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<v Speaker 1>By Billy Cunningham. The Great America. Of course, Reds Baseball

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<v Speaker 1>kicks off about five point forty tonight. The Reds are

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<v Speaker 1>unbeatable and right now they're game and a half out

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<v Speaker 1>of first. They have a winning record for the first

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<v Speaker 1>time in about a year. That's good stuff. But the

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<v Speaker 1>last few days we've been dealing with what's going to

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<v Speaker 1>happen to the Bengal funding, the Browns funding, and also more.

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<v Speaker 1>The governor was with us yesterday. Mike Dwine have on

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<v Speaker 1>Adam Byrd, We've had on a Senator Blessing or Scott

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<v Speaker 1>Sloan dead. Now we're going to go to the top.

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<v Speaker 1>The guy in charge of the House of Representatives and

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<v Speaker 1>Columbus is Representative Matt Huffman. He's got deep connections to Cincinnati,

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<v Speaker 1>went to UC law school. He is also was a

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<v Speaker 1>good friend of Leonard Rush before Leonard passed away. I

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<v Speaker 1>have deep connections to Lineman Senior. Spoke to the boys

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<v Speaker 1>up there, boughtom some QBI Burgers, and right now we're

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<v Speaker 1>gonna get the answers. Some say he's the most powerful

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<v Speaker 1>man in state government because when the governor does something

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<v Speaker 1>he didn't like, he can overrule the Governor's veto and

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<v Speaker 1>the Speaker of the House, Matt Huffman. Welcome again to

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<v Speaker 1>the Bill Cunningham Show and Speaker. First of all, let's talk.

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<v Speaker 1>Time is always limited. Some in Cincinnati were concerned that

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<v Speaker 1>you were giving significant money to the Cleveland Browns and

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<v Speaker 1>not to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Governor yesterday and also

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<v Speaker 1>Adam Burgh laid out the differences. Can you tell from

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<v Speaker 1>the Speaker's office the differential between the Browns deal and

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<v Speaker 1>the Bengals deal? Will one be funded and one not funded?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the Browns actually came to me two years ago

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<v Speaker 2>with a request for cash for the stadium. I said, no,

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't think that was appropriate. I said, come back

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<v Speaker 2>with a plan where the taxpayers will be held harmless.

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<v Speaker 2>And the plan basically that they have laid out. This

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<v Speaker 2>is a three point six billion dollar economic development plan.

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<v Speaker 2>But the plan is they have it laid out with

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<v Speaker 2>new taxes subtracting what would have already been there, and

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<v Speaker 2>the cost of the bond is actually over twenty five years,

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<v Speaker 2>about a one point three billion dollar money maker for

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<v Speaker 2>the now. Everybody needs to go and look at the

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<v Speaker 2>information and be convinced to that themselfs. So that's a

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<v Speaker 2>lot different than putting up money, which is as I

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<v Speaker 2>understand it. And I did meet with the Bengals and

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<v Speaker 2>Commissioner Dridhouse a few months ago or weeks ago, and

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<v Speaker 2>basically they're talking about a three hundred and fifty million

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<v Speaker 2>dollars cash upfront money, which is similar to what the

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<v Speaker 2>Browns were trying to do a couple of years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>And I don't support that. I don't think the public

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<v Speaker 2>supports it. I do support, you know, it's something similar

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<v Speaker 2>that if the Bengals and the City of Cincinnati and

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<v Speaker 2>the county and you know, can can come together with

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<v Speaker 2>a similar kind of plan, we ought to consider doing

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<v Speaker 2>that where the taxpayers are held harmless or in the

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<v Speaker 2>case of the Browns, they can actually make money.

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<v Speaker 1>So, mister speaker, you're saying, as we said here about

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<v Speaker 1>two twelve pm on Wednesday afternoon, April the sixteenth, you

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<v Speaker 1>don't have in your hands a written deal between the

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<v Speaker 1>Bengals and the county where the state would fill in

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<v Speaker 1>a piece, unlike the Browns deal that Jimmy Haslim and

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<v Speaker 1>his family. I understand it's putting up fifty million bucks

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<v Speaker 1>off of the side. Anyway, just as a security deposit

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<v Speaker 1>fifty million, and right now there's no revenue coming out

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<v Speaker 1>of that one to two hundred acres in southern Calliahoo County.

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<v Speaker 1>And but when this deal is done, the taxpayer will

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<v Speaker 1>make one point three billion according to the plan, and

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<v Speaker 1>that the plan. There's no plan for you to think

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<v Speaker 1>about at this point. Am I correct in saying that

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<v Speaker 1>from Cincinnati?

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<v Speaker 2>Right? I mean I met with them. I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>all people, smart, people of goodwill, and I think they're

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<v Speaker 2>trying to come up with something. I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>to the again the extent that the state can help

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<v Speaker 2>participate in that. I mean, it's a different kind of plan.

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<v Speaker 2>This is this is of the three point six billion,

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<v Speaker 2>two point four billion of it is private money. The

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<v Speaker 2>state money is six hundred million through the sale of

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<v Speaker 2>bonds and paid back over twenty five years. So it's

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<v Speaker 2>a completely different thing. So, you know, I think if

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<v Speaker 2>the folks in southwestern Ohio can get invented, but it

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't just happen in a meeting. Everybody has to sort

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<v Speaker 2>of say here's what we're willing to do and piece

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<v Speaker 2>it all over. And I think if they're willing to

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<v Speaker 2>do that, I'm certainly willing to sit down and talk

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<v Speaker 2>with them. I'm sure Governor of the Wine is too.

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<v Speaker 1>The governor said yesterday that on air that well, indition

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<v Speaker 1>to those two, we have the Guardians, we have the Reds,

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<v Speaker 1>we have minor league baseball, we have some horse racing track,

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<v Speaker 1>we have Ohio State University. He made it look as if, well,

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<v Speaker 1>if we raised taxes, will be able to do it.

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<v Speaker 1>He said yesterday that he supported raising He called them fees,

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<v Speaker 1>someone might call them taxes on gaming, on marijuana, and

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<v Speaker 1>on cigarettes. Do you support an increase in fee slash

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<v Speaker 1>taxes on any of those three items?

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<v Speaker 2>I do not. We took those out of the Governor's

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<v Speaker 2>proposed budget. Increase, especially on the sports gambling, would pretty

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<v Speaker 2>much end the sports gambling and income to the state

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<v Speaker 2>as far as I'm concerned. We lost actually a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of folks participating that when we went from ten percent

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<v Speaker 2>to twenty percent, some of the smaller book level B

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<v Speaker 2>book making places did not happen. If we go to

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<v Speaker 2>forty percent, the public finds its way around that and

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<v Speaker 2>our revenue would start to drop. And don't forget El

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<v Speaker 2>Door Speedway in Dark County. It's also a larger sports

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<v Speaker 2>facility too.

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<v Speaker 1>As far as marijuana, I was told by those in

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<v Speaker 1>the business that the governor's plan to increase from ten

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<v Speaker 1>percent to twenty percent would drive the marijuana consumer, of

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<v Speaker 1>which I'm not one, into the dark market. And this

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<v Speaker 1>year there's going to be about a billion dollars in

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<v Speaker 1>total revenues in marijuana that's out of the pockets of

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<v Speaker 1>drug dealers, which I like greatly. I don't think marijuana

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<v Speaker 1>is a real healthy pursuit for someone, but nonetheless, I'd

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<v Speaker 1>rather have the state and legitimate thousands of employees work

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<v Speaker 1>than kill the business. Is there a sense that, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered, and that if

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<v Speaker 1>the governor has his way and he goes from ten

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<v Speaker 1>to twenty percent, marijuana suddenly gets slaughtered, the drug dealers

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<v Speaker 1>make more money and the state doesn't get its cut.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think. You know, Ronald Reagan said, the more

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<v Speaker 2>you tax something, the less you get of it, and

