January, 2010
By Admin
Rep. Ray Pryor’s Report to the People
“Ohio is the top state for alternative energy investment” – The Conway New Plant Report
And fortunately, enterprising leaders around the state aren’t stopping at number one. American Electric Power <www.aep.com> plans to add 1,000 megawatts of new wind energy by 2011. And one of their subsidiaries, Appalachian Power Co. <www.appalachianpower.com> has forged a 20-year agreement <www.aep.com/newsroom/newsreleases/?id=1489> to purchase renewable wind energy from a wind farm, Beech Ridge Energy, LLC. They will purchase between 100 and 147 megawatts in the first phase from the wind farm, which is expected to be up and running by March 31, 2010. AEP has additional requests out for up to 600 megawatts of renewable energy.
Additionally, Rotek Incorporated’s <www.rotek-inc.com/> Aurora, Ohio plant will undergo $82 million in expansion. This is expected to add 150 new jobs in the plant that manufactures slewing ring bearings, which is used in the wind industry.
These initiatives are strongly supported by our government leaders in Ohio. The Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Energy Office <www.development.ohio.gov/cdd/oee/> administers $3.5 million in state grants for solar hot water systems and wind technologies, under what is called the Advanced Energy Fund <development.ohio.gov/cdd/oee/GrantsLoans.htm>. The grants provide support for the distribution and advancement of energy technologies in the service areas of one of Ohio’s four participating electric distribution companies. These grants are for smaller-scale consumers in an effort to stimulate Ohio’s market for smaller wind and solar thermal industries. They complement the manufacturing efforts across Ohio, aiming to attract the high-skilled jobs of a new energy economy.
In a time when the national dialogue is so focused on how we will develop for a sustainable future, Ohio is primed to be a longtime leader. Attention to these efforts has paid off so far, and there is still opportunity to do much more. Ohio has long been known for producing people and ideas that lead the nation and the world, and these accomplishments are proof that Ohio’s future holds promise and innovation for generations to come.
The national economy is struggling, and too many Ohioans are struggling as well. These tough times require the use of every resource we have to jumpstart our economy and create jobs. If we don’t take action and work to move our economy forward, we risk putting Ohio further behind once the national recession lifts.
The Ohio House <www.house.state.oh.us/> has taken action to use federal stimulus money to immediately begin creating jobs and positioning our economy for long-term growth. Ohio is getting $5.8 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - a shot in the arm to our ailing economy – a bold move to get it healthy again.
These dollars are about jobs. By attracting industry to our state, the free market can promote a healthy economy as we come out on the other side of this recession. Sustainable growth and prosperity begins with the action we take now.
There are a few major ways the federal funds will come to Ohio. For one, the stimulus bill includes money for federally guaranteed loans under the Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program. Loans backed by the government help in an economic climate where credit is still frozen for too many businesses. The loans will go toward businesses that invest in emerging technologies. New industries not only create jobs in the short-term, but they also help other businesses to grow alongside them, providing long-term economic development.
We are also using federal funds to invest in infrastructure. $1.1 billion of our transportation budget went toward keeping our roadways safe. Good roads also allow small businesses to move their goods and industry to develop along transportation corridors. The jobs created as a result can invigorate communities. We’ve pulled down $629 million for energy efficiency, green technologies, and weatherization. These are investments that reap lasting benefits. For example, weatherizing our buildings decreases energy use and increases cost savings. When people save money on energy, they invest it back into the economy.
There are many opportunities for investments now that save money later. $26 million will support preventive health care services. Countless studies show that the more we invest in preventive measures like wellness and regular doctor visits, the more long-term costs we save. And we’ve also used stimulus funds to support vital services in Ohio, such as Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and school lunches. In tough times, when more and more Ohioans are in need, it is critical to maintain our social safety net. We’ve also invested $38 million from the federal government to uphold our police forces to help keep citizens safe.
These are unique times. With major layoffs and foreclosures in the news, we must act to put Ohio back on the road to prosperity. The investments we are making will help get Ohio’s economy moving again and improve our financial position for tomorrow.
Filed in: Economic Development, General
By Admin
To the editor:
As the State Representative of the 85th House District, it has been my pleasure to meet with and hear from constituents throughout the district. Since being elected in November, I have had numerous opportunities to assist citizens and learn more about the needs of Ohio and the 85th
District. I would like to review some of what has been accomplished so far.
My office has been working with constituents on a daily basis since we began. Many
constituents come for assistance, and many others come with ideas for making change in Ohio. I was happy to meet with citizens in Circleville, Washington Court House, and Chillicothe.
