Latest news with #OhioSenate
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Unclaimed funds in Ohio: What to know about the possible Browns stadium funding source
The Ohio Senate wants to use the state's unclaimed property fund to pay for the proposed suburban Cleveland Browns stadium. The state has said it's safeguarding about $4 billion through its Division of Unclaimed Funds, The Dispatch previously reported. Where does that money come from? Here's what to know. Unclaimed funds are lost or forgotten money that businesses and banks report to the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Unclaimed Funds after accounts become inactive. The money comes from inactive checking and savings accounts, refund/credit balances, uncashed cashier's checks, stocks and bonds, forgotten utility deposits or last paychecks. The state of Ohio tries to return funds to their rightful owners through a variety of means. The division currently safeguards more than $4 billion in unclaimed funds, and the average claim is $4,000, according to the division. In 2023, Ohioans searched for unclaimed funds more than 4.3 million times and filed for more than 43,000 claims. This resulted in over $139 million in lost or forgotten money being returned to rightful owners A page on the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Unclaimed Funds website explains how to find out whether you have unclaimed funds, how you can claim them and how to submit a formal claim form to obtain the funds. Residents can go to to search if they have any unclaimed funds. They can also use an Ohio Department of Commerce portal to search as well. The division also posts legal ads annually in newspapers across the state listing the names of people, businesses and entities in those publications' circulation areas who have unclaimed funds. In addition, the division also sets up kiosks at various events across the state, such as the Ohio State Fair, where people can stop by and receive help to see if they have unclaimed funds. First, you will need to fill out a claim form. Depending on the type of funds the state is holding, you may be required to provide proof of address, proof of identification, a social security number or a W-9 tax form. You may also need the claim notarized if it is over $1,000. People claiming funds can upload their forms to a division webpage, where they can submit the claim form and any supporting documents. They could also mail the forms to the Department of Commerce's Columbus office at 77 S. High St. #20. Claims can take up to 120 days for review. If claims do not provide the necessary forms, the process could be delayed or potentially stopped. You can also check the status of your claim on the division webpage, Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@ or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What are unclaimed funds? How check for missing money
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio Senate GOP budget increases school funding, gives Browns $600M grant, creates flat tax
Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, speaks at the Ohio Senate Republican Budget Press Conference. Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, stands in the background. Photo: Morgan Trau, WEWS The Ohio Senate has announced its version of the state budget, one that provides a slight increase in public school funding, gives a $600 million grant to the Cleveland Browns for their new stadium and creates a flat income tax of 2.75%. Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Finance Chair Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) announced their proposed amendments to the state's biennial operating budget on Tuesday afternoon. House Bill 96, the number for the House's budget bill, passed in April. The senators increased the amount of money going to public schools compared to the House's proposal. The Senate budget gives public schools about $100 million more than the House. Although it follows most of the House's proposed budget – which only gives schools about $226 million for school funding, or $550 million total – the Senate changed the funding 'guarantee' amount. Right now, some districts have guarantees that a portion of their funding will not be reduced, even if their enrollment goes down. However, to be fully funded, based on statistics from the Fair School Funding Plan from 2021, schools would need an additional $666-800 million, compared to the $226 million given by the House. They also raised the House proposal's cap on districts' rainy day funds to 50%, instead of 30%. This would mean that the schools would have to refund anything above that back to the taxpayer in a method legislators want to use to provide property tax relief. The Senate's budget proposal still includes $600 million for a new Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park. However, the funding structure differs from what the Browns proposed and what the House approved earlier this year. The House proposed borrowing $600 million by issuing bonds and repaying the debt, with interest, over 25 years, at a cost of about $1 billion. The Senate is proposing a $600 million grant for the stadium using unclaimed funds. That