Ohio senator and businesses advocate for $78B tax boost

By Nick Evans Ohio Capital Journal Ohio business leaders joined Ohio Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in calling for passage of a $78 billion tax deal this week. Tax committee chairs in the House and Senate — one a Republican, the other a Democrat — agreed on the plan which expands the child tax credit as well as tax deductions for research and development. In a call with reporters, Brown emphasized a provision ensuring East Palestine residents won’t be taxed for disaster payments they received after the Norfolk Southern train derailment there last February. “East Palestine people have endured enough,” Brown said, “That money from Norfolk Southern is supposed to go toward making residents whole. They shouldn’t be hit with a tax bill for it.” Linda May, who serves on East Palestine’s City Council, praised the bill’s drafters for working across party lines. “I think that working together is how we rebuild East Palestine and move forward,” she said, “and I think that’s how we help all working, and middle class Americans and our small businesses.” The measure also aims to boosts affordable housing through the low-income housing tax credit program, and carries provisions to protect Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers in...