Keep tax hike killed, group urges

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A conservative group wants Ohio lawmakers to let stand Gov. John Kasich’s veto of a proposal to increase taxes on health insurers that would have sent money to cash-strapped counties and regional bus services throughout the state.

State lawmakers proposed the idea to offset lost revenue from a sales tax being discontinued by the federal government on Medicaid-managed care organizations.

Kasich administration officials say he vetoed the $207 million tax increase proposal because it would have risked losing a bigger chunk of money and created a $615 million loss for Medicaid.

Anti-tax activist Grover Norquist wrote Tuesday for his Washington-based Americans for Tax Reform urging legislators to reject any efforts to override the veto on raising health insurer taxes.

He says asking Washington for a tax hike “is not a good look for Ohio.”