Politics

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Groups in Ohio say the outcome of Wisconsin recall elections involving a collective bargaining overhaul will have little bearing on whether a similar law in Ohio is repealed this fall.

We Are Ohio spokeswoman Melissa Fazekas said Tuesday that the scenarios in the two states aren’t comparable.

In Wisconsin, Republican politicians who signed onto the law are being challenged. In Ohio, voters will decide Nov. 8 whether to keep the law that limits public unions. Ohio's constitution makes no provision for recalling elected officials.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's elections chief says a liberal policy group has no legal grounds for challenging his certification of a fall ballot measure that seeks to exempt the state from provisions in the federal health care overhaul.

In a response filed Tuesday to ProgressOhio's lawsuit, Secretary of State Jon Husted says it's improper for the group to challenge the signatures submitted to get the measure on the ballot. He questioned the group's contention that extra information was included on petitions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio may be paying $6.3 million to purchase a building that it helped pay to construct.

That's the amount Cuyahoga Community College requested Monday from a state legislative panel to buy a Cleveland building from the Visiting Nurses Association of Ohio.

Except Senate Finance Chairman Chris Widener, who sits on the board, pointed out the state gave the nonprofit association $1.6 million to help build the building in the first place. He says the state is essentially paying for the building twice.  Widener was the only no vote.