Mayor from Ohio. (Getty image file photo.)
Each morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio, the country and the world that catches our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye and have published it here.
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Catching our eyes
• Income taxes. Jessie Balmert of the Columbus Dispatch reports: “Vivek Ramaswamy plans to phase out Ohio’s income tax“
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy plans to phase out Ohio’s income tax over eight to 10 years. The plan aims to attract businesses to Ohio, starting by eliminating capital gains taxes in its first budget.
Critics say the plan would disproportionately benefit the wealthy and could lead to major cuts in services such as education and Medicaid. Ramaswamy did not specify which programs he would cut to offset the estimated $10 billion in annual revenue loss.
• Repeal of the Voting Rights Act. ABC News reports: “One-third of the Congressional Black Caucus could lose their seats in the redistricting fight.“
Nearly a third of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus — 19 of its 62 members — are at risk of losing their seats during the 2028 election cycle as Republicans in Southern states where they control the legislature move quickly to redraw congressional maps less than two weeks after the Supreme Court dealt a blow to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
• Gold rush. As Axios reports: “Presidential gold rush in Trumpworld“
Democrats erupted Monday over President Trump’s creation of a $1.8 billion “anti-gun” fund for MAGA allies who say they face political persecution, vowing to investigate what they call textbook corruption.
Why it matters: With each passing month, Trump is weaving the financial interests of his family, allies and his political movement more tightly than ever into the fabric of the American presidency.
• Golden Ballroom. The note reports: “Trump Pressures John Thune to Fire Lawmaker Over Ballroom Funding“
President Donald Trump pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune to fire the Senate parliamentarian after she ruled that Republicans could not include funding for the president’s ballroom in the budget bill, two sources familiar with the request told NOTUS.
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