The Columbus Chamber of Commerce has endorsed local Issues 1, 2 and 24 on the upcoming November 3 ballot.
The Chamber’s thorough vetting process for endorsement includes a rigorous review by its Government Relations team, Government Affairs Steering Committee and Board of Directors.
“With more than 2,030 members throughout our Central Ohio community, we strive to be the most relevant and reliable source of information for our businesses, especially when it comes to providing insight into our local, state and federal levels of government,” said Don DePerro, president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber.
The following issues, which will be presented for vote on the November 3 ballot, have been officially endorsed by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce:
Columbus Issue 1 – Energy Aggregation: By voting in support of Issue 1, voters will allow the City of Columbus to bulk-purchase energy on behalf of residents and approximately 22,000 small businesses, providing competitive pricing and local control of energy sources, and spurring a rapid shift to renewable energy. Learn more here.
Columbus Issue 2 – Civilian Police Review Board: Issue 2 proposes to amend the City’s Charter to establish a Civilian Police Review Board and create an Inspector General for the Columbus Division of Police to conduct independent investigations into complaints of police misconduct. The board will have subpoena power, the authority to initiate complaints and recommend resolutions. Learn more here.
Franklin County Issue 24 – ADAMH Levy: Issue 24 is a 5-year, 2.2 mill renewal levy with a .65 mill increase. The existing 2.2 mill property tax levy is set to expire in December of 2021. If passed, property owners would pay an additional $1.90 per month or $22.75 more per year per $100,000 in property value for the increase, on top of the current rate of $4.98 per month or $59.86 per year per $100,000 in property value under the renewal. Learn more here.
The endorsements come as the Chamber announces its 2020 Vote for US campaign, a dedicated webpage highlighting critical voter education information, including deadlines, details for poll workers and its endorsements of Issues 1, 2 and 24.
Both absentee and in-person voting started October 6, 2020. Learn more about voting in Ohio by visiting VoteOhio.gov. You can learn more about the Chamber’s Vote for US campaign here.