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The State of Ohio

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We're a year away from the 2026 primary, with a very low turnout one behind us. And Ohio's mayors are watching the budget process as they wrestle with housing, public safety and other big concerns. I talk to two of them, this week in "The State of Ohio". Mayors Andrew Ginther (D-Columbus) and Christina Muryn (R-Findlay) are studio guests.

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00:00:38	We're a year
00:00:39	away from the 2026 primary
00:00:39	with a very low turnout.
00:00:43	One behind us
00:00:44	and a high of mayors are
00:00:44	watching the budget process
00:00:47	as they wrestle
00:00:47	with housing, public safety
00:00:49	and other concerns.
00:00:50	I talked to two of them this
00:00:50	week in the state of Ohio.
00:01:11	Welcome to the state of Ohio.
00:01:13	I'm Karen Kasler.
00:01:15	We're a year
00:01:15	away from the primaries
00:01:16	that will decide
00:01:16	the major party
00:01:18	nominees for governor, U.S.
00:01:20	Senate, and other offices.
00:01:21	But there's big news
00:01:22	for both Democrats
00:01:22	and Republicans
00:01:24	this week related
00:01:24	to next year's big vote.
00:01:27	Democrats now
00:01:27	have an opening at the top,
00:01:29	with Ohio
00:01:29	Democratic Party Chair
00:01:31	Liz Walters
00:01:31	announcing her resignation
00:01:33	to accept the position
00:01:33	with Target Smart,
00:01:35	a national Democratic data
00:01:35	and strategy firm.
00:01:38	Walters said in a statement
00:01:39	on ABC's
00:01:39	that the ODP is in, quote,
00:01:42	the strongest
00:01:42	possible position for change,
00:01:45	and completing
00:01:45	a chair transition
00:01:46	now ensures
00:01:46	the next leader of our party
00:01:49	will have a healthy amount
00:01:50	of time to get their legs
00:01:50	under them for the 2026 cycle.
00:01:54	First, jump into the race
00:01:54	to be the new chair,
00:01:56	Senator Bill
00:01:56	Tamura of Columbus,
00:01:58	who would have to mobilize
00:01:58	the party
00:01:59	against a well-funded
00:01:59	Republican candidate
00:02:02	in a state that has voted
00:02:02	for the GOP in 80 of the last
00:02:05	96 statewide elections, a win
00:02:05	rate of 83% since 1994.
00:02:11	top of the ticket there
00:02:11	with like Ramaswamy,
00:02:13	who is got a lot of money
00:02:13	leading in the polling,
00:02:16	actively campaigning.
00:02:17	How do you beat him
00:02:17	as a Democrat?
00:02:20	You've said Doctor Amy Acton,
00:02:20	who is the only Democrat
00:02:22	in the race right
00:02:22	now, is not it?
00:02:24	I mean, I mean, if you go back
00:02:24	in history, I'm a I'm a
00:02:27	I have a history major.
00:02:28	I'm a student of history,
00:02:28	especially political history.
00:02:30	And, and we've had candidates
00:02:30	top the ticket
00:02:33	of the last three or 4 or 5
00:02:33	or like five, six cycles.
00:02:37	And, the only time we won
00:02:37	for governor was when we ran.
00:02:41	I'll be honest,
00:02:41	I white male against a non
00:02:44	white male,
00:02:44	the Republican Party.
00:02:46	And that shouldn't be Ted
00:02:46	Strickland against against,
00:02:49	Ken Blackwell.
00:02:50	I mean, we have Vivek Swamy,
00:02:52	who, is not a white male
00:02:52	who's got a funny name.
00:02:56	And I hate to say this,
00:02:57	but Ohio is still got
00:02:57	some tendencies that aren't
00:03:00	favorable to anybody
00:03:00	other than white men.
00:03:02	And I think
00:03:04	we need to run somebody
00:03:04	that is that demographic,
00:03:07	because that's what
00:03:08	Ohio has shown
00:03:08	in the last several,
00:03:10	say winning elections, that
00:03:10	we need to top of the ticket
00:03:10	that is going to
00:03:12	I mean, Rick Rubin
00:03:12	Swami is is a carpetbagger.
00:03:15	He moved his company from Ohio
00:03:15	to Texas.
00:03:19	He's I mean,
00:03:19	he has all this money,
00:03:21	but he doesn't actually
00:03:21	talk to people.
00:03:23	I mean,
00:03:23	he talks to the rich people.
00:03:24	That's all it's
00:03:24	always good for.
00:03:25	And, he can be beatable.
00:03:27	I think he's eminently
00:03:27	beatable.
00:03:28	If we get somebody
00:03:28	at the top of the ticket
00:03:30	who doesn't have,
00:03:33	again, listen, I don't know
00:03:34	Amy acting, but she worked
00:03:34	for a Republican governor.
00:03:37	She was she took down
00:03:37	abortion clinics,
00:03:39	and then she shut down the
00:03:39	state of Ohio during Covid.
00:03:41	It was the right thing
00:03:41	to do at the time.
00:03:42	But today,
00:03:42	people are are mad about that.
00:03:46	And I mean, everybody knows
00:03:46	the TV commercials coming.
00:03:49	You know,
00:03:49	I own a small business,
00:03:51	whether I'm white,
00:03:51	black woman, male, young, old,
00:03:55	and they're all going to it's
00:03:55	going to be same
00:03:57	commercials,
00:03:57	same commercials about
00:03:59	I shut down the state,
00:03:59	I lost my job.
