The Coalition for Ohio’s Future is a broad-based, bi-partisan organization including teachers and other educators, firefighters, police, elected officials, concerned citizens, social service organizations, business people, doctors and other health professionals, labor unions, senior citizens, faith-based organizations and many others all dedicated to defeating the TEL Amendment.

 Click here for a fact sheet on TEL

 Click here for a flyer on TEL

Groups and Individuals Opposed to the TEL

AARP

Access, Inc.

ACTION OHIO Coalition for Battered Women

Adult Guardianship Services

AFSCME United

AIDS Resource Center Ohio

AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland

Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services Board of Lucas Co.

Alliance of Child Caring Service Providers

Anthony Mealy, Council at Large, City of Oberlin

Applewood Centers, Inc.

Arthur Howard Winer and Associates, Inc.

ASIA, Inc.

Association of Ohio Philanthropic Homes and Services for the Aging

Auburn Township Trustees

Auglaize County Mayors Association

Aurora Project, Inc.

Barberton Area Community Ministries

Bethany House Services

Bethel Township Trustees

Bowling Green State University

Bruce H. Akers, Mayor of Pepper Pike

Buckeye Association of School Administrators

Buckeye Firearms Association

Buckeye Forest Council

Buckland Village Council

Caesarcreek Township Trustees

CAP Harmony Housing

Carl Stokes Brigade

Catholic Charities Health & Human Services

Catholic Charities Housing Opportunities

Center for Families and Children

Center for Mental Retardation

Central City Economic Development Council

Chagrin Falls Village Council

Chester Township Trustees

Children's Defense Fund of Ohio

Church of the Covenant (PCUSA), Cleveland

Cincinnati Christian Church

City of Athens

Cleveland AFL-CIO

Cleveland Diocesan Social Action Office

Cleveland Housing Network

Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center

Cleveland State Board of Trustees

Coalition of Democratic & Progressive Organizations of Central Ohio

Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO)

Cogswell Hall, Inc.

Collaborative for Organizing Mt. Pleasant

Columbia Township - Lorain County

Columbus Coalition for the Homeless

Community Development for All People

Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio

Community Partners for Affordable Accessible Health Care

Community Shelter Board

Corporation of Ohio Appalachian Development

Council of Agency Directors

Council on Older Persons of Center for Community Solutions

County Commissioners' Association of Ohio

County Treasurers Association of Ohio

Cridersville Village Council

Cuyahoga Co. Community Mental Health Board

Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners

Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners

Cuyahoga County Mayors and City Managers Association

Cuyahoga County Public Library Board of Trustees

Cuyahoga Dept. Senior & Adult Services

Deaf & Deaf-Blind Committee on Human Rights

Delaware City Council

Democracy for America - Central Ohio

East End Neighborhood House

Eaton City Council

Edward Sweeney

Elizabeth Ruppert, M.D.

Ellen & James Black

Environmental Health Watch

Equal Justice Foundation

Georgine Wedo, Mayor South Euclid

Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless

Greater Dayton Mayors and Managers Assn.

Grove City Council

Hamilton County Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services Board

Harbor House, Inc.

Harrison County Board of Commissioners

HELP (Help End Lead Poisoning)

Highland County Community Action

Hocking, Athens, Perry Community Action

Holiday City Village Council

Hunger Network

Initiatives in Urban Education Foundation

InterAct Cleveland

InterFaith Hospitality Network of Gr. Cincinnati

International Brotherhood of Electricial Workers

InterParish Ministry

IUPA Local 1933

Jackson County Commissioners

Jefferson Co. Community Action Council

Jewish Family Service

Jimmy Dimora, Cuyahoga County Commissoner

Lake Township Trustees, Stark County

Lakeview Assisted Living Center

League of Women Voters of Ohio

Linking Employment Abilities and Potential (LEAP)

Lorain County Board of Commissioners

Lorain County Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, Inc.

Lucas County Educational Service Center

Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry

Lyndhurst City Council

Madison Township Trustees

Maple Heights City Council

Marion County Board of Commissioners

Mary Magdalene House

Mayor James Howey of Wooster

Mental Health Advocacy Coalition

Mental Health Services for Homeless Persons

MH & Recovery Bd. Of Clark, Greene & Madison Co.

Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, Inc.

Miami Valley Teen Coalition

Morrow County Board of Commissioners

NAMI Ohio

Nancy A. Grieshop

NASW- Ohio Chapter

National MS Society- Ohio Chapters

NE Ohio Coalition for the Homeless

Near West Side/May Dugan Multi-Service Center

Neighborhood House Association

Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton, Inc.

New Visions Group

North Ridgeville Chamber of Commerce

Northern Ohio Fire Fighters

OCSEA/AFSCME

Ohio Academy of Family Physicians

Ohio ACORN

Ohio AFL-CIO

Ohio AFSCME Retirees Sub Chapter 109

Ohio AFSCME United

Ohio AIDS Coalition

Ohio Alcohol & Drug Policy Alliance

Ohio Association for Gifted Children

Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies

Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies

Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities

Ohio Association of Free Clinics

Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters

Ohio Association of School Business Officials

Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks

Ohio Association of Senior Centers

Ohio BASS Chapter Federation, Inc.

Ohio CDC Association

Ohio Citizen Advocates for Chemical Dependency Prevention. & Treatment

Ohio Conf. American Assoc. of University Professors

Ohio Contractors Association

Ohio Council of Behavioral Healthcare Providers

Ohio Council of Churches

Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Ohio Education Association

Ohio Environmental Council

Ohio Fair Schools Campaign

Ohio Farmers Union

Ohio Federation of Teachers

Ohio League of Conservation Voters

Ohio Multi-County Development Corporation

Ohio Municipal League

Ohio National Organization of Women

Ohio Nurses Association

Ohio Olmstead Task Force

Ohio Osteopathic Association

Ohio PIRG

Ohio Psychological Association

Ohio PTA

Ohio Retired Teachers Association

Ohio Retired Teachers Association (ORTA)

Ohio School Boards Association

Ohio School Psychologists Association

Ohio State Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council

Ohio Township Association

Ohio United Way

Ole Dayton View Neighborhood Association

Organize Ohio

Ottawa County Board of Commissioners

Over the Rhine Housing Network

Oxford Citizens for Peace & Justice

Painesville Township Trustees

Parma City Council

Parma City Council

People for the American Way

Peter Lawson Jones, Cuyahoga County Commissioner

Pike County Outreach Council of Churches

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio

Public Children's Services Association of Ohio

RESTOC

Richland County Board of Commissioners

Richland Township Trustees

Rittman City Council

Ross Co. Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Santer Communities

SEIU Ohio State Council

SEIU/District 1199

Sisters of St. Francis

Spirit of Health

St. Marys Board of Education

St. Marys City Council

St. Marys Community Public Library Board

Summit County Housing Network

Summit County Township Association

Terra Community College Board of Trustees

The Arc of Ohio

The Center for Community Solutions

The Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland

The Greater Youngstown Point, Inc.

The Inspection Group, Inc.

The Ohio State University

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees

The Salvation Army

The Toledo-Lucas County Library Board of Trustees

Toledo Area Jobs with Justice

Transitional Housing, Inc.

UAPA Woman to Woman

United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland

United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministry

United Methodist Mission Society

United Way of Greater Cleveland

Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio

University Senate - The Ohio State University

Village of South Point, Lawrence County

Voices for Children of Greater Cleveland

Volunteers of America/ Ohio River Valley, Inc.

Washington Twp, Board of Trustees (Franklin, Delaware and Union Counties)

Wayne County Achools Career Center

Westland Township Trustees

Windsor Hospital

Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice

Wooster City Council

Wooster Community Hospital

YWCA Columbus

YWCA of Elyria

YWCA of Greater Cleveland


Official TABOR (or TEL) amendment language

TEL is Officially Dead

The Aug. 24 deadline for submitting proposed ballot language to the Ohio Ballot Board has passed without any sign of a TEL proposal. In addition, H.B. 312 became effective on Aug. 21 so the withdrawal letter filed by the Citizens for Tax Reform's petition committee became effective on that date. Since no one has filed a lawsuit on the constitutionally of the withdrawal or a mandamus against the Secretary of State to require him to certify the issue, no TEL proposal will appear on the November 2006 General Election ballot.

The Coalition for Ohio's Future thanks everyone who stepped forward and provided leadership on this issue. As a unified front, the Coalition was successful in defeating a very bad idea for Ohio. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!


What Happened in Colorado?

The Ohio TEL Amendment is nearly identical to Colorado’s TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) Amendment in place since 1992. In the only state where such a budget formula amendment exists, it has failed. For example:
  • Funding for public schools fell to 50th in the nation;
  • Higher education has suffered;
  • Transportation and infrastructure needs are behind.
In fact, TABOR problems are so severe that last November 2005 Colorado voters approved a five-year suspension of the amendment, to allow the state a chance to recover. Why would Ohio pass a measure that hasn’t worked in the only state to have tried it?

Click here to view a video about TABOR in Colorado, and what citizens and leaders in that state have to say about its harm to K-12 education, public safety, higher education, healthcare and agriculture.