Ohio Treasurer Mandel Thinks Tax Hike Will Scare Industry Away

A fellow Republican state official has come out against Gov. John Kasich's proposed tax increase on drillers. Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel tells a meeting of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association he believes the governor's proposal to increase the severance tax stands to scare away Ohio oil and gas investment at a critical time. Mandel's remarks Thursday mark the second time in under a month he has bucked the governor on a major policy issue. In February, Mandel sent a letter to state legislators urging them to reject Kasich's proposal to expand Medicaid under the federal health care law. He argued the plan's long-term harm outweighed its short-term benefits. Both the tax increase and the Medicaid expansion are part of Kasich's two-year state budget.