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Think carefully with tax cuts

Proposals from advocacy groups and lawmakers have plenty of Ohioans talking about what it would mean to reduce or eliminate property taxes in the state. And certainly, state government should always be working to leave as much money in residents’ pockets as possible. But responsible public officials must be careful not to venture into extreme ideas that would do more harm than good. State Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, has sponsored a bill to provide a 50% property tax reduction for any homeowner at least 65 years old. Income would NOT be a factor. “Whatever your current ...

Enjoy our local fairs, festivals

Whether you’re looking for the chance to spend some quality time with friends and family, an opportunity to make some new friends or just trying to find something special to do during the next several months, you need only look at the many fairs and festivals that are scheduled to be held throughout the Tri-State Area. Their themes vary widely, and events held across our region feature activities for people of all ages. You can find many listed in the special section that will be included with today’s newspaper. Consider a random sample: • The life of Dean Martin, the ...

Proud to serve our area

The names William Lowry and John Miller might not mean much to you today, but there is a direct line between what they started on June 7, 1806, and the newspaper you hold in your hand (or are reading on a computer or mobile device) today. That was the day Lowry and Miller published the first edition of their newspaper, the Western Herald, from a small house on North Third Street in Steubenville. After surviving several mergers and changes in ownership, the Western Herald became the Herald-Star in the late 1890s. Our history is as rich as the history of the Tri-State Area. When the ...

Remember their courage, sacrifice

Today marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day, and it is appropriate that we honor those who were willing to stand tall against what some considered to be nearly impossible odds to defend our freedoms. Because of the sacrifices that were made on that day — June 6, 1944 — along the beaches of Normandy, France, Allied forces were able to continue on their mission of defeating Adolph Hitler, the Nazis and the Axis forces that had brought a reign of terror and tyranny to Europe. The actions of the Allied forces that day created a true turning point in history. They came at a time when ...

Beware of sneaky new taxes

In a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, Ohio lawmakers appear to be hoping residents won’t notice what they slipped into House Bill 96 Tuesday afternoon. While some of them tout efforts to reduce and reform other taxes, they may be hoping to make up some of the difference by collecting what the Office of Budget and Management estimates to be more than $100 million in new ones. When the state Senate Finance Committee adopted their substitute version of HB 96, it included the repealing of sales and use tax exemptions for rental payments for motor vehicles provided to the ...

Keeping Ohio’s elections safe

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has been working steadily to provide guidance meant to increase security for our elections. He has so far provided six security directives to county boards of elections. Most recently was a set of requirements to configure networks, firewalls, vulnerability assessment tools and equipment with the most recent approved security updates; complete monthly cybersecurity checklists to ensure protection from malicious threats; conduct a county-specific security audit led by his office’s chief information security officer and cybersecurity team; and ...