at Public Square in Cleveland
And march to the state office building at 615 west superior where the funeral will be held.
Press Conferences
Cleveland: On Tuesday, May 19 @ 11:30 am Merrick House,1050 Starkweather Avenue Cleveland, OH 44113 (216-771-5077) in collaboration with ABLE, will be holding a press conference to address the current proposed state budget and the effect it could have not only on our services, but to citizens in our service area. Please plan on joining local and state officials, your neighbors and the entire Merrick House staff for this event.
Youngstown: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - Noon Midlothian Free Health Clinic 388 East Midlothian Blvd Youngstown, OH ABLE and ACTION will be holding a press conference calling upon the Ohio General Assembly to implement fair and progressive revenue enhancements in order to fund necessary health and human services in the state budget.
Athens: Took place at the Athens Community Center on June 15, 2009. Some coverage here.
Advocates for Budget Legislation Equality is a grassroots coalition that was founded by May Dugan Multi-Service Center, Merrick House, and Organize! Ohio that is now supported by many other individuals and organizations. These include, Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio, the Cleveland Catholic Diocese Social Action Office, The Community Partners for Affordable, Accessible Health Care, The Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland, Stop targeting Ohio’s poor, United Clevelanders Against Poverty, Neighborhood Family Practice, We are the Uninsured, Lutheran Metro Ministry, and The Cleveland Tenants Organization. ABLE is advised, provided data by Policy Matters Ohio.
ABLE is a coalition of organizations and individuals working to get necessary funding for critical health and human services that are impacting our lives. It is our mission to protect and expand public health, safety, and welfare.
ABLE is based in Cleveland and works to educate and mobilize communities across the state, to provide a citizen voice at the legislative level. ABLE seeks to bring a collective community voice around health and human services funding in the biennium budget process, budget and budget correction bills.
ABLE was born out of the need for a direct community response in 2003 when then Governor Taft proposed cuts that would have devastated health and human services in that biennium budget. Community education, engagement, and organizing began in January, 2003. The state budget was passed in June, 2003. Our efforts, along with those of others, helped save millions of dollars for health and human services in that state budget. With your help and support we can accomplish even more in 2009.
Click here to call us:
]]>Thank youtag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.122008-06-26T02:35:00Z2008-06-25T20:36:07ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgThank you for your offer to volunteer! A representative will contact you shortly.
]]>Refer a Friendtag:organizeohio.org,2008:cms/index.php/site/index/1.102008-06-26T00:36:00Z2008-06-25T18:44:35ZOrganize! Ohiojason@able.organizeohio.orgI thought you might find this site of interest. Organize! Ohio is a statewide organization working to advance and encourage community organizing as a strategy for progressive change in Ohio.
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