The Basics…Ohio’s State and Local Government.

Top Elected Officials-4 YEAR TERMS/2 TERMS/8 YEAR LIMIT Governor:Top official of the State Lieutenant Governor:2 nd in Command Secretary of State:Elections and Businesses Attorney General:Top Legal Advisor Treasurer:Handles money coming in Auditor:Checks Money going out-being spent in the right areas Special Powers of Executive: Veto, Line-Item Veto,Governor is in charge of the National Guard-State Militia.

State Legislature: Officially called GENERAL ASSEMBLY Bicameral Chamber-2 Houses- Makes Laws! Upper House-Senate-33 Members-4 year Terms Lower House-Houses-99 Members-2 year Terms

All Judges in Ohio are elected-hold 6 year terms. Lowest courts-Common Pleas courts-one in every county-Located in the County Seat-hears all cases. Court of Appeals-12 Districts Ohio Supreme Court- 7 Members

County-Largest local form-88 counties in Ohio Extension of the State-Handles Elections; Education; Roads; General Services In most cases 3 Commissioners are in charge…exceptions Summit and Cuyahoga… Other elected County Officials: Sheriff; Coroner; Engineer; Prosecuting Attorney-all in courthouse County Board of Elections and Education also dwelt with at county level

Divisions within Counties 3 Trustees in control-Elected Mostly deal with road issues, can include safety forces like Police-Fire-EMT

Difference between Cities and Villages: 5,000 people-above City; below Village Incorporated Areas- State allows them to exist-thus need to create a charter. Services depend on Size- Like Water, Garbage, Police, Fire, Hospitals, and Schools.

Mayor-Council—All are elected by the people Council-Manager—Council appoints Manager to run city (trained professional) can have a Mayor as well Council members are in wards or districts-number depends upon the size of community At-Large-council members who cover the entire city.

State Income Tax: about 6-7% State Corporate Tax: only profits from Corporations Sales Tax: Tax added after purchases-5-7%-counties can add (called a “Piggy-back tax”) Excise Tax: tax is in the price of the good-Examples GAS and ALCOHOL Property Tax: local tax only-MOST go to SCHOOLS-about 65%

Determine the “Market Value” of your Home-what you “COULD” sell it for- Example $100,000. “Assessed Value” of you home is what you are taxed on-35% of Market Value-Thus in our Example $35,000…so the tax rate is based on $35,000 and NOT $100,000-so you multiply the price of your house or the “Market Value” of you house by.35- the “Market Value” is determined by both the county (Assessor/Appraiser)-the Banks-real estate agents-and you… “Market Value” is not usually what “YOU” think it is…

Used in paying for schools…how much a person pays in taxes for local schools. A “Mill” is $1for every $1000 taxable value of property. Example: if the $100,000 home is in a school district with 40 mills-then multiply 40 by 35= $1400 in yearly taxes.

Licenses-car, professional, sport, business Lottery-Gaming Parking Assessments for usage-like water Other Taxes-like Hotel-Motel Other fees and fines Selling Bonds

Referendum-people vote on whether to keep a law already passed by State Assembly Initiative-people write own law then vote on it Recall-special election for the people to decide if they want to keep an elected official in office or not Consolidation-One local unit absorbing another local unit- combining everything

Every state has its own Constitution-blueprint for the state Creates government structure; defines all rules; explains how to raise and spend money.