The Issues

Improving the Ohio economy and creating  jobs

Ohio faces tremendous challenges on the road to economic recovery, but recovery is possible.  It is important to create a business environment that encourages job creation and attracts new employers.   We are seeing signs of modest economic growth; however, we must ensure that we maintain a competitive climate to attract investment.    The 25th House District needs leadership that can deliver practical solutions to make our communities an inviting place for new businesses to call home and existing business to flourish and grow.    There are areas of the district that have been determined to be within Columbus’ 315 Technology Corridor and will be an important model of Ohio’s future success in job creation and economic recovery. 

According to the Small Business Association, over a recent 15-year period, small businesses created some 65 percent of the net new jobs in the private sector; so it is important to understand regulation and needless red tape crush the entrepreneurial spirit and slow the creation of start-ups. We must continue to invest in new and emerging technologies where Ohio already has a competitive advantage, like those supported by the Third Frontier program.

Balancing the State Budget

At this point we can’t tell exactly what the deficit will be, so it is difficult to determine what budget balancing measures should be put in place to close that gap.  In 2007, the state budget was in balance and we had $1billion in the rainy day fund.  Today, it is clear that our state government hasn’t been able to live within its means, while many Ohioans find themselves watching every dollar they spend and are making tough financial decisions over what they can and cannot afford.  They expect and deserve that their state government will do the same.  As I said, it is critical that we establish the most competitive environment for business investment.  Therefore, raising taxes and increasing the burden on taxpayers could jeopardize any future economic growth.   In the long term, I’m very interested in looking at proposals that recommend consolidation of not only state government, but all levels of government. 

School Funding and Education

While this evidence-based model for school funding will be implemented over the next 10 years it is clear that the investment in education will increase significantly in that time.  This model implies that the amount of money that was invested in education was the problem, rather than how the money was distributed.  I’m concerned whether the state can sustain this level of support in the years to come.  As a parent and taxpayer reading through the plan, I’m not satisfied that it has been clearly explained how state funds were going to be distributed amongst Ohio’s 612 school districts or how the price tag for a good education was determined. 

I believe education reform is about making sure that every student has the same opportunities to a good education no matter where they live.  Over the last 10 years, the state determined what our students need to learn to be successful and implemented policies to hold our schools accountable.  The state also made sure that parents have alternatives when their children are in poorly performing schools.  When it comes to the state-funded public education, I believe a focus on the return on investment is just as important as the amount invested. 

Reducing the size of government

When the deficit is projected to be between $5 and $9 billion, we have the obligation to take a long hard look at state government and determine what programs are necessary and what programs are sustainable. I’m certain there are areas in state government that are too costly.  It is important that we look at the services provided by state government and identify those services that are currently being provided by other entities.  An example of this is the Department of Health spending money on a campaign to raise the awareness of childhood obesity, despite similar programs implemented by local communities, health care providers, public health clinics and social service agencies.  While the purpose of this program is well intentioned, the effort is redundant and that money could be better leveraged. 

State payroll may be another issue as well. Historically, it was believed that state employees received less than their private sector counterparts. According to recent reports, that notion no longer is reality. While the state did manage to cut the overall payroll of state agencies by a modest 1.5%, over half of the state’s agencies actually increased their payroll.   Most of that reduction in payroll can be attributed to the state-implemented forced furlough days to balance the budget in FY 2010. However, those can only be considered a temporary measure.  Still, our private sector jobs and salaries are being cut far more dramatically as employers struggle to survive the current economic challenges. 

I believe we have the opportunity and the obligation to review every state government program and the price taxpayers pay to support them and cut out all unnecessary spending.

Why am I the best candidate?

I’ll never forget that it is the residents of my district that I serve, who deserve real leadership fighting for jobs, health care and education.