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 |  | February 7, 2012 Dear Fellow Republican,
This afternoon, Governor John Kasich will deliver his
State of the State address from Wells Academy in Steubenville. You can
watch the governor's speech live via the Kasich for Ohio website
beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
 Assembly Republicans under the leadership of Speaker Bill Batchelder
and Senate President Tom Niehaus, has helped to streamline bureaucratic and
outdated state regulations, cut taxes, save or create The
progress our state has made over the past year thanks to Governor Kasich, and
General more than 80,000 jobs and
reduce an $8 billion budget shortfall. Ohio still has a long way to go in our
efforts to attain full economic recovery, but as the Columbus Dispatch recently
reported, our state's vital signs are improving:
"If we think of Ohio as a patient in a hospital, the patient has been
moved out of intensive care," said James W. Brock, an economics professor
at Miami University in Oxford.
"The patient's condition is not just
stabilized, but it's improving."
"The patient is no longer in danger of dying
from his wounds, Dr. Kasich says, but he's barely begun to travel the long road
of recovery. Leaving aside some of the particulars for a moment, such as
what or who was responsible for the accident that nearly killed the state and
its economy, cold, hard data show Ohio is indeed off life support and nursing
itself back to health."
Remember, you can tune in this afternoon at 1 p.m. ET to
watch Governor Kasich's State of the State speech by clicking here.
Thank you,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
| | | February 6, 2012
Dear
Fellow Republican,
 On Super
Tuesday, sixty-six delegates to the Republican National Convention will be
up for grabs in the Buckeye State. However, to
participate in selecting the Republican nominee for President
of the United States, you must be registered to vote in the State of Ohio by
the end of the day TODAY, February 6th!
Now
is the time for Republican voters to stand tall and select the nominees for
elected office that will maintain our legislative majorities, and retire Barack
Obama and Sherrod Brown in November.
Please be sure to let your friends and family know, that in order to
participate in the March 6th Republican Primary, they must be
registered to vote by the end of the day TODAY.
For
more information, or to download a voter registration form, you can visit
Secretary of State Jon Husted's website, or contact your local Board of Elections.
There are only 29 days left until Super Tuesday, and 274 days until Election
Day in November. Make sure that your voice is heard by registering to
vote TODAY!
On to Victory!
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
P.S. Don't forget, if you would like to receive
election result updates, political videos and strategy briefings about what is
happening in the run up to Super Tuesday, text "OHIO" on your mobile
phone to 91919 to become a member of the OhioGOP Mobile Army! | |  | |
February 5,
2012
Dear Fellow Republican,
In a move being described as bold and
unprecedented, Governor John Kasich will become the first chief executive in
Ohio history to deliver his State of the State speech outside of
Columbus. This Tuesday, February 7th, Governor Kasich will
deliver his annual address from Wells Academy in
Steubenville. The spirit our jobs-focused governor is bringing to the
moment stands in stark contrast to what we recently witnessed from Barack
Obama. Governor Kasich and Ohio's Republican leaders understand that the
power of our democracy and spirit of our state's recovery is derived from the
people, not government.
Ohio still has a long way to go until
it's safe to say that we've moved beyond the recession, but thanks in large
measure to the leadership of our governor and Ohio's Republican leaders, our
economy is undoubtedly on the mend. Governor John Kasich was in Toledo
recently to join BX Solutions in opening their doors and welcoming back over
200 former employees.
Additionally, Lt. Governor Mary
Taylor was in Anna, OH this past week to join Honda in announcing a $98 million
investment and the creation of 150 new jobs.
Our State Treasurer, Josh Mandel,
understands that Washington is in need of a heavy dose of Ohio common sense.
Despite the tremendous work being done by Speaker John Boehner and Senator Rob Portman to
lead the charge in support of reforms which promote economic growth, DC remains
a  bureaucratic
maze of job-crushing, growth-prohibiting regulation. Barack Obama's
fervent desire for increased taxes and harmful EPA regulations is continuing to
cost Ohio jobs, thanks in large measure to out-of-touch liberals like Sherrod Brown, who
blindly support the president's failed agenda nearly 100% of the
time.
Senator Rob Portman needs a
working ally in the U.S. Senate that will place the needs of Ohio taxpayers and
job creators first. The Ohio Republican Party is proud to endorse Josh Mandel's candidacy
for U.S. Senate, not because he's merely a better alternative than Sherrod
Brown, but due to the fact he understands our nation's hope for economic
prosperity begins with empowering people and the private sector, not
government.
The state of our state is stronger
today because Ohio Republicans are maintaining their focus on jobs. That
focus is bringing hope to every corner of our state. From BX Solution in
Toledo, to Honda in Anna, to Wells Academy in Steubenville, our state is on the
move because Ohio Republicans are turning campaign promises into results.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine, Chairman Ohio Republican Party
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Guest
Column from
State Senator Bill Beagle The LSC Fellowship Opens the Door to Public Service The
start of every new year marks a time when scholars throughout our area
return to their respective college campuses to begin their final
semester of study. For so many, this time proves overwhelming in
having to decide on a logical next step. The standard practice of
preparing for finals and revising papers is quickly replaced with the
need to draft résumés and apply for jobs.
Since
coming to Columbus to serve as your state senator, I have become aware
of an excellent opportunity for young people hoping to begin a life in
public service.
Each year, the Ohio
Legislative Service Commission (LSC) sponsors a Legislative Fellowship
program for 24 college graduates. The program is a 13-month paid
professional fellowship that places individuals in a variety of
positions in the General Assembly. Fellows are assigned to work
in each of the four legislative caucuses (House Republican, House
Democrat, Senate Republican, and Senate Democrat), the Legislative
Service Commission research and fiscal departments, and the Ohio
Channel. In addition, fellows attend numerous seminars and events
throughout the year that are designed to provide them with an
understanding of the various sectors of state government.
For nearly five decades, the LSC Fellowship Program has served as an
entry way into state service for future legislators, congressmen, and
even our current Governor of Ohio. In working with members of the
General Assembly, fellows are often asked to research the many issues
facing Ohio, write speeches and memos, and act as a liaison between the
official’s Statehouse office and constituents back in the
district. Through more than a year of experiential learning,
fellows are provided with the know-how to pursue a variety of avenues
in public service or government relations.
I
would encourage anyone with an interest in public service to look into
the LSC Fellowship program. The program offers a unique
opportunity to get involved in the daily operations of Ohio’s state
government and provides its participants with invaluable experience,
networking, and professional development.
For
more information on the application process, visit
www.lsc.state.oh.us/fellowship. The deadline to apply is April 1,
and all applications should be mailed to Ohio Legislative Service
Commission, Fellowship Coordinator, Vern Riffe Center, 77 South High
Street, Ninth Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6136.
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy Preserving the Rights of Hunters from West Central Ohio
The 77th House District is known for its agriculture, but along with
our rural life comes the important role of sportsmen. Sportsmen are
responsible for hunting animals that can be a nuisance to our crops.
These outdoorsmen are critical to maintaining wildlife population
levels. Without their efforts, crops would be destroyed, disease would
run rampant and the limited habitat would be over taken.
This year, sportsmen in our area noticed two changes. Non-resident
landowners were no longer able to hunt on their own land in Indiana
without purchasing an out-of-state license, and deer check was done
electronically, closing the longtime deer check stations in our
communities.
Many constituents wrote and called
my office regarding the issue of non-resident landowners. If you are an
Ohio resident who owns property in Indiana and you hunt that land, you
may have noticed the requirement to purchase an out-of-state license
prior to hunting.
In the past, both Hoosiers and
Ohioans who own land in the other state have been able to hunt that
land as a landowner without a license. This was changed with an
amendment that was tucked in the 2011-2012 Fiscal Budget, HB 153. One
of the basic tenets of freedom is the ability to own private property.
Asking a landowner to purchase an out-of-state license to hunt on land
that he or she own is an overextension of government. As a result, I
have been working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)
to establish an agreement with Indiana that would provide the benefits
to local hunters that these hunters rightfully possess.
Recently,
my office received 255 survey responses from licensed hunters in our
community who shared their viewpoints on this topic. Licensed hunters
in our communities overwhelmingly rejected the notion that they would
have to purchase an out-of-state hunting license to hunt on land that
they owned in Indiana.
The
results revealed that 245 out of 255, or 96 percent, of licensed
hunters were against this law change, while 10 out of 255, or 4
percent, of licensed hunters believe that such a license should be
legally required.
This change has become law and
will be difficult to change. State representatives and senators
from districts along Ohio’s Indiana border are in talks with ODNR to
resolve this issue as soon as possible. Our goal is to enter into a
reciprocal agreement with Indiana to allow Ohioans and Hoosiers to hunt
on their own land in either state with an in-state hunting license.
The results of the returned surveys also illustrated that hunters found
the electronic deer check to be an effective way to check in killed
deer. Specifically, the data revealed that 159 out of 263 that
responded to the question, or 60 percent, of licensed hunters believed
that the electronic deer check functioned well, while 80 out of 263, or
30 percent, of hunters believe that checking deer electronically is not
serving hunters well.
Many hunters commented that they felt the new technology allowed more
poaching. Time will tell, and I am encouraging the Division of
Wildlife to strictly monitor enforcement of poaching for this reason.
Hunters in Ohio have experienced two important changes to Ohio hunting
laws within the past 12 months. Your opinion on these matters is
important to me. As a result of the opinions from West Central
Ohio, I will actively seek resolution of the non-resident landowner
issue pursue advancements to the electronic deer check system. I
am proud to represent the fine people of this region and I hope you
will continue to provide feedback on these issues and many more that
are important to our everyday lives. January 31, 2012 |
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January 31, 2012 Dear
Fellow Republican,
As a voter in the
quintessential presidential battleground state, I know you are familiar with  the
phrase "As Ohio goes, so goes the nation." This year however,
thanks to the leadership of our elected Republicans in the General Assembly,
Ohio voters have an opportunity to play a major role in selecting the
Republican nominee who will defeat Barack Obama in November.
On,
Super Tuesday, 66 delegates to the Republican National Convention will
be up for grabs in the Buckeye State.
That means early voting beings TODAY in Ohio for the March 6th
Primary!
Let's
face it; January of 2013, and the swearing-in of the next Republican President
of the United States and a Republican-led U.S. Senate, can't get here soon
enough. Ohio is struggling under the weight of Barack Obama's failed
economic policies. It's time for all of us to marshal our energy,
enthusiasm and resources to ensure that Barack Obama is a one-term
president.
Now
is the time for voters to stand tall and select the Republican nominee for
president who will retire Barack Obama in November.
In order to participate in the March 6th Primary, you must
be registered to vote by Monday, February 6th. For more information, or to download a
voter registration form, you can visit Secretary of
State Jon Husted's website, or contact your local Board of
Elections.
There
are only 35 days left until Super Tuesday, and 280 days until Election Day in
November. Make sure that your voice is heard!
On to victory!
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
P.S. Don't forget, if you would like to receive
election result updates, political videos and strategy briefings about what is
happening in the run up to Super Tuesday, text "OHIO" on
your mobile phone to 91919 to become a member of the
OhioGOP Mobile Army! |
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January 29,
2012
Dear Fellow Republican,
When Barack Obama delivered his State
of the Union address on Tuesday evening, it marked the 1,000th day since
Sherrod Brown and members the Democrat-led U.S. Senate have passed a budget for
America. Obama's speech was widely panned by the news
media as amounting to little more than empty, campaign-style rhetoric. I
took to the pages of several Ohio newspapers this week with an op-ed emphasizing my
concern with some key issues that Barack Obama - unsurprisingly - failed to
mention.
Perhaps it was Senator Rob Portman
who best addressed Barack Obama's misplaced priorities, in his formal response to
the president's speech:
"President Obama should live
up to his past promises to change the tone in Washington and work with
Republicans to turn the economy around. That means less time campaigning, no
more delays in putting forward a budget - a serious one this time - and more
time focused on the issues so that Washington can fix our cumbersome tax system
while enacting regulatory reform to remove barriers to job creation, an energy
plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, and health care reform to expand
access and reduce costs."
This morning on ABC's This Week, Speaker John Boehner weighed in on Democrats'
desire for increased taxes, spending and regulation, and our party's commitment
to take America in a new direction:
You can join Speaker Boehner's effort
today by adding your name to this online petition that
urges Barack Obama and Senate Democrats to place American job creation before
petty political games.
What's lost on out-of-touch
Washington Democrats like Barack Obama, Sherrod Brown and Betty Sutton, is that
they can look to Ohio to see effective conservative reform with a track record
of success. Beyond the tremendous strides made by Governor John Kasich
over the past twelve months with respect to private sector hiring and job
retention, additional quality of life issues are being championed by many of
our elected leaders. This past week alone, both Auditor Dave Yost and Attorney General Mike DeWine,
were praised in editorials for reform initiatives which save taxpayer dollars
and fight deviant behavior. Treasurer Josh Mandel understands
that it is critical for government to operate more in line with what is found
within the four walls of homes across America. We are all being forced to
do more with less, that's why Treasurer Mandel is working to make every dollar
go further by seizing upon new means of technology and even bank modernization
techniques.
 It
is simply not enough to applaud our Republican elected officials for their
innovative track records and success. It is our responsibility, as
Republicans, to carry word of their achievements to every corner of our
state. That is why I, along with staff members from the Ohio Republican
Party, were pleased to advocate on behalf of our Republican candidates
and attend meetings in Butler, Warren, Greene, Franklin and Perry counties this
past week. The State Party also took part in this week's Eastern Chairs
Meeting and hosted a well-attended welcome reception for Republican Boards of
Election employees in Columbus featuring Auditor Dave Yost and Secretary of
State Jon Husted.
Whether it's taking Barack Obama to
task for his failed economic agenda, holding Sherrod Brown accountable for his
blind support of the president 95% of the
time, or advancing the political and policy objectives of our party's leaders,
the Ohio Republican Party is working hard to carry our Republican message to
every county in our state.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party |
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January 27, 2012
Dear Fellow Republican,
If we are going to defeat Barack
Obama in November, it's imperative that we hold him accountable for his
oversights as much as we take him to task for his policy failures. I
wanted to draw your attention to Chairman DeWine's op-ed which ran today in the Chillicothe Gazette.
Please take a moment to email, tweet
or share Chairman DeWine's op-ed with Republicans in your area, or submit your own feedback on Obama's
State of the Union address on our website.
Thank you,
Chris Maloney
Communications Director
Ohio Republican Party
Obama Failed to Show He Was Serious About Attacking
Fiscal Problems
Kevin DeWine
January 27, 2012
In his third State of the Union Address, Barack Obama once
again squandered an opportunity to exude leadership and rise above the partisan
divisiveness he has exacerbated during his time in Washington. Three years of
failed promises have led our nation deeper into debt, created greater
uncertainty for Ohio job creators and prolonged unacceptably high unemployment.
The president would be well served to follow the pro-growth, free market
strategies championed by Gov. John Kasich and Ohio Republicans.
While listening to Obama's remarks, whether being delivered
in front of Congress or at a campaign pep rally here in Ohio, it is important
to remember that actions, and, furthermore, results, speak louder than words.
Ohioans were promised by Obama that an $825 billion federal stimulus would keep
unemployment below 8 percent. The national unemployment rate has sat above 8.5
percent for 32 consecutive months. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who supports Obama's
agenda more than 95 percent of the time, claimed massive deficit spending would
create more than 133,000 new Ohio jobs. Instead, government figures show that
Ohio actually has 65,800 fewer jobs than when the stimulus passed.
