In a new policy memo, Policy Solutions for the Pandemic: Suspending the CAT Will Help Ohio’s Economy, The Buckeye Institute urges policymakers to suspend collection Ohio’s commercial activities tax (CAT) for the next year to aid the state’s economic recovery, writing, “Ohio’s commercial activities tax makes it harder for struggling businesses to survive and grow…To help ensure their survival, the state should suspend collecting the CAT in the short-term, and consider replacing it with a broader, fairer consumption-based tax in the long-term.”

The Buckeye Institute has long advocated for the important policy changes included in Senate Bill 3. In an piece for The Center Square, Buckeye’s Robert Alt outlines why these reforms are so important, writing, "The Ohio Senate will soon vote on a criminal justice reform bill...This new measure will go a long way toward reducing Ohio’s prison population and helping to ensure that those suffering from addiction receive necessary treatment, return home to their families, and can find and keep work without a low-level 'felony possession' preemptively disqualifying them at their next job interview."

Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of The Buckeye Institute, joins Melissa Mann on the Atlas Network's AtlasNexus Podcast to tell the stories of everyday people who have been impacted by the think tank's work to reform occupational licensing and the criminal justice system in Ohio.

Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center at The Buckeye Institute and vice president of policy, commented on newly released employment data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, saying, “In the first jobs report after Ohio shutdown due to the coronavirus, the state’s unemployment rate skyrocketed—as expected—from 5.8 percent in March to 16.8 percent in April, with the number of employed workers dropping by 823,700, the sharpest decline ever recorded.”

The Buckeye Institute released its newest policy brief, Evidence-Based Sentencing Reform: The Right Policy for Ohio, which outlines the significant strides the policies in Senate Bill 3 take in making Ohio’s drug-sentencing laws more effective, flexible, and just. “Patterned after the Recodification Committee’s recommendations…, Senate Bill 3 restores sentencing flexibility so that judges can secure just results for every defendant under the unique facts and circumstances of each case.”

On Cleveland.com, Buckeye’s Greg Lawson looks at education policies that put the needs of families and students first, writing, “Rather than end a program that has benefited thousands of Ohio’s children, and return to the one-size-fits all education approach that has failed so many students, policymakers should look for smart and innovative solutions that put the needs of students and families first.”

In a new policy memo, Policy Solutions for the Pandemic: Targeted State Assistance for Local Governments, The Buckeye Institute outlines how the state should target assistance to local governments to help communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing state taxpayer dollars on meeting essential public health and safety demands created by the pandemic. “As Ohio’s local governments and municipalities struggle to survive the economic challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the state should provide communities with targeted, financial aid to spend on essential public health and safety services.” 

In a new policy memo, Policy Solutions for the Pandemic: Medical License Reciprocity Should be Permanent, The Buckeye Institute calls on Ohio to make permanent policies that recognize out-of-state medical licenses for doctors, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. “By making these new rules permanent, Ohio will be able to attract more highly trained care providers, which will benefit patients across the state.”

Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of The Buckeye Institute, issued a statement on the news that the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding is planning to challenge Ohio’s school voucher program, saying in part, “This is the wrong lawsuit at the wrong time for the wrong reasons.”

On Thursday, The Buckeye Institute released its newest policy brief, Giving Families Certainty: Enhancing Education with Education Savings Accounts, which outlines how federally funded education savings accounts (ESA), can stabilize educational routines for families during future epidemics, natural disasters, or other unanticipated disruptions. “A federally funded ESA initiative—funded using existing tax dollars and with states in the lead—would give families the tools they need to continue their child’s education during future epidemics or natural disasters.”