00:04:00	I lost my business.
00:04:01	I didn't get to graduate on
00:04:01	time.
00:04:03	I didn't have a graduation.
00:04:03	I'm behind in my learning.
00:04:06	All those of those are the
00:04:06	commercials are going to run
00:04:08	because all my Republican
00:04:08	colleagues
00:04:10	that I served with,
00:04:10	we now all said
00:04:12	that they love the fact
00:04:12	that she's our candidate
00:04:14	because they're going
00:04:14	to run those commercials.
00:04:15	But, I mean, it's
00:04:15	not a secret.
00:04:16	It's if you do this for
00:04:16	a living, it's not a secret.
00:04:18	And I think we need
00:04:18	somebody who can,
00:04:21	I mean, we tried again,
00:04:21	the Democrat Party.
00:04:24	We tried.
00:04:24	And look at the election
00:04:24	results for the last.
00:04:26	I hate to say this because
00:04:28	I'm all pro women and wish me,
00:04:28	I mean, my girlfriend
00:04:31	cheat me if I wasn't, but,
00:04:31	we've had a woman at the top,
00:04:34	I think at three of the last
00:04:34	four statewide cycles,
00:04:36	and they all got drubbed.
00:04:38	And I don't like to say that,
00:04:38	but if you can only look
00:04:40	at the election results
00:04:40	and see
00:04:42	Nan Whaley,
00:04:42	their names are in the vote.
00:04:44	Kamala Harris, I mean,
00:04:44	you know, Hillary Clinton,
00:04:47	they all got beat
00:04:48	because Ohio is
00:04:49	just not as progressive
00:04:49	as other states in the union
00:04:52	because we know we are older,
00:04:54	whiter and less educated
00:04:55	than the state up north
00:04:55	than Illinois,
00:04:57	than Pennsylvania,
00:04:57	than Wisconsin.
00:04:59	Those are demographic
00:04:59	statistics
00:05:00	that are that are truth.
00:05:01	So until we get to the point
00:05:01	where we are more progressive
00:05:06	and more forward thinking
00:05:07	and have a
00:05:08	better diversity of our state,
00:05:08	as a general population,
00:05:12	we have to play the hand
00:05:12	as deltas.
00:05:13	And I just think that,
00:05:15	I mean,
00:05:16	we need to run
00:05:16	our best candidate,
00:05:17	and someone has name
00:05:17	recognition,
00:05:19	someone that doesn't have
00:05:19	a, you know, these things
00:05:23	that that have been out there.
00:05:24	And that's
00:05:24	what I'm looking to do
00:05:26	and look to do
00:05:26	some of the most
00:05:26	prominent names you mentioned,
00:05:28	you mentioned a couple
00:05:28	when you started
00:05:29	talking about Chris Radford,
00:05:29	David Pepper,
00:05:31	but also Sherrod Brown
00:05:31	and Tim Ryan.
00:05:33	All of those are white men
00:05:35	who've lost
00:05:35	races, lost statewide races.
00:05:38	And but if you noticed the one
00:05:38	on the top of the ticket
00:05:41	because since the Republicans
00:05:41	are innocent,
00:05:42	I gave my Republican
00:05:42	colleagues credit
00:05:44	that they know
00:05:44	how to fix things,
00:05:46	to change the rules, to win
00:05:46	elections.
00:05:47	I mean, that's what
00:05:47	they're good at.
00:05:48	That's the only thing
00:05:48	they're good at, actually,
00:05:49	is fixing the rules
00:05:49	to to win elections.
00:05:51	But, Tim Ryan was number
00:05:51	nine on the ballot when he ran
00:05:55	for the Senate, and our top of
00:05:55	the ticket got 38% the vote.
00:05:58	Sherrod
00:05:58	Brown was not the top ticket.
00:06:00	He was below Kamala Harris
00:06:00	and Supreme Court candidate
00:06:04	and then didn't
00:06:04	came toward Brown
00:06:05	even though he spent,
00:06:05	you know, the race
00:06:06	for the most expensive
00:06:06	in history of Ohio.
00:06:08	He did seven and a half,
00:06:08	eight points better than a
00:06:11	and then
00:06:11	a presidential candidate.
00:06:12	But you can't overcome
00:06:12	a top of the ticket
00:06:14	that loses by a large amount.
00:06:16	I mean, it's been shown
00:06:16	that both Tim
00:06:17	Ryan and Jerry Brown
00:06:17	made up 7.8 points
00:06:22	better
00:06:22	than the top of the ticket.
00:06:23	But you can't overcome
00:06:23	10 or 11 points,
00:06:27	which is what we've lost.
00:06:28	That's because we'll say
00:06:28	we're elections, right?
00:06:30	So you need someone
00:06:30	at the top of the ticket
00:06:32	because that's
00:06:32	the first person on the ballot
00:06:33	On Thursday, former U.S.
00:06:35	Senator Sherrod
00:06:35	Brown endorsed former
00:06:37	state Representative
00:06:37	Kathleen Clyde.
00:06:39	He said her, quote, commitment
00:06:40	to fielding strong candidates
00:06:40	up and down the ballot
00:06:43	and in every corner
00:06:43	of the state
00:06:45	demonstrates
00:06:45	her understanding of
00:06:47	what's at stake in the 2026
00:06:47	election and beyond.