What was particularly striking in the president's speech
Tuesday night wasn't what he said, it's what he failed to address -- Washington
spending. At $15 trillion, our national debt has now grown to exceed the size
of our nation's economy. This development represents a moral hazard for our
generation, and it's one both parties share responsibility for. Instead of
kicking the proverbial can down the road for future generations, Obama should
confront our debt head-on, in much the same fashion as Kasich tackled the $8
billion budget gap he inherited from former Gov. Ted Strickland. Kasich erased
the shortfall by lowering taxes and reducing government spending. These
practices helped to encourage job creation, private sector growth and send a message
to the rest of America that Ohio was serious about tackling our fiscal
challenges.
The president's decisions to pursue job-killing EPA
regulations, such as the Utility MACT Rule, which break the backs of Ohio's
struggling energy and manufacturing sectors, were equally as wrongheaded as his
recent move to reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Opposition to these harmfully
extreme environmental mandates is bipartisan. If the president is truly
concerned about creating jobs and emboldening American manufacturing, then he
should stop placating to special interests and join Republicans and Democrats
in supporting commonsense reforms that harness the potential to lift Ohio and
America toward economic prosperity.
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, under the
leadership of an Ohioan, Speaker John Boehner, has passed 27 pro-growth,
reform-oriented jobs bills that help streamline burdensome federal regulations
to restore confidence for American job creators. These bills presently remain
stalled in a Democrat-led U.S. Senate that has embarrassingly not passed a
functional budget in more than 1,000 days. It's time for the Senate to act, and
a serious budget proposal for the benefit of reducing our nation's staggering
debt is long overdue.
Sen. Rob Portman, a longtime advocate in favor fair and
stringent tax reform, has put forth substantive plans to help simplify and
streamline our nation's antiquated, unfair, growth-prohibiting tax system.
Conservative tax simplification and fundamental reform deserve to go hand in
hand with Obama's call for tax fairness.
Fortunately for Ohio taxpayers and families, voters are
beginning to realize that the only thing being stimulated by Obama's spending
policies is government growth and debt. That is the wrong prescription for
Ohio, and it is why this week's State of the Union will, in all likelihood, end
up being Obama's last.
Kevin DeWine was elected chairman of the Ohio
Republican Party in January 2009. He was re-elected unanimously to serve a
two-year term in January 2011.
Click here to be taken
to the Gazette's website. |
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January 27, 2012 Dear
Fellow Republican,
I wanted to draw your attention to a recent video post from Human Events focusing on the
"Kasich Resurgence" in Ohio.
It was
Harry Truman who said "It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not
care who gets the credit." Every Ohioan should be proud that, when
it comes to creating jobs and seizing upon new opportunities for Ohio families,
we have an effective, results-oriented governor who subscribes to this notion.
Thank you,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
Things have been going very well in Ohio since Governor
John Kasich took office. There has been robust job growth, among the best
in the Midwest. Over the summer, Standard & Poor's upgraded the
state's credit rating from "negative" to "stable," citing
positive employment growth and Kasich's balanced budget.
When a reporter asked Kasich on Wednesday whether he
thought President Obama deserved some of the credit for Ohio's turnaround, his
answer was... well, it certainly wasn't delivered in self-serving
politician-speak.
Note that Kasich is readily willing to concede a point
that frightens the President and his apologists to death: that some of the
decline in unemployment is due to people dropping out of the workforce
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Guest
Column from
State Senator Bill Beagle Ohio
Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Encourage Growthof Agricultural Businesses
COLUMBUS—State Senator Bill Beagle (R-Tipp City) recently introduced
legislation to modify the Agricultural Linked Deposit Program, which supports
Ohio’s agricultural community by permitting the Ohio Treasurer of State to
invest in eligible lending institutions that then lend money to an eligible
agricultural business at a reduced interest rate.
Specifically, Senate Bill 281 will increase the maximum amount that the
treasurer may invest in agricultural linked deposits from $125 million to $165
million. It also would increase the maximum amount that can be loaned from
$100,000 per application to $150,000 per application.
“With this legislation, the State of Ohio can continue to build upon the
already 40,000 farmers that this program has helped over the past 25 years,”
said Senator Beagle. “The dollars that are loaned through the Agricultural
Linked Deposit Program become direct investment in communities across Ohio
through purchasing of feed, fertilizer, seeds, and supplies.”
Senator Beagle unveiled the legislation at a press conference with
Representatives Robert Sprague (R-Findlay) and Brian Hill (R-Zanesville)—who
sponsored the companion legislation, House Bill 415—and representatives from
the Ohio Treasurer of State’s office and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
“The Treasurer of State’s Ag-Link Deposit Program enables our state to provide
low-interest working capital loans that help farmers and the agricultural
community,” said Representative Sprague. “This bill will update the program to
keep up with the rising cost of farm inputs, and the new limits will ensure the
program is relevant in future years.”
“This pro-jobs legislation is needed to help address the needs of the
agriculture industry, a crucial component of Ohio’s economy,” Representative
Hill said. “By increasing the maximum low-interest loan amount to $150,000 per
applicant, farmers will be able to increase investment in their
businesses. This translates to more jobs for Ohioans and will grow the
economy.”
Senate Bill 281 and House Bill 415 each have bipartisan support.
“Ag-LINK seasonal startup loans can help farmers invest in much needed supplies
like feed, seed, fertilizer and fuel that are crucial to a successful business.
Ohio farmers deal with enough red tape, and that’s why we have streamlined and
improved the program over the years,” said Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, whose
office administers the Ag-LINK program. “This legislation will help
codify some of these important changes going forward, which should make it
easier for more Ohio farmers to take advantage of Ag-LINK.”
“Expansion of the Ag-LINK program has long been supported by the Ohio Farm
Bureau and our farmer members,” said Beth Vanderkooi, Director of State Policy
for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. “We appreciate the leadership of
Representatives Sprague and Hill, Senator Beagle and Treasurer Mandel in
helping to make the program more accessible to Ohio’s farmers. We look forward
to working with legislative leadership and stand with our colleagues in
agriculture in urging swift passage of S.B. 281 and H.B. 415.”
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January 22,
2012
Fellow Republican,
 Over the past twelve months, Ohio's Republican-led General
Assembly has spearheaded more regulatory reform initiatives than during nearly
any half-term in our state's legislative history. House Speaker Bill
Batchelder and Senate President Tom Niehaus passed more than 90 bills
addressing a range of policy topics from prescription drug abuse to the
creation of JobsOhio, an organization credited with saving or creating more
than 80,000 Ohio jobs in 2011.
 This week, Speaker Batchelder outlined an aggressive series
of legislative priorities designed to continue Ohio's pace of job growth. Despite the fact that an
election year is underway in Ohio, Governor Kasich and General Assembly leaders
have not lost focus on the legislative goals that will improve Ohioans' quality
of life. We can expect to hear a lot more about Governor Kasich's vision
for the year ahead when he travels to Steubenville on February 7th to
deliver his annual State of the State address.
The
economic leadership and accomplishments we've seen here in Ohio stand in stark
contrast to the Democrat dysfunction found in Washington - especially when it
comes to jobs. A prime example of which is the Keystone XL
Pipeline. Despite the common sense, pro-growth manufacturing
benefits associated with the pipeline's construction, including the creation of
more than 20,000 American jobs, Barack Obama chose to kill the project last
week to placate extreme left-wing environmentalists. Senator Rob Portman discussed the
implications of Barack Obama's politically motivated decision and the effect it
will have on manufacturing in Ohio:
"I'm
amazed that despite the 6 million jobs lost since the beginning of the
recession, President Obama has decided to pull the plug on one of the largest
private sector infrastructure projects in the nation, a project shown to create
tens of thousands of jobs, and that would likely have benefited Ohio's
struggling manufacturing sector."
Coincidentally,
when Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening,
it will mark 1,000 days since Sherrod Brown and members the Democrat-led U.S.
Senate have passed a budget for America. This morning on Fox
News Sunday, Speaker John Boehner
weighed in on Democrats' inauspicious budget anniversary, the Keystone XL
pipeline, and Republicans' desire to take America in a new direction:
Please join
me in supporting the XL pipeline, and Speaker Boehner, by adding your name to this online
petition that urges Barack Obama and
Senate Democrats to place the creation of American jobs before their own
reelection.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine, Chairman
Ohio Republican Party
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Guest
Column from State Representative Jim Buchy
The Heartbeat Bill:
Putting Ohio
on the Front Lines
of the ProLife Movement
A baby’s heart begins to beat around
8 weeks into a pregnancy; this is where many in the prolife movement believe we
can avert hundreds of abortions in Ohio
weekly. I believe life starts at conception and I will take every possible step
to save lives weather it is 1 or 1 million.
House Bill 125 the “Heartbeat Bill” is the next step to ending
abortion. The Heartbeat Bill is widely
supported in the prolife community and the General Assembly. I am a co-sponsor of HB 125 which is sponsored
by Representative Lynn Wachtmann of Napoleon.
The bill passed the Ohio House on June 28th; 54 to 44.
Throughout west central Ohio, there are many questions about the
Heartbeat Bill. The bill is surrounded by confusion because the most prominent
prolife organization, The Ohio Right to Life has not been supportive of the
bill. As a result a new prolife
organization has formed and many Right to Life Chapters have left the Ohio
Right to Life and joined Ohio ProLife Action, an organization which backs the
Heartbeat Bill.
When I was asked to co-sponsor the
Heartbeat Bill I did not hesitate. In
west central Ohio,
we are supporters of the prolife movement and we will stand for any
organization or effort that protects life. This belief has guided my decision
to support the bill. It guided my
efforts to assist with the passage of the Heartbeat Bill in the Ohio House of
Representatives.
Currently, the bill is in the
Senate and is being examined by Senators in the hearing process. I believe the time to pass the Heartbeat Bill
is now. We cannot sit back and watch
more babies be killed in elective abortions.
Experts say; if the Heartbeat Bill is enforced as law it will reduce
abortions. In fact, they estimate
upwards of 90% of abortions will be avoided as a result. When the Heartbeat Bill is law, it will make Ohio’s abortion
restrictions the toughest in the country.
This bill is the frontline of the
movement. In past abortion battles, we
have went head to head with Planned Parenthood and NARAL and we succeeded. I will continue to work with my colleagues to
avoid anymore delay in the passage of this bill. The opposition to this bill must stand
down. We cannot afford to allow anymore precious
and meaningful lives to be lost. *******
The Heartbeat Bill
establishes regulations banning abortions when an unborn child has a heartbeat:
- Requires
a person performing an abortion to determine if the unborn child has a
heartbeat.
- If a
heartbeat is present an abortion cannot be performed.
- The
life of the mother is an exception and an abortion could still be
performed with the intention of saving the mother’s life.
- Requires
a person performing an abortion when the heartbeat of an unborn child is
present to have “informed consent.”
- A
notice to the mother 24 hours prior to the abortion that informs the
mother of certain specified information regarding the probability of
bringing the child to full term.
*Source: Legislative Service
Commission, Bill Analysis Am. Sub. HB 125, As Passed by the House.
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Richard N. Adams
Republicans Outline Priorities for 2012
Workforce
development, beginning hearings on fixing school funding formula
among
top
goals for legislative session
January
17, 2012
COLUMBUS—On
the heels of a successful first half of the General Assembly that saw
the
passage of more than 90 bills that address issues from regulatory
reform and
the creation of JobsOhio to prescription drug abuse, State
Representative
Richard Adams (R-Troy) today joined Speaker of the Ohio House William
G.
Batchelder (R-Medina) and members of the House Republican Caucus at a
press
conference to unveil their legislative priorities for 2012.
The
priorities outlined by House Republicans include a close analysis, fact
finding, and making recommendations for revising Ohio’s school funding
formula,
which in 1997 was deemed unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Despite
the court ruling, Ohio’s school funding system has not undergone any
transformative changes that have wholly fixed the root of the problem.
To
address this issue, House Republicans announced that they will initiate
comprehensive, bipartisan hearings on both the funding formula and
student
achievement throughout the duration of 2012.
The House
Republican Caucus also laid out a proposal to implement the
recommendations of
the JobsOhio report through the creation of the Development Services
Agency.
The proposal will complete the transition to a lean, streamlined
public/private
partnership free of the cumbersome bureaucracy that characterized
Ohio’s
economic efforts in the past. Additionally, the caucus discussed
strategies for
implementing the findings of the Ohio Workforce Development Study
Committee,
specifically focusing on helping career tech schools and community
colleges to
prepare a ready workforce, as well as training Ohioans for imminent
shale and
energy jobs.
“I served
on the Workforce Development Study Committee,” said Rep. Adams. “My
background
at the Upper Valley Career Center and Edison Community College will be
useful
and it’s providing informed input into preparing our citizens for good
jobs.”
The caucus
has also revealed plans to reform the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation,
building
upon existing reforms to go further in assisting injured workers while
identifying other cost-saving possibilities.
Other
legislative items that the House Republican Caucus intends to address
include:
The Great Lakes Compact
Casino and gaming Laws
Healthcare exchange
Laws pertaining to exotic animals
“As
we look forward to the continuation of
economic development and creation of good jobs, I welcome the input of
my
constituents,” Rep. Adams said.
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January 15, 2012
Fellow Republican,
It may be a new year, but our focus hasn't changed. Whether
it's visiting foreign countries, traveling to American states, or
hosting cable television, Ohio Republicans are continuing to show they
will go to great lengths to bring good paying jobs, opportunity, and
publicity to our state.
This past week, Speaker John Boehner led a congressional delegation to
the top three U.S. trade markets in Latin America - Brazil, Colombia
and Mexico. These nations import billions of dollars in
American-made products annually. Reinforcing our trade
relationship and its impact on job creation is especially important to
our nation at a time when our economy is struggling.
Governor John Kasich travelled to the Detroit Auto Show
this past week to highlight the tremendous progress his administration
has made to improve Ohio's business climate over the past
year. Thanks to the strides being made by JobsOhio, and our
Republican-led General Assembly, Ohio is beginning to witness a
turnaround in economic investment and job creation. In 2011
alone, Governor Kasich's team was able to save or create more than
80,000 Ohio jobs and close an $8 billion budget hole without
raising taxes on Ohio families or business owners.
Senator
Rob Portman took time out of his busy schedule travelling
around Ohio this week to co-host CNBC's Squawk Box, where he discussed
tax reform and job creation with Cleveland-area CEO Sandy
Cutler.
Ohio
Republicans are on the move, bringing attention and investment to our
recovering state. And unlike Barack Obama and Joe Biden,
Senator Portman, Governor Kasich and Speaker Boehner are not interested
in adopting the "it could have been worse" slogan
when it comes to our economy.
Speaking of Joe Biden, our gaffe-prone Vice President visited Columbus
last Thursday to do what this administration does best: campaign for
reelection. When Joe Biden stepped off of Air Force Two, the
Ohio Republican Party was ready for him. In addition to our
state party releasing research documentation emphasizing our
Campaigner-in-Chief's lack of focus on job creation, Congressman Pat
Tiberi also took time to sit down with 10TV in Columbus to talk about
what it is going to take to empower Ohio's middle class and strengthen
our state for future generations.