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<v Speaker 2>the higher the rate. And that's what's happened. That's why

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<v Speaker 2>we took the House, took all of the taxes, all

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<v Speaker 2>three that you mentioned, out of the budget, and people

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<v Speaker 2>will avoid paying the tax where they can. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>there are probably some people in Cincinnati, Ohio who go

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<v Speaker 2>to Kentucky to buy their at tobacco, right yep. But

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<v Speaker 2>other people will find other places to buy to buy

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<v Speaker 2>marijuana or tobacco, and at some point the tax is

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<v Speaker 2>so high that these other whether it's a black market,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's even things more benign. I mean with sports gambling,

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<v Speaker 2>you can have buddies all over the country and they

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<v Speaker 2>throw their five thousand bucks in for the year and

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<v Speaker 2>they all bet based on what whoever's got the best

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<v Speaker 2>line in their state. So it's not something where you

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<v Speaker 2>can control it. It's not a closed market.

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<v Speaker 1>So if these stadiums moneies, the governor's plan is to

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<v Speaker 1>have the stadium moneys come out of the out of

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<v Speaker 1>the gaming, and out of marijuana and cigarettes. To the

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<v Speaker 1>man in charge of the legislature, that is not going

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<v Speaker 1>to happen, not.

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<v Speaker 2>Through raising taxes. Now, if somebody looked at us and said,

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<v Speaker 2>let's dedicate a portion of the current gambling revenue, which

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<v Speaker 2>is up to close to a billion dollars a year,

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<v Speaker 2>we have some other suggestions about additional gambling in our

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<v Speaker 2>budget that the Senate is going to review when it

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<v Speaker 2>goes over. Now, I don't think it can be just

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<v Speaker 2>about sports stadiums. There's other cultural facilities. You've got, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>a symphony orchestra hall in Columbus River Bend. There may

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<v Speaker 2>be a whole additional other things. But I do think

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<v Speaker 2>that there has to be significant local buy in. I

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<v Speaker 2>think if you can design a plan like the Browns have,

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<v Speaker 2>where the state taxpayers are not only held harmless, but

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<v Speaker 2>we make money off of the deal. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the reason we're making money is we're acting like the bank.

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<v Speaker 2>We have great credit rating and we're making money from

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<v Speaker 2>them using our credit rating. It's cheaper for them to

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<v Speaker 2>going into the private market. This is an Ohio business, right, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>And so we're making money because we're the prepoel who

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<v Speaker 2>are issuing the bonds. And that's and of course the

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<v Speaker 2>taxes that are created as a result of the.

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<v Speaker 1>Effort, mister Speaker is time of the essence. The Bengals

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<v Speaker 1>won a deal by June thirtieth. Of course, the state

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<v Speaker 1>budget it's a two year by a him, it's two

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<v Speaker 1>years June thirtieth, we're ten weeks out. I have a

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<v Speaker 1>sense the Bengals and the county aren't close. I have

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<v Speaker 1>a sense that they're still going back and forth because

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<v Speaker 1>each party doesn't trust the other. The Brown family doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>trust the county and the county doesn't trust the Browns,

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<v Speaker 1>so they got a third party involved. They're going back

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<v Speaker 1>and forth, back and forth. Is time of the essence

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<v Speaker 1>must have been a deal by June thirtieth. Do you

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<v Speaker 1>have the state participate?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, yeah, I mean to have the state participate as

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<v Speaker 2>part of this budget. But I guess if there's a plan,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, as we'd like to say, I'd love to

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<v Speaker 2>see the plan, right, but I don't know what that is.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm it's you know, it took the Browns two or

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<v Speaker 2>three years to get to the point where they are now,

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<v Speaker 2>with people like me saying no, I'm not going to

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<v Speaker 2>give you six hundred million dollars for a stadium. So

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<v Speaker 2>if the Bengals are that far along, and and by

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<v Speaker 2>the way, other folks have shown up and said I

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<v Speaker 2>want you gave money to Browns, and I told them

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<v Speaker 2>the same thing. You know, if you can develop a

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<v Speaker 2>plan where the taxpayers are held harmless or make money,

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<v Speaker 2>you know I would participate or and I'd support that.