00:06:50	And, quote,
00:06:51	we hope to hear directly
00:06:51	from Kathleen Clyde next week.
00:06:54	And on Friday,
00:06:54	the Ohio Republican Party's
00:06:57	state central committee met
00:06:58	to consider
00:06:58	endorsing Ramaswamy
00:07:00	for governor
00:07:00	over Attorney General Dave
00:07:02	Yost and former Morgan
00:07:03	County School Board
00:07:03	President Heather Hill.
00:07:06	There were some Republicans
00:07:06	who had asked
00:07:07	for no endorsement of anyone
00:07:09	that could leave the door open
00:07:11	for another candidate
00:07:11	not yet in the race,
00:07:13	such as Lieutenant Governor
00:07:13	Jim Tressel.
00:07:15	We'll have more on that
00:07:15	meeting next week as well.
00:07:18	The May primary brought out
00:07:20	less than 11% of voters
00:07:20	statewide.
00:07:23	Two thirds
00:07:23	of the school levies
00:07:24	that were on the ballot
00:07:24	passed,
00:07:26	though
00:07:26	the Madison Local Schools
00:07:28	levy in Butler County was tied
00:07:28	in unofficial results.
00:07:32	More than 86% of renewable
00:07:34	operating levies
00:07:34	were approved,
00:07:35	and just over 54% of new
00:07:35	operating levies passed,
00:07:39	but new capital requests
00:07:39	were soundly rejected.
00:07:42	Only 21%
00:07:42	of those bond and combination
00:07:45	bond levies passed,
00:07:47	which is similar
00:07:47	to how those levies
00:07:48	did in the March
00:07:48	primaries last year.
00:07:51	But all of the levies
00:07:51	for public libraries passed
00:07:54	with an average
00:07:54	approval of 69%.
00:07:57	Also approved issue two.
00:07:59	The renewal of a ten year
00:07:59	capital improvement program
00:08:01	for local road, bridge
00:08:01	and water and sewer projects.
00:08:05	Voters approved a half
00:08:06	$1 billion boost
00:08:06	in that program
00:08:08	from its last approval
00:08:08	ten years
00:08:10	ago, to a total of $2.5
00:08:10	billion over ten years.
00:08:13	Dozens of local officials
00:08:15	and government
00:08:15	affiliated groups, business
00:08:17	organizations and unions
00:08:17	supported issue two,
00:08:20	including the bypass Design
00:08:21	Coalition of mayors
00:08:21	from cities around the state.
00:08:24	I talked to two members
00:08:24	of the Ohio Mayors Alliance
00:08:27	about the issues
00:08:28	that had their attention
00:08:28	as they gathered
00:08:30	for their annual luncheon
00:08:30	last week.
00:08:32	Well, I know
00:08:33	housing has been
00:08:33	a top priority
00:08:33	for the governor
00:08:35	and one that we've made
00:08:35	some good success on with,
00:08:38	you know, some historic,
00:08:40	investments into housing tax
00:08:41	credits and other things,
00:08:41	obviously like tech.
00:08:45	One of the things that
00:08:45	I'm working on
00:08:45	as president of the U.S.
00:08:47	Conference of Mayors is doing,
00:08:47	a good bit of advocating.
00:08:50	I'll be in Washington again
00:08:50	next week
00:08:52	to advocate
00:08:53	our housing priorities,
00:08:53	because this is really not
00:08:56	only an issue around Ohio,
00:08:56	but around the entire country.
00:08:59	You know, housing
00:09:00	prices and rents are going
00:09:00	faster than folks incomes.
00:09:03	And so we need to address this
00:09:03	supply crisis as a nation.
00:09:08	We're somewhere between 4
00:09:08	and 6 million units short
00:09:11	across the country.
00:09:12	I know we're 200,000
00:09:12	short here in central Ohio,
00:09:15	and every community
00:09:15	has different housing needs.
00:09:17	But we do know that supply
00:09:20	and dealing
00:09:20	with the supply crisis
00:09:22	we've under built since,
00:09:22	quite honestly,
00:09:23	before the Great Recession,
00:09:25	and this issue
00:09:25	was just compounded
00:09:27	over the last 12 or 14 years.
00:09:28	I believe you've talked about
00:09:29	a bond package
00:09:29	to help with that.
00:09:32	I want to ask you,
00:09:32	in Findlay, I mean, I don't
00:09:36	think people necessarily
00:09:36	think about affordable
00:09:37	housing shortages there,
00:09:37	but obviously
00:09:40	you've got the property
00:09:40	tax issue as well.
00:09:41	So, yeah,
00:09:41	it's an issue for you too.
00:09:43	This is certainly an issue.
00:09:44	And as Mayor Guenther
00:09:44	said, it's
00:09:46	an issue across the country
00:09:46	and all community types.
00:09:49	And one of the things
00:09:49	that we've looked at in
00:09:50	Findlay is that affordable
00:09:52	means different things
00:09:52	to different people, right?
00:09:54	So it's not just, hey,
00:09:54	we need low income housing,
00:09:57	we really need
00:09:57	housing across the spectrum.
