Latest news with #AdamMathews
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers want local governments to create cybersecurity plans
Government requirements and culture can make upgrading aging computer systems difficult, experts say. (Getty Images) Ohio House lawmakers got a stark warning Tuesday from a leading cybersecurity firm: potential threats are changing 'dramatically' in terms of 'sophistication, speed and complexity.' The presentation came on the heels of lawmakers introducing a bill requiring municipalities to develop their own cybersecurity policies. House Bill 283 is a response to wave of cyber-attacks aimed at relatively low-level government agencies. The bill's co-sponsor, state Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, explained in April last year, the state auditor reported at least 23 cyberattacks against government offices in the last 12 months. 'In Licking County,' Ghanbari added, 'just one attack resulted in the theft of more than $700,000.' The measure directs local governments to review their systems and identity risks and detection strategies. The also have to develop training programs and create plans for repair, and response and in the event of an attack. Ghanbari's co-sponsor, state Rep. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, said locals would have to inform state safety officials within seven days and the state auditor within 30. 'This will ensure prompt and accurate information is relayed to the proper authorities involved in the response,' he said. The proposal also puts added pressure on local response to ransomware attacks. Under the proposal, Matthews said, municipal governments would be prohibited from paying a ransom unless it 'formally and out in the open' approved legislation to that effect. 'This requirement bolsters transparency and ensures constituents are both aware of the incident's occurrence and have an opportunity to provide feedback on the best use of their taxpayer dollars,' he said. Thomas MacLellan from the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, told lawmakers that governments, agencies and businesses aren't defending against a random hacker. 'Ransomware is now a business,' he said. 'It is a business where they actually have help desks.' And just as the sophistication of attacks has grown, so has the speed. 'In 2021, it took about nine days to exfiltrate data,' he said of bad actors removing information. 'In the latest attacks now leveraging artificial intelligence, it literally only takes hours.' Beyond these kinds of ransom attacks, where an actor holds critical data or access hostage in exchange for money, MacLellan described several other threats, including attackers exploiting industrial control systems. 'Those are the things, the switches that turn on things that are connected to the internet,' MacLellan said, 'that turn on bridges and dams and traffic lights and hospital systems.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In terms of preparing for attacks, he suggested state lawmakers get a security firm on retainer. 'You need a bat phone,' MacLellan said, 'to be able to pick up and say, we need some help, because we are overwhelmed, we've been hit by something.' Notably, Palo Alto Networks could be the one on the other end of that phone line. He also argued the state needs to be aggressive about understanding and monitoring its exposure — what MacLellan termed 'attack surface management.' A computer, router or other piece of hardware running out-of-date software could be a vulnerability, he said, and organizations need to make sure to find and fix those problems. MacLellan added that some states have begun developing joint security operations, effectively a state-run cybersecurity team to protect state and local governments in the event of an attack. He repeatedly argued the biggest challenge in cybersecurity is workforce; centralizing talent could allow for greater reach and impact. State Reps. Ismail Mohamed, D-Columbus, and Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, asked HB 283's sponsors about a statewide approach to cybersecurity planning. 'Why isn't there a centralized place,' Mohamed asked, 'instead of requiring each subdivision to have their own cyber program?' Ghanbari and Matthews said they would leave the finer points up to local governments to maintain local control and allow greater flexibility. Highlighting a well-publicized cyberattack against Columbus last year, Rep. Christine Cockley, D-Columbus, asked about the cost prevention compared to the cost of response and recovery. She noted the city has faced significant costs investigating what happened and providing safeguards for people impacted by the breach. MacLellan acknowledged he didn't have hard and fast numbers to offer, but said 'when you begin to look at the cost of remediation versus the cost of actually putting together a good system, the delta is pretty significant.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would ban self-promotion by schools, candidates before election
May 21—School districts, governments and elected officials may soon be blocked by the state from using taxpayer funds to send out publications that may indirectly support themselves or ballot issues 30 days before an election. The effort to curtail the self promotion comes in House Bill 264, joint sponsored by Rep. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon. The bill would specifically prohibit government-funded publications that "refer to, but not directly advocate support or opposition of, a candidate, levy, or bond issue" in the 30 days preceding an election, according to the legislature's nonpartisan analysis of the bill. Mathews told this outlet that H.B. 264 would essentially broaden the same ethical restrictions put on state lawmakers, who are not allowed to send out mailers from their offices touting their achievements or backgrounds in the 30 days leading up to an election. "Other people, whether that be city or village councils, county commissioners or school boards, could and in some cases do send out information to promote themselves," Mathews said. "And, while they may not say the magic words of 'donate to,' or 'vote for this,' they are often using government resources to brandish their name or highlight one side of the story when we're in the middle of a voting period." The bill comes as the Ohio Auditor of State's Office has ramped up action against governments using taxpayer funds for campaign purposes. These efforts included a 2023 