One thing is perfectly clear, despite the travel habits of Barack
Obama's failed administration, the Republican leaders we have worked
incredibly hard to elect over the past two years are going to maintain
their focus on bringing good jobs and investment back to
Ohio. That's a promise which requires laser focus, and it's
one Ohio Republicans can be counted upon to fulfill.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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January
8, 2012
Fellow
Republican,
After
more than a year of seemingly endless debates, campaign polling and
news media punditry, Republican primary votes are now starting to cast
ballots for the candidate who will send Barack Obama packing and lead
our nation along a path to economic prosperity. I don't know
about you, but after our Campaigner-in-Chief's most recent campaign pep
rally in Ohio, I don't think November can come soon enough!
Barack
Obama returned to the site of his July 2009 Obamacare pitch last week
to circumvent the U.S. Senate and name Richard Cordray as head of the
Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. As Senator Rob Portman
outlined in Human Events, this
example of gross executive overreach amounted to little more than a
partisan "political maneuver":
"The statute creating
the CFPB makes clear that only Senate confirmation of a director - not
a recess appointment - can activate the new powers of this agency to
regulate consumer transactions with Main Street
businesses," Portman said.
Ohio
Treasurer Josh Mandel also weighed-in on the substance and motive
behind Barack Obama's visit to Shaker Heights High School on Fox
& Friends Thursday
morning.
The
Ohio Republican Party was ready to roll out the welcome mat for Barack
Obama when he stepped off of Air Force One in Cleveland. In
addition to my Op-Ed in the News-Herald,
we identified local elected officials to bracket the president in
Cleveland and Columbus news outlets, and we also led a national press
conference call with Congressman Jim Renacci and RNC Chairman Reince
Priebus.
What Barack Obama
routinely fails to understand, is that the best way to run for
reelection is to compile a substantive record of achievement.
Hopscotching from battleground state to battleground state for
choreographed pep rallies won't create jobs for Ohio families.
This past week
the Columbus Dispatch praised
Attorney General Mike DeWine's ability to "work within government to
affect change." Barack Obama would be well-served to look at
the record of Governor John Kasich, Attorney General Mike DeWine and
all of Ohio's statewide office holders as examples of what
can be accomplished when a focus on government reform and job creation
comes before political point scoring.
If
Barack Obama was serious about protecting consumers, empowering the
private sector to create jobs, and reducing America's dependence on
foreign sources of energy, he would encourage Sherrod Brown and the
Democrat-led U.S. Senate to act upon the nearly 30 jobs bills which
have already been passed by Speaker Boehner and Republicans in the U.S.
House of Representatives. Anything short of that is an
example of more political theatrics and running out the clock before
his early retirement in 2013.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party
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January
4, 2012
Dear
Fellow Republican,
Please
see today's News-Herald op-ed
from Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine, which harkens back to
President Obama's last visit to Shaker Heights High School in July of
2009.
Chris Maloney
Communications
Director
Ohio Republican Party
Revisiting Obama's Work Since
Shaker Heights
The News-Herald
Ohio
Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine
January
4, 2012
Barack
Obama's stop in Ohio today will mark his 16th visit to the Buckeye
State, and second appearance at Shaker Heights High School, since being
elected president. And while we have routinely been provided ample
opportunity to listen to his poll-tested platitudes on the economy, the
president would be well-served if he looked to the work being done by
Ohio Republicans as examples of economic reforms which are achieving
tangible results.
Like
Obama, Gov. John Kasich inherited a historic budget shortfall at the
beginning of his term. In conjunction with our Republican-led General
Assembly, Kasich passed a budget that erased a record $8 billion
shortfall, all while preserving an income tax cut and abolishing the
Death Tax. Our leaders in state government also worked actively to
streamline bureaucratic regulations, reform Medicaid and equip local
government with the tools they need to address revenue shortfalls. Most
notably through JobsOhio, Kasich was able to empower the private sector
to save or create more than 82,000 Ohio jobs over the past 12 months.
That's a record Obama would kill for as he prepares for
re-election.
This
afternoon, Obama will predictably set up straw men in an attempt to
demonize a broken system in Washington he himself has become a part of.
What is so striking about his failed record isn't the fact that he
refuses to act upon common sense initiatives that can help reform
government, empower small business and expand domestic energy
production - it is that his party is proactively seeking to undermine
them.
Sen.
Rob Portman authored the Republican Jobs Plan, which enjoyed more
support in the Democrat-led U.S. Senate than Obama's own jobs
legislation.
House
Speaker John Boehner has navigated more than 25 jobs bills to passage
in the House of Representatives. These Republican bills enjoy
bipartisan support and end excessive regulations, failed stimulus
spending programs and the threat of tax hikes which prohibit job
growth. Today, each bill remains stuck in the U.S. Senate, which has
failed to pass a budget in more than 900 days.
In
December, Obama's EPA unveiled the MACT Rule, a misguided regulation
which carries with it the potential of a net loss of 53,500 jobs in
Ohio. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin denounced the MACT regulation,
because of the "devastating impact it will have on jobs and our
economy." Manchin has gone so far as to author the Fair Compliance Act
that would delay this job-killing regulation from taking effect, but
Sherrod Brown refuses to support this common sense bill.
Coincidentally,
Obama used his last trip to Shaker Heights High School in July 2009, to
rally support for ObamaCare. Just two months ago, 58 percent of voters
in Cuyahoga County, hardly a Republican stronghold, supported passage
of Ohio's Health Care Freedom Amendment - a vote widely viewed as a
repudiation of the president's signature domestic achievement.
In
2009, Obama told Ohio, "The truth is, is that I am now president and I
am responsible." Responsibility comes through owning up to your
mistakes. It's clear that Obama would do well to listen to Ohio voters
and pay attention to the tremendous strides made over the past year by
Ohio Republican leaders.
This
morning, when Obama bounds down the stairs of Air Force One, Ted
Strickland, Kevin Boyce and Jennifer Brunner won't be there to greet
him.
They represented
the first line of liberal politicians to fall victim to the political
consequences of Obama's last trip to Shaker Heights High School. If the
present sentiment of Ohio voters persists, Obama, Brown and Betty
Sutton are well on their way to sharing a similar fate next November.
Kevin
DeWine was elected Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party in January of
2009. He was reelected unanimously to serve a two-year term
in January of 2011.
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January
3, 2012
Dear
Fellow Republican,
Ohio was greeted
with welcome news
during the month of December when our state's unemployment rate
decreased by a larger margin than at any point in the past twenty-eight
years. The November rate was 8.5 percent, down from 9 percent
in October. In fact, the improvement in Ohio's job numbers in
December well outpaced the national average.
Governor Kasich has
made saving and creating jobs the primary focus of his administration
from his first day in office, and that isn't going to change in
2012. He elaborated on the unemployment rate announcement by
saying, "These things have a tendency to move around and I think in our
state we have a tendency to always look at the glass as half
empty. Well, now it is half full and the sun is up."
Like Barack Obama,
Governor John Kasich inherited a budget shortfall from Ted Strickland
at the beginning of his term. In conjunction with our
Republican-led General Assembly, Governor Kasich passed a budget that
erased a record $8 billion shortfall, all while preserving an income
tax cut and abolishing the Death Tax. Our Republican leaders
in state government also worked actively in 2011 to streamline
bureaucratic regulations, reform Medicaid, and equip local government
with the tools they need to address revenue shortfalls. Most
notably through JobsOhio, Governor Kasich was able to empower the
private sector to save or create more than 82,000 Ohio jobs over the
past twelve months.
That's a record
Barack Obama would kill for as he prepares for reelection, especially
when it comes to how he is viewed by Ohio voters. This
morning's edition of the Los Angeles Times
highlighted the uphill battle Team Obama is facing in Ohio with
traditionally Democratic voters:
"Reg
Rozell and Kim C. Sweitzer seem like they'd be sure-fire Obama 2012
supporters.
"Both have
good-paying union jobs at a busy steel mill here and are benefiting
from a manufacturing surge that's keeping their employer - located in a
former auto plant - operating three shifts and granting overtime to
whomever wants it.
"But
though both voted for Barack Obama in 2008, they say they won't vote to
re-elect the president, even though they're noticing positive signs in
the economy. They already voted Republican in 2010, helping to elect
Gov. John Kasich, who has been locked in a battle with unions ever
since.
"'I've
basically been a Democratic voter, but I won't vote for Obama again,'
said Rozell, 61, standing outside the steel plant, which was belching
smoke into a drizzly Ohio afternoon. 'I don't like the bailout, I don't
like taxes, I don't like talking about trillions of dollars of
deficit.'"
That's certainly an
ominous message for Barack Obama on the eve of what will be his
sixteenth visit to Ohio since being elected President.
Despite the fact that Ohio has become a second home for members of
Barack Obama's administration in 2011, their frequent trips to the
Buckeye State are not doing the president's approval rating any favors.
A December Quinnipiac survey
showed Ohio voters disapproving of the job Obama is doing 55 - 41
percent; and 53 percent say he does not deserve reelection.
Clearly, Ohio
voters are looking for a lot more than "hope" and "change" from Barack
Obama this go around. The question which remains, however, is
whether his broken promises are an indication that he's not capable of
living up to his own hype.
Chris Maloney
Communications
Director
Ohio Republican
Party
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January
1, 2012
Fellow Republican,
For many of us, New Year's Day marks a
time of new beginnings as we keep a watchful eye on our goals and
resolutions for the year ahead. For Ohio Republicans, the
best way to understand where we're going is to take stock of how far we
have come.
Mark it down, folks, 2011 was the year
Ohio stopped kicking the can down the road when it came to addressing
our state's misguided and growth-prohibiting economic policies. Ohio
Republicans swept every statewide office in 2010 by making a commitment
to voters that it was time to move our state forward by streamlining
regulations, empowering the private sector, and
creating jobs.
Thanks to the tremendous work of
Governor John Kasich, Senate President Tom Niehaus, and Speaker Bill
Batchelder, Ohio erased the $8 billion Strickland
budget shortfall, and saved or created more than 82,000 jobs in
2011. There still remains plenty of work to be done, but
thanks to the leadership of our elected Republicans, we're off to a
strong start on the road to economic recovery.
Over the past year Ohioans witnessed
more conservative reform brought to bear on state government than at
any time in state history. From Treasurer Josh Mandel's Transparency
Project which instituted greater
accountability and openness on how our hard earned tax dollars are
spent, to Auditor Dave Yost's identification of ways in which
local municipalities and state government can
save taxpayers money, Ohio's elected officials have made great
strides in making up for our years spent adrift under Ted Strickland's
failed administration.
In conjunction with the General
Assembly, Secretary of State Jon Husted championed election fairness
and equality in how elections are administered throughout Ohio's
eighty-eight counties. And aside from calling for a
system-wide review of
Ohio's child foster care system, Attorney General Mike DeWine took the
lead in closing the last of our state's harmful pill mills,
and he held companies accountable for not delivering upon their job
retention goals associated with the taxpayer-funded economic development
awards.
In Washington, Ohio's congressional
delegation is fighting everyday to rein in Barack Obama's liberal, big
spending agenda which has only served to prolong our economic
recession. Speaker John Boehner's efforts have
single-handedly changed the topic of conversation in Washington from
how much government was going to spend, to where we were going to
identify savings. Senator Rob Portman served as the architect
of the Senate
Republican Jobs Plan, and a tireless advocate of
conservative reform and bridge-building in the Democrat-led U.S. Senate.
Our New Year's resolution at the Ohio
Republican Party is straight forward and simple. Now is the
time to begin our endeavor to retire Barack Obama and his left hand
man, Sherrod Brown. We must ensure that we build upon the
hard fought legislative gains we made in 2010 in Ohio and Washington,
DC, so Governor Kasich, Speaker Boehner, and Senator Portman have
conservative allies to help pass and implement their successful
policies.
This New Year's Day is special,
because it kicks off the beginning of a critical year for Ohio
Republicans. If you want to help retire Barack Obama and
volunteer for a Republican presidential campaign in run-up to the March
6th Primary, please e-mail your name
and availability to volunteer@ohiogop.org today.
The Plain Dealer best encapsulated the hope
America's Jobs Governor has for where we're headed in 2012, and where
his primary focus will be:
"Thematically, it was clear Kasich
wants to continue focusing on jobs and the economy. He said he is
committed to creating a stable environment for businesses and is
encouraged by the progress made in his first year."
Every new year brings with it the
hopeful optimism of better days ahead for our families, for our state
and for America. Thankfully, due to the hard work of Ohio
Republicans in Columbus and Washington, DC, we know that our future is
a little brighter.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican
Party
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December 24,
2011
Fellow Republican,
Seeing that this week's Update
happens to fall on such a sacred and faith-filled holiday, I thought it
would
be appropriate to recognize the values that have shaped our nation into
the
beacon of liberty it is today.
I can't think of anyone who wove
the historical context of Christmas into the fabric of our nation
better, than
the Great Communicator himself. The video below harkens back
to President
Ronald Reagan's Christmas Address to the nation on December 23,
1981.
President
Reagan so eloquently understood that optimism and charity were the
cornerstone
of our nation; not only during the holidays, but throughout the
calendar year.
Thank you
once again for the tremendous effort you put forth to strengthen our
grassroots
organization in our state this year. It's your devotion to
our Party, our
great state and this nation we love, that has helped to restore the
blessings
and hope that President Reagan spoke of so many years ago.
On behalf
of the Ohio Republican Party, please accept my warm wishes for a Merry
Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party |
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Dear
Fellow Republican,
Thank
you for the tremendous effort
you put in this year to strengthen our grassroots organization and
advocate
conservative change in our state. It's your support and
generosity which
has helped to move Ohio forward, and together we will continue building
upon
this strong foundation for more success in 2012.
On
behalf of the Ohio Republican
Party, please accept my warm wishes for a peaceful holiday season and a
very
Merry Christmas.
Kevin DeWine
Ohio Republican Party
Chairman |
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Dear
Fellow Republican,
This
morning several news outlets reported
on the partnership forged by Ohio Republicans and Democrats in an
effort to
bring attention to some of Ohio's neediest families.
In a joint email
sent out on Wednesday, Chairman Redfern
and I encouraged our email followers to support the Mid-Ohio Foodbank,
an
organization dedicated to feeding hungry people by collecting and
distributing
food and grocery products and advocating hunger-relief programs.
You can
make a contribution to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank by clicking
here.
Please remember
those in need this holiday season by
giving what you can to this charity or an organization of your own
choosing.
Merry Christmas and
happy holidays,
Kevin DeWine
Ohio
Republican Party
Chairman
Party rivals team up to help feed
hungry
Heads of Dems, GOP email backers
BY
KATE GIAMMARISE
Some might call it
a Christmas miracle.
The Ohio Democratic
Party and Ohio Republican Party have
teamed up for a fund-raising email, sent to supporters Thursday, asking
recipients to consider making a holiday contribution -- not to a
candidate but
to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
Both parties
previously have encouraged donations to the
food bank, agency spokesman Marilyn Tomasi said, but this is the first
year
they have collaborated.
Ms. Tomasi said the
bipartisanship was a pleasant
surprise, "Given that we're not seeing a whole lot of civility [in
politics] these days, I think it is quite civil what they are doing."
The donations will
allow the agency to serve more people
in need, she said.
The food bank
serves 20 counties in central and eastern
Ohio, distributing food to more than 500 charities, food pantries, soup
kitchens, and after-school sites. In 2010, it gave out about 40 million
pounds
of food, Ms. Tomasi said.
It is not clear how
much money the joint appeal has
raised, but Ms. Tomasi said she expects to know by next month.