00:09:58	And one of the things we're
00:09:59	talking about is
00:09:59	how can we help incentivize
00:10:02	single family
00:10:03	owner occupied housing,
00:10:03	because we have property
00:10:06	tax abatement
00:10:06	and different state incentives
00:10:08	that we can work on
00:10:09	to have the apartments
00:10:09	or condos
00:10:11	or rental properties, those
00:10:11	commercial tax properties.
00:10:14	But how do we also
00:10:14	make sure that we are
00:10:16	helping support individuals
00:10:16	who want to own the asset?
00:10:19	And that's something that
00:10:19	we're trying to figure out.
00:10:20	One of the big barriers
00:10:20	to development in communities
00:10:23	like mine
00:10:24	and really all communities, is
00:10:24	the infrastructure cost rate
00:10:27	when we're trying
00:10:27	to put in a new subdivision.
00:10:29	So I know that there's
00:10:29	some state,
00:10:31	discussions
00:10:31	specifically in the Senate.
00:10:33	I've talked to Senator
00:10:33	McCauley regularly,
00:10:35	and this is an important topic
00:10:35	for him.
00:10:37	And so I'm hoping that
00:10:37	we'll be able to come up
00:10:38	with some creative solutions
00:10:38	that may allow
00:10:41	local communities like mine
00:10:41	to come to the table and say,
00:10:44	how do we address this
00:10:44	to help offset
00:10:46	that infrastructure costs
00:10:46	and help spur development?
00:10:49	Do you think about the past,
00:10:49	the present
00:10:51	and the future of Ohio's
00:10:51	economy?
00:10:53	It runs through Ohio's cities.
00:10:54	Over 80% of the state's GDP
00:10:57	in America's GDP runs
00:10:57	through metro economies.
00:11:00	And we also know that
00:11:00	if we embrace growth,
00:11:04	we help to spread that
00:11:04	tax burden,
00:11:08	you know, by
00:11:08	growing as a city, as a state,
00:11:12	we have more folks
00:11:12	participating in that process,
00:11:14	and that lessens
00:11:14	the tax burden over time,
00:11:17	whether it's
00:11:17	to fund our schools,
00:11:19	our police departments,
00:11:19	whatever the needs are,
00:11:21	you know, at the local level.
00:11:23	And so,
00:11:24	we're bullish
00:11:25	on our future here in central
00:11:25	Ohio, in that of the state.
00:11:28	But it means that we're going
00:11:28	to have to embrace housing
00:11:32	the way
00:11:32	we have economic development
00:11:32	over the last 20 years.
00:11:36	Let's talk about taxes
00:11:36	for a minute here in the House
00:11:37	version of the budget
00:11:37	says that communities
00:11:39	with dispensaries,
00:11:39	marijuana dispensaries
00:11:41	will get 20% of the revenue
00:11:43	for five years,
00:11:43	whereas the current law says
00:11:46	you get that money
00:11:46	in perpetuity.
00:11:48	There's no time
00:11:48	limit set on that.
00:11:50	What are your thoughts
00:11:50	on that money?
00:11:53	How will you absorb
00:11:53	losing that money?
00:11:56	Yeah, well,
00:11:56	certainly we're grateful
00:11:57	that they are having the local
00:11:57	community funds available.
00:12:01	That is an important part
00:12:02	of moving this forward
00:12:02	in our communities
00:12:04	that have stepped up
00:12:04	and said that they're willing
00:12:06	to work with dispensaries
00:12:06	in their community.
00:12:09	Certainly
00:12:09	the restoration is helpful,
00:12:10	but we do believe that
00:12:11	we should be receiving
00:12:11	that long term.
00:12:13	That's a business that's
00:12:13	occurring in our community.
00:12:15	The state voters passed this
00:12:15	with that structure in mind.
00:12:19	And so that's an expectation
00:12:20	that I think
00:12:20	would be really beneficial
00:12:22	to give back
00:12:22	that local control
00:12:24	and support a revenue stream
00:12:24	that's so critical
00:12:26	for us to be able to invest
00:12:27	in our safety services
00:12:27	or other amenities
00:12:30	that are critical
00:12:30	to supporting our community.
00:12:32	We trust voters and voters
00:12:34	knew what they were doing
00:12:35	when they voted
00:12:35	for this and passed it,
00:12:36	and we believe we ought
00:12:36	to honor their wishes,
00:12:39	and honor the commitments
00:12:40	of the ballot language
00:12:40	that they supported.
00:12:42	I think this is something
00:12:43	that a lot of people think
00:12:44	Columbus and central
00:12:44	Ohio primarily,
00:12:46	but it really does affect
00:12:46	the entire state.
00:12:48	It's estimated
00:12:48	that Ohio could be in a full
00:12:48	on energy crisis by 2027,
00:12:52	if the electrical grid
00:12:52	is not shored up.
00:12:54	So let me start with you,
00:12:54	mayor. There.
00:12:56	What can be done about this?
00:12:59	Well, this is going to be
00:12:59	a collective community left.
00:13:01	And luckily
00:13:01	we've got great leadership.
00:13:03	The Ohio Business Roundtable,
00:13:04	one Columbus,
00:13:04	the Columbus Partnership,
00:13:06	that of all in the Ohio
00:13:07	Chamber, that all been part
00:13:09	of putting out
00:13:09	a set of recommendations.
00:13:11	And it's everything
00:13:11	from embracing renewables to,
00:13:14	shoring up our grid
00:13:14	and making sure that it is,
00:13:18	able to support
00:13:18	and grow in the years ahead.