“Town Hall” style meetings have also been a way for me to meet constituents, keep them
informed, and address their concerns.
My office has created a Veterans Advisory Group, Education Advisory Group, Economic
Development and an Agriculture Group as a resource in the district to came back to with and for
ideas. One of the many pieces of legislation is the veterans’ bonus resolution that is now part of Ohio law.
The State budget, of course, is a top priority. We are working within committees to meet the
needs of the State in a responsible way. As it is early in the process, there are still many
unanswered questions regarding the budget and I welcome any input from constituents. I will
continue to provide information as it becomes available.
At the web site www.recovery.ohio.gov , the public can find updated information on the
stimulus package from the Federal Government to the State of Ohio. Monitoring this website
will allow constituents to stay aware of the current availability and how the stimulus money is
being used in Ohio.
Community organizations, local governments, and individuals can submit requests for stimulus
grants. As the grants are very competitive, we advise monitoring the website for updates and
submission deadlines. For assistance in applying, please contact my office. It is my intention
that the 85th District will receive an equitable amount of the stimulus money.
Community input is always welcome. Citizens can contact my office by phone at 614.644.7928,
email at district85@ohr.state.oh.us. or mail at any time.
Sincerely,
Representative Ray Pryor
Ohio 85th House District
Filed in: Economic Development, General
By Admin
Representative Raymond Pryor announces that The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission approved $150,000 at its quarterly meeting today for the Fayette County Museum. “I want
to thank The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission for investing the Fayette County Museum and in the Cultural of Fayette County,” commented the Representative, “The funding will allow the museum to do several upgrades, and make visits to the museum a better experience.”
Representative Pryor went on to say, “The Victorian-Italianate mansion is a piece of history that
Fayette County is proud to home, and now with the funds allowed by The Ohio Cultural Facilities
Commission, this museum will help to make Fayette County a better place to live for all of it’s citizens.”
This museum was a 3,600-square-foot home, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; its presence in Fayette County provides the history of its area to all residents, and will now be a more beautiful place to visit. “Congratulations to the museum and I look forward to seeing the results of the new constructions.”
Filed in: Economic Development
By Admin
In response to a recent study showing that veterans in Ohio receive the lowest average disability compensation of any state in the nation, Congressman Zack Space (OH-18) led a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee hearing to help determine the causes of this discrepancy. Congressman Space, who is a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, invited Ray Pryor to give expert testimony on the situation in Ohio. Ray’s testimony follows:
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for providing AMVETS (American Veterans) the opportunity to testify regarding the issue of disability claims ratings and benefits disparities within the Veterans’ Benefits Administration.
This hearing is very important in as it addresses an issue that continues to plague the Veterans’ Benefits Administration (VBA) and leaves veterans frustrated and suspicious of the system that is in place to support them after their service to our nation. In examining the factors that have lead to the disparities in claims ratings, two large over-lying conditions are present that have allowed the gaps in ratings to exist and several circumstances have occurred which have exacerbated the problem.
First and foremost, we are working with a system that is based on humans making decisions. Their perceptions, understandings of conditions, and occasional mistakes are going to play a role in disparities. If this was the only issue then the disparities would not be regionally based they would be proportionally distributed throughout VBA. However, there is evidence that displays disparities between Regional Offices. AMVETS believes these disparities are caused by two separate but related groups within the claims process: (a) the Veteran Service Representative (VSR), the Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR) the Decision Review Officer (DRO) on the rating side; and (b) the Compensation and Pension Doctors (C&P) whose evaluation of a veteran is used by the regional offices to decide a claim.
The reason these two groups have such a great influence on the outcome of the veterans claims and why there are regional disparities is due to the personalities of the doctors, the raters and review officers, and the personalities of the Regional Offices as a whole. These regional personalities develop because new raters and DROs are trained by the region, and styles and common terms and language are used by the raters when filing a claim. Terminology such as “full range of motion” compared to “essentially full range of motion” could change a rating by ten percent. Likewise, physician’s perceptions and similar language usage can alter a claim. Veteran Service Officers (VSO) will state they routinely see Compensation and Pension Exams which will describe the patient with cookie cutter language leaving room for subjective interpretation.
