| Avery Kreemer is off this week on some well-deserved vacation. But Ohio politics doesn’t take a break, so I’m here to make sure you don’t miss a beat. Below are the top political stories of the week. You can reach me this week at 937-554-0876 or Josh.Sweigart@coxinc.com. Avery will be back next week. He can be contacted at 614-981-1422, avery.kreemer@coxinc.com or @AveryKreemer on X. You can also follow our political coverage on our website and through our Ohio Politics Facebook page. *** *** Think property taxes are too high? Here’s what Ohio lawmakers are doing about it Credit: JIM NOELKER • The story: The Dayton Daily News studied all taxation legislation introduced since the start of the 135th General Assembly in January 2023 and found 19 House and Senate bills that touch the topic of property taxation. Read Denise Callahan’s story on those bills here. • Tax concerns: A hard look at property tax reform comes after pandemic-fueled property values increases. Property values spiked an average 37% in Butler County, 34% in Montgomery County and 30% in Greene County last year, which has produced significant increases on tax bills for many. • State revenue down: Coloring these decisions are concerns about the state budget. According to the Office of Budget and Management revenue report for April, general fund tax receipts for the month were $224.4 million or 8.4% below budget estimates. Total tax and non-tax revenues, excluding federal grants, are $156.7 million below budget year-to-date. Minimum wage hike for tipped workers? Restaurant group, local bartender say no • The story: A group of restaurant owners and employees on Tuesday spoke against a proposed constitutional amendment that could raise Ohio’s minimum wage for both tipped and non-tipped employees. Read Eric Schwartzberg’s story here. • Background: Ohio currently has a minimum wage of $10.45 for non-tipped employees, and $5.25 for tipped employees. • Local connection: “We do not want our tips being messed with, our wages being changed,” a local bartender said. “I make over $30 an hour. My husband is an engineer who has went to college and I also went to college, and I make well more than he does. I’m clearly the breadwinner in the family.” Local political news of the week Credit: Jim Noelker • Crisis service pullout fallout: RI International, a mental health and substance use crisis service provider, ended its crisis services on behalf of Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) this week. The sudden departure follows RI receiving millions of dollars in public funds, and leaves in a lurch efforts to improve services for local residents in the throes of a mental health crisis. Here’s how we got here. • Beds Buds pushes back on marijuana claims, threatens Trotwood with legal action: Operators of the Best Buds Depot store at 4655 Salem Ave. — where Trotwood police said they recovered marijuana and 18 firearms while executing a search warrant in April — are pushing back against the allegation that they were illegally selling marijuana to customers. Read that story here. State political news of the week Credit: Josh Sweigart • Niraj Antani: State Senate President Matt Huffman said it’s “disappointing” that Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miami Twp., continues to not show up to voting sessions in the Statehouse. Read my story here. • High Court rejects Yost effort to narrow gender-affirming care ruling: An Ohio Supreme Court vote Wednesday upheld the scope of a temporary restraining order blocking the state’s bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth and a ban on trans students participating on athletic teams that align with their identity. Read Sam Wildow’s story here. • Proposed Ohio law would help protect doctors, nurses from violence: Health care jobs are among the top where nonfatal workplace violence takes place, and to address this, a local lawmaker wants Ohio hospitals to create security plans to protect workers and report violence incidents. National political news of the week Credit: AP • Norfolk Southern will pay modest $15 million fine over train derailment: The federal government agreed to a modest $15 million fine for Norfolk Southern over last year’s disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the railroad promised to pay more than $300 million to complete the efforts to improve safety that it announced after the crash and address community health concerns. • Space threats part of discussion at Wright-Patt intelligence retreat: Military threats from space were one focus of a gathering of national intelligence principals Monday and Tuesday at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Tom Gnau has that story. *** | 