00:13:22	We believe our job
00:13:22	is to continue to create jobs
00:13:25	and grow the economy
00:13:25	for the entire state
00:13:27	here in central Ohio.
00:13:28	But we have to invest
00:13:28	in ourselves
00:13:30	and our infrastructure
00:13:30	to do that.
00:13:31	And so investing in that grid,
00:13:31	making that that grid
00:13:35	stronger, more secure,
00:13:35	it's sustainable
00:13:38	for the future
00:13:38	is going to be a top priority.
00:13:40	And I think a lot of people
00:13:40	do associate this
00:13:42	with Central Ohio
00:13:42	because of the data centers
00:13:44	and these kind of things.
00:13:45	But this does affect
00:13:45	the entire state.
00:13:47	It affects Western Ohio's.
00:13:48	Well, definitely.
00:13:49	You know,
00:13:49	Findlay is no different
00:13:51	with making sure
00:13:51	that as we have businesses
00:13:53	looking for investment
00:13:53	in our community, energy,
00:13:56	water, sewer, land
00:13:58	are the things that they're
00:13:58	asking for immediately.
00:14:01	And I would completely agree
00:14:01	with Mayor Gunther
00:14:02	that it is one,
00:14:02	a national defense concern,
00:14:05	that our grid
00:14:05	is woefully underinvested in.
00:14:08	It is a liability to us,
00:14:09	and we need to be having
00:14:09	a comprehensive approach
00:14:12	to investing in our energy
00:14:12	grid at the state level.
00:14:14	It's also
00:14:14	a competitive advantage,
00:14:16	that we can really harness
00:14:16	ourselves to have affordable
00:14:19	renewable energy.
00:14:21	And that means a yes and
00:14:21	approach to our energy grid.
00:14:24	So we need to continue
00:14:24	to look at
00:14:25	and there's been
00:14:25	some great recommended actions
00:14:27	on how we continue
00:14:27	to invest in that.
00:14:29	But obviously making sure
00:14:29	that we're doing it in
00:14:32	and a, a strategic approach
00:14:32	because it is a great cost
00:14:36	to the users
00:14:36	across the state of Ohio.
00:14:38	And obviously energy and,
00:14:40	investment
00:14:40	has been a key topic
00:14:42	and something
00:14:42	that we need to continue to
00:14:44	keep on the top of our radar.
00:14:46	At the end of last session,
00:14:47	there was a bill
00:14:47	that the mayors
00:14:48	Alliance came out and opposed
00:14:50	that would have increased
00:14:50	the municipal contribution
00:14:52	to the Ohio Police and Fire
00:14:52	Pension Fund.
00:14:54	The alliance was concerned
00:14:54	about,
00:14:56	that could lead to layoffs.
00:14:58	It could lead
00:14:58	to lack of recruitment
00:15:00	from cities
00:15:00	that can't afford to do this.
00:15:02	That the lack of investment
00:15:02	in public safety,
00:15:05	police and fire
00:15:05	said they make concessions.
00:15:07	It's time for municipalities
00:15:07	to now kick in.
00:15:09	Have you heard anything more
00:15:09	about whether this proposal
00:15:12	will be coming back?
00:15:13	Since the fund is facing
00:15:13	a fiscal emergency?
00:15:17	We're,
00:15:18	You know,
00:15:18	I'm really proud of the fact
00:15:19	that our police officers
00:15:19	are some of the highest paid
00:15:21	police officers in the state.
00:15:23	We support our officers.
00:15:24	We continue to invest.
00:15:26	We've been blessed to be able
00:15:26	to invest
00:15:27	in three police classes
00:15:27	a year.
00:15:29	Our goal and vision
00:15:29	is to put more officers
00:15:31	on the street than ever before
00:15:31	in the city's history,
00:15:33	which is important
00:15:33	because we continue to grow.
00:15:36	This is not an issue of
00:15:37	of supporting or not
00:15:37	supporting law enforcement.
00:15:40	We need to keep our resources
00:15:40	focused
00:15:43	on keeping our neighborhoods
00:15:43	safe, adding more officers,
00:15:46	getting the highest trained,
00:15:46	best officers
00:15:49	out in the streets.
00:15:50	And we're more than happy
00:15:50	to work on a solution, with
00:15:54	the FOP and other partners
00:15:54	that make sense, that,
00:15:58	you know, has everybody
00:15:58	that's part of the solution.
00:16:01	But simply, you know,
00:16:01	putting this through,
00:16:04	you know, in
00:16:04	lame duck and sticking
00:16:07	cities, like Columbus
00:16:07	and Findlay and others
00:16:10	with millions and millions
00:16:10	of dollars, of course,
00:16:13	without us being at the table,
00:16:15	without us
00:16:15	being part of the solution
00:16:17	is just something
00:16:17	that I can't take
00:16:19	back to the taxpayers
00:16:19	of Columbus.
00:16:21	And accept.
00:16:22	Yeah.
00:16:23	So this is certainly something
00:16:24	my my father was an auxiliary
00:16:24	police officer.
00:16:26	My stepfather
00:16:26	was a firefighter.
00:16:28	And so something
00:16:29	we definitely are supportive
00:16:29	of our police and fire.
00:16:32	The thing
00:16:32	that we really struggled with,
00:16:34	and from my standpoint
00:16:35	is that our
00:16:35	our budgets are finite
00:16:38	and we are already under
00:16:38	strain.
