The Bogus Buckeye Institute pretends to be an independent think tank, but it is part of the State Policy Network along with the Fake Freedom Foundation.

Recently, Keary McCarthy, executive director of the Ohio Mayors Allliance, called out the Buckeye Institute in a column for the Cincinnati Enquirer. Read it here.

McCarthy, whose organization is a bipartisan coalition of mayors in Ohio’s largest cities and suburbs, starts out by stating “it’s time to be honest about the role taxes play in funding essential local services such as public safety. It’s also time to recognize that strong, vibrant cities drive regional growth and support Ohio’s statewide economic success.”

He goes on to say a recent column by the Buckeye Institute, criticizing a recommendation by the Cincinnati Futures Commission to address a projected $486 million shortfall in the city’s budget was wrongheaded.

The Commission made a lot of recommendations. The Buckeye Institute, as usual, attacked one of the recommendations to raise taxes to keep protect vital public services.

“This knee-jerk criticism by the Buckeye Institute is not only predictable, but it also looks past the reality that the vast majority of municipal income tax revenue goes to pay for police, fire, and other critical public services in Cincinnati,” McCarthy wrote.

“The Buckeye Institute may not have explicitly called for defunding the police, but with no new revenue to address a long-term budget deficit, that is exactly what could happen,” McCarthy wrote.

The Buckeye Institute attacks the commission recommendation, but fails to point out that state budget cuts to cities, counties, townships have put tremendous pressure on cities, townships, and counties to keep firefighters, police officers, EMTs and other public service workers on the streets.

In roughly the past 10 years, the state has cut funding to Cincinnati by about $270 million, and the Buckeye Institute knows this, but chooses to ignore it.

Why? 

Because the Buckeye Institute is anti-tax and anti-public workers.

They supported SB 5, the unsafe and unfair law that would have eliminated collective bargaining rights for public workers and hurt us all.

McCarthy concludes: “The Buckeye Institute is quick to criticize the need for new tax revenue, but rarely acknowledges that municipal income tax pays for essential local services like police and fire. Nor do they recognize that public safety is essential for economic prosperity. It’s time to set aside the tired old talking points and start taking seriously the thoughtful recommendations of business and community leaders who care deeply about the long-term economic success of the city and the Cincinnati region.”

The same can be said for the rest of Ohio.