The email, signed
by Ohio Republican Party Chairman
Kevin DeWine and state Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, states,
in
part: "The holidays are a time to set aside partisan political
differences
and remember that we are all Americans who want the best for our
country and
its people.
"As party chairmen,
we often ask our supporters to
make a contribution to help our respective party's candidates win. But
in the
spirit of the holidays, we are asking you to make a contribution today
to a
local charity both parties support."
Mr. Redfern said
that several years ago, he and Mr.
DeWine were asked by the Salvation Army to participate in its holiday
kettle
drive and did so, collecting donations in front of the Statehouse.
This year, the two
wanted to team up by reaching out to
their respective supporters. Mr. Redfern said his party's email list
serve
reaches about 250,000 people. Mr. DeWine did not have exact figures but
said
his contacts run into the tens of thousands.
"This is one issue
where we couldn't be in stronger
agreement," Mr. DeWine stated. "The impact the recession has had on
Ohio families isn't lost on anyone, including me and Chris. I'm glad
we've had
the opportunity to partner together on such a worthy cause this holiday
season."
At opposite ends of
the political spectrum, Mr. DeWine
and Mr. Redfern rarely see eye to eye; recent disagreements have
included
Senate Bill 5, which dealt with public employee unions, and
congressional
redistricting in Ohio.
"I want to tip my
hat to both the Democrat and
Republican parties who were able to put aside their partisan issues,"
Ms.
Tomasi said.
She added, "Hunger
is all of our problem."
Click here to
be taken to the Toledo Blade
web version of this article. |
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Dear
Fellow Republican,
Dealing
with the loss of a loved one is always difficult, especially during the
holiday season when we come together to reflect upon the blessings of
the past year. Therefore, it is with a profound sense of
sadness that I announce the recent passing of three members of the Ohio
Republican Party Family: Claudia Guzzo, Jim McGregor, and John Whatman.
Claudia
Guzzo served the Ohio Republican Party as a committeewoman,
county chairwoman, and a dedicated party activist on behalf of many
conservative causes over the years. Claudia was a 2003
Inductee into the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County Hall of Fame.
Jim
McGregor was the vice chairman of McGregor Metalworking
Companies and a tireless advocate of the Springfield City
Schools. Jim stood as a pillar of industry and Republican
politics within Clark County for many years.
John
Whatman was a realtor in Richmond County for Whatman
Realtors, and brother to Tom Whatman, a former Executive Director of
the Ohio Republican Party who presently serves as Executive Director of
Speaker Boehner's political organization.
Please
take a moment to commit Claudia, Jim, John, and their families, to your
thoughts and prayers this season.
If
you would like further information on charitable donations or faith
services, please do not hesitate to contact Gayle England via email (England@ohiogop.org) at the Ohio
Republican Party.
Kevin
DeWine
Ohio
Republican Party Chairman
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Dear Fellow
Republican,
The holidays are a
time to set aside partisan differences and remember that we are all
Americans who want the best for our country and its people.
As Party Chairmen,
we often ask our supporters to make a contribution to help our
respective Party's candidates win. But in the spirit of the
holidays, we are asking you to make a contribution today to a local
charity both Party's support.
The Mid-Ohio
Foodbank is dedicated to feeding hungry people by collecting and
distributing food and grocery products, educating the community about
hunger and advocating for hunger-relief programs. You can
make a contribution to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank by clicking here.
Please remember
those in need this holiday season by giving what you can to this
charity or an organization of your own choosing.
Both the Ohio
Republican Party and the Ohio Democratic Party wish you a safe and
joyous holiday season.
Happy Holidays,
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah from both of our organizations.
Sincerely,
Kevin
DeWine
Chris Redfern
Ohio Republican Party Chairman
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman
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Fellow
Republican,
In
case you missed it, in an interview on Meet the Press yesterday
morning,
Speaker John Boehner chided the Democrat-led Senate on
passage of a temporary
jobs bill. Speaker Boehner
reiterated that Congress should not go on vacation until it finishes
its work
on this important legislation.
Watch Speaker Boehner on Meet
the Press
The
short
term extension offered by Senate Democrats would create more
uncertainty for
job creators already struggling under President Obama's failed economic
policies. Families and job creators in Ohio who continue to
ponder
"where are the jobs?" deserve
better than
critical tax policy in two-month increments.
Barack
Obama has said repeatedly that no one should be going
on vacation until this
work is done. Clearly, Speaker Boehner and
Republicans couldn't
agree more. The question now is whether President Obama will
live up to
his words and hold members of his party to theirs so Congress
can complete
a one-year extension of payroll tax relief.
Thank
you,
Chris
Christopher
Maloney
Communications
Director
Ohio Republican Party |
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December 18,
2011
Fellow
Republican,
This week we learned that
Governor John Kasich's steadfast focus on job creation is leading to
economic
progress for Ohio.
The Columbus Dispatch
reported on the
much-welcomed news:
"The state said...that
the [unemployment] rate fell to 8.5 percent in November, down from 9
percent
the prior month. The number of unemployed workers fell by 30,000 last
month to
496,000 and now has dropped by 69,000 over the past year.
"The drop in the unemployment rate in Ohio was slightly stronger than
the
decline in the U.S. unemployment rate, which dropped to 8.6 percent
last month
from 9 percent in October."
What shouldn't be lost on
anyone is that Ohio's drop in unemployment was larger than the decrease
in the
national rate. That shows that Governor Kasich's pro-growth,
incentive-driven
policies are making Ohio stronger despite the challenges being thrown
in our
path by Barack Obama and Sherrod Brown, liberals who believe more
failed
stimulus spending is the answer to reviving a sluggish economy.
By closing Ted Strickland's $8
billion budget shortfall without raising taxes,
Governor Kasich
and our Republican-led General Assembly have provided job creators with
increased confidence in our state's ability to manage finances. While
there
remains plenty of work to be done across the Buckeye State to create
jobs and
bolster our manufacturing sector, Governor John Kasich
deserves credit for
saving or creating more than 58,000 jobs over the
past 11 months in our
great state.
In
an interview on Meet the Press today,
Speaker John
Boehner chided the Democrat-led Senate on
passage of a short-term jobs bill, noting
the House passed a
responsible bill that would extend payroll tax relief, unemployment
insurance,
and create new American jobs by moving forward with the Keystone
Pipeline.
Speaker Boehner said Congress should not go on vacation until it
finishes its
work on this important legislation.
This
morning we saw
the last U.S. soldiers depart from Iraq. While the moment marked the
end of a
war that was waged for nearly nine years, our debt of gratitude for
their
service, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice will long endure.
You can
join Ohio's Republican Members of Congress and Senator Rob Portman in sharing
your thanks with a video dedicated to American veterans and active duty
Armed
Service members who are still serving at home and abroad. If you
provide your
zip code YouTube can
target your tribute so veterans from
Ohio can find and share it.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party
PS. In
keeping with the Kasich administration's
full-time focus on job creation, Lt. Governor Mary Taylor visited
members of
the Wooster Rotary Club this week to discuss The Common
Sense Initiative.
Video of the Lt. Governor's speech on reducing bureaucratic red tape
and
regulation on behalf of Ohio job creators is available here. |
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy Partisan
Politics Aside for a Single Primary and
Savings for the Tax Payer
This past week, I voted in favor of Sub House Bill 369, which created
one primary and settled the dispute over new congressional
maps.
Every 10 years Ohio lawmakers gather to draw new congressional district
lines, a process undertaken by leadership in the General
Assembly. I have been a part of this process twice
before.
Never have I witnessed the minority party create as much havoc and
confusion at the drawing table as they did during this year.
However, Wednesday night we finally gained enough support from the
minority party to settle on a bill and hold only one primary.
I
commend my colleagues who had the courage to stand against their party
and support the map that has fair lines and increases African American
and other minority representation.
The reason for
two primaries and all this confusion goes back to a deal that was made
this fall between the minority and majority to push the primary back to
May. At the last minute, minority leadership pulled out of
that
deal, which led to the eventual chaos.
I
fundamentally oppose holding two separate primaries. Two
primaries would result in reduced voter turnout and an expense to tax
payers of $15 million. The other side backed us against a
wall
with a choice of two primaries or disenfranchising our military
voters. In that situation, it was a difficult, but necessary
decision to vote in favor of two primaries. On Wednesday, I
had
the opportunity to support one primary election. Many good
statesmen from both sides of the aisle put aside their differences and
did the right thing for Ohioans.
This agreement
provides a map with more compact congressional districts and one
primary on March 6th. The primary held on March 6th will
align
Ohio with Super Tuesday, a day when presidential primaries are held
across the country. To cut down on confusion and costs,
anyone
who filed for the March 6th primary by the December 7th deadline will
be on the March 6th primary ballot. In addition, the US
Senate
race, Presidential race, and the Congressional races will have another
deadline 11 days from the signing of the new redistricting bill.
The map provides a slight change to our local congressional
districts. Preble County and Darke County will still be part
of
District 8, a seat currently held by Speaker Boehner. This
district will include Butler, Clark, Darke, Miami, and Preble
counties. Mercer County will be split into three
congressional
districts that converge at Grand Lake St. Marys. District 5,
currently represented by Congressman Latta, will cover most portions of
northwest Ohio and will include over 50 percent of the land territory
in Mercer County including Celina. District 4, currently
represented by Congressman Jordan will extend from Lorain and Sandusky
counties to Champaign and Shelby counties. The district
includes
Allen and Union counties. It includes Franklin Township and
Grand
Lake St. Marys in Mercer County. District 8 currently held by
Congressman Boehner will include the southern portion of Mercer County
including Coldwater.
The new map is favorable to
our region. Although a single congressional district in
Mercer
County would be less confusing, the new three-congressmen approach will
benefit the overall well being of Grand Lake St. Marys. It
will
provide access to increased federal resources and it will strengthen
agriculture. The biggest advantage of the new map is that it
avoids two primaries and saves the taxpayers money. As your
state
representative, I will continue to look for ways to avoid government
waste and keep your taxes low.
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Fellow
Republican,
In
case you missed it, I wanted to make sure you saw this article from today's edition of the Youngstown
Business Journal Daily which covered Congressman Bill Johnson
and Chairman Kevin DeWine.
Thank you,
Chris
Christopher Maloney
Communications Director
Ohio Republican Party
Johnson, DeWine Urge Action on Jobs
Bill
December
15, 2011
YOUNGSTOWN,
Ohio -- The Republican version of legislation to extend a payroll tax
cut due to expire at the year-end is just the latest in a series of
jobs bills "stacked up over in the Senate like cordwood" awaiting
action by the Senate and President Barack Obama, said U.S. Rep. Bill
Johnson.
Joined by
Kevin DeWine, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, Johnson, R-6,
pressed the case for the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act,
which the GOP-led House of Representatives approved Tuesday, during a
conference call with reporters. Democrats oppose several elements of
the legislation, including a proposal to speed up approval of the
Keystone XL oil pipeline.
"The
president has been out road-testing his comment that we can't wait for
Congress to act. Well, I've got news for the president: The Congress
has acted," Johnson said. "It has acted and acted and acted. We now
have 28 jobs bill stacked up over in the Senate like cordwood and still
the Senate refuses to act. And now the president is threatening to veto
this bill even if it were to pass the Senate because he wants to push
this decision [on the pipeline] out past the election so he can shore
up his environmental base."
Provisions
of the legislation such as scaling back eligibility for unemployment
benefits and permitting states to test recipients for drug use give
employers and job seekers more opportunities, the freshman congressman
said. America is in a "very, very precarious economic situation"
because of the Obama administration's policies, he charged. "We've got
to get back on path with fiscal responsibility and this is a step in
the right direction to do that without pulling the rug out from under
hard-working Americans and those that are seeking work and suffering
because of this Obama economy," he said.
The
economy "remains in a very fragile state," DeWine agreed. "The time for
legislative hi-jinks and hyperbole is over."
"Given
where we are in the Obama economy right now, the last thing that we
wanted to see happen" is for hard-working Americans and hard working
Ohioans to take home less in their paychecks "as a result of the
irresponsible policies of this administration," Johnson said.
He stressed that the legislation passed with bipartisan support -- some
Democrats voted with Republicans on the 234-193 vote, while some
Republicans likewise crossed the aisle to side with Democrats -- was
paid for with about $183 billion in associated cuts "that will not only
make sure that Americans will keep the money that's coming in their
paychecks, that protects seniors and their access to health care, and
that gets our economy going by creating jobs with the XL pipeline."
Touting the "job creation" aspects of the legislation, Johnson said the
Obama administration has acknowledged the Canada-to-Texas pipeline
would have a "positive impact on the price of oil," reducing the price
at the pump for millions of Americans through the South and Midwest. He
cited a report he had seen earlier in the day that the pipeline could
create as many as 187,000 U.S. jobs once it is operational.
At times, the call appeared geared as much toward calling out
Democratic targets on the 2012 ballot as making the case for the
legislation passed by the House this week. DeWine specifically called
on U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio who is seeking re-election next
year, and Senate Democrats to "work to stop a tax increase on the
middle class," and said if he "doesn't want to pass a payroll tax cut
he will fail Ohio families and the American people."
DeWine also
praised Johnson, House Speaker John Boehner and the representatives who
passed the GOP tax cut extension legislation for "taking a major step
forward to ending Washington's reckless deficit-spending binge, a
practice that was supported previously by [former House Speaker] Nancy
Pelosi and her reliable allies like Congressman Charlie Wilson."
Wilson,
who Johnson beat in the 2010 election, said he plans to run against
Johnson for the 6th District seat in 2012.
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December 11, 2011
Fellow
Republican,
Speaker John Boehner took to the
airwaves in the Weekly Republican Address to discuss the Middle Class
Tax Relief & Job Creation Act, legislation
that will help to create thousands of new American jobs while helping
families right here in Ohio who continue to struggle with the
consequences of President Obama's failed economic policies.
The Middle Class Tax Relief
& Job Creation Act will extend the payroll tax cut,
protect Social Security, reform and extend unemployment insurance, and
extend pro-growth tax relief for businesses of all sizes - while also
advancing several bipartisan measures that will directly support the
creation of private-sector jobs. The cost of the House bill is offset
by spending cuts, as opposed to growth-prohibiting tax increases that
would hit small businesses and destroy jobs, as proposed in Senate
Democrats' bill.
Also this week, Senator Portman voted against
the nomination of the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau. Concerns have been voiced across party lines with respect to
the unlimited power and lack of congressional oversight currently in
place for this agency. Blame for further delay on the confirmation
deserves to be laid at the feet of the White House, and Democratic
Senators like Sherrod Brown, who stands opposed to compromising on CFPB
reforms.
Senator Portman also wrote an opinion piece in
National
Review on the need for practical reforms to the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau in order to hold the agency, and its
director, accountable to taxpayers for its decisions.
In 2008, voters put a lot of faith in
the words "hope" and "change." Since that time we have gained a pretty
good sense that these words amounted to little more than a catchy
campaign slogan on a bumper sticker. In 2010, voters looked beyond the
platitudes - they demanded results - and Ohio Republicans are charging
forward where Do-Nothing Democrats have chosen obstruction over
progress.
Governor Kasich understands that the
best way for the people of Ohio to find hope, is through good jobs.
Since being sworn in, our governor has shown that opportunity and a
brighter future for the people of Ohio comes as a result of providing
our economy with the incentives and necessary tools for job growth.
It was reported this week in the Toledo Blade that
Ford Motor Company is going to move truck assembly from Mexico, to Avon
Lake, Ohio - thus saving our state 1,400 jobs.This $128 million
investment shows that Governor Kasich is willing to go to any state,
and furthermore any country, to bring good jobs back to the Buckeye
State.