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<v Speaker 1>The issue of the county corner. I speak to doctor Somarco,

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<v Speaker 1>I think some fabulous person. And there was a part

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<v Speaker 1>of your bill that eliminated the county corner's offices in

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<v Speaker 1>the various counties. Can you address yourself to that? And

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<v Speaker 1>that just begins the process of not electing the sheriff,

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<v Speaker 1>not electing the honor the treasure coming out the old

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<v Speaker 1>patronage system. Where do you stand on eliminading county corners.

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<v Speaker 2>So in December there was a lot of press to

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<v Speaker 2>push the increase in local elected pay, and those things,

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<v Speaker 2>unfortunately sometimes happened in the dead of night, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the last session of the year. And when that came

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<v Speaker 2>to us, a lot of folks are saying, how about

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<v Speaker 2>some local government reform. There's actually the statute says some

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<v Speaker 2>of our local officials only have to be in office

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<v Speaker 2>one out of ninety days, believe it or not. And

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<v Speaker 2>so some would say, how about we have some local reform.

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<v Speaker 2>And one of those was the concern that in many

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<v Speaker 2>counties there is no doctor who's running for corner, or

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<v Speaker 2>sometimes a doctor runs for corner. They're paid as a coroner,

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<v Speaker 2>but all the work is done by someone a pathologist

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<v Speaker 2>who's hired from another county. So there were a number

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<v Speaker 2>of things that we actually wanted in terms of local

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<v Speaker 2>government reforms. Some got in, some didn't. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I certainly think the other jobs that you mentioned does

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<v Speaker 2>all need to be elected as well as judges. You

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<v Speaker 2>might ask, really, why does a coroner need to be

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<v Speaker 2>elected in the first place. Why isn't this someone that

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<v Speaker 2>the county commissioners would hire. So I don't think it's

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<v Speaker 2>that big of a deal from the standpoint of the House.

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<v Speaker 2>It was just one of the few surviving local government

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<v Speaker 2>reforms that were part of our tax pay or our

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<v Speaker 2>local pay official package.

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<v Speaker 1>I have a text here from a noted county official

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<v Speaker 1>who says the following to me. County officials have the

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<v Speaker 1>ability now to appoint corners and counties that don't have

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<v Speaker 1>a corner, and that's according to the High Revice Code.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you're in a large county like Ohio maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you know, or like Hamilton County Franklin, KYO, would you

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<v Speaker 1>split off from those counties that don't have a corner

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<v Speaker 1>and let the current law stand, which is you're can

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<v Speaker 1>elect the corner. But then each county still has the

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<v Speaker 1>ability to appoint corners from other counties that that can

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<v Speaker 1>serve as more or less the acting corner. You know

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<v Speaker 1>what I'm saying. Are you saying, how do you stand

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<v Speaker 1>on that issue?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'm aware of what the law is. The point

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<v Speaker 2>is that someone gets appointed because they don't run. In

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<v Speaker 2>one county, we actually have a chiropractor who is the

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<v Speaker 2>county corner because they ran, they're qualified to do that.

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<v Speaker 2>I think under the new rule they wouldn't be qualified.

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<v Speaker 2>But the point is whether they're elected or appointed. Because

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<v Speaker 2>no one will run, you now have a county corner

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<v Speaker 2>who's getting paid to be the county corner, who may

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<v Speaker 2>or may not be actually doing the job of the

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<v Speaker 2>county corner. Right, So do we want someone where nobody runs?

