Changing AirBnb rentals, bail laws among ways Ohio can cut inflation, red tape| Opinion
Donovan O’Neil is the state director for Americans for Prosperity Ohio, a political advocacy group.
Ohio’s economy is well positioned to capture the opportunities of the next decade.
Passage of the Red Tape Reduction Act will move the Buckeye State from 47th in the nation on burdensome regulation to one of the least restrictive in the nation.
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We need the 134th Ohio General Assembly to advance measures that will help Ohio families make ends meet in the face of national economic downturn. The lame duck session provides the perfect window of opportunity for such a recommitment to economic prosperity.
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The Buckeye State lost more jobs than any other state when employers cut 7,600 jobs in September, a sign that inflation has taken its toll.
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The state’s job losses mean that Ohio needs approximately 133,000 jobs to bring its economy back to where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
And it’s no wonder.
Nationwide, inflation rates have skyrocketed at speeds not seen in 40 years while Americans struggle to fill up their cars and heat their homes, thanks to poor policy decisions at the federal level.
By refocusing state legislative priorities back towards developing a strong economy, Ohio can fight the symptoms of inflation.
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One way to encourage job growth in Ohio is by encouraging skilled workers from other states to relocate.
Senate Bill 131, for example, would reform occupational licensure to allow universal licensing recognition and remove current government barriers to entering the Ohio workforce.
Under the bill, qualified workers would be free to establish their homes and businesses in the Buckeye State and veterans would have a greater ability to use their skills in civilian life. All Ohioans would reap the benefits of increased business activity that skilled workers would bring to the state.
Meanwhile, reducing regulations for entrepreneurs is another way in which Ohio can jumpstart its lagging economy and foster innovation.
AirBnb leasers in the state serve as one example of entrepreneurs affected by burdensome regulations.
Current Ohio law permits local government agencies to ban short-term rentals on platforms like AirBnb and Vrbo in their communities and prevents property owners from meeting consumer demand. Measures such as House Bill 563 would do away with government regulations on home-rental activity that prevent owners from reaping valuable income during a time when economic conditions are grim.
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Reducing crime rates can also go a long way in benefiting Ohio’s economic landscape.
Studies show that violent crime imposes large costs on economies through imposing lower property values and higher insurance premiums.
Taxpayers in high-crime areas suffer from the cost of maintaining police forces, courts, jails and prisons aimed at curbing crime.
The Ohio crime rate rose to its highest level in three decades between 2019 and 2020 and even exceeded the national crime rate at the time. Meanwhile, nearly one in three Ohioans return to state prison within three years of getting released, a bad omen for taxpayers unless state legislators show up to bat.
State legislators can rectify Ohio’s crime rate this year.
Ohio House Bill 315, for example, would finish what voters started at the ballot box this past Tuesday.
Creating a conservative red-state model for pre-trial bail reform with the purpose of reducing repeat violent crimes.
Not only would the bill protect Ohioans from crime, but it would reduce unnecessary costs for taxpayers, allowing them to invest in other areas of the economy instead.
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The Ohio General Assembly should send these bills and others like them to the governor’s desk before House Speaker Robert Cupp or Senate President Matt Huffman calls sine die in December.
Making the economy a top legislative priority will allow Ohioans to thrive in a free and prosperous society.
Donovan O’Neil is the state director for Americans for Prosperity Ohio, a political advocacy group.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What bills should General Assembly approve by the end of the year?