From the Blade:
"Mr. Tetreault said the plant
retooling for the new truck production was made possible in part by the
recently concluded negotiations with the UAW. He also credited the
governor.
"'This is going to ensure that we do
business in Ohio for a very long time,' Mr. Tetreault said. He said the
tax-credit approval was 'instrumental in the company's business
decision to in-source that work from Mexico, enabled by the governor
and his strong leadership.'"
In 2008, voters put their faith in
showmanship and slogans - in 2010 they repudiated Barack Obama by
casting their ballots in favor of Republicans like John Boehner, Rob
Portman and John Kasich who are leading by example. By no means is our
work done, but it's good to see that the last year has show that Ohio
possesses leaders who understand what it will take to create jobs and
enhance our state's economic well being.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
PS. Attorney General Mike DeWine
conducted his first child safety summit Friday in Cincinnati, where he
called for a complete review of the system. See the Chillicothe
Gazette's coverage here.
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December 4, 2011
Fellow
Republican,
Over the past
twelve months I've spent a lot of time crisscrossing our great state,
working
to strengthen our party's infrastructure in the run-up to the critical
campaigns we face in 2012. Thanks to the hard work of the
Ohio Republican
Party's State Central Committee, our eighty-eight county chairs, and
party
activists such as you, we successfully repudiated Barack Obama's
signature
domestic achievement, advanced our Republican agenda, and began to turn
around
our great state.
Now we have
just eleven months to work together to build an organization that will
successfully defeat the worst American president of our
lifetime. It's
going to take everything we have to accomplish this task.
Most
importantly, it's going to take unity.
Barack Obama
gets credit as the candidate of hope, and right now he is hoping that
the
Republican Party - in the most important swing state in America - will
turn
against itself instead of turning out the vote. We cannot
allow this to
occur.
My friends,
we owe it to every American to make sure the Republican Party in the
most
important swing state in America will stand together.
_
_ _ _
 Every four years the
eyes of America look
toward Ohio, and next year will not be any
different. As long as
our party stands united, we'll maintain our unrivaled status as the
most
efficient state Republican organization in America. And
thanks to our
hardworking elected officials, they will see a model of efficient,
conservative
government for the nation.
Ohio voters
turned over the reins of state government to our party last year
because they
knew Governor Kasich and our Republican Team would put the needs of
taxpayers
before government, by reducing job-crushing bureaucracy and excessive
government spending. Case in point, we learned this week from
Ohio's Inspector General
that Ted Strickland's
administration failed to properly monitor more than $267 million in
federal stimulus
money that was spent in our state.
In
Washington, DC our congressional delegation led by Speaker John Boehner
and Senator Rob Portman
are holding firm in their
commitment to fight the Barack Obama's insatiable desire for renewed
deficit
spending and irrational tax increases on the backs of American job
creators. Here in Ohio, Governor John Kasich and our
Republican statewide
elected officials are working to identify new opportunities which save
money
and bring good paying jobs to Ohio.
More and more
companies like Chrysler, American Greetings, Diebold and Republic Steel
are
looking at the tax credits, grants, and reform efforts being championed
by Governor Kasich,
and they're deciding to keep
their jobs here in our communities.
Our State
Auditor Dave Yost has taken a lead role in providing stringent
oversight over
how local municipalities, such as the City of Akron,
spend our money. Yost calls
it "skinnying down government," however as taxpayers we simply refer
to it as making our hard-earned tax dollars go farther.
Our State
Treasurer Josh Mandel took to CNBC this week
to slam Washington bureaucrats
and out of touch elected officials, like Sherrod Brown, who fail to see
the
incredible potential oil and gas drilling has to lift Ohio's
economy:
In an era of
declining public revenues it's good to know that our Republican elected
officials understand that the answer to economic recovery and job
creation can
be found in reforming government, as opposed to taking the course
pursued by
Democrats which seeks to increase taxes on Ohio families and businesses.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party |
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November 27, 2011
Fellow Republican,
This past week we
learned of the debt reduction committee's failure to reach an agreement
which would stave off automatic spending cuts in Washington.
House Speaker John Boehner and Ohio Senator Rob Portman deserve
tremendous credit for doing everything possible
to rightfully focus on the American people's No. 1 priority: jobs.
Republicans laid out substantive
proposals that would have both reformed our out-dated tax code and
produced new tax revenue. It was Democrat committee members -
at the urging of big spending liberals like Barack Obama and Sherrod
Brown - who insisted on more than $1 trillion in new taxes and more
stimulus spending.
Senator Rob Portman outlined the
Democrats' motives in a Washington Post
column this week:
"At no time in the negotiations did
the Democratic committee members drop their insistence that, one way or
the other, any deal had to include a trillion dollars in new taxes.
Republicans believe that would kill job creation and economic recovery.
In the long run, a strong economy producing more wealth (and,
therefore, more tax revenue) is how we will both reduce the deficit and
regain the prosperity that all Americans deserve."
Our nation is at a crossroads similar
to where our state found itself eleven months ago. Rampant
government spending, burdensome taxes and bureaucratic regulations
where prohibiting economic growth. Governor Kasich and
General Assembly Republicans took the lead in instituting common sense
reforms which balanced Ohio's $8 billion budget deficit, cut taxes and
reined in excessive spending. We still have a long way to go,
but today jobs are being saved and created in the Buckeye State thanks
to conservative leadership. More tax increases and failed
deficit spending which mortgages our children's future is not the
answer. Washington Democrats would be wise to heed the
example set forth by Ohio Republicans in Columbus and on Capitol Hill.
On December 1st
in Columbus, I will once again host the Ohio GOP's annual Chairman's
Holiday Reception in Columbus on. Secretary of
State Jon Husted, Treasurer Josh Mandel, and Audi tor Dave Yost will all be on hand to
thank Ohio Republican Party volunteers and activists for their hard
work over the past year. We hope you will be able
to make it. An electronic invitation is available here, or by
clicking on the holiday ornaments.
As we begin
the countdown to 2012, I hope you will join me in Columbus as we
recognize our party's accomplishments, and celebrate the joyousness of
the holiday season with friends from across Ohio. To RSVP,
please contact Rita Graham at rsvp@ohiogop.org.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy
Happy Thanksgiving
a Day that Continues to be changed by the Advancements of Modern
Agriculture
At Thanksgiving time, like many families in western Ohio, my family
gathers for a meal to count our blessings. The hard work of
each individual member has helped to prepare a meal and provide for the
fellowship we are lucky to have. Over generations,
agronomists have changed the fruits that we receive from our
agricultural labor. The food brought to that first
Thanksgiving meal was not the same as what we enjoy today.
Food has changed over time and the process to get food to our table has
evolved. This evolution has built our region into the number
one agricultural part of this state. Yet, the changing
technologies and increasing productivity has taken a toll on our
land. We must take steps to conserve our blessings and act as
environmental stewards. New technology is providing these
abilities. We can now recycle excess agricultural waste such
as manure into energy—and it can be done at the farm. We can
clean up our lakes and streams by using non-toxic algae to remove
phosphorous and other nutrients from the water. These
technologies will strengthen agriculture and provide profitable ways
for farmers to act as conservationist.
Last week, testimony began on HB 276, a bill that will make
bio-digesters and algae part of agriculture law. I introduced
this bill with Representative Lou Gentile a Democrat from southeast
Ohio. This is an issue of better agriculture in the
21st Century. I look forward to working with Representative
Gentile to discuss the importance of these advancements with our
colleagues. Thus far this bill has included the input of
interest groups from the Ohio Farm Bureau to the Ohio Environmental
Council. Much like the pilgrims and Indians this thanksgiving
is about working together in a cooperative environment. When
addressing our most significant issues, we will be served best to put
partisanship to the side.
In the future, we will witness the impacts of this bill in our own
backyards. You may receive electricity produced by manure
from the neighboring dairy farm or you may drink clean water in a
plastic bottle produced by algae that was used to purify our rivers,
lakes, and streams. The long-term impact of this bill will
result in seeing the bottoms of our rivers. It is our hope
that the introduction of bio-digesters and algae to the Ohio
agricultural code will result in less excess nutrients entering the
water cycle. Years down the road in the 77th House District
our descendents will gather to be thankful for stronger agriculture and
a cleaner environment.
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November 20,
2011
Fellow
Republican,
For years, hard-working taxpayers
across America, and especially
here in Ohio, have been unhappy with Washington because politicians
have failed
to achieve the most straightforward task: to live within our nation's
means. After becoming Speaker of the House ten months ago,
John Boehner
set out to pass a balanced budget amendment
to ensure lawmakers
today, and long into the future, finally adhere to responsible spending
limits. Supporting this legislation was a promise made by our
Republican
candidates and Senator Rob Portman in 2010, and their consistent
support of its
passage has proven that each can be trusted to keep their word.
On Friday, literally hours after our
national debt eclipsed the
$15 trillion mark, Speaker Boehner brought H.J. Res. 2, the
Balanced Budget
Amendment to the floor for a vote. Every Republican
Member of
Congress from Ohio voted in favor of the amendment - and all
five Democrats
opposed it. For years Ohio Democrats
have said one thing in Ohio when
it comes to fiscal responsibility, but they've voted a different way in
Washington. It just goes to show you that talk is cheap for
Democrats as
long as it's taxpayers such as you and me who are left to foot the
bill.
Treasurer Josh Mandel wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington
Times and
released an online web ad which does a great job exemplifying exactly
how
out-of-touch Sherrod Brown truly is when it comes to our struggling
economy.
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600,000
Ohio Jobs Lost during Sherrod Brown's Past Decade as a DC Politician
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From their ardent support of Obamacare, to their insatiable appetite
for more
failed stimulus spending, what's clear by the votes of Ohio Democrats
in
Washington is that they're just not listening to the people they claim
to
represent. In 2012, they will be forced to answer to you for
their votes
- and rest assured, we will hold them accountable.
On December 1st
in Columbus, I will once again host the
Ohio GOP's annual Chairman's Holiday Reception in Columbus
on. I hope you
will be able to make it. An electronic invitation is
available here, or by
clicking on the holiday ornament.
As we begin the countdown to 2012, I
hope you will join me in
Columbus as we recognize the accomplishments of our governor, the
General
Assembly and our party; and celebrate the joyousness of the holiday
season with
friends from across Ohio. To RSVP, please contact Rita Graham
at rsvp@ohiogop.org.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party |
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November 13,
2011
Fellow
Republican,
With the 2011
Campaign now behind us I wanted to
reiterate my thanks for all of your hard work done on behalf of our
state issue
and local Republican campaigns. The Ohio Republican Party seized upon
new
technology in 2011 to implement the most effective and efficient voter
contact
effort Ohio has ever witnessed in an off-year election. Together we
made more
than 1.3 million calls, and we knocked on over 108,000 doors. Our
efforts
across all 88 counties in Ohio have provided Republicans with a renewed
sense of
purpose in anticipation of the battles which lay ahead in 2012. The
submission
deadline for 2012 candidate petition signatures is December 7th. Please
email volunteer@ohiogop.org
if you would like to assist in gathering signatures for a Republican
committee
member or candidate in your community.
Many of us
experience firsthand the challenges our
struggling national economy has brought to bear on our local
governments and
school districts. That's why so many of you stood in defense of the
fair
reforms found in State Issues 2 & 3. From Day One, Governor
Kasich and our
Republican leadership in Columbus, have made job creation and economic
recovery
their top priority - from closing a record $8 billion budget shortfall,
to
fostering an environment which has helped to create or save more than
41,000
jobs. These results show what conservative reform can accomplish when
it's
guided by strong-willed, principled leaders who place the best
interests of all
Ohioans before their own.
Friday marked the
92nd anniversary of Armistice Day, a
holiday which has become better known to us all as Veterans Day.
Senator Rob
Portman recognized the holiday by awarding Sgt. Thomas Gdovin with the
Silver
Star for gallantry in action. Sgt. Gdovin's story and heroic actions
were best
encapsulated by the Columbus Dispatch in
their coverage of the medal ceremony.
Standing in support
of our veterans means working to
ensure that they have access to jobs and opportunity when they return
home.
"The men and women who wear the uniform of our Armed Forces deserve our
full support when they serve and after they come home, especially now
in the
middle of a tough economy," said Speaker John Boehner
this weekend in a tribute to America's veterans.
As we spend time
with family and friends this holiday
season, let us also pause to remember our brave veterans, like Sgt.
Gdovin, who
have sacrificed so much in defense of our nation so we can be free.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
PS. To commemorate the service of
our nation's
veterans, and the role faith has played in guiding America since our
founding, Congressman
Bill Johnson is sponsoring a petition to display President Roosevelt's
D-Day
Prayer on the World War II Memorial. You can sign the petition here. |
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy I
Stand By my Vote for Collective Bargaining Reform
Since returning to the Ohio House of Representatives, I have enjoyed
company with so many constituents. The hospitality shown to
me and the time I have been able to spend in each community of the 77th
House District is much appreciated. Since late February much
of my time has been spent with constituents talking about the balanced
budget passed in Ohio and collective bargaining reform.
Government must live within its means
and we need a smaller government that stays out of our lives.
For that reason it was without hesitation that I supported legislation
that would give our local governments and citizens control over their
own budgets. Ohio is out of money and the public in many
cases is not supporting tax hikes to fund the exploding size and cost
of government. I stand behind my vote in favor of Senate Bill
5.
Senate Bill 5 was part of the five part
plan to turn this state around. In particular, Senate Bill 5
amended collective bargaining laws for the first time in 28
years. This is necessary reform that I believe would have
kept young people in this state and would have primed the pumps for
Ohio’s comeback. Throughout the process I communicated with
my constituents and your concerns were brought back to my colleagues
who made changes in the bill as a result. One of those
changes was allowing citizens to have the final say on a controversial
contract by an up or down vote of the community.
Once SB 5 became law, my efforts were
you united with other state leaders to bring the facts of the law
around the state. I met many of you at community meetings, in
service clubs, and at public events. I had visits with local
police chiefs, fire chiefs, sheriffs, mayors, city administrators,
teachers and school superintendents. I urged support for
Senate Bill 5 because these reforms would allow public employees to
remain on the job even when budget times are tough.
On Tuesday, the voters in Ohio rejected
Issue 2 overwhelmingly. Interestingly, the entire 77th House
District turned it down by only 573 votes out of over 46,000 votes
cast. The people spoke and I accept their decision.
My plans are to remain in communication
with constituents as we work in Columbus to solve our budget problems
and promote job growth in Ohio. We will work on many topics
over the coming months that must be addressed. I will
personally be promoting changes to agricultural law that would promote
cleaner water in our farmland without increased regulation.
We will likely tackle pension reform, capital improvements, continued
job creation, and changes at the local government level to reduce high
operation costs.
Ohio is too great of a state to sit back
and let her fail. Tuesday night presented more challenges in
fixing this State but I look forward to many opportunities to take new
steps to turn Ohio around. We are lucky to live in
a state with a great history. As your State Representative I
will work to find ways to keep young people in Ohio and get the economy
pumping once again.
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Dear
Republicans,
This
morning the Ohio Republican Party was contacted by a reporter from The Plain Dealer
who was seeking comment on emails which may have come to your attention
recently. The reporter said that political consultants and
strategists with close ties to the governor's office are "lining up
state committee candidates for next March" to run against members of
our State Central Committee.
