Earlier this week, Democratic Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson announce an ambitious new plan to overhaul the city's failing public schools. Ohio Governor John Kasich, a Republican, quickly announced his support for the plan. The reason these two politicians find themselves in agreement over the plan is because Jackson's school overhaul includes many of the same tenants as the controversial, Kasich-backed Senate Bill 5.

Jackson's plan calls for changes to state law, which would give the Cleveland Metropolitan School District more autonomy. It also plans to eliminate seniority as the deciding factor for employee layoffs and assignments, and will require differentiated pay to attract talented teachers and principals. Furthermore, it would require that Cleveland schools and unions start future contract negotiations without carryover items from previous agreements. The plan would also provide targeted funding for year-round schools, high-performing charter schools and other initiatives.

In his State of the State speech on Tuesday in Columbus, Gov. Kasich said:

“I’m counting on Cleveland to deliver the goods. We can change urban education in Ohio and change the urban education in America. And that is worth fighting for and risking for.”

According to the Boston Herald, Ohio billionaire Peter Lewis, the chairman of insurance company Progressive Corp., is bankrolling a ballot question supporting the medicinal use of marijauna almost entirely himself.

Lewis, a well-known advocate of marijuana, has backed similar efforts in Ohio and Washington.

State campaign finance reports show that Lewis contributed $525,000 to the Committee for Compassionate Medicine, which supports the medicinal use of marijuana. The group raised a total of $526,000, which means that all but $1,000 was funded by Lewis. Most of the money went to pay for professional signature gatherers, who gathered signatures in order to guarantee that the question would get a spot on the upcoming November ballot.

The proposal in Massachusetts would permit patients to with debilitating medical conditions like cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis to get permission from their doctors to use marijuana, and calls for the state to register up to 35 nonprofit treatment centers.

On Tuesday a federal appeals panel in San Francisco ruled that California's infamous Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional. This decision would lead to the Supreme Court's consideration of the highly controversial social issue.

The panel overturned the proposition by a 2 to 1 vote. Proposition 8 was approved by 52 percent of California voters in 2008, and thus amended the state's Constitution to limit marriage to a man and woman.

U.S. Circuit Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in his decision:

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort.”

Reinhardt, appointed by Jimmy Carter, was joined ruling the proposition unconstitutional by Judg Michael Daly Hawkins, who was appointed by Bill Clinton. Judge N. Randy Smith, who was appointed by George W. Bush, dissented.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has asked the state Controlling Board for approval to pay $2.85 million for a controversial study of how Ohio could make money off of the Ohio Turnpike.

According to a state request for funding, ODOT has asked for the money to be paid to KPMG Corporate FInance LLC to help it evaluable its options in leveraging assets of the turnpike, as well as rest areas along the 251-mile toll road.

The Controlling Board is scheduled to meet on February 13 and will consider the request at that time.

Governor John Kasich has lobbied for the leasing of the turnpike as a way to generate money. Statehouse Democrats, however, strongly opposed the idea.

Ohio lawmakers may soon be voting on a proposal to ban smoking in vehicles where there are passengers aged six or younger.

The bill is being introduced by State Senator Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus). The proposed fine would be $500 for a first offense.

Before it could be come law, however, it would have to go through a number of steps. Right now, it's just a proposal that state legislators will take a look at and consider.

Other states with similar laws make smoking in a car with young children a secondary violation, which means that drivers have to be pulled over for another traffic offense first.

The battle for the presidency is about to get a whole lot more interesting with the news that actress Roseanne Barr has filed the official paperwork to run for the office of the president of the United States. Barr will be running for a Green Party nomination.

If you're wondering where Roseanne stands on all of the issues, here's a quick overview: she promises to institute a "Europeanstyle" single-payer health care and forgive all credit card and mortgage debt.

Barr's official announcement read:

"I am pleased to announce that I am seeking the Green Party's nomination for President of these United States of America. The Democrats and Republicans have proven that they are servants-bought and paid for by the 1%-who are not doing what's in the best interest of the American people. As a long time supporter of the Green Party, I look forward to working with people who share my values. Behold the greening of America!"

Cleveland City Council is expected to vote on a resolution this coming Monday that would urge the city's leaders to run the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure out of town, after the organization decided to pull its funding for Planned Parenthood.

Councilman Zach Reed says that the Komen Foundation bowed to political pressure. So he is working on a resolution that would encourage Mayor Frank Jackson to deny the Komen Foundation a parade permit, which would force out the most successful breast cancer foundation worldwide out of Cleveland.

Reed said:

"I'm just trying to send a message and the message is that politics should not play a role in healthcare."

Mayor Jackson, however, will have the final say. And right now, it's looking like he is going to let them get their parade permit. Jackson said:

"We don't interfere with what we believe to be good events that promote good causes and that people are supportive of."

On Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified a petition for a proposed constitutional amendment that would make Ohio a right-to-work state.

As written, the measure would prohibit mandatory participation in a union or payment of union-related fees as a condition of employment.

Supporters of the proposed amendment are a coalition of tea party sympathizers. They were able to gather the required 1,000 signatures, which DeWine certified as "fair and truthful." Before attempting to gather hundreds of thousands of signatures to qualify to be included on the November statewide ballot, the group must next go to the Ohio Ballot Board.

Currently, there are twenty-two states with right-to-work laws. This afternoon, Indiana became the 23rd and the 1st in the "rust belt" to enact such a law.

Under a bill that has now passed the Ohio Senate, pit bulls in the state of Ohio would no longer be labeled as "vicious" dogs.

Currently, Ohio law defines a vicious dog as one that has seriously hurt or killed a person, killed another dog, or is among those commonly known as pit bulls. On Tuesday, the Senate voted 27-5 to change that definition by removing the reference to pit bulls, and requires evidence to prove pit bulls are actually vicious.

In addition, the measure specifies that the label doesn't include a police dog that has injured a person or has killed another dog while assisting law enforcement officials.

According to the results of a Quinnipiac University survey released on Monday, 43 percent of those likely to vote in the Florida primary on Tuesday say that they back Romney, while 29 percent say they support Gingrich.

11 percent support both Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. 7 percent said they were undecided, and 24 percent indicated that they could change their minds.

Romney's lead seems to be increasing. His 14 point lead this week is up from his 9 point advantage in another Quinnipiac poll released on Friday.

Romney also head an 11 point lead over rival Gingrich in an American Research survey released on Sunday, a 15 point lead in a new NBC/Maris poll, and an 11 point lead in a Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald/Bay News 9 survey.