The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives from Ohio

As North Carolina Weighs Fracking, Questions Loom on Wastewater

Once a well is fracked, where does the waste go? Coastal communities in North Carolina are worried they’ll become dumping grounds.

Obama Administration Poised to Approve Arkansas-style Medicaid Expansions

The Obama Administration is inviting states to apply for Arkansas-style Medicaid expansions in an effort to woo those balking at traditional Medicaid expansion.

Expanding Medicaid with Private Insurance

Arkansas and Ohio are pursuing a “private option” for expanding Medicaid.

Ohio Provisional Ballots in the 2012 General Election

Nearly 210,000 provisional ballots were issued in Ohio in last November’s general election, almost the same number issued in 2008.

Should Public Workers Have to Live Where They Work?

Municipal residency requirements have gradually become less common. State efforts to ban them can get ugly as cities fight to maintain their middle class population base.

30 Cities: An Introductory Snapshot

Pew recently updated its 30-city snapshot interactive, with new data on population, home values, income and unemployment. Pew's American Cities Project focuses on the biggest city in the nation's 30 largest metro areas.

Ohio State of the State Address 2013

LIMA, Ohio -- Feb. 19 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. John Kasich's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Ohio Redistricting Overhaul Gains Support

Even if Ohio approves changes to its system for drawing legislative and congressional district lines, it will be a decade before they go into effect. That is one of the major reasons the changes have a chance to pass.

Adding Precincts in Summit County, Ohio

In recent election cycles, many jurisdictions reduced their numbers of precincts and polling places in part to save money. Last year Summit County, Ohio was one of these, decreasing the number of precincts from 475 to 298, which county officials estimate saved between $100,000 and $120,000.

Ohio Governor Backs Medicaid Expansion

Governor John Kasich will press lawmakers to expand Ohio’s Medicaid system, becoming the fifth Republican governor to endorse that key component of President Obama’s controversial health law.

Gas Tax Loses Favor as Governors Look for New Transportation Money

In the search for more transportation money, governors and state lawmakers are largely avoiding one of the most obvious and straightforward funding sources: state gasoline taxes.

Provisional Ballots in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

The use of provisional ballots has been the subject of much discussion in Ohio, with the state issuing these ballots at some of the highest rates in the nation over the past several elections.

Public Safety in Ohio

Public safety in Ohio.

Falling Short on Dental Sealants: Ohio

How well is Ohio protecting kids from tooth decay?

Toledo Blade: Taxpayers Can’t Afford Blank Checks to Business

Santa Claus has parked his sleigh for another year. But for a lot of businesses, the penchant of state officials — including those in Ohio and Michigan — to play Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick with taxpayer money is the gift that keeps on giving.

Economic Development Agencies Face New Scrutiny

When Wisconsin partially privatized its Department of Commerce last year, the hope was to create a less bureaucratic job creation organization. Since then, though, the new entity has faced a series of setbacks.

In Massacre’s Wake, Michigan Governor Vetoes Concealed Pistol Bill

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has vetoed a bill that would have allowed concealed weapons into schools and other places that are off limits under current state law.

Another Mass Shooting Revives Debate on Gun Laws

Another mass shooting is fueling another debate about the nation’s patchwork of gun laws. But this time some new and prominent faces are calling for the stricter gun measures.

Ohio Awaits Turnpike Study

Many Ohioans are eagerly awaiting the results of a yearlong study on the future of the Ohio Turnpike, but almost everybody, it seems, assumes that the study will call for privatization of the 241-mile-long toll road.

The Impact of the Fiscal Cliff: Ohio

Federal and state finances are closely intertwined, and the fiscal cliff’s tax and spending provisions will have consequences for states.

Early Voting in Battleground States

Earlier today, we provided an update on the millions of voters across the country who cast their ballots before Election Day. A look at data from certain battleground states finds significant use of early voting both by mail and in person.

In Some States, Election Season Could Linger Long After Tuesday

Here’s a look at several states whose elections may remain undecided long after Tuesday night.

Online Voter Registration Update

Earlier this month, we wrote about 13 states that now allow voters to register or update their registration information online, including five that rolled out this option statewide for the first time this year.

Ohio Military and Overseas Voting

While Ohio has recently been in the news for a number of election-related issues, administration of the upcoming election marches on, including the important task of sending ballots to thousands of military and overseas voters.

Poll Worker Pay

New research from the Pew Center on the States examines poll worker stipends from the country’s most populous election jurisdictions—Pew researchers looked at these counties’ election websites and contacted their elections offices—and found significant variation.

Supreme Court Denies Ohio Plea to Shorten Early Voting

The U.S. Supreme Court has rebuffed Ohio’s last-ditch attempt to shorten its early voting period, confirming victory for the Obama Administration which argued the move would disproportionally affect minority and low-income would-be voters — those more likely to vote Democratic.

Ohio Must Count “Right Place Wrong-Precinct” Ballots, Fed Court Says

Ohio elections officials must count provisional ballots with errors caused by elections officials, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

Supreme Court Considers Competency in Death Penalty Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments from Ohio and Arizona that federal judges should not be allowed to indefinitely stay a death sentence even if there are questions about an inmate’s mental competency.

Still Risky: Checking Accounts in Ohio

Checking accounts, the most widely used financial product in America, contain hidden risks that can harm consumers. Four of the 12 largest banks nationwide offer checking accounts in Ohio and hold 30 percent of all deposits in the state. Here’s what consumers in Ohio may be paying.

Federal Court Reinstates Early Voting in Ohio

Ohio counties can keep polls open for early voting the three days before Election Day, a federal appeals court ruled Friday, handing Democrats another victory in their battle to undo new restrictions on voting passed by Republican-led state legislatures.

Michigan Addresses Head Injuries in Youth Sports

Michigan is poised to join the growing list of states addressing head injuries in youth sports.

States Defend Anti-Terrorism Centers After Harsh Senate Report

Law enforcement agencies and state officials defended regional information-sharing offices known as “fusion centers” as a key part of the nation’s homeland security network. A Senate report questioned the value of the fusion centers, which they found had “not produced useful intelligence.”

Feds Slam Wisconsin Public-Private Partnership for Economic Development

Transferring control of Wisconsin’s economic development efforts from a state agency to a new public-private partnership was a focus of Governor Scott Walker’s campaign and one of the first things he accomplished when he took office.

California Scales Back Pension Benefits

A law signed by California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday will scale back retirement benefits for public employees in an effort to rein in the costs of the state’s woefully underfunded pension systems.

Democrats Seeking Comeback in State Legislatures

Republicans won landslide victories in legislative chambers two years ago. Democrats hope to reverse some of the results in November. In many states, though, it won’t be easy.

Farmers, Frackers and Scarce Water

Hydraulic fracturing by energy drillers may not be the heaviest consumer of water on parched land. But environmentalists and some farmers are starting to worry about it.

Ohioans Big Users of Payday Lending

The Columbus Dispatch: About 1 in 10 Ohioans has used payday loans in the past five years, among the higher rates in the nation.

Nine States Where Lenders Take Your Paycheck

Payday loans — small, short term loans secured against a customer’s next paycheck — are highly controversial. A new study from Pew Charitable Trusts explains that opponents believe the practice “preys” on people who, because of the high interest rates

Best of #StateReads: California Mental Health Money Spent Elsewhere

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Choices Often Limited in ‘School Choice’ Programs

Many top private schools have chosen not to participate in statewide voucher and scholarship tax credit programs in states such as Ohio, Louisiana and Florida.

Best of #StateReads: California Parks Director Resigns After Budget Revelations

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

States Find Laws Against Sports Head Injuries Tricky to Enact

Everyone wants to reduce the number of head injuries suffered by young athletes. But deciding just how to do that is more complicated than it might seem.

Provisional Ballots in Ohio, Part 2

A previous data dispatch examined the number of provisional ballots cast and counted in Ohio in 2009 and 2011. Data recently released from the state’s March 2012 primary sheds more light on the process in the Buckeye State.

The Cost of Voting Technology

Cost information on election administration is challenging to find. However, over the past decade election officials, academics, and advocates have made efforts to quantify the costs of one significant part of elections—voting technology.

Several U.S. States Deemed Best Global Oil and Gas Investments

Oklahoma is the best place on earth to invest in oil and gas development, according to a survey of energy executives. Six other states joined it in the top 10.

Best of #StateReads: Iowa Felons Struggle for Voting Rights

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Natural Gas Growth Adds Strain to State Regulators

To keep pace with a surge of natural gas drilling, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is looking to triple its staff of well inspectors. In many other states, inspection teams remain small while wells go unchecked.

Widening Gap Update: Ohio

Ohio failed to consistently pay its full annual pension contribution from 2005 to 2010. The system was 67 percent funded in fiscal year 2010 and faced a $58 billion funding gap. Most experts agree that a fiscally sustainable system should be at least 80 percent funded. The state also had a $43 billion bill for retiree health care costs, 32 percent of which was funded, well above the 8 percent national average in 2010.

Notable Counties—Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Continued

A previous dispatch noted the great elections data available from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Among those data is information about differences between the number of signatures in the poll books and the number of ballots cast, which at the end of Election Day should be the same.

Notable Counties—Cuyahoga County, Ohio

A vast amount of elections data can be found at the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Board of Elections website, through its detailed post-election certification and audit reports.