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<v Speaker 2>Somebody gets appointed, they get paid. But we got to

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<v Speaker 2>go to Cincinnati every time we got to do an

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<v Speaker 2>autopsy because that's where the pathologist is. So there should

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<v Speaker 2>be at some point we look at some of these

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<v Speaker 2>local elected offices and say, really, you only have to

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<v Speaker 2>show up one out of ninety days. It didn't be

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<v Speaker 2>one out of thirty or something like that. So really

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<v Speaker 2>all this is, and you know, obviously in many counties

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<v Speaker 2>there's a long time elected, serving coroner who does a

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<v Speaker 2>wonderful job who probably would get hired by the commissioners

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<v Speaker 2>under the current law. So could you have That's really

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<v Speaker 2>what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you saying this is going to stay in and

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<v Speaker 1>that what's going to happen? Like doctor LASMI so Marco

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<v Speaker 1>as a world class facility built and she runs unopposed,

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<v Speaker 1>and she wants to keep the elective system. And as

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<v Speaker 1>a voter every now and then, I like to say,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, I like to vote for this. There

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<v Speaker 1>might be an issue in the future where you throw

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<v Speaker 1>the bombs out or keep the bums in. What do

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<v Speaker 1>you say to those counties that are happy with the

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<v Speaker 1>president system and don't want.

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<v Speaker 2>To change, Well, I think I think they should call

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<v Speaker 2>Senator Bill Blessing is a really smart guy and asking

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<v Speaker 2>what he thinks about it. But the point is that,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, under that thinking, we could have a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of more elected officials at the county level, not just

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<v Speaker 2>the ones that we have now. And but yeah, I

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<v Speaker 2>mean I think in some counties with you know, obviously

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<v Speaker 2>they have somebody's elected that is important to them. It's

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<v Speaker 2>one of these things that's probably and what I think

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<v Speaker 2>is an extraordinarily ambitious budget bill that we just passed

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<v Speaker 2>not a big issue that I'm willing to die on

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<v Speaker 2>the hill for. And we'll see what the Senate says.

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<v Speaker 1>Is it going to change? Because the way it works,

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<v Speaker 1>you and the House put your deal. The governor sends

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<v Speaker 1>you a thick proposal, you go through it, you pass something.

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<v Speaker 1>Then you give it to the Senate, they go through it,

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<v Speaker 1>they pass something. Then you have a committee together, get together,

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<v Speaker 1>and you talk to the governor. All that's going to

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<v Speaker 1>be done next seven or eight weeks. And one thing

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<v Speaker 1>about electing the corners, that the corners beholding the people,

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<v Speaker 1>not the appointing commissioner. And when I have on doctor

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<v Speaker 1>some markers, you'll say for now, and then I get

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<v Speaker 1>pressure to do certain things. And I can tell individuals

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not appointed by some person. I work for the

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<v Speaker 1>state of Ohio. And that's the way it ought to be,

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<v Speaker 1>and that sometimes sometimes that the system works. Is this

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<v Speaker 1>a problem looking for a solution or is this a

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<v Speaker 1>solution looking for a problem.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, I think it's a fair argument. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know that. And there are some odd things in

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<v Speaker 2>the code about the coroner's the only person in the

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<v Speaker 2>county who can arrest the sheriff. It kind of reminds

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<v Speaker 2>me of old Star Trek episode and I'm a doctor,

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<v Speaker 2>one guy who can remove the Captain Kirk, right, But

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<v Speaker 2>I just I think what it is is again, in

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<v Speaker 2>many counties they don't have a doctor who's even doing this.

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<v Speaker 2>So why are we appointing someone who's not doing any

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<v Speaker 2>work because we can. And of course that doesn't mean

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<v Speaker 2>because they're pointed that's doing a lot of work, right,

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<v Speaker 2>But it is an issue.

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<v Speaker 1>And lastly, I'll encourage you to talk to doctor Somarco

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<v Speaker 1>and others before you change the law to see how

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<v Speaker 1>it applies on the ground. And lastly, you have about

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<v Speaker 1>a minute remaining. There's an our article in the inquire

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<v Speaker 1>about one hundred million dollar cut on public education. CPS

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<v Speaker 1>is concerned, Love when schools are concerned, Derek Park, schools

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<v Speaker 1>are concerned. You're the guy in charge of the budget.

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<v Speaker 1>Is there going to be a cut to public education?