special audit into the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek School District and criminal charges brought against the district's superintendent and several board members who were accused of misusing public funds to support the passage of a May 2019 school levy, including allegedly authorizing district funds to pay for newsletters promoting the levy. Ohio law has long held that taxpayer money cannot be used by a government or school to advocate for the passage of a tax levy. However, providing factual information to voters about taxes, budgets and city or school news is allowed. Newsletters paid for by public entities, particularly school boards, have long walked a fine line between sharing positive school information, which is allowed, and openly campaigning to vote yes, which is not. Mathews said H.B. 264 would "make sure that government resources are used for government information and campaign resources are used for campaign information" by eliminating any loopholes school boards, governments or candidates may exploit to tip the scales in their favor. Mathews is on the bill with Rep. Tex Fishcer, R-Boardman. Both lawmakers testified to the House General Government Committee Tuesday that H.B. 264 wouldn't stop necessary communications between elected officials and their constituents. Mathews said he doesn't expect too much opposition from the boards or elected officials this bill would impact. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio Republicans introduce measure to flatten income tax to 2.75%
(Getty Images) Ohio Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to implement a flat income tax of 2.75%, claiming the measure would help Ohio compete with surrounding states and keep residents in the state. Policy advocates and Democratic legislators pushed back on that idea, saying the move wouldn't help relieve property tax struggles and would mean the loss of necessary government services due to lost revenue. State Reps. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, and Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, presented their plan to the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday to phase in the 2.75% flat tax over the next two years, by way of House Bill 30. 'This bill builds upon the work of previous General Assemblies to simplify and reduce the tax burden on Ohioans and ensure our state remains a destination for businesses to grow and attract people wishing to work, raise a family and truly thrive here,' Lampton told the committee. Under the bill, 2025 non-business income tax would be reduced for the top income bracket – those making more than $102,400 – from 3.5% to 3.125%, with the bottom income bracket staying at 2.75%. In 2026, the top tax bracket is dropped further to 2.75%, matching that of the lower brackets. According to the Legislative Service Commission breakdown of the bill, the tax for business income would remain at 3%. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In comparison with Pennsylvania's 3.7% income tax and Indiana's 3% rate, lowering Ohio's rate as laid out in H.B. 30 would 'put Ohio in a position to lead the Midwest with a lower tax than our neighbors, thereby making us an economic model for the region,' Mathews said. Democrats on the committee questioned the move, especially as discussions of staggering property tax rates in the state are a top priority for constituents who reach out to their legislators. 'The one thing we are constantly hearing about is 'do something about property taxes,'' said state Rep. Daniel Troy, D-Willowick. 'This change of dropping the tax rate some more, it basically takes away the revenue that's needed for property tax relief.' Tax collections from the state General Revenue Fund feed the Public Library Fund as well, which has seen a $27 million drop in the last budget, and library systems are struggling to get by as they await the next budget decisions related to their state funds and potential federal cuts. State Rep. Elgin Rogers, D-Toledo, pointed to that loss as another way the flat tax could cause damage, along with cuts to other important government services. 'Everyone wants their taxes cut,' Rogers said. 'With that, there are cuts in government services and also, we want a strong Ohio that's educated, and it's my belief that this will have a a negative impact on the Public Library Fund.' Republicans on the committee seemed supportive of the bill, with state Rep. Steve Demetriou, R-Bainbridge Twp., laying out a different outlook on the tax changes. 'When we're talking about taxes, this money doesn't belong to anyone else except the taxpayer,' Demetriou said. 'It doesn't belong to the state, it doesn't belong to the libraries, it doesn't belong to the schools. It's their money, so we're just helping get more of that back into their pockets.' The think tank Policy Matters Ohio released information about House Bill 30 just before the measure had its first committee hearing. An analysis of the bill from the group found the bill would 'tax the income of everyday Ohioans at the same rate as the state's wealthiest households.' 'With H.B. 30, librarians and school teachers will pay the same tax rate as professional athletes and corporate CEOs,' according to Bailey Williams of Policy Matters Ohio. 'A flat tax is a handout to the most well-off among us – and it will devastate Ohio's ability to provide services that benefit everyone.' Citing the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the think tank said H.B. 30's tax changes would cost the state an estimated $1.1 billion, with more than 98% of that going to Ohioans with income in the top 20%. The Public Library Fund and the Local Government Fund were both mentioned by Policy Matters as pots of money that would be reduced, thereby shifting the burden onto taxpayers through local property tax levies. Public libraries have been vocal about the need for more state support to keep up with inflationary costs and the rising demand for the many services Ohio libraries provide to their communities, from literature and materials to social services and tax help. Lampton told the committee the tax changes wouldn't necessarily mean a reduction in the overall General Revenue Fund, and 'to say it will cut library spending may or may not be a direct result of that.' H.B. 30 will be subject to further hearings in the House Ways and Means Committee, including opportunities for testimony for and against the measure. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