00:16:40	And how
00:16:40	we make sure
00:16:40	that we are investing where
00:16:42	we need to invest and keeping
00:16:42	folks on our streets
00:16:44	is our top priority
00:16:44	to keep our community safe.
00:16:47	When we were looking
00:16:47	at the pension bill,
00:16:50	my main concern was
00:16:51	that the data was based off
00:16:51	of pre-COVID investments
00:16:54	that we had been making
00:16:54	into our law enforcement
00:16:57	and our fire departments.
00:16:58	And so the wages,
00:16:59	the amount that's being paid
00:16:59	in had not been, updated
00:17:02	to really reflect
00:17:02	that investment.
00:17:04	And so right now,
00:17:04	it's my understanding
00:17:06	that there's an analysis
00:17:06	that's being complete.
00:17:09	Their report should be
00:17:09	released later this year
00:17:11	that will give us better data
00:17:13	to make a decision
00:17:13	that's going to make sure
00:17:15	that the fund is sustainable
00:17:15	long term,
00:17:17	but that we're not
00:17:17	throwing money at a problem
00:17:19	that's really not going to get
00:17:19	to the root cause.
00:17:22	One of the fun things
00:17:22	to talk about with mayors is,
00:17:24	local control and home rule,
00:17:24	because quite often
00:17:27	legislation runs
00:17:27	right up against that.
00:17:30	Specifically, there is a bill
00:17:30	that would require
00:17:32	local law enforcement
00:17:33	to cooperate
00:17:33	with the federal government
00:17:35	in the enforcement
00:17:35	of immigration laws.
00:17:37	And would cut funding
00:17:37	for noncompliance.
00:17:39	This is not only
00:17:39	a federal authority
00:17:41	potentially issue, but it's
00:17:41	a home rule issue, is it not?
00:17:44	I mean,
00:17:44	what are your views
00:17:45	on legislation that would tell
00:17:45	your communities
00:17:49	how to handle this?
00:17:50	Well,
00:17:50	we work with federal, state
00:17:52	and other local
00:17:52	law enforcement every day,
00:17:55	going after criminals
00:17:56	who've committed crimes
00:17:56	in our communities.
00:17:59	What we've said and we, via
00:17:59	executive order and council,
00:18:04	later codified back in 2017,
00:18:04	is that we weren't going to do
00:18:08	the federal government's job
00:18:08	of immigration enforcement.
00:18:11	And so does that make you
00:18:11	a sanctuary city?
00:18:14	You know,
00:18:15	we believe that we're a safe
00:18:15	and welcoming city to all.
00:18:18	We want, the best
00:18:18	and the brightest
00:18:19	from all over the world.
00:18:20	If there are folks
00:18:21	that have committed crimes
00:18:21	in this community
00:18:24	or any other community
00:18:24	in this country,
00:18:26	we we raise our hand,
00:18:26	we stand ready,
00:18:28	willing and able
00:18:29	and work with federal, state
00:18:29	and other local authorities
00:18:32	every day
00:18:32	to go after criminals
00:18:35	who commit crimes
00:18:35	in our community.
00:18:37	But we also have made
00:18:37	very clear,
00:18:39	that we're not going to do
00:18:39	the federal government's job
00:18:42	for them.
00:18:42	And quite honestly,
00:18:44	the city of Columbus,
00:18:44	the taxpayers of Columbus
00:18:46	are spending hundreds
00:18:46	of millions of dollars
00:18:48	on the Columbus
00:18:48	Division of Police.
00:18:50	They want their officers
00:18:51	fighting crime
00:18:51	in their neighborhoods,
00:18:53	making their neighborhoods
00:18:54	safer for seniors
00:18:54	and for children.
00:18:57	That's where they want
00:18:57	their money going.
00:18:59	And that's why
00:18:59	we're seeing crime come down
00:19:01	dramatically in cities
00:19:01	across the state
00:19:04	and this nation,
00:19:05	because of the great work
00:19:05	in partnership
00:19:07	between the community
00:19:07	and law enforcement.
00:19:10	And how do you see this?
00:19:11	Do you see this
00:19:11	as a public safety issue,
00:19:13	a local control
00:19:13	issue, a federal issue?
00:19:15	Yes. All of those things.
00:19:16	I would agree
00:19:16	with Mayor Guenther, though,
00:19:18	that the expectation is,
00:19:18	first of all, mayors.
00:19:21	We are not saying,
00:19:21	hey, if somebody is breaking
00:19:23	the law,
00:19:23	you just get away with it.
00:19:25	That is not how we operate.
00:19:26	We are safety focused and want
00:19:26	to keep our community safe.
00:19:29	to use a different example
00:19:29	I think it's maybe best
00:19:32	because this has become so
00:19:32	politicized, is
00:19:34	we would have an issue
00:19:34	if the federal government,
00:19:37	the IRS, called us and said,
00:19:37	hey, Finley,
00:19:39	I want you to start
00:19:40	taking care of all of the tax
00:19:40	processing for Reds,
00:19:42	for federal taxes
00:19:42	and your community.
00:19:45	We're not set up to do that.
00:19:46	We don't have the resources
00:19:46	to do that.
00:19:48	That's not our job,
00:19:48	and that's not
00:19:49	what our taxpayers
00:19:49	have paid us to focus on.
