The citizen-led ProEnergy Ohio ballot initiative is likely making Columbus City Council, the Mayor’s Office and the Columbus Partnership take serious pause. Many believed the initiative was doomed, yet it made it on November’s ballot. Unfortunately, another environmental citizen-led initiative that many activists championed will not get a vote, and remains in limbo.

Columbus City Council in 2020 voted against putting ProEnergy Ohio’s “Columbus Clean Energy Initiative” on a future ballot even though the Franklin County Board of Elections found ProEnergy had collected enough valid signatures. City Council argued ProEnergy’s summary language for the initiative was insufficient.

But ProEnergy filed suit in Ohio Supreme Court and won. In a 5-2 decision the court stated City Council’s denial was illegitimate and “abused its discretion”.

City spokesperson Melanie Crabil told the Free Press in an email, “We can confirm that it will be on the November ballot.”

Former Columbus City Council candidate and longtime critic of the city’s tax abatement policies declared a victory for the tens of thousands of people in Columbus who have been fed up with being burdened with paying higher property taxes due to the never-ending corporate welfare that is given out to nearly every local luxury real estate developer,  big business, and large corporations in Columbus. After Mr. Motil’s objection at a City Council Public Hearing on July 8,2021 to the expansion of the AC Humko Community Reinvestment Area (CRA), City Council Housing Committee Chairwoman Shayla Favor also expressed her concerns on the expansion. The ordinance to modify the AC Humko expansion was tabled at the July 12, 2021 City Council meeting and then tabled indefinitely at last nights Columbus City Council meeting.

Monday, July 19, 2021, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Gather at noon in front of Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, 200 N. High St., Columbus (corner of N. High and Spring St.) to thank him for standing with us and supporting the PRO Act.  Then at 12:30 we will march to Rob Portman’s office, 37 W. Broad St., to on him to support the PRO Act.  Facebook.  

ntercommunity Justice and Peace Center

Sunday, July 18, 12noon, this event will be on-line

Did you know that 40 states, including those with active death penalty statutes, haven’t executed anyone in five years? On July 18, it will be three years since Ohio has executed anyone. With two strongly bipartisan bills in the Ohio House and Senate, we are kindling the hope that Ohio will never execute anyone ever again.

That’s why we’re inviting you to participate in our “Day of Hope” on July 18. It’s simple to get involved:

• Light a candle in your home any time on July 18.

• Take a picture of your lit candle and either send it to us in an e-mail message [<allison@otse.org>], post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and tag it with #NoDeathPenaltyOH.

• Feel free to include a comment about why you believe that there is hope for a future in Ohio without the death penalty.

We've just learned about a new anti-abortion bill that will be introduced in the coming weeks.