Democratic News

State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) today issued the following statement in response to Gov. John Kasich’s reported response to the Ohio Department of Education’s delay in releasing public records associated with Kasich’s campaign manager’s husband scrubbing failing grades from online charter schools.

“It seems like a fair indication that charter school corruption has deep roots in our state, considering the governor is closely involved in the response to a six-week old public records request. ODE should have independently filled the request weeks ago with a volume of information that errs on the side of complete transparency and accountability.

“Given the amount of time that has passed since the request, and the fact that the Ohio Department of Education and the governor have a lot to lose if records reveal willful and systemic charter school corruption at the highest levels of government – an independent eye should have investigated the scandal with Mr. Kasich’s campaign manager’s husband when it first happened. It is unfortunate that, at this point, there is no way to trust or verify pending results that have likely been carefully picked over by multiple parties.”

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) today issued the following statement about the Secretary of State finally complying with the law requiring a public comment period for proposed directives: 

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) announced today the introduction of House Bill 309, legislation to fix a problem in the law that requires voters’ absentee ballots to be thrown out if they arrive on time at boards of elections without a postmark. 

The state’s highest-ranking Democratic member of the House education panel, State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo), today called for an clean and independent investigation into allegations of attendance fraud at the Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA). 

House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) today issued the statement below in response to the news that the state has purchased a record 19 percent of eligible goods and services through minority-owned businesses this year. Ohio’s Minority Business Enterprise program, established in 1980, requires state agencies to make some of their annual purchases for goods and services with certified minority-owned businesses.

State Representatives Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) and Mike Curtin (D-Marble Cliff) are seeking to present their congressional redistricting reform proposal, HJR 2, to members of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission. Yesterday, they sent the following letter to the Chairman and Vice Chairwoman of the Legislative and Executive Branch Committee:

Last Thursday, State Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and the Ohio Department of Medicaid held a forum with community members and activists to discuss ways to reduce the state’s high infant mortality rate. Attendees included nonprofits, faith-based organizations, all local hospital systems, and all five managed care organizations. State lawmakers set aside $13 million in the recent state budget to address infant mortality in Ohio, including a number of hotspots in the Akron area.

State Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) announced today that he has been selected to serve on the Ohio 2020 Tax Policy Study Committee, a panel created to review the state’s tax policies and develop a plan that reflects Ohio’s changing economy. The Bellaire lawmaker hopes the newly formed committee will study tax changes to reverse the recent state budget cuts that have devastated local communities and underfunded public education. Rep. Cera also serves as ranking member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

The Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies recently released its “State of Poverty” report, which shows 1.8 million Ohioans, or 16 percent, living in poverty and nearly half of Ohio households living paycheck to paycheck. Ohio’s children and young adults are more likely to be living in poverty, with rates above 20 percent.

House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) issued the following statement in response to the report:

“The bitter truth is that prosperity in our state hasn’t been broad enough, leaving too many Ohioans living in poverty. Our state continues a troubling and dangerous ten-year trend, during which poverty in Ohio has continued to top national rates. Though some Ohioans are better off today than they were ten years ago, the opportunity for a higher quality of life has yet to reach almost two million Ohioans. Our economic approach needs to better reflect this reality with policies that strengthen Ohio’s families through fair tax policies, access to healthcare, good-paying middle class jobs and an affordable, world-class education system.”

State Rep. Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) convened this week with thirty-four legislators from sixteen states to kick-off the National Network of State Legislators Committed to Civil Governance. The event took place in Seattle, home of this year’s National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Annual Summit. 

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President and State Rep. Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) is traveling to Selma, Alabama tomorrow, Friday, March 6 for events commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the first historic march that ushered in a civil rights consciousness throughout the nation and ultimately led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“From Selma to Ohio, we are beginning the next chapter in a new generation’s fight for our most basic and sacred rights,” said Reece. “Fifty years later, too many are left wondering where we go from Selma. I view this trip not only as a celebration of the civil rights movement, but as a rededication to our generation’s fight for fairness and justice on new frontlines like Ohio.”

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) was invited to and will attend the 50^th Anniversary celebration of the Voting Rights Act at the White House today.

Rep. Clyde will join President Obama and key leaders from around the country in marking the historic signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The White House event will also call for the renewing of the Voting Rights Act in order to combat attacks on voting rights in states like Ohio that have sought to limit access to the polls. 

“I am honored to be asked to participate in this White House event,” said Clyde. “Voting is our most fundamental right, and we must do all we can at the local, state, and federal levels to protect people’s access to the polls.”

State Representatives Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) and Mike Curtin (D-Marble Cliff) today introduced a congressional redistricting reform proposal to put before voters. 

State Rep. Stephen Slesnick (D-Canton) today announced Ohio’s first-ever sales tax-free holiday scheduled for this weekend, August 7-9. The tax-free holiday runs Friday through Sunday and covers many back-to-school items, including clothing, school supplies and instructional materials. Not only will the temporary holiday help offset Ohio’s 4.5 percent sales tax increase enacted by the 2013 state budget, but for three days shoppers will pay no sales tax on itemized purchases as they prepare their children for the coming of the new school year.

“Back to school shopping can be financially burdensome for many families in Stark County. My hope is that with this tax-free weekend we can ease the hardship for many Ohioans and better prepare our students for the upcoming school year,” said Rep. Slesnick.

Clothing priced at $75 or less per article, school supplies priced at $20 or less per item and school instructional material priced at $20 or less per item will all be exempt from Ohio’s sales and use tax this weekend.

Tuesday night, House lawmakers listened to Governor Kasich lay out his priorities and recap some past policies during his State of the State address in Wilmington.Here is what House lawmakers are saying about the Governor’s State of the State address:

"The trickle-down economic policies that the Governor proposes shift the responsibility of paying for schools, roads and bridges and community services to middle-class families and those that can least afford it. This kind of tax shifting does not create economic growth…We need to invest in what matters to every day Ohioans." – Rep. Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati)

“What his proposals actually do is shift the costs of running our state to the poor and middle class in order to provide yet another upper class tax cut, which as yet hasn't provided the growth in both jobs and income that we desperately need...” – Rep. Dan Ramos (D-Lorain)

“At this critical juncture, we must invest in Ohio's students and infrastructure in order to fully ramp up our employment capabilities as we prepare for global economic challenges. This budget makes it even more difficult to effectively educate our students.” – Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson)

“This [budget] proposal is a continuation of the ever increasing burden being placed on our local communities to provide the services their citizens expect with less and less support from the State, which inevitably leads to rising tax rates at the local level.”   -- Rep. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake)

“The Governor's remarks this evening were out of touch with the realities of everyday Ohioans. With 16 percent of Ohioans living in poverty and middle class families' wages stagnating, Governor Kasich wants to shift the burden of restoring our state's economy on to the shoulders of those