ISSUE 1: Proposed Constitutional Amendment
TO REQUIRE COURTS TO CONSIDER FACTORS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN SETTING THE AMOUNT OF BAIL
Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly
To amend Section 9 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
A majority yes vote is necessary for the amendment to pass.
The proposed amendment would:
• Require Ohio courts, when setting the amount of bail, to consider public safety, including the seriousness of the offense, as well as a person’s criminal record, the likelihood a person will return to court, and any other factor the Ohio General Assembly may prescribe.
• Remove the requirement that procedures for establishing the amount and conditions of bail be determined by the Supreme Court of Ohio.
PROS
• Bail is about appearing for the person’s court date according to the guidelines and the Supreme Court. This amendment ensures that courts, when setting bail, consider factors such as public safety, an individual’s criminal record, and the severity of the offense committed.
• Courts can consider public safety, among other factors, when setting the financial conditions of bail rather than the longer process of denying bail completely.
• Puts cash bail and its conditions directly in the Ohio Constitution.
• Gives individual courts more discretion in determining cash bail.
CONS
• This amendment would no longer require the Ohio Supreme Court to establish consistent rules of bail, placing cash bail and its conditions directly in the Ohio Constitution.
• There is no substantial evidence that bail ensures public safety. But rather, it can worsen or create inequities.
• Bail allows some accused persons with enough money to be freed pretrial, while others without enough money remain incarcerated for the same or lesser crime.
• Cash bail may lead the accused in jail during pretrial to plead guilty in exchange for their freedom while awaiting trial.
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Issue 2 : Proposed Constitutional Amendment
TO PROHIBIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM ALLOWING NON-ELECTORS TO VOTE
Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly
To amend Section 1 of Article V, Section 3 of Article X, and Section 3 of Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
A majority yes vote is necessary for the amendment to pass.
The proposed amendment would:
• Require that only a citizen of the United States, who is at least 18 years of age and who has been a legal resident and registered voter for at least 30 days, can vote at any state or local election held in this state.
• Prohibit local governments from allowing a person to vote in local elections if they are not legally qualified to vote in state elections.
[Note: Federal law does not allow noncitizens to vote in federal elections, but it does not prohibit them from voting in local elections.]
PROS
• This amendment would prevent the confusion for non-citizen legal residents voting in local elections.
• This amendment would protect non-citizens from adverse legal action in regard to voting.
• This amendment would prevent an increased administrative burden by creating a new system of voter registration for non-citizen legal residents in areas where this is enacted.
• Passing this initiative clarifies the intent of the Ohio Constitution in regard to citizenship and voting.
CONS
• This amendment prevents non-citizen legal residents from voting locally, which weakens community involvement and input in cities that allow it.
• Non-citizen legal residents are taxpaying members of our communities. This amendment prevents these residents from the right to vote provided to other taxpayers.
• This amendment weakens the ability of municipalities to govern themselves.
• This amendment eliminates the rights of 17-year old citizens (who will be 18 by election day) to vote in a primary election, as well as permanently makes the voter registration deadline 30 days prior to election day.
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Franklin County Issue 10: Senior Services Levy renewal
Franklin County Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal)
Supports a system of home- and community-based care for seniors and their families
Renewal of 1.75 mills, $0.175 per $100 valuation, for 5 years, commencing January 1, 2023.
League Explanation
The Franklin County Office on Aging is requesting that voters approve a 1.75 mill levy after the previous 1.75 mill levy expires at the end of 2022. This levy is a renewal of an existing 1.75 mill levy, originally approved in 2017. If approved, this levy renewal will last for 5 years and cost a homeowner with a home appraisal of $100,000, $41.13 per year.
Most of the funding supports four main senior services through the Franklin County Senior Options (FCSO) program. These include Home and Community Care, Customer Services Management, Safe Housing, and Community Support, Outreach and Specialized Services. The mission of FCSO is to help older adults maintain their sense of independence, retain a good quality of life and avoid or delay the need for costly institutional care. In addition to being less costly, older adults have a strong preference to remain at home. The majority - 95% - of funding for these services is supported by levy revenues. The other 5% of revenue comes from fees for services and grants.
Enrollment into FCSO has increased 20% from 2016 to 2021, reflecting the increasing demand for services in a growing elderly population. The typical recipient of these services is a female over age 75 who lives alone. Those 60 years and older currently make up 18% of the Franklin County Population. FranklinCounty's older adult population 60+ is predicted to double from 2010 – 2050.
Arguments Made in Support of Issue 10
- Services help older adults maintain their sense of independence, retain a good quality of life, and avoid or delay the need for more expensive institutional care.
- Customer satisfaction surveys show that over 90% of Senior Options participants highly value their services and their case managers.
Arguments Made in Opposition to Issue 10
- Senior services should rely less on property taxes and instead seek a more diverse base of funding (e.g., user fees).
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Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal and Increase)
Senior Citizens Services and Facilities
A renewal of 1.3 mills and an increase of 0.1 mill to constitute a tax for the benefit of Delaware County, Ohio for the purpose of providing services for senior citizens through SourcePoint (formerly known as the Council for Older Adults), including but not limited to, home delivered meals, transportation, in- home care, caregiver support and adult day care, at a rate not exceeding 1.4 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.14 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2023, first due in calendar year 2024.
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Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal) Madison County
A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Madison County for the purpose of maintaining and operating the 9-1-1 system at a rate not exceeding 1 mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.10 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2023, first due in calendar year 2024.
Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal) Madison County
A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Madison County for the purpose of operation and maintenance of Fairhaven programs for developmentally disabled persons at a rate not exceeding 1 mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.10 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2023, first due in calendar year 2024.
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Proposed Sales and Use Tax (Renewal)
The Board of County Commissioners of Union County proposes to levy a renewal of a sales and use tax in the amount of one quarter of one percent for the purpose of generating revenues to benefit the general fund to be allocated and split 50% for the improvement, construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of Union County roads and bridges and 50% for direct senior services including home delivered meals, home health care, transportation and other senior services for a period of 5 years.
Shall the resolution of the Union County Commissioners proposing a renewal of a one quarter of a one percent sales and use tax be approved?
