Columbus City Council last night rejected placing two ballot initiatives before local voters this fall.
Council reversed itself and declared a green-energy initiative insufficient after the City Attorney’s office mistakenly reviewed an earlier version. Officials say the correct petition contains contradictory language. Council also declared insufficient the effort to overturn the new ticket tax, after the Franklin County Board of Elections ruled backers failed to collect enough valid petition signatures. And outisde of city hall a group of at least 800 Columbus City Schools' teachers protested municipal tax breaks during the council meeting. Members of the Columbus Education Association, which is negotiating a new contract, say property-tax abatements hurt school funding. City officials disagree.
