Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb blasted the Browns plan for a Brook Park football and entertainment complex this week, calling it a scheme and a betrayal of taxpayers. Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne called the plan "a risky bet" the county can't make.
As we laid out last week, a Haslam Sports Group official laid out the financing plan for a very receptive Ohio legislature, which seems poised to float $600 million worth of bond for the state's portion of the public share. Another $600,000 would come from locally backed bonds, and Ronayne said the whole thing is based on best-case scenario lofty projections by the owners of the Browns.
We will begin Friday's "Sound of Ideas" Reporters Roundtable with a discussion on the volley of words between the Browns and local leaders as the stadium battle took another turn.
Also on the Roundtable, Senate Bill 1 sailed through the Ohio House this week. The bill sponsored by Republican state Representative Jerry Cirino of Kirtland bans Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs on the state's public college and university campuses, among other restrictions.
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is facing a big budget deficit and, according to CEO Warren Morgan, must cut at least $160 million over the next two years. One casualty, which has drawn protest, would be the extra instruction time at schools where the school year is extended. About a third of those in the Cleveland district have such schedules. And the Akron Public Schools is considering cutting nearly 60 positions as part of a financial reorganization.
The Tenth District Court of Appeals this week declared the Ohio law banning transition treatment for minors is unconstitutional. The three-judge panel, all Democrats, ruled that the law prevents parents from exercising a fundamental right to seek medical care for their children.
There has been a case of measles reported in Ohio, an adult in Ashtabula County. That news comes a day after the state health department raised concerns over the decreasing number of children getting vaccinated for measles and other preventable diseases. The U.S. recorded two measles deaths this year, the firsts in a decade.
A Columbus-area state representative has proposed a bill that would allow dog wardens to immediately kill animals who engage in unprovoked attacks of humans.
Guests:
-Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor for News, Ideastream Public Media
-Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV