By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
Babylon Bee pokes fun at the State of Ohio:
https://babylonbee.com/news/10-reasons-to-move-to-ohio
People may think Ohio has nothing to offer, but they’re wrong. It’s still part of America, and that makes it one of the 50 best places in the world to live.
Check out these top 10 reasons burn your current house to the ground and start a new life in Ohio:
- There are no professional sports teams: You won’t have to worry about getting distracted by great football, baseball, or basketball games.
- Skyline Chili: The bizarre mixture of chili and spaghetti is beloved by dozens.
- No tourists: Nobody ever vacations there, so you never have to worry about summer crowds.
- It’s low on the list of vital areas of the U.S. to get nuked: You’ll be safe from the fallout while other, more exciting states are destroyed.
- Affordable burritos: Perfect for families with a lot of kids.
- You could get superpowers from one of the many railroad chemical spills: Please resolve to use your powers only for good.
- A lot of people were born there, like Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers: They went on to do great things in other states.
- You can proudly serve in the ongoing war against Michigan: Thank you in advance for your service.
- Your chances of being killed and eaten by a Haitian migrant have dropped to just 16%: It’s not a zero percent chance, but it’s much better than it was.
- It’s not West Virginia: That definitely counts for something.
Editorial Comments By Brian Massie
The old joke about Ohio is that we are 1st in aviation, but 47th in everything else.
However, I must disagree with that statement. Ohio is first in the nation with the funding of public libraries…By a lot…
Ohio funds public libraries and local governments through two distinct state mechanisms—the Public Library Fund (PLF) and the Local Government Fund (LGF)—both of which underwent major structure and funding changes in the state’s biennial operating budget.
Funding Mechanisms and Recent Changes
- Public Library Fund (PLF): Traditionally tied to a fixed percentage (1.7%) of the state’s General Revenue Fund (GRF) tax revenues, the funding model was shifted in the state budget to a fixed line-item appropriation rather than an automatic revenue percentage. This allocated $490 million for FY 2026 and $500 million for FY 2027 (down from about $504.6 million in FY 2025), representing a cut of roughly $25 million.
- Local Government Fund (LGF): Provides shared state tax revenues to municipalities, counties, and townships to support general local government operations. The LGF has historically received a set percentage share of total GRF tax revenue (traditionally 1.66% or 1.75%).
The Local government funds were reduced in 2011 by the Communist Governor John Kasich. He had to fill a hole in the state budget so he did it on the backs of the local governments.
Key Comparisons
- Allocation Structure: While both funds draw from state tax collections, the PLF’s transition to a flat line-item appropriation separated it from automatic percentage scaling, making its yearly total rigid unless explicitly changed by lawmakers. This change was made in the current budget.
- Revenue Reliance: Public libraries rely on state funding for roughly 51% of their overall budgets (with the remainder largely tied to local property tax levies). Local governments rely on the LGF alongside broad local revenue powers (such as local property taxes, municipal income taxes, and service fees), whereas public libraries have narrower taxing authority and cannot levy local income or sales taxes.
- Per Capita Investment: Historically, Ohio has ranked near or at the top nationwide for per-capita state-level investment in public libraries, heavily outperforming national averages compared to local government aid structures which fluctuate closely with state economic conditions.
What does Lake County’s Morley Library think about books? Here is a picture we took in the parking lot of Morley Library during their recent renovation.
If we continue to vote for property tax levies, we are funding our own demise.
Here is the Budget Commission meeting with Morley Library Director and Fiscal Officer held on August 19, 2026.
We plan to record the Lake County’s Budget Commission meeting on August 28th at 11:00 am. It will be interesting to see how the Budget Commission rules on the $14 million in cash that the Morley Library has on their balance sheet.
From Treasurer Zuren’s comments at the meeting, it is abundantly clear that he has already decided to let Morley Library continue on their current path. The Prosecutor’s office will never go against a taxing authority since it is not politically expedient. So the left leaning agenda of the Morley Library, promoting pornographic books for youngsters, will continue.
Will we see consolidation of public libraries, just as we need in public schools? The public sector has outgrown the private sector’s ability to pay for the services.
Here are some prior articles we have written about Morley Library. You can blame Judge Paul Malchesky for the Morley Library continuous levy.
Who was the main driver of the continuous levy for the Morley Library? Why it is none other than “Mr. Continuous”, Paul Malchesky, now a Lake County judge. Malchesky, along with Chris Galloway, both Concord Trustees at the time, advocated for the continuous safety levy for Concord. Malchesky was appointed to the Morley Board and then “Bob’s your uncle” they pass a continuous property tax levy. They NEVER have to come before the voters again to justify the need for the tax.
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We are mad as hell, and are not going to take it anymore.
Any tax causing a citizen to become homeless is immoral!
Categories: Community Activism, Lake County - General, Uncategorized