It appears that the Kasich/GOP war on the middle class workers has expanded from teachers, fire fighters, police officers, and state employees to include truckers and construction workers. In pushing these laws that punish average people, are Republicans risking losing even more of their supporters?
-----> Besides facing opposition from Ohioans, Republican Gov. John Kasich's plan to sell/lease the Ohio Turnpike is encountering others against his plan----truckers.
WTOL:
Ed Nagle, a trustee with the Ohio Trucking Association, is raising concerns because he wants Ohio to avoid mistakes made when the Indiana Toll Road went private. "I think the condition of the Indiana pike has diminished in its quality and it's become a lot more expensive."
While negotiating a cap on future toll increases could limit the total lease payments to the state, Nagle says that needs to be part of any potential deal.....
....Sandra Moore with Northern Steel Transport says her trucks already stay off the turnpike, but as President of the Toledo Trucking Association she's worried potential toll hikes could force more firms onto secondary routes....
Will Kasich listen to truckers and reconsider his plan? Don't count on it!
------> Another change is coming on the way Ohio pays construction workers, because of legislation written by Ohio's Republicans and signed into law by John Kasich.
Compensation.blr.com:
Governor John Kasich signed the 2011-2013 state budget on June 30. Among many provisions affecting employers, House Bill (HB) 153 made significant changes to job retention tax credits and prevailing wage requirements.....
....HB 153 also makes sweeping changes to Ohio’s prevailing wage laws. It reduces prevailing wage requirements on public improvements other than road construction by increasing project cost thresholds that determine when prevailing wage laws apply. The threshold for new construction will increase from $50,000 to $125,000 on September 28, 2011, $200,000 in September 2012, and $250,000 in September 2013. The threshold for renovations will increase from $15,000 to $38,000 on September 28, 2011, $60,000 in September 2012, and $75,000 in September 2013. Thresholds for road construction remain unchanged.
HB 153 also prohibits prevailing wages from being applied to schools and exempts port authority projects; new private-sector construction projects supported by state economic development programs; and projects completed with donated labor from their provisions. The law also adjusts enforcement procedures and significantly changes job bidding requirements. Employers involved in public works projects should review practices with legal counsel to ensure compliance with the new law.
For further information, check the OhioBureauofWageandHourAdministration.
**** Republican Tea Party favorite, Josh Mandel, is revealing his limited knowledge about a lot of areas. The OhioDailyBlog said it best:
....Mandel also reveals his cynicism when he attacks Sherrod Brown for a vote identical to Senator Rob Portman's as well as virtually ALL of Ohio's Republican delegation in the House. It's all about smear politics and not good governance for Mandel — as we saw last year when he made up bigoted trash about his opponent for treasurer, Kevin Boyce, because
Mandel had not a single qualification to be treasurer. His extremist and uninformed position on the federal budget demonstrates that - and it demonstrates that he definitely doesn't belong in the U.S. Senate. Ohioans would be insane to send him there.
Mandel goes on to say, "Since Brown's vote, the stock market has crashed, the Postal Service has announced possible default and, for the first time in U.S. history, Standard & Poor's downgraded America's credit rating. If that's not "damage to this nation's reputation," then what is?"
Joshie, the "damage to this nation's reputation" — along with the stock market crash and S&P's downgrade (not very reliable by the way, but then you know nothing about finance and markets) — is coming from the fact that our government is being held hostage by ignorant extremists like yourself who hate government and therefore have no business running for office. Throwing the post office in there is a non sequitur, more proof of either your ignorance or your duplicity. God, I hate having to explain this stuff to someone who had the gall to think he ought to be our state treasurer.....
The more we learn about Josh Mandel, the more we know that we don't need someone like him with such limited financial understanding. With his grueling "unannounced" candidacy for the U.S. Senate and limited financial background, Mandel has been spending long periods of time on the road. Someone else must be doing the work of the Ohio Treasurer.