In addition to these personalities that determine compensation on similar if not identical claims with a broad range of outcomes is the backlog of claims that are in the VBA and the performance credit system that monitors the number of claims filed by the raters and DROs. Currently, there is no oversight of the quality of work the DROs perform. As identified by the AMVETS sponsored “National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans,” DROs are evaluated on the number of claims they submit, but there is no distinction between positives and negatives in the performance evaluation. There is only a requirement to process a certain number of claims and they receive credit for all claims they move forward, regardless of the number of that are overturned or remanded. The backlog has increased the challenge to push more claims through, but because of the need to push them through, incomplete and poorly written claims are routinely submitted and remanded cycling the claim through the system a second or third time, exacerbating the systems backlog.
AMVETS suggests three recommendations which will assist in narrowing the disparities in claims and reduce the backlog. First, a centralized training facility that will be tasked with teaching new raters and DROs in a standardized outlined process in filing and reviewing claims. This will remove much of the regional personality that affects the disparity in the claims at the rater/reviewer level. Secondly, there needs to be improved oversight of both the rater/reviewer and the C&P doctors. In regard to the C&P, oversight should be in place to ensure the examiner’s guide is being utilized. This could be done through a “whistle blower” program that will allow veterans to feel safe in identifying C&Ps who are misdiagnosing claimants, or any other mechanism that could track validity of physical exams. Oversight could be improved in the rating and review of claims also. A system needs to be developed that will not only ensure claims are being filed, but that claims are being filed properly and completely. H.R. 3047 makes efforts to improve the credit received system under which the DROs and RVSRs currently work. This legislation would not credit a regional office for a claim until the expiration of the appellate period. This system or a system that monitors the ratio of cases remanded or overturned to the total number of cares referred is essential in improving the claims process. Lastly, understanding this is a two to three year process, hiring more staff to reduce the burden of the backlog is critical. There is no single, simple solution to the disparity problem, but identifying the roots of the problem and tasking VA with finding solutions to these problems is critical if improvements are going to be recognized in the claims system.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony.
Filed in: Veterans Issues
By Admin
I have always been a veteran’s advocate and will continue this advocacy as a State Legislator. Ohio can do more for our veterans. For more than 25 years, I have worked to help Ohio’s veterans. I know the difficulties veterans face as they reenter civilian life. We must be more progressive in helping our veterans make the transition into the civilian workforce. Military personnel receive some of the best training in the world. We cannot afford to lose the skills and experience these men and women can bring back to Ohio. It is time to act and not just give lip service to our veterans.
Filed in: Veterans Issues
By Admin
For 16 years now the Republican controlled House of Representatives have failed to address the problems seniors face everyday. When elected to the serve the 85th District I will fight to help lower the sky rocketing cost of prescription drug. My opponent voted for the biggest tax increase in Ohio history and also voted to raise the gas tax that is now causing seniors to decide between heating their homes in the winter and paying for the drugs that they need. This is a travesty and this must change. As your Representative I will make sure that the Ohio House of Representatives will take on these issues our seniors face and I promise to work in a bipartisan way to come up with the solutions we need.
Filed in: Senior Issues
By Admin
The lack of affordable health care is a growing problem in Ohio. Over 1.3 million Ohioans are without health insurance. Nearly 13% of our children are uninsured. It is an embarrassment that in a nation that has the most advanced health care system in the world, many go without basic health care. Additionally, prescription drugs are more expensive in the United States than anywhere else in the world. Many of our senior citizens live on fixed incomes and often must choose between eating or paying for medications. This must change. I will support efforts to ensure that all Ohioans have access to health care insurance and prescription drugs that are affordable.
Filed in: Health Care
By Admin
Our educational funding system has been declared unlawful. Meanwhile, the Educational Funding Committee in the state legislature has done nothing. Taxpayers have a right to expect their representatives to uphold the constitution and to obtain legislative results. The legislature has demanded accountability from Ohio’s children and school systems. It is time to replace the “can’t-do” approach with my “citizens expect results” attitude. It is past time for Ohio to remove the awful burden of funding education from property taxes. My wife, daughter and son are teachers, so it is easy to see why education and educational funding are important to me.
Filed in: Education Funding
By Admin
For nearly 30 years, I have worked to provide assistance to people seeking employment. My perspective from the trenches illustrated for me how important it is to have a state that is friendly to both employees and employers. We must help our current businesses grow so they are capable of hiring more employees. We must provide new workers with the skills these businesses need to succeed. Under the current Representative’s watch, many manufacturing businesses have left and not been replaced. Along with those businesses went good paying jobs that fed families and provided the economic resources for entire communities. Once elected, my number one priority will be to insure our current employers have opportunities to grow and to focus on attracting new industries.
Filed in: Economic Development
