Yesterday, March 1, saw the Ohio Statehouse come alive with history, and members and friends of eight history-related statewide organizations hosted the second-annual Statehood Day. Over the last several months, organizational representatives met to plan the event and fashion a set of legislative priorities. Then, on Statehood Day itself, over 160 Ohioans, including Preservation Ohio, took those priorities with them as they met with members of the Ohio General Assembly, their staffs, and also department heads and officials.

This year’s list of legislative priorities included the following, which were grouped under the general areas of meeting public commitments, reinvesting at the local level, and promoting Ohio’s historic heritage.

• The State should provide its 40% share of the 60/40, federal/state funding split to enable the Ohio Historic Preservation Office to fulfill the State’s responsibility to identify, register, and protect Ohio’s historic properties. The state is currently funding the OHPO with only a 25% cash match.

• Significantly increase state investment into the state archives program to ensure Ohio’s government remains open and accountable to its citizens. Ohio now ranks last in the nation in funding its state archives.

• Strengthen state policy concerning the conservation of archeological and historic properties affected by public improvements.

• Establish a new competitive matching grants program to leverage public investments in local historical, archival and preservation organizations.

• Encourage the preservation of historic schools by reducing public funding bias and allowing historic buildings vacated under the state’s school facilities program to be transferred to non-profit entities.

• Create a statewide cultural and heritage tourism program with local input, including increased funding for the state’s Department of Travel & Tourism.

• The state should provide planning funds for the upcoming Civil War Sesquicentennial (which begins in 2011) in order for Ohio to fully engage in statewide activities and educational programs.