Naturally,
I could not allow accusations of this nature to go unanswered.
I
wanted to make sure, most importantly, that you were made aware of this
situation. It appears as though this reporter is looking for
comments from State Central Committee Members and County Chairs on
these emails, and I wanted to provide you with my response.
"Governor
Kasich and I are one hundred percent in agreement with the policy goals
and vision he is offering for Ohio."
"We're
less than one week out from Election Day. If lobbyists and
political consultants around the governor are dedicated to lining up
candidates to defeat members of our State Central Committee in March,
that is their prerogative. If they had the best interests of
Governor Kasich and our state in mind, their focus would be where mine
is - winning our state issues and local elections on November 8th."
We
have Republican candidates to elect. We have conservative
state issue campaigns to win. Our first and only
responsibility at this juncture is to these causes. Since our
historic victory in 2010, we have worked together to stand in defense
of our Republican General Assembly and statewide leaders in
Columbus. We are now in the final stretch of what will be a
pivotal election for Ohio's future. I would encourage you to
join me in keeping your eye on the ball in the run up to November
8th.
As
always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further
questions. Thank you for your service and dedication to our
cause.
Respectfully,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy
A
Vote for Issue 2 on Tuesday
will Move Ohio in the Right
Direction
The last few
months, many of you have had a chance to speak about Issue 2 directly
with
Senator Faber and me. In many of my conversations it was
clear that
voters were confused about what exactly will happen as a result of
Collective
Bargaining Reform. I have been traveling the State bringing a
message of
what this reasonable reform will mean to Joe the taxpayer.
This is all
about jobs. It is one part of Governor Kasich’s five part
plan to jump
start Ohio’s economy.
For decades Ohio
has been losing workers to neighboring and distant states.
Our retirees
have been fleeing the state to avoid high taxes. It has been
a down hill
path of less people and less taxpayers, but yet; Ohio Government has
continued
to grow and spend more. We are on a path to end up like
California.
Governor Kasich is leading us on the right path. We balanced
a budget without
raising taxes and we slated the estate tax to end in 2013. To
continue on
this path we must ensure that government employers have the tools to
manage
their labor costs.
Labor cost makes
up 85% of the cost to provide you with public services. Over
time, we
have witnessed the impact of budget constraints on our schools as
administrations have been forced to cut classroom supplies, bussing,
and
athletics to balance the budget. Some Ohio districts have
nothing left to
cut but remain in a fiscal crisis. In business you need
flexibility when
reorganizing operations and these schools have not had the tools to
manage
labor costs they way they should.
I am proud to say
I have noticed sacrifice from teachers in the 77th
House
District. Many local teachers have not taken raises and
frozen step
increases. These are steps that should not have to be
taken. I
believe good teachers should be paid adequately for their good
job. That
will keep the best teachers in our classrooms. Issue 2
increases local
control to make decisions and develop a performance pay system based on
level
of licensure, student growth, peer and or administrator evaluations,
and
“highly qualified teacher” which almost all Ohio teachers
are. In west
central Ohio, we are not facing problems like we have in the urban
eight.
Our schools are run properly, and good students are educated by good
teachers. We cannot risk that changing and administrators
need to be able
to replace teachers that are not performing.
Recently, I
traveled to a Cleveland Metropolitan Public School District school
board
meeting to learn more about the troubles of the school system and
discuss the
positive merits of Issue 2. I was greeted by 400 teachers
chanting and
singing throughout the meeting. There was no order in the
room.
These are the teachers that serve as examples to the Cleveland
students.
When I joined three local State Representatives to address the board
about how
Issue 2 would solve their fiscal problem; I was first met by
objectivity which
quickly boomed into a roar of shouting as the crowd did not want to
hear about
Issue 2.
The school
district has a 13 million dollar budget deficit which they are solving
by
cutting spring sports and pre-school. If Issue 2 were in
effect the
school district would not have to make those cuts and the young people
of
Cleveland could stay off the streets and focus their energy on
athletics.
The teachers union was at the meeting to intimidate the board and cause
a
scene. They did offer a set of half-hearted concessions but
those would
not come close to solving the budget problem in a school that laid-off
hundreds
of teachers last year. If Issue 2 is passed, schools like
Cleveland will
have the ability to make changes in labor costs that benefit teachers
and
students. We will see more teachers working, and schools that
have a
strong fiscal outlook.
Recent polls show
that Issue 2, which is endorsed by every major Ohio newspaper, will win
on
Election Day if you get out and vote. This Issue is of
paramount
importance. We can turn Ohio in the right direction or
continue down the
same path of tax and spend which has made this state struggle for the
last
three decades. I appreciate the hospitality that I have
received in the
district as I discussed this Issue with you and I hope we can continue
this
dialogue after Issue 2 passes.
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October 30, 2011
Fellow
Republican,
You may be familiar
with the term "off year election," but it hasn't been the case this
year for the Ohio Republican Party and conservative activists across
Ohio.
We worked
incredibly hard in 2010 and by every measure the year was viewed as a
success. Since that ti me
we have stood behind Governor John Kasich and General Assembly
Republicans who have been working diligently to change the way our
state does business.
This weekend's SUPER
SATURDAY get out the vote drive spearheaded by the Ohio Republican
Party, in conjunction with Americans for Prosperity, Building a Better
Ohio and Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom, made more than 79,000
calls, and knocked on nearly 13,500 doors.
The effort has placed us on track to knock on more than 100,000
doors and make more than 1 million calls
in support of our state issues. The work we've done in 2011 is nothing
short of amazing, but we're not done yet!
I spent this past
week visiting with Republican activists and call center volunteers in
Hamilton, Butler, Montgomery and Greene Counties. Just this weekend, a YES
VOTE was endorsed by the Cincinnati Enquirer
and the Wheeling News Register.
Momentum is on the side of our local candidates and the statewide
campaigns in support of Issues 2 & 3 and we need to finish this
effort strong.
We need you to join
with like-minded supporters of Issues 2 and 3 across Ohio to help get
out the YES VOTE in the sprint up to
November 8th. The Ohio Republican Party has printed more than
30,000
palm cards for Issues 2 and 3 for our final door-to-door
push. We need your help this week to get them out. Click here to find a volunteer action
center where you can help us support Ohio Republicans and the
reasonable reforms of State Issue 2 and 3.
In Washington,
Speaker John Boehner and Senator Rob Portman are fighting to reduce
harmful regulation which places harms Ohio businesses and jeopardizes
job creation across America. Senator Rob Portman spoke with Larry Kudlow this week
about the need for immediate regulatory reform:
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Portman
Discusses Regulatory Reform and Job Creation on the Kudlow Report
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From Columbus to
Washington, DC - Ohio Republicans can be counted upon to do what's
right for job creators, our families and our future.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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Dear Fellow Republican,
On Wednesday, Sean Hannity came to Ohio to bring
national attention to our fight for the reasonable and fair reforms of
State Issue 2. Governor John Kasich joined Sean at the
Statehouse to discuss how State Issue 2 helps protect jobs and moves
Ohio along the road to economic recovery.
State Senator Keith Faber also discussed how Issue
2 restores balance between the retirement and health care payments made
by Ohio public employees and those in the private sector.
Once Ohioans move beyond the noise and
misinformation being spread by opponents of reform, it becomes clear
that the tools provided to local governments by Issue 2 will help
protect jobs and balance their budgets. As was written in
this morning’s Plain
Dealer,
Issue 2 reforms a “system built to protect and to serve unions and
their members, even when they do a poor job.”
In an era of declining tax revenues to our local
and state governments, Issue 2 helps ensure that we are receiving
quality services and fairness for our hard earned tax
dollars. Governor John Kasich is fighting for these reforms
because Ohioans should expect nothing less from government.
For more video and facts on Issue 2, visit www.BetterOhio.org today.
Thank you,
Kevin DeWine,
Chairman, Ohio
Republican Party
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Dear Fellow Republican,
On Wednesday, Sean Hannity came to Ohio to bring
national attention to our fight for the reasonable and fair reforms of
State Issue 2. Governor John Kasich joined Sean at the
Statehouse to discuss how State Issue 2 helps protect jobs and moves
Ohio along the road to economic recovery.
State Senator Keith Faber also discussed how Issue
2 restores balance between the retirement and health care payments made
by Ohio public employees and those in the private sector.
Once Ohioans move beyond the noise and
misinformation being spread by opponents of reform, it becomes clear
that the tools provided to local governments by Issue 2 will help
protect jobs and balance their budgets. As was written in
this morning’s Plain
Dealer,
Issue 2 reforms a “system built to protect and to serve unions and
their members, even when they do a poor job.”
In an era of declining tax revenues to our local
and state governments, Issue 2 helps ensure that we are receiving
quality services and fairness for our hard earned tax
dollars. Governor John Kasich is fighting for these reforms
because Ohioans should expect nothing less from government.
For more video and facts on Issue 2, visit www.BetterOhio.org today.
Thank you,
Kevin DeWine,
Chairman, Ohio
Republican Party
PS. This upcoming Saturday the Ohio Republican
Party is partnering with Better Ohio and Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom
to launch a VOLUNTEER SUPER SATURDAY. Click
here to
find a community action center in your area where you can make calls or
pick up literature to knock on doors. Together, we can pass
these reforms and continue to move Ohio forward!
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Paid
for by the Ohio Republican Party •
www.OhioRepublicans.org •
Not
authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee
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PS. This upcoming Saturday the Ohio Republican
Party is partnering with Better Ohio and Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom
to launch a VOLUNTEER SUPER SATURDAY. Click
here to
find a community action center in your area where you can make calls or
pick up literature to knock on doors. Together, we can pass
these reforms and continue to move Ohio forward!
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Paid
for by the Ohio Republican Party •
www.OhioRepublicans.org •
Not
authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy
Why
Ohio will be Forced
to Seek a 2-Point Conversion
this Spring
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Every
10 years,
the citizens of this great nation participate in a census to count the
people
living in each given location. The census numbers are used
for the
drawing of the U.S. Congressional districts. This is a Constitutional
requirement. The majority power in the state
generally controls the
way the lines are drawn with the state legislature and the governor
consenting
to the new lines in the form of a bill. This year, my
colleagues were
given the responsibility of helping Ohio move forward with fair
representation. The result has been a rehash of what we have
witnessed
this entire General Assembly. The attempt to move this state
forward and
throw the football of progress to our capable receivers, the taxpayers,
has
been scuttled by passing interference from the other team.
When I was asked
to seek the appointment to fill the unexpired term of Representative
Jim
Zehringer when he was appointed as Director of Department of
Agriculture, I was
eager to assist Governor Kasich and Speaker Batchelder turn Ohio
around. For
too long, I had witnessed Ohio back-pedal through a number of
administrations
from both parties. In 1983, when I came to the Ohio House I
voted on a
bill that redistricted 21 U.S. Congressman. A few weeks ago I voted on
a bill
to redistrict 16. We are not competing with the other
states. We
must work to attract jobs and residents to Ohio.
The most recent
census results called for Ohio to lose two U.S. Congressional
seats. When
the line drawing was complete we voted on a map that resulted in a
likely loss
of one seat for each party. In doing this we added a likely
minority seat
in Columbus giving the opportunity for minorities to be elected in two
majority
minority districts in Ohio. These results seemed to
be fair but the
opposing side did not agree. The democrats did not provide
any
alternative maps.
This past
November, Ohioans threw the last administration out of office because
they had
four years to fix this state with no results aside from: increased
spending,
more regulations, and a credit rating that was plunging. In
the first 10
months of his administration, Governor Kasich has signed a series of
positive
bills that will entice business to call Ohio home. We are on
the upward
track with more jobs, lower unemployment, and options for young people
who want
to stay right here in our local communities. There is more to
come, but
every step of the way, the old guard are looking to stymie our efforts.
I don’t know if
you have noticed, but every time I open the paper, it seems there is an
effort
to “referend” the work we are doing. Their most recent effort
is to
referend the U.S. Congressional district lines. When a
referendum is
attempted the bill becomes frozen, this means there are no
congressional
districts for Ohioans to vote on in March. I believe, the
other side
hopes these lines will be drawn by unelected judges sitting on a
federal
bench. No activity can be completed on the congressional
primaries until
districts are assigned. The decision came down to the wire,
but had we
held congressional primaries in March our brave men and women overseas
would
not have been able to vote.
This is right out
of the other-side’s politics as usual playbook. They have
backed us
against a wall in favor of their own self-interest. On
Friday, I voted in
favor of holding a second primary for congressional and presidential
races to
be held in June which will allow our troops to have their chance to
vote.
Additionally, we will maintain the regularly scheduled March primary
because we
have many candidates who are already active in their filings for U.S.
Senate
and Ohio Legislature primaries. We had to maintain the March
date.
The costs of the
additional primary will be covered by the State of Ohio. We
cannot ask
our local governments to bear the price tag which may exceed 15 million
dollars. We are attempting a two-point conversion in an
effort to avoid
disenfranchising any voters. This is a cost that is going to
be
troublesome at a time when we slashed our state budget to close an 8
billion
dollar budget gap.
I came to
Columbus with the intention of helping Governor Kasich turn this state
around. The opposing side is committed to keeping Ohio moving
in the same
backwards direction it has gone for over 30 years. They will
stop at
nothing to slow-down government and run-out the play clock.
Last time
they did it with an 8 billion dollar stimulus that messed up the fiscal
shape
of the state-- this time they are takingto the cleaners to fund an
extra primary. In closing I
want to make it clear to you: I cast a vote in favor of the second
primary to
be held in June. There was no-way to have the congressional
district
battle worked out in time for the March primary
election. We had to
maintain the March primary because many candidates have begun
collecting
signatures for their candidacy. Had we not held a primary for
these
individuals a number of legal problems would have arisen. The
only option
to allow Ohioans to vote on congressional districts and ensure our
military men
and women received their absentee ballots for the March primary
election was to
cast a vote in favor of having a June and March primary.
A
few weeks ago
I supported one primary in June; but this idea was nixed when partisan
politics
suddenly caused democrat law makers to remove their support for a
needed emergency
clause. The decision for democrat leaders to withdraw their
support for a
June primary a month ago was an intentional foul carried out at the
last minute
in the game.
I
fundamentally disagree with this inappropriate spending and I will work
hard to
find waste in our existing budget to fund the primary. The Ohio
Democrats want
nothing more, than to see this state suffer in the name of its own
self-interest. The party intends to bog down the Kasich
administration
and slow-down my colleagues so that we cannot carryout our mission to
turn this
state around. We will not stop. We have a first
string quarter-back
who is not injured. We intend to complete the two-point
conversion no
matter how tough his defensive line may get. Our mission is
to ensure
that all Ohioans are given the opportunity to casts their ballot for
our next
leaders. We will do everything possible to remain competitive.
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October 23,
2011
Fellow
Republican,
In 2010 Ohio voters
handed Democrats a stunning defeat,
and they provided our party with an opportunity to lead. Not
only have
Governor John Kasich and General Assembly Republicans been working
diligently
to bring much-needed jobs to Ohio, they've also worked to reform and
restore
fairness to our election process.
Democrat tactics on
the other hand have obstructed timely
redistricting in Ohio. Their threat of a referendum on our
congressional
maps has now resulted in the need for two separate primaries in 2012.
The Plain Dealer set
the record straight this weekend on who is to blame for the impasse:
"You've
gotta hand it to Ohio's
Democratic leaders: Their relentless attacks on the state's new
congressional
boundaries have succeeded in exposing some world-class
hypocrites....themselves."
