Will Ohio GOP lawmakers have the votes to override property-tax vetoes?: Capitol Letter

Rotunda Rumblings

Session showdown: The Ohio House is back in session, but whether Republicans have the votes to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s property tax vetoes remain to be seen. Anna Staver reports that House members are getting lobbied hard to let the governor’s vetoes stand. DeWine promised to create a property tax working group that would develop alternative plans for relief by Sept 30. No word yet on when that committee will start meeting.

Stretching the rules: Ohio’s budget isn’t just about spending; it’s where some of the state’s biggest policy decisions get made. Lawmakers have used it to restrict abortion, limit what SNAP recipients can buy, overhaul retirement boards and mandate where books can be shelved in libraries. Critics say it violates the state constitution’s single-subject rule. But courts have largely allowed it. Staver deep dives into the why and the history of legislating by budget.

Draft dodging? Several times in recent years, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staff, as well as utility company officials, have gotten independent auditors to soften or delete draft report language that’s unfavorable toward utilities. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, PUCO critics point to examples of behind-the-scenes moves they say help allow powerful utilities to continue charging illegal or unfair fees to their customers. A PUCO spokesman, though, said such criticism is either misguided or an outright lie.

PBS cuts: The U.S. House of Representatives voted early Friday to approve a White House request to rescind $9 billion that Congress previously agreed to spend on public broadcasting and foreign aid, Sabrina Eaton writes. It passed by a 216 to 213 margin. All Ohio Republicans backed the measure except for Dayton’s Mike Turner while all the state’s Democrats opposed it. Turner did not release a statement explaining his vote.

Racy drawings: Before Jeffrey Epstein’s first arrest in 2006, billionaire retail magnate Leslie Wexner and dozens of other powerful associates—including Donald Trump—contributed to a 50th birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Wexner, then Epstein’s financial patron and closest known business ally, submitted a cryptic note: “I wanted to get you what you want… so here it is…” followed by a drawing resembling a woman’s breasts. Sabrina Eaton has more.

Off the map? While Ohio Republicans are expected to redraw the state’s congressional districts this year in a way that helps them pick up multiple seats in 2026, Ohio Democrats still have a card to play. As Andrew Tobias of Signal Ohio explains, if the GOP-led legislatures pass new maps via legislation, Democrats could try to put a repeal referendum on the 2026 ballot. All this is still theoretical, of course – and Republicans themselves have a couple potential ways to thwart such an attempt.

Full Disclosure

Here are five things we learned from the May 13, 2025 ethics disclosure form filed by state Rep. Lauren McNally, a Youngstown Democrat, about her 2024 finances:

1. Besides McNally’s 2024 legislative salary of $77,848.92, she only listed one source of income last year: a tax refund of less than $1,000.

2. McNally’s investments in 2024 included a rollover IRA with the John Arnold Wealth Management Company, a college savings 529 account with BlackRock, and an Ohio Public Employees Retirement System account.

3. At some point in 2024, McNally owed at least $1,000 to PNC Bank, GMC, Wells Fargo, and Chase Bank.

4. McNally listed two instances in which lobbyists spent money on her in 2024: the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce gave her a $40 ticket to its “Salute to Elected Officials” event in November, and a $50 ticket an “Appalachian luncheon” held by Heritage Ohio, the state’s historic preservation society, in December.

5. The Ohio House last year reimbursed McNally $3,192.32 for mileage between her home and Columbus, as well as $1,400.72 for lodging.

Birthdays 

State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney

Straight from the Source 

“A safe traveler is a well-rested traveler”

– Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, commenting as he cut the ribbon to celebrate new rest areas along Ohio roadways.

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