By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
Here is today’s Budget Commission meeting: [Not quite the record for the shortest meeting on record, but it was close!]
What was more interesting is what we learned after the meeting from Auditor Chris Galloway.
The Ohio legislators are discussing, debating, and deciding the future of Ohio’s energy grid and supply.
Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 15 both deal with the State’s proposal to establish “affordable, abundant, and reliable” energy.
Excerpts from SB 2:
“Senate Bill 2 also saves consumers money by repealing and prohibiting power plant subsidization. The legislation repeals Ohio Valley Electric Cooperative coal plant subsidies enacted in House Bill 6 of 2019, which will create an estimated $397.5 million in savings for consumers through 2030.
Additionally, $80 million will be saved by repealing renewable solar funds also created in HB6, and $53 million will be diverted to a new school energy efficiency loan administered by the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority. This initiative will assist schools in updating facilities toward energy efficiency and reduce stress on the energy grid.”
LFC editorial input: Remember HB 6 and Larry Householder?
“The investigation into Ohio’s largest corruption scheme is all about money and power. The owner of two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio wanted a $1 billion bailout to keep its plants running. A Republican lawmaker hoping to make a comeback wanted help returning to power.
The result, federal investigators say, was a nearly $61 million bribery scheme to elect Perry County Rep. Larry Householder to lead the Ohio House of Representatives, pass House Bill 6 to subsidize the nuclear plants and defend that law against a ballot initiative to block it.”
Here is the latest information on House Bill 15:
Excerpts from the current bill:
“Taxation of electric company personal property
▪ Exempts electric company generation property from local personal property taxes.
▪ Increases, from 85% to 89%, the personal property tax assessment rate for electric
transmission and distribution property.”
“Summary
The bill makes various changes to Ohio law governing electric utilities. First, the bill
amends the Competitive Retail Electric Service (CRES) law by repealing electric security plans (ESPs) under which electric distribution utilities (EDUs) could establish their standard service offer (SSO). Instead, the bill requires EDUs to use a market-rate offer (MRO) to establish the SSO. Next, the bill creates the Consumer Choice Billing Program and sets rules for how that program will work. Further, the bill makes changes regarding electricity and natural gas supplier certification,
establishes new consumer protections, provides for Power Siting Board (PSB) certification of replacements of major utility facilities, and addresses electric storage systems. The bill also repeals the Solar Generation Program which allows the owners and operators of qualifying solar resources to receive payments from the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority for solar energy credits. The bill repeals the legacy generating resource provisions passed in H.B. 6 of the 133rd General Assembly. Finally, the bill makes changes regarding the public utility personal property tax law with respect to electric utility production equipment and transmission and distribution property.
LFC Editorial Input:
Are SB2 and HB15 “Déjà vu all over again”? Keep the name Vista on your radar. Public records requests on State legislators’ campaign finance reports may be in order. Transparency is a key to good government. Start at the top and follow the money is always a good strategy.
We have been told that the new energy plants will be exempt from property taxes, but if any existing facility upgrades their facility, they would be considered a new facility and also exempt from property taxes.
Another bit of bad news for Lake County citizens is that the Perry Nuclear Plant and the Eastlake plant are pushing for the change in their current property valuations. Each are looking for a $60+ million devaluation of their property. This would mean that their current property taxes, estimated at $1 – $2 million per year will be borne by the taxpayers. This will continue to push seniors and those living on fixed incomes out of their homes.
We would like to say that you should call your current State Representatives and Senators, but they are not going to do anything. They have failed miserably at fixing the immoral property tax system in Ohio. There have been no meaningful changes to help taxpayers. Even the current homestead exemption, for those eligible to receive it, has been reduced to an effective annual rate of about $400 because of the recent revaluation of property values.
Our only option is for citizens is to exercise their constitutional rights for redress of grievances against our State government. The legislators have failed us time and time again.
We do not have a revenue generation problem in Ohio. The real problem is lack of checks and balances to control the runaway spending by all of the taxing authorities in the State. County Auditors, led by Lake County’s Chris Galloway and State Representative David Thomas, are trying to introduce legislation to give the County’s Budget Commission greater authority in controlling spending. However, with such an inept State legislature, seemingly uninterested in the plight of the average citizen, we do not hold out much hope for a miracle.
Join the movement to eliminate property taxes in Ohio!
When asked, please sign the petition to get a citizens led initiative on the November ballot. State Legislators have until January 1, 2026 to develop a new tax system using the existing tax mechanisms to replace the current immoral property tax. We highly recommend that they roll up their sleeves and get to work, or they will be voted out of office, regardless of party affiliation!
Categories: Community Activism, Real Estate Taxes, State of Ohio, Uncategorized