00:19:52	So we're not saying,
00:19:53	hey, we're going
00:19:53	to be adversarial to you,
00:19:55	but we're saying that's
00:19:55	not the
00:19:56	the responsibility
00:19:56	that we have.
00:19:58	You are in the structure
00:19:58	to do that.
00:20:00	And that's
00:20:00	your responsibility.
00:20:01	And we're here to collaborate
00:20:01	when appropriate.
00:20:03	We're not going to enforce
00:20:03	federal tax laws
00:20:06	or immigration laws
00:20:06	that people commit crimes
00:20:09	in our community.
00:20:10	We're going to work,
00:20:11	you know, hand in glove
00:20:11	with anyone and everyone
00:20:14	that can make our community
00:20:14	safer.
00:20:16	You've mentioned that you are
00:20:16	the president of the U.S.
00:20:18	Conference of Mayors,
00:20:18	and that you're
00:20:19	going back to DC very shortly.
00:20:21	You've probably making
00:20:22	many trips to DC to advocate
00:20:22	on, various policies.
00:20:26	And the city of Columbus
00:20:26	is kind of pushed up
00:20:28	against the Trump
00:20:28	administration on some things
00:20:30	cutting for funding for
00:20:30	infectious disease programs.
00:20:33	Also, D-I programs,
00:20:33	remote work.
00:20:37	I mean, there's
00:20:37	a lot of issues that Columbus
00:20:40	and I guess
00:20:40	other cities around
00:20:42	the country are pushing
00:20:42	back on what is viewed
00:20:46	as maybe federal,
00:20:46	interference.
00:20:50	Well,
00:20:50	we believe strongly that,
00:20:52	Congress
00:20:52	appropriates and wants
00:20:53	that money
00:20:53	has been appropriated.
00:20:55	And a commitment
00:20:55	has been made on behalf
00:20:57	of the federal government
00:20:57	that the executive doesn't
00:20:59	have the authority
00:20:59	or power to cancel that,
00:21:02	or to stop that.
00:21:04	And so, you know,
00:21:04	in the case of Columbus
00:21:06	Public Health, over
00:21:06	half of Columbus Public Health
00:21:08	employees are funded
00:21:08	by the federal government.
00:21:11	And by canceling this grant
00:21:11	that had already been awarded
00:21:14	that already, agreements
00:21:14	are all been signed.
00:21:17	We ended up laying off
00:21:17	11 full time employees
00:21:21	who were working on
00:21:21	infectious disease control
00:21:25	coming out of a pandemic,
00:21:25	with measles outbreaks
00:21:27	all over the country.
00:21:28	That's not acceptable.
00:21:31	And that's why you're in.
00:21:32	And that's exactly
00:21:33	what I would say in any awards
00:21:33	that are made to this city
00:21:36	or to cities
00:21:36	across the country,
00:21:39	we believe strongly
00:21:39	that money, is a commitment
00:21:42	and that there has been,
00:21:44	you know, a sacred bond
00:21:44	that's been created
00:21:46	between the federal government
00:21:46	and the local government.
00:21:50	And we
00:21:50	don't think it's appropriate
00:21:51	for the federal government,
00:21:51	to tell states or cities,
00:21:56	that their funding is at risk
00:21:56	because,
00:22:01	you know,
00:22:01	of these other issues
00:22:03	that have nothing to do
00:22:03	with public health,
00:22:07	public safety, public service,
00:22:07	public utilities.
00:22:11	I tell people all the time,
00:22:12	three kinds of people
00:22:12	in America
00:22:13	Republicans, Democrats
00:22:13	and mayors, you know,
00:22:17	there's not a Republican
00:22:17	or Democratic way
00:22:18	to pick up the trash
00:22:18	to plow the snow,
00:22:21	to make sure you have safe,
00:22:21	clean drinking water.
00:22:24	So the blue and red
00:22:24	fights in DC
00:22:26	do not belong in our cities.
00:22:28	We're focused on delivering
00:22:30	for the people
00:22:30	of our communities.
00:22:31	And, mayor,
00:22:31	you are a Republican,
00:22:33	but do you view some of this
00:22:33	as as a conflict
00:22:35	over local control
00:22:35	and deciding what
00:22:38	your residents want versus
00:22:38	the larger federal picture?
00:22:43	The larger state picture?
00:22:44	There
00:22:44	definitely have been instances
00:22:46	where there is
00:22:46	a legitimate legal argument
00:22:46	from the federal, state
00:22:49	and local level.
00:22:50	And I think the message
00:22:50	that I always portray,
00:22:52	and that's an important part
00:22:52	of the Ohio Mayors Alliance,
00:22:55	is that
00:22:55	we're here to work together.
00:22:56	We are all in these positions
00:22:56	to serve our residents.
00:23:00	We've all taken
00:23:00	an oath of office
00:23:02	that says
00:23:02	we're going to uphold
00:23:03	the Constitution
00:23:03	of the United States,
00:23:04	the Constitution
00:23:04	of the state of Ohio,
00:23:06	and in my case, the ordinances
00:23:06	of the city of Findlay.
00:23:09	We're all also for efficiency
00:23:10	and wise
00:23:10	use of the taxpayer dollars.
00:23:12	I'm paying taxes.
00:23:13	I want to see them used
00:23:13	wisely. We are here to help
00:23:16	and identify processes
00:23:16	for efficiency.