"Last
year, Democrats had a chance to take politics out of drawing
new congressional boundaries and replace it with a plan that reeked of
fairness. The Democrats killed it.
Single-handedly. Now, just
two years later, they're whining about the process they perpetuated.
Their
cries of foul play are nauseating."
The Ohio Democratic
Party would have you believe that
it's Republicans who have injected uncertainty and chaos into the
process. Objective sources acknowledge that nothing could be
further from
the truth. In fact Democrats themselves never bothered to
introduce an
alternative map. Their plan all along was to wait for the
legislature to
act and then attempt to file enough signatures to delay the enactment
of the
plan.
Now Democrats are
intent on wasting $15 million in
taxpayer funds on their political scheme to file enough signatures to
force a
referendum on congressional lines. These shenanigans
Democrats have
orchestrated in Columbus are not causing chaos, but they do prove once
again
that they are more focused on picking fights than passing
bills.
Republican
leadership on the other hand remains
committed to fighting for job creation. A prime example this
past week
was Senator Rob Portman's floor speech in the U.S. Senate, where he
took the
Obama Administration to task for the harmful effects federal
regulations have
on protecting jobs in Canton:
This weekend
activists across Ohio took to the streets
to show our Republican candidates for local office and those fighting
for jobs
that we have their backs. Our party remains squarely focused
upon the
elections which are little more than two weeks away. Yesterday
alone, dedicated volunteers made more than 23,000 calls and knocked on
15,000
doors. Priorities matter, and the differences between
what Ohio
Republicans and Democrats are fighting for couldn't be more
clear.
Respectfully
yours,
Chairman, Ohio
Republican Party
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October 16, 2011
Fellow
Republican,
This week's Update comes
to you from the Columbus Marathon, where I spent part of the day
running 26.2 miles on behalf of a non-political campaign.
While the political discourse in our elections has reached a fevered
pitch, it's important to understand that it's our sense of compassion
which defines who we are, not our political party.
The Plain Dealer
summed up this spirit artfully in their editorial encouraging Ohioan's
to Vote YES on Issue 2:
"Ohio desperately needs to control the
costs of government at all levels. It needs to send a clear message
that the old, familiar ways of doing the public's business have to
change. In schools, the emphasis has to be on the progress of
children, not the comfort of adults. In city halls and county offices,
the impact on those who pay the bills -- and the sheer magnitude of
those bills -- must be paramount."
A YES VOTE on Issue 2
will improve Ohio schools and fundamentally change the way Ohio does
business. Building a Better Ohio's latest TV ad wants to know
if you have "Had
Enough" of the
unsustainable status quo:
Our party
is energized and along with Building a Better Ohio, Americans for
Prosperity and Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom, we have 16 call centers
open across Ohio. Additionally next week the Ohio Republican
Party will spearhead a statewide door-to-door campaign blitz on behalf
of our local slates of candidates. If you would like to take
part in our door-to-door blitz, or make fundraising calls, please visit
our webpage or
email your availability to tague@ohiogop.org
Barack Obama's pitch for Stimulus 2.0,
which amounted to little more than a $447 billion blank check, fell on
deaf ears in the U.S. Senate where Democrats joined Republicans in
blocking the measure. Ohio Republican are leading the way on
host a fronts which will translate directly into job creation for
Ohio's middle class. This past week, Fox News
highlighted the lead role Senator Rob Portman has taken in promoting
job-creating export agreements; and in an interview with
Greta Van Susteren, Speaker John Boehner outlined the Republican jobs
plan -- the Plan for America's Job Creators -- and said the American
people expect both parties in Washington to work together and find
common ground on removing barriers to job growth.
Ohio
Republicans understand sustained job creation comes through empowering
the private sector, not growing government - and despite what the White
House says, it's clear our Party has concrete plans on how this can be
achieved. The Ohio Republican Party will be partnering with
all fourteen members of our congressional delegation, as well as
Governor John Kasich, this upcoming week to illustrate - through the
press and online media - proposals they have authored to fight for
Ohio jobs. Keep an eye on our homepage and social
media accounts for updates!
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party
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A
busy week for independent fact checkers has led to more bad news for We
Are Ohio and liberal activists who oppose the fair and reasonable
reforms championed by Issue 2.
It's
a fulltime job keeping Ohioans informed with the facts on Issue 2. The
Ohio Republican Party is glad that independent news outlets such as The
Columbus Dispatch, The Plain Dealer's
PolitifactOhio,
and the News-Register are assisting Building a
Better Ohio with debunking the deceptive practices of We Are Ohio and
union special interests.
New
Video: Beyond the Noise
Ohio
voters deserve the facts on Issue 2, not the noise. Tax increases and
tax warefare are not the answer. The Ohio Republican Party's new web ad
provides a strong dose of truth about Issue 2's much-needed reforms
that will benefit all taxpayers.
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"Beyond
the Noise"
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We
Are Ohio Lies Debunked
Two
analyses by PolitifactOhio found We Are Ohio's ads regarding staffing
levels for  nurses
and politician loophole exemptions to be "mostly false."
According to Politifact: Issue 2 affects "only a tiny fraction of Ohio
nurses are public employees" and "a listener knowing those critical
facts would have a different impression of the claim." The Columbus
Dispatch notes that
even the nurse featured in the ad already works for a hospital facility
that uses the staffing reforms in Issue 2, and "the group runs into a
problem in that there's nothing in Senate Bill 5 that mandates a
reduction in staffing levels."
A
second analysis
by Politifact.com finds that We Are Ohio blatantly lied about its claim
that politicians "exploited a loophole exempting themselves" from the
reforms of Issue 2. The ad "leaves out important details that would
give a different impression. Those details include that lawmakers have
long been exempt from Ohio's collective bargaining law, that they
already pay the same percentages for medical and pension benefits as SB
5 would require and that their wage is set by statute."
Bus
Tour to Hypocrisy
Issue
2 fairly calls upon government employees to pay at least 15 percent of
the cost of  their
health insurance premium and ends a union demand that forces Ohio
taxpayers to pay a public employee's 10 percent pension contribution -
on top of the 14 percent employer share. Every community visited by the
Issue 2 Bus Tour has the potential to save significant taxpayer dollars
through these reforms.
Take
for example Cincinnati, where all
city employees, along with police and fire, pay just 5%
of their health insurance premium. Or Dayton, where
many city employees, along with police and
fire, pay only 11%
toward their health care. In Cleveland,
some city employees pay nothing
for health care. Most city workers pay just $1,250 a year on average
for a family health care plan, while Ohio families pay an average of
more than $4,100 annually. The status quo isn't fair to Ohio taxpayers,
especially when so many of our families are being forced to do more
with less during the Great Obama Recession.
Identifying
Misleading Assertions by Opponents of Issue 2
Ohioans
deserve the truth when it comes to the reasonable reforms associated
with Issue 2. Building a Better Ohio is fighting to set the record
straight on the outright f alsehoods
and misleading assertions being perpetuated by opponents of Senate Bill
5. Recently, the Columbus Dispatch ran a correction
due to misleading information provided by a person featured in We Are
Ohio's first television ad. Doug Stern falsely informed the paper
that as a Cincinnati employee he pays 20 percent toward his health-care
premiums. The Dispatch took the liberty of correcting the record to
reflect that Stern and other employees in his department actually "pay
5 percent of their health-insurance premiums."
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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October
9, 2011
Fellow Republican,
Early voting   is now underway and there are only two
days left to register new voters for the state issue and local
elections slated for November 8th.
From Tea Party patriots to College Republicans to first-time
volunteers, Ohioans are joining together to register, mobilize
and vote in favor of reasonable reforms which will bring
much-needed changes to the way our state and local governments operate
their budgets.
The Ohio Republican Party has
partnered with Building a Better Ohio and Ohioans for Healthcare
Freedom to provide Republicans and supporters of Issues 2 & 3
with a quick and easy way to request an absentee ballot form.
Just CLICK HERE to
be taken to the absentee ballot online registration form.
We know that in order to retain and
create jobs in Ohio we need to fundamentally change the way our state
does business. Governor John Kasich is fighting for jobs every day, but
we  cannot expect companies such as
Cincinnati-based Chiquita Brands International and Kettering's Eastman
Kodak and their hundreds of jobs from moving to North Carolina, Indiana
or New York if we reduce our ability to remain economically competitive.
Earlier
this year American Greetings decided against moving 2,000 jobs to
Chicago and instead move its headquarters to Westlake, Ohio.
Why? Because our state had the ability to provide incentives
for them to keep their jobs here.
Senator Rob Portman, Speaker John
Boehner, and our congressional delegation are fighting for American
jobs. It's up to us to create an environment where Ohio can
thrive. State Issues 2 and 3 will help make our state more
competitive and jobs-friendly, so we can compete here at home.
Our party is energized and along with
Building a Better Ohio, Americans for Prosperity and Ohioans for
Healthcare Freedom, we have 16 calls centers across Ohio. The
polls are now open, please sign up to volunteer by visiting our webpage or
emailing your availability to volunteer@ohiogop.org
to urge voters in your community to VOTE YES on
Issue 2 and Issue 3.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
PS.
Secretary of State Jon Husted has provided voters who wish to cast
their ballots early with a user-friendly website that allows you to
locate and contact your local board of election. Jobs can't
wait and recovery can't come soon enough. Find your early
voting location by CLICKING HERE, and cast
your ballot today.
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www.OhioRepublicans.org
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PARTY OF NO
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Ohio
Democrats Embrace Obstruction Over Progress
Columbus
- Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine released the following
statement today with respect to the Ohio Democratic Party's Executive
Committee Endorsement to vote no on State Issues 1, State Issue2, and
State Issue 3.
"The Ohio Democratic Party's 2011
mantra sums up their attitude toward economic recovery in Ohio quite
nicely: no on reform, no on recovery, no on jobs," Chairman DeWine said.
"Governor Kasich and the Republican-led General Assembly have written
and passed legislation which controls the skyrocketing cost of
government and places Ohioans back in charge of how their tax dollars
are spent. At every step, Ohio Democrats have opted for
obstruction over progress. Being the Party of No may suit
their
partisan needs nicely, but it's not going to fix our economy or get
Ohioans back to work."
Background Information:
- The Ohio Republican
Party formally endorsed a YES VOTE on Issue 2 on June 24th, 2011
- The Ohio Republican
Party formally endorsed a YES VOTE on Issue 3 on December 10,
2010
Democrats Used to Brand Republicans as the "Party of
No" Chris Redfern: "In a speech prepared for the
Columbus
Metropolitan Club, [Democratic Party Chair Chris] Redfern said that,
whether in Washington or Columbus, Republicans - whom he conceded were
once a party of ideas - have become the party of 'no.'"
(Thomas
Suddes, Op-Ed, Dayton Daily News, 4/23/09)
Redfern: "Of course it's every political party's right to question the
leadership of an opposing party; most of the time it's desperately
needed. Democracy depends on the push and the pull of this intellectual
debate, but isn't it true that in opposing an idea, a party and its
leaders should at the same time be advancing an idea of their own? If
the party's only critique is a simple 'no' and they offer no
alternative ideas, than the party has essentially given up." (Ohio
Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, Speech to the Columbus
Metropolitan Club, Columbus, OH, 4/9/09)
Sherrod Brown: "Voters have expectations of the Democrats elected in
2006 and 2008, Brown said, and the party has a lot of work to do. 'I
hope the Republicans won't continue to be a party of no,' Brown said.
'The strategy worked in this special election, but it's not serving the
country.'" (Heather Rutz, "Brown: President needs to do
more,"
The Lima News, 1/22/10)
Brown: "[E]very one
of those issues is an issue that Republicans filibustered because they
were the party of no through the election. It was a political strategy
that worked for them, but it clearly didn't work for the American
people." (Sen. Sherrod Brown, John King, USA, CNN, 11/15/10)
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim BuchyIs Darke County a Farm
Team for Leaders?
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The readers of this column are in Darke County for many
reasons.
Some people have lived in this county all their life and never
left. Others, like me, grew up in Darke County, left for a
while
and now are back. And many of our neighbors settled here
because
they appreciated our wonderful communities and they are happy to have
work with a local company.
No matter the
reason for being a Darke Countian, you are part of an accomplished
crowd, with great values, strong work ethic and a great ability to
succeed. Perhaps, that is why everywhere I have gone in the
political world I have run into someone whose parents or family members
are Darke Countians. Around Greenville, Union City, and
Versailles you rarely see these leaders in our nation and state other
than when they are returning home to celebrate holidays and spend time
with family. These individuals, who are
operatives on
both sides of the aisle are, Jonathan Coppess, Aaron McLear, Matt
Forney, Jodi (Cummings) Allalen, Alyson Miles, Cheryl Subler, and
Karrie Rench. I know there are probably a few more people
working
in politics but these are the ones who I could think of off the top of
my head.
You may have thought our best products
in Darke County were eggs, corn, wheat and soy beans, but these
ex-patriarchs of the county are certainly something to be proud
of. Jonathan Coppess is the son of Sue
and Bill
Coppess, and the grandson of long time county Democrat leaders Sam and
Helen Coppess. He has remained in the party of his family, serving
President Obama at the USDA as both a Deputy Administrator and then an
Administrator of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Many of the
programs impacting farmers right here in Darke County could not have
been executed effectively without Jonathan at the helm.
Jonathan,
like many of the great people from Darke County, has a work ethic that
leaves a good impression on others. His abilities are known
around Washington. In his most recent career move, he was
recruited to serve as Chief Legal Counsel on the Senate Ag
Committee. As a selfless public servant he accepted the
request. In his role he will be working on the 2012 farm
bill,
which is a large spending bill for agricultural programs and food
stamps that only happens once every 4 years. Jonathon will be
responsible for the legal advice in regards to this bill. His
front row seat is sure to impact your daily life. He has come
a
long way from campaigning for his grandfather as a youngster.
Aaron McLear began his political career as my paper delivery
boy.
He has put me in good company. After he worked for me he went
on
to serve as an aide to former Speaker of the Ohio House and my personal
friend Jo Ann Davidson. He worked in communications for Governor Bob
Taft and he was communications director for the 2004 Bush-Cheney
Campaign in Ohio. He followed that up as a regional press secretary for
the Republican National Committee, and following that experience he
moved to California as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s press
secretary. With this resume his expertise is in high demand,
which will help drum up customers for his newly founded consulting
group, the Ginsburg McLear Group.
Matt
Forney, Jodi (Cummings) Allalen, Alyson Miles and Cheryl Subler all
started their professional careers as legislative aides to members of
the Ohio House of Representatives. This is where they
mastered
the legislative process by doing bill research, bill drafting, and
clerking committees. Jodi is now the working in the Ohio
House
Clerk’s office where she uses her years of experience and institutional
knowledge to oversee the clerking of all committees. Alyson
Miles
is one of the committee clerks who Jodi has trained. Alyson
works
for Representative Gerald Stebelton, the Chairman of the House
Education Committee.
Matt Forney and Cheryl
Subler entered the private sector a number of years ago and are both
part of the lobbying community. While in the House, Cheryl
staffed the House Energy and Environment Committee and the House Aging
and Housing Committee. As a lobbyist, her expertise is local
government. She works with me on a regular basis discussing
issues of local county commissioners and agriculture. She
currently represents the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and
previously worked for the Ohio Township Association. Matt
worked
for Representative Bill (Doc) Taylor at the beginning of his career and
then he worked for Representative Lynn Olman. After working
at
the House he worked at the Ohio Consumers Council and then went on to
work as a private sector lobbyist focusing on utility issues.