money is property of Ohioans held by the state, things like forgotten bank accounts, rent or utility deposits or uncashed insurance policies. The Ohio Department of Commerce's website says the state is sitting on $4.8 billion in unclaimed funds. The Senate believes the state will more than recoup that investment through sales tax, income tax and commercial activity tax revenues from the 176-acre Brook Park stadium district. The budget also includes a 2.75% flat income tax. This mirrors a bill currently in the House, which would eliminate the separate brackets of the non-business income tax. People making more than $102,400 would have their taxes reduced from 3.5% to 3.125% in 2025 and then down to 2.75% in 2026. The lower bracket would stay at 2.75%. Now, the Senate and House leaders will enter a conference committee, a closed-door negotiation period to create a final budget. Once a decision is made, both chambers must pass the combined bill. If it passes through both sides, it will be sent to Gov. Mike DeWine for review. In the past, he issued dozens of line-item vetoes on operating budgets. Line-item vetoing is the ability for the governor to pick and choose which policies within a larger piece of legislation get to stay or must go. DeWine is adamantly against giving the bond package to the Browns, and we have asked repeatedly if he plans to veto it. He says he hopes it doesn't get to that point. The budget must be passed by the end of June. This is a developing story and will be updated. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Examining the Ohio Senate bill that would legalize and tax internet gambling
CLEVELAND (WJW) — Legislators in the Ohio Senate are considering the conditions of a proposed piece of legislation that would legalize and tax internet gambling. In a nutshell, it would allow users to gamble on table games like blackjack or poker, or on digital slots, which could create a large pot of taxable revenue. Senate Bill 197 was introduced by Nathan Manning of District 13, a large portion of our viewing area west of Cleveland. Kent State to close LGBTQ+, women's, multicultural centers It would create two new forms of gambling: iGaming and iLottery — functions possible through the internet or smartphone applications. This could create large revenue for casinos or other online gaming websites and, in turn, tax revenue that would go back into the general fund or other designations still being considered. The bill currently sits in Senate committee, where opinions are mixed. 'With iGaming, you can sit on your back patio and lose all your money,' Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman said. 'And for addicts, that's a problem.' 'I think a lot of times Ohioans want to have a little bit more choice as to how they spend their money and spend their recreational time,' Ohio Senate President Rob McColley said. 'Not everyone is affected by addiction, and for some people it is recreational,' Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio said. 'But I think we all always need to have an awareness.' In fiscal year 2024, gross casino tax revenues were more than $330 million across the state. That money goes to various funds benefiting counties, schools, host cities and more. Lawmakers are also split on dedicating tax revenue to gambling addiction services. Recovery resources in Cuyahoga County said there's already a growing need. 'In Cuyahoga County alone, we have enough people to fill Browns Stadium and have people standing outside who are middle risk or have a disorder for problem gambling,' said Nora Larson, supervisor of prevention for recovery resources. Some taxpayers may receive tax refunds in June: When payments could arrive Larson said that estimate was calculated before sports betting was legalized. She said having table games or slots at your fingertips could be problematic. 'So some people, similar to alcohol, can have one drink and be okay,' Larson said. 'Some people can gamble with friends and be okay. Some people can't. Some people need to keep going.' Governor Mike DeWine's office said the governor has no stance on the proposed legislation. Both JACK Casino and MGM Northfield Park declined to comment for this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Area lawmaker gave $4K to county prosecutor accused of turning away sexual misconduct allegations
May 30—Five months after then-Preble County Prosecutor Martin Votel was credited by the county sheriff with turning away allegations of sexual imposition against state Rep. Rodney Creech, Creech made a substantial donation to the prosecutor's campaign for county judge. An eventual state investigation into the allegations involving Creech and a teenage minor female produced no charges, but a special prosecutor over the case called Creech's behavior "concerning and suspicious." Creech, a third-term Republican lawmaker from West Alexandria, says the state probe cleared him of any wrongdoing. Votel, who was elected Preble County Common Pleas Court judge in November, disputes Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson's characterization of Votel's involvement in the case. Votel told this outlet that he sees no concerns with accepting Creech's donation. "I did not then, and do not now, feel that my campaign's acceptance of these contributions was unethical or inappropriate," Votel wrote in a statement. "Any/all allegations are, to my knowledge, presently and wholly unsubstantiated." Creech was removed from his committee posts in the Ohio House and was asked by leadership to resign once the investigation surfaced this month. He has framed the surfacing of the investigation as a "political hit job." Creech currently represents Preble and parts of Montgomery and Butler counties in the Ohio House. As the allegations against him were about to be published, he announced a run for Ohio Senate. Sheriff, prosecutor disagree In July 2023, an allegation that Creech acted inappropriately with a minor teenage female was brought directly to Sheriff Simpson by the minor's stepfather — an Ohio police chief. In the time since, Simpson has seemingly told two different stories of his initial phone call with the minor's stepfather, though both of Simpson's stories end with Votel turning down the allegations in one way or another. According to a state investigative record summarizing a November 2023 conversation between Simpson and a state special agent, Simpson relayed that the stepfather felt he had to report the alleged incident as a mandatory reporter under state law. From there, Simpson relayed that he received text messages that outlined Creech's alleged May 2023 conduct, which he then took to Votel for his opinion. The state's lead investigator on the case after meeting with Simpson wrote: "Simpson said Mr. Votel indicated there was no criminal complaint at that time. No report or other action took place from the sheriff's office." The alleged victim's mother called Simpson's handling of the case "an absolute dereliction of duty by a public official," according to state records. To the Dayton Daily News, Simpson said the stepfather had not actually tried to report the alleged incident. Instead, Simpson said the stepfather asked whether he had to report the potential crime under the state's mandatory reporter laws. In that version of the story, Simpson said he brought the question to Votel and Votel advised that the stepfather was not a mandatory reporter in this instance. In a statement to this news outlet, Votel seemingly denied both versions of Simpson's story. "There was never a question presented to me about mandatory reporters," wrote Votel. "...Further, the office did not and would not either encourage or discourage an investigation — the role of the prosecuting attorney is to consult with law enforcement when called upon, and to make criminal charging decisions based upon submitted law enforcement reports." It's unclear what Votel's actual involvement, if any, was in Preble County's initial handling of the allegations. Votel did not respond to a request for interview before publication. Both Simpson and Votel — personal friends of Creech — recused themselves from the eventual investigation into the allegations that came months later after it was reported in Montgomery County in September 2023. The donation Creech routed $4,100 from his own campaign to Votel's bid for the Preble County Court of Common Pleas on Dec. 19, 2023. Creech was Votel's first and largest donor — his donation accounted for roughly 75% of the financial support Votel received. It was also the sole donation Creech's campaign has given to Votel dating back to at least mid-2019, according to a Dayton Daily News analysis of state campaign finance data. And it's the fourth-largest expenditure Creech has made to an individual candidate in that same time frame, according to state records. In a statement to this outlet, Creech denied any connection between the donations and Votel's reported involvement in fielding the allegations. "Marty Votel is a tremendous public servant, and I am proud to know him," Creech wrote. "Though our friendship goes back nearly 15 years, I have donated to his campaign once — the first time Marty has run a contested race since I've known him." "Unfortunately, the simple act of one conservative supporting another is now some sort of scandal in the media. There is literally nothing more to this supposed story, and I will continue to support strong conservatives in Preble County and throughout the State of Ohio." Votel had two elections to win in order to become judge: A contested March 2024 Republican primary and an uncontested November 2024 general election. He won the primary with 70% of the vote and won unopposed in November. Votel also donated $100 to Creech's re-election campaign in September 2024. ------ 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
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
An Ohio court passed rules barring ICE arrests. A state Senator wants to scrap them
Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson. Photo from the Ohio Senate. In March, Franklin County, Ohio judges passed a pair of local rules barring immigration arrests at the county courthouse. A new measure in the state Senate aims to invalidate such restrictions statewide. After President Trump took office, his administration quickly issued guidance giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement the greenlight to make arrests in or near courthouses. In the months since, there have been several highly publicized arrests at courthouses around the country. In one instance FBI agents even arrested a Wisconsin judge, alleging she obstructed an immigration arrest. Judge Hannah Dugan has filed a motion in federal court to have her charges dismissed. Franklin County's rules prohibit any civil arrest without a judicial warrant in the courthouse itself or on the sidewalk and entryways. ICE agents typically use an administrative warrant signed by an agency official rather than a judge. The rules also prohibit the execution of a judicial warrant in a courtroom unless the judge agrees to allow it in writing, and restricts court staff from requesting or sharing information about a person's immigration status. In a press release, the court emphasized its responsibility to ensure due process for the public at large. 'That mission is jeopardized when victims, witnesses, and defendants are afraid to come to the courthouse to testify and participate in ongoing cases, fearing civil arrest and deportation from courthouse grounds,' the release stated. People deciding not to show up, the court argued, undermines the fairness of trials 'for citizens and non-citizens alike.' State Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, believes the court overstepped its authority. Her proposal 'specifies that persons who are unlawfully present in the United States are not privileged from arrest.' State law already bars civil, but not criminal, arrest in several circumstances. You can't get arrested going to the polls on Election Day, on the Fourth of July, on Sundays generally, or at a place of worship on the traditional day of worship. Huge majorities support due process for migrants. They haven't always gotten it in Ohio The same privileges apply to court. The parties to a case, witnesses, jurors, and court officials, can't be arrested for civil violations at, or on the way to and from court — a point cited in the local rules. But Roegner's proposal would remove those privileges for undocumented individuals, and she said it was 'drafted in response' to Franklin County's changes. 'Senate Bill 172 would provide much needed support for federal immigration authorities,' she argued, 'by requiring state and local public offices and public officials to allow the arrest or detention of any person who is suspected of being in the United States illegally for that person's removal or for other immigration related purposes.' The proposal also prohibits any public office in Ohio from enforcing rules that bar cooperation with immigration authorities. State Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, quipped that it's 'amazing thing that we would even have to do this.' But the scope of Roegner's proposal gave others pause, particularly in the context of the Trump administration's recent track record with immigration enforcement. Up until the first Trump administration, immigration authorities generally avoided places like courts, schools, hospitals and churches. But in 2018, an ICE directive laid out a policy that increased courthouse arrests substantially. Trump campaigned for his second term promising mass deportations, and his administration has tried to fast-track those removals at the expense of due process. Last week a federal judge in Boston ruled a deportation flight to South Sudan violated his previous court order. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the administration could not deport a group of more than 170 Venezuelans with just 24 hours' notice. In its ruling, the court pointed to a different, highly publicized case in which Kilmar Abrego Garcia was accidentally deported to El Salvador. Trump administration contends U.S. courts can't rule on Kilmar Abrego Garcia 'Had the detainees been removed from the United States to the custody of a foreign sovereign,' the majority wrote, 'the government may have argued, as it has previously argued, that no U.S. court had jurisdiction to order relief.' State Sen. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, said he understood Roegner's concern about illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. But he expressed doubts about giving free rein to officers seeking someone only suspected of being in the U.S. unlawfully. 'With some of the stories that have come out about immigrants who have been wrongfully detained or even wrongfully renditioned out of the country, I was just curious what your thoughts are on protections for legal residents — legal immigrants — who may feel concerned that they could be wrongfully targeted in this?' he asked. Roegner said the U.S. is a country of immigrants and pointed to her own mother immigrating to the country from Finland. But she insisted 'we're also a country of laws,' and if someone is here legally 'they would really have nothing to fear.' 'So yeah, will mistakes happen? Probably, yes, they happen all the time,' Roegner said. 'But they can be cleared. They can say, 'yep, no, I'm a legal immigrant, and here's my paperwork,' and they can prove that they're here rightfully.' Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