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<v Speaker 2>The number one, Every school district in the state of

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<v Speaker 2>Ohio received an increase in funding from the state. That's first. Secondly,

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<v Speaker 2>there are many school districts that have in excess of

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<v Speaker 2>twenty five percent operating fund that they are carrying over

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<v Speaker 2>from year to year. Some of them are forty, some

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<v Speaker 2>of them are fifty, some of them are one hundred percent.

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<v Speaker 2>And what we actually said is, look, you can carry

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<v Speaker 2>over thirty percent of your operating funds. The rest will

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<v Speaker 2>be applied to a tax, real estate property tax cut

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<v Speaker 2>to the folks who are in your district, those real

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<v Speaker 2>estate tax payers. And to me, it's the number one

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<v Speaker 2>issue that people have talked to us about is skyrocketing

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<v Speaker 2>real estate taxes. Correct, now, those are And the simple

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<v Speaker 2>issue is that money, if it's not being used, should

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<v Speaker 2>be in the hands of the taxpayers, and they're checking account,

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<v Speaker 2>not the school districts checking account. Now, wats of folks say, well,

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<v Speaker 2>see we're going to build a build, Okay, well, then

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<v Speaker 2>put all that out of your operating fund, which, by

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<v Speaker 2>the way, the employees won't like because they like to

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<v Speaker 2>collectively bargain for that money. But put it all the way,

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<v Speaker 2>make a plan so the public understands. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the City of Columbus school district, for example, they're carrying

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<v Speaker 2>over four hundred million dollars forty six percent of their

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, And we had somebody come down testify from

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<v Speaker 2>one of the districts and she said, look, you know

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<v Speaker 2>we've taken this extra money and we've invested it, and

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<v Speaker 2>we've made eight million dollars for the school district. Well

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<v Speaker 2>don't you think the people who gave you the money

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<v Speaker 2>they'd like to make the eight million dollars instead of

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<v Speaker 2>you making the eight million dollars. So that's all it is. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>if collectively people can add up numbers and say one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred million dollars, look at every school district. My guess

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<v Speaker 2>is the City of Cincinnati school district isn't carrying over

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<v Speaker 2>more than thirty percent. Vivit. They are, and look and see,

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<v Speaker 2>and most of the high tax districts like this are

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<v Speaker 2>the ones that are growing. We're property values. So the

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<v Speaker 2>school districts in Butler County evaluations have shot up, lots

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<v Speaker 2>more money coming in. The state has made record increases

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<v Speaker 2>under the Cuff Patterson Plan the last two budgets and

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<v Speaker 2>five hundred and fifty million dollars to school districts this year.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's not going down. These these operating carryovers are

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<v Speaker 2>going to continue to go up. All we're saying is

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<v Speaker 2>let's let the people who are paying the taxes of

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<v Speaker 2>some of their money back, at least temporarily, while we

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<v Speaker 2>try to figure out the property tax system.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you willing to meet with doctor Samarco to get

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<v Speaker 1>her perspective on why this idea might not be a

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<v Speaker 1>good one about getting rid of the.

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<v Speaker 2>Corner, I'd be I'd be delighted.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll send you, I'll send you her number to your staff,

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<v Speaker 1>and let's see if you can work it out. You'll

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<v Speaker 1>be impressed with her. Well, Speaker, Matt Hoffman, thank you,

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<v Speaker 1>and made Leonard Russia rest in peace. I bought many

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<v Speaker 1>a QBI Burger when they an elder in the state

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<v Speaker 1>football game. And I'm glad you're more or less of Cincinnatian.

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<v Speaker 1>But keep us in mind whatever you do. Just think

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<v Speaker 1>it's Cincinnati the most important city in the state of Ohio,

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't you agree?

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely?

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<v Speaker 1>Speaker, thank you very much. We'll do it again. God

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<v Speaker 1>bless you.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you. We'll keep you aye. Bye.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, let's continue with more. Bill Cunningham News Radio

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<v Speaker 1>seven hundred WLW