Currently, Matt is the Managing Director of Government Affairs at the
Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
The last person in this
list is the most recent addition to our list of influential Darke
Countians. Karrie Rench is from Arcanum and began her
professional career in politics prior to graduating college.
Most
young people her age are still in college making plans for the weekend,
but Karrie is making plans for the governor of the state.
Karrie
got her start in May of 2009 in the office of former Senator George
Voinovich. Since that time she has been a personal aide to
Lt.
Governor Mary Taylor as she ran for office with Governor Kasich, an
assistant to the Governors chief of staff and, most recently, she
became the governor’s scheduler.
I am proud
of each of these people. I have watched all of them grow up
and
it is a pleasure on a day-to-day basis to work with many of
them.
In this business there are many sour apples. In the batch
from
Darke County we have high quality without spoil. Our
communities
and parents have truly done an outstanding job raising these leaders
and I hope we will continue to see more coming into the
business.
If they continue with the same quality we already have, the county will
be responsible for making a bright future for this country.
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October 2, 2011
Fellow
Republican,
Early
voting begins Tuesday for the state issue and local elections slated
for Tuesday, November 8th. The Ohio Republican
Party has partnered with Building a Better Ohio to provide Republicans
and supporters of Issue 2 with a quick and easy way to request an
absentee ballot form. Just CLICK HERE to
be taken to the absentee ballot request online registration form.
As
parents and taxpayers it's time that we demand accountability from our
public schools by keeping the best and brightest teachers in our
classrooms. Issue 2 helps to bring about important education reform by
linking teacher compensation to good job performance. In fact, this is
the focus of Better Ohio's latest television ad:
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"Teachers"
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Please
take a moment to share this ad with your friends, family or co-workers
and let them know that a YES vote on Issue 2 is a vote to improve our
schools.
This
past week ABC News reported
that the White House now admits to what Governor John Kasich and
Lieutenant
Governor Mary Taylor have been saying for months: Obamacare leads to
the dramatic expansion of government programs and an increase in the
cost of insurance premiums for consumers such you and me. On November 8th
Ohioans have an opportunity to take a stand against Barack Obama and
his signature domestic program of his first - and only - term as
president: Obamacare. Please email volunteer@ohiogop.org today to sign
up and join our campaign to VOTE YES on Issue 3 and pass the Healthcare
Freedom Amendment.
Our
party is energized and along with Building a Better Ohio, Americans for
Prosperity and Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom, we have 13 call centers
now open across Ohio. Please sign up to urge voters in your community
to VOTE YES on Issue 2 and Issue 3.
 We
were very pleased on Friday to be joined at our quarterly State Central
and Executive Committee Meeting by Senator Rob Portman and Congressman
Steve Stivers. Senator Portman thanked the Ohio Republican Party and
our active volunteer base for all of
their hard work in 2010 which helped send him to Washington. Senator
Portman also discussed his ongoing efforts in support of job creation
and economic recovery for Ohio, and he provided us with some insight as
to the progress being made by the debt reduction supercommittee.
Congressman
Stivers spoke to the State Central and Executive Committee about how he
is successfully balancing the demands of being an effective public
servant for his constituents, with maintaining his responsibilities as
a husband, father and member of the National Guard. Ohio is blessed to
have such hard working and talented representatives serving on their
behalf and fighting for taxpayers in Washington.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman,
Ohio Republican Party
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September 25, 2011
Dear Fellow
Republican,
In a campaign speech Barack Obama gave on Thursday, he defended his
policy to hike taxes on Ohio job creators and small business owners to
finance a new $447 billion stimulus. Governor John Kasich joined Neil Cavuto
earlier this week to discuss
Obama's tax strategy.
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Gov.
Kasich talks taxes with Neil Cavuto
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Luckily
for Ohio, Governor Kasich understands the types of growth reforms and
initiatives which can lead toward job creation and economic
recovery. About 1,100 people attended the governor's two-day
21st Century Energy & Economic Summit at
The Ohio State University where the focus was to discuss the
possibility that energy development could revitalize our state's
struggling economy.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, a new
report says Ohio could see 200,000 new jobs and $14 billion worth of
development projects from the oil and gas industry during the next four
years. These numbers show the kinds of opportunities we
possess right here in the Buckeye State to bring much-needed revenue
resources to our local communities.
Governor
John Kasich and the Republican-led General Assembly have successfully
made shrinking the size and cost of government a priority for Ohio
taxpayers, but they can't be successful in this fight without our
support. This past week I joined Ohio Republican Party staff
in attending Republican events and meetings in Franklin, Butler, Miami,
Licking and Greene counties. Our party is energized and we
have 13 calls centers now open, so please email volunteer@ohiogop.org to sign up and
urge voters in your community to VOTE YES on Issue
2 and Issue 3.
In
Washington, Senator Rob Portman led a group of lawmakers from both
parties this past week in presenting the Regulatory
Accountability Act, a set of measures that he says
would streamline and bring transparency to our nation's regulatory
process.
Senator
Portman said of the Act:
"One
of the most frequent concerns I hear from employers throughout Ohio is
that mounting regulatory burdens impede growth and increase the costs
of doing business. This common-sense, bipartisan legislation will cut
back on unnecessary red tape by building economic reality-checks into
every step of the regulatory process. It's an immediate step Washington
can take to help unleash the forces of job creation again in America."
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy“Black-Gold” Rush Set To
Begin in Days
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A major part of Ohio’s history is the oil boom of the 1800s,
but
that “black-gold” eventually dried up. The shale this state
sits
on still contains oil and natural gas, and new technology will allow us
to harvest this natural resource. What does this mean for
Ohio? It means jobs, improvements to our state parks, new
wealth
in the poorest areas of our state and affordable energy in a time when
Ohio is lacking in all the above.
Our
layers of shale contain large deposits of natural gas that burns 30%
cleaner than oil and 50% cleaner than coal. Ohio’s natural
resources will bring our state’s economy back on track by attracting
businesses such as Chesapeake Energy as well as other companies that
will benefit from the trickle-down wealth that energy companies will
create. House Bill 133, which was signed by Governor Kasich
on
June 30th, provides the first step to opening Ohio’s magnificent supply
of natural resources to private industries—also known as job
creators. House Bill 133 provided the ability of the state to
lease public lands for natural gas and oil exploration. This
was
necessary to attract investors because the state owns so many acres of
land in Ohio.
Ohio sits upon the two shale
formations: the Marcellus shale, estimated to be the second
largest natural gas field in the world—being able to supply the U.S.
demand for natural gas for the next 20 years—and the Utica
shale.
Previously, these deep formations could not be tapped but we are no
longer limited by technology of the past. Some new and
updated
technologies are providing more access than previously possible. The
combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing will allow
our state to reap the opportunities that lie beneath.
Horizontal
drilling simply means that drilling turns horizontal after reaching a
certain depth, decreasing the number of well-bores needed.
Once
this is achieved, hydraulic fracturing—a method by which highly
pressurized water is used to crack the shale—is enacted to break up the
shale and release the natural gas deep inside. This process
has
been used for more than 60 years and has been safely performed in over
one million wells nationwide.
The presence of an
energy company alone will provide jobs for Ohioans, but many more
opportunities exist. Peripheral companies, such as those that
manufacture pipes and other equipment used in drilling, will be
attracted to Ohio in an effort to profit off Ohio’s booming new
industry. This is economic stimulus
without the
government spending a penny. Additionally, various other
industries will find Ohio’s immense supply of cheap energy
appealing. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce has stated that “in
2009
a Pennsylvania study estimated Marcellus gas producers have already
spent a total of $4.5 billion to develop the resource, resulting in the
creation of 44,000 jobs. The same study estimated employment
in
the state would expand by more than 88,000 jobs in 2010 and 111,000
jobs in 2011.” It is also thought the tapping of
the Bakken
formation in North Dakota helps to explain the state’s 3.2%
unemployment rate, the lowest in the nation. This is good for
Ohio.
House Bill 133, which will go
into
effect on September 30th, will begin the first steps in tapping Ohio’s
natural resources. Funds obtained through the leasing of
state
lands will be used to upkeep and renovate state parks for the future
enjoyment of our citizens. In short, this act will help to
provide jobs and enhance Ohio’s beautiful state parks.
The exploration and extraction of natural gas from shale formations in
Ohio means prosperity and a higher standard of living for Ohioans for
generations to come. Hydraulic fracturing has proven to be
safe. The economic benefits are present in other
states.
This is a step in the right direction, and I trust the people of this
district will share in the benefits that are about to come to this
state.
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September 18, 2011
Dear Fellow
Republican,
The latest statewide television ad
from Better Ohio
illustrates for taxpayers some of
Issue 2's most important and fair cost-saving reforms.
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"The Facts"
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These reasonable changes alone will
help protect Ohio jobs and are
estimated to save our communities millions of dollars.
Governor John
Kasich has successfully
made shrinking the size and cost of
government a priority for Ohio taxpayers, but he can't be successful in
this
fight without our support. Email volunteer@ohiogop.org to sign up and
spread
facts in your community on Issue 2.
SUPER SATURDAY!
The Ohio R epublican Party partnered
with Ohioans for Health Care
Freedom and Better Ohio on Saturday to contact more than 50,000
voters by
going door to door and making phone calls. Our success in
these efforts
in contingent upon your involvement, so please encourage your local
party and
Republican volunteers to join us in encouraging voters to vote yes on
Issue 2
and Issue 3. Ohioans for Health Care Freedom recently
unveiled their
brand new website.
This online portal will help to
provide you with the truth on State Issue 3.
We learned on Friday that Ohio's
unemployment rate increased to
9.1% in August. The Ohio Republican Party has successfully
worked to set
the record straight on Barack Obama and Sherrod Brown's failed stimulus
ideas of
the past because we know that increased government spending and higher
taxes on
job creators is not the answer to fixing our struggling
economy. That
approach has been tried, and it has failed.
Speaker John Boehner provided his response to
the president's jobs speech and
outlined House Republicans' plans for job creation to the Economic Club
of
Washington this past week. And Senator Rob Portman, a recognized
conservative leader and member of the
debt supercommittee, is looking for feedback from you on deficit
reduction. Please submit your ideas today, by clicking here.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
PS. This week I was
very pleased to host the inaugural event in my
Chairman's Speaker Series entitled Take Me Out to the Ball
Game.
The lunch discussion in Columbus offered members of the business
community,
students of history, and fans of America's pastime with the opportunity
to ask
questions of Phil Castellini of the Cincinnati Reds, and Paul Dolan of
the
Cleveland Indians. Please monitor our website for
information on upcoming Chairman's
Speaker Series events.
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Click to view more event
photos
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September
11, 2011
Dear
Fellow Republican,
 Today, we honor the lives of those who
were lost on September 11th, and offer our
condolences to the families and friends who lost someone they loved in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at the Pentagon, and in New York
City. Let us also recognize on this day the specialists such
as Ohio Task Force 1 from Cincinnati and first responders from Toledo,
Fremont and departments across Ohio which offered their service to aid
in the recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. And let us
honor the members of the United States Armed Forces who fight everyday
to thwart terrorism and ensure the safety and security of our nation.
On this, the ten year anniversary of
that fateful day, let us prayerfully renew our spirit of service and
sense of dedication to those in need by taking time to give back to our
own communities. The sacrifices made by the many heroes of
September 11th not only live on in the memories
of their loved ones, but also are reflected in the charitable actions
of average Americans whom they continue to inspire everyday.
On Friday Governor John Kasich called
upon all Ohioans to renew a sense of national unity at a September 11th
memorial service at the Ohio Statehouse:
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Gov. Kasich: Ohio
remembers 9/11
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Republican
and Democratic elected officials from across Ohio are taking part in
ceremonies this weekend remembering the fallen and honoring our
troops. Speaker John Boehner
authored a Resolution marking the 10-year of the terrorist attacks, and
represented the United States Congress at the memorial ceremony in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Senator Rob Portman
attended commemorative services in Cleveland today at the Cleveland
Baptist Church at Quicken Loans Arena. Senator Portman
released the following statement:
"A
decade has passed, but the memories of those lost remains strong
today. Today is a time to remember the many Americans who
showed extraordinary bravery in the face of adversity: the
firefighters, police officers, emergency responders, and everyday
citizens who stepped forward and risked their lives for others. Many of
us know someone affected directly by the cowardly terrorist attacks ten
years ago, and my thoughts and prayers go out to those who mourn the
loss of loved ones."
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
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September 17
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Click HERE for seminar
informational flyer
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy An Explanation of Cuts
to Balance the Budget
There has been a
lot of talk about the balanced budget, but people never talk about the
sacrifices made to balance the budget. Throughout the
process, my
colleagues and I met with many citizens who discussed why their cause
was
important and why funds should be left intact for the
program. In those
meetings, I never once was asked by anyone to seek an increase in
funds.
Ohioans know the legislature and Governor Kasich are serious about
turning Ohio
around. The trick to balancing this budget was making smart
cuts.
Over the past 25
years Ohio Government has ballooned while our population has dwindled
in
comparison with the other states. We have witnessed our seats
in Congress
drop because Ohio has been back pedaling. We must turn this
state
around. Everything you have viewed in Columbus this past year
has been
part of that shift in ideology. Ohio is open for business and
a key part
of the plan to turn around Ohio was a balanced budget that didn’t raise
taxes. Ohioans cannot afford a tax increase. In
this column, I will
explain some of the cuts that were made, and what we have done to
ensure services
are still provided to citizens.
Medicaid
is a partnership program between governments at the state and federal
levels.
States are required by the federal government to fund certain services.
When I
came to Columbus in 1983, Medicaid was new to the state. At
that time a
few of my wise colleagues proclaimed that Medicaid would one day
bankrupt this
state. They were right. The level of funding fluctuates as
the population
shifts and as new mandates are added and eliminated. Due to more and
more
mandates being implemented, Medicaid has ballooned to nearly half the
state’s
budget.
Education is the
second largest item in our budget. The federal influence in
education is
not nearly as impactful in education and thus to balance the budget
Education
has to feel a sting. In the last budget law makers supplanted
large cuts
with one time stimulus dollars. To close the 8 billion dollar
budget
deficit and increase education funding to make up for the loss of
stimulus
would be impossible.
In lieu of
increasing funding to match the levels of the previous budget, which
included
the stimulus and state dollars, my colleagues and I have actively
worked to
remove state mandates such as all-day kindergarten. We also
removed the
mandate to purchase new textbooks. The money set aside for
those
textbooks was released to administrators to make decisions for
spending.
The folks on the ground are most capable of making financial decisions.
At the
state level we are working to provide them more ability to balance
their budget
as they see fit. State funds are extremely tight but cuts
were felt
across the board. Better tools and better money management
will enable
each agency to continue providing vital services to Ohioans.
Another area of the
budget with significant cuts was the Local Government Fund
(LGF). The LGF
was cut by 50% for the 2012 Fiscal Year and in the 2013 Fiscal Year
local
governments will sustain another 25% cut of state monies.
Local
governments receive much of their funding from the local tax base, but
state
monies that supplemented local operations are being cut
substantially. I
know these were smart cuts because when it comes to working with our
tax
dollars our local officials are some of the most financially savvy
individuals.
I have witnessed their preparation for tough budget times and they will
be able
to streamline operations to continue providing services.
In addition,
economists predict we will see an influx in dollars to local
governments when
we turn the state economy around