00:23:19	I think
00:23:19	one of the big struggles
00:23:20	that our communities
00:23:20	are facing right now
00:23:22	is that there are headlines
00:23:22	that really don't
00:23:24	get to the detail, and we have
00:23:24	then responsibility
00:23:28	to determine
00:23:28	how it really impacts
00:23:30	on the minute level
00:23:30	in our communities.
00:23:33	And it's wreaking a lot of
00:23:34	havoc by having headlines
00:23:36	that really don't
00:23:36	give us clear direction.
00:23:38	So I think that
00:23:38	any opportunity for us to work
00:23:41	with the state
00:23:41	or federal government
00:23:42	to really see
00:23:42	how the rubber meets the road
00:23:44	and we can all do what's right
00:23:44	for our communities
00:23:47	that we're here
00:23:47	to, to be a part of that.
00:23:49	And know
00:23:49	you say this isn't political.
00:23:51	There's mayors are not
00:23:52	Republicans or Democrats,
00:23:52	but some of you are.
00:23:54	I mean, you definitely are.
00:23:56	There are mayors
00:23:57	who run for political office
00:23:57	from your organizations.
00:24:00	And there's a perception,
00:24:00	I think, that the state treats
00:24:03	urban areas and rural areas
00:24:03	differently.
00:24:05	Is does that make it hard
00:24:05	for mayors of big cities
00:24:09	and mayors
00:24:09	of smaller communities
00:24:10	to come together
00:24:10	and agree on things?
00:24:12	Well, I think that both the
00:24:12	Mayor's alliance and the U.S.
00:24:14	Conference of Mayors, we still
00:24:14	believe in bipartisanship.
00:24:18	We still believe that
00:24:18	we can come together.
00:24:20	You know, we subscribe
00:24:21	to the old Ronald Reagan
00:24:21	tip no real, tip O'Neill rule.
00:24:24	And that somebody that agrees
00:24:24	with me
00:24:26	80% of
00:24:26	the time is not my enemy.
00:24:28	And I'm not going to let
00:24:29	the 20% that we may disagree
00:24:29	or disagree on giving away
00:24:33	the 80%
00:24:33	that we can work together on.
00:24:35	And so we believe that
00:24:36	the greater good
00:24:36	for our communities,
00:24:39	for our state
00:24:39	and our nation is
00:24:41	when we share ideas
00:24:41	based on data, best practices,
00:24:45	and figure out
00:24:45	how we can deliver
00:24:47	the highest quality services
00:24:49	and support to the taxpayers
00:24:49	who are paying the bill.
00:24:52	Yeah, we know it.
00:24:53	So much of the political
00:24:53	rhetoric at the federal level,
00:24:57	at the state level
00:24:57	and even at the local level,
00:24:59	deters from the work
00:24:59	that we're really here to do.
00:25:02	And certainly we don't agree
00:25:02	on everything, I'm sure.
00:25:05	But but
00:25:05	when we get down to it,
00:25:08	we all are
00:25:08	focused on the same things.
00:25:10	The execution may look
00:25:10	different, but with the U.S.
00:25:12	Conference of Mayors,
00:25:13	which I'm
00:25:13	on the advisory board of,
00:25:13	as well as Ohio
00:25:15	Mayors Alliance,
00:25:15	when we look at both
00:25:16	of those organizations,
00:25:17	we get in a room and we say,
00:25:17	what can we agree on?
00:25:20	And how do we work together
00:25:20	to emphasize that voice?
00:25:23	Do we have disagreements?
00:25:23	Certainly.
00:25:24	But I would say largely
00:25:25	we agree on the meat
00:25:25	and potatoes
00:25:27	of local government
00:25:27	and how we run our cities.
00:25:30	And that is it for this week
00:25:30	from my colleagues
00:25:32	at the Statehouse News
00:25:32	Bureau of Ohio Public Media.
00:25:34	Thanks for watching.
00:25:35	Please check out our website
00:25:35	at State news.org
00:25:37	or find us online by searching
00:25:37	State of Ohio Show.
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00:25:50	You can also hear more
00:25:50	from my colleagues
00:25:51	Joe Ingles and Sarah Donaldson
00:25:51	and me on our podcast,
00:25:54	The Ohio State House
00:25:54	Group, every Monday morning.
00:25:57	And please join us again next
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00:26:08	comes from Medical Mutual,
00:26:09	dedicated to the health
00:26:09	and well-being of Ohioans,
00:26:12	offering health insurance
00:26:12	plans, as well as dental,
00:26:15	vision and wellness programs
00:26:15	to help people
00:26:17	achieve their goals
00:26:17	and remain healthy.
00:26:19	More at Med mutual.com.
00:26:21	The law offices of Porter,
00:26:21	right, Morris and Arthur LLP.
00:26:24	Porter Wright is dedicated
00:26:24	to bringing inspired legal
00:26:27	outcomes to the Ohio business
00:26:27	community.
00:26:30	More at porterwright.com.
00:26:31	Porter Wright
00:26:31	inspired Every day
00:26:34	in Ohio Education Association,
00:26:34	representing 120,000
00:26:37	educators who are united
00:26:37	in their mission
00:26:39	to create the excellent
00:26:39	public schools.
00:26:41	Every child
00:26:41	deserves more at OHEA.org.

Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions