The State of Ohio is a weekly news program spotlighting the latest happenings at the Statehouse, in the Governor’s office, at the Ohio Supreme Court and throughout the Buckeye State. Award-winning host Karen Kasler presents viewers with unique analysis and thoughtful perspective on important issues of statewide interest through interviews with political leaders, newsmakers, experts and Ohio citizens. The State of Ohio is the only TV show to bring to Ohioans the latest news about taxes, voting, education and other critical matters from where it all happens -- Capitol Square.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Topics: Politics
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The ad campaign for the fall ballot is in full swing for and against one of the statewide issues – the one that would permit casinos in each of four Ohio cities. Economists who advise the state say the forecast for the coming year is still gloomy, and not much of a chance of bright spots - the governor's council of economic advisors is predicting that the average monthly unemployment rate for the coming fiscal year will be 11.9%. Voters may have a chance to keep or kill Ohio's estate tax. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity has started the paperwork to put the estate tax before the legislature, and if lawmakers don’t act, it could go to the ballot next year. The Ohio Historical Society has hired Burt Logan, the president of the USS Constitution Museum in Boston, to become its CEO and take over for Dr. William Laidlaw, who died suddenly last month. And the state remembers the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 through a display of nearly 3,000 on the Statehouse lawn.

Ohio’s 3C corridor of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati is right now – arguably – the most populous region in the country without regular, easily accessible passenger rail service. But the state is hoping to capitalize on that by applying for up to $400 million dollars from the federal government for its 3C Quick Start rail plan. But opponents still doubt the benefit would offset the huge start up bill and the continuing costs of supporting passenger train service. And the debate over passenger rail service is rushing forward at high speed. Jolene Molitaris, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, explains why the plan needs to stay on track.

It was a year ago that nearly a thousand state and local leaders and lobbyists came together for a conference on revitalizing Ohio cities. It centered on a report from the Brookings Institution, which described a fragmented system of state government in which programs don’t work together, and may even undermine each other. And the report's authors say it’s critical that Ohio officials change how they’re distributing money around the state. Former Republican state representative Gene Krebs and Lavea Brachman are the co-directors of the organization Greater Ohio, and say they've been very busy in the last year talking about the report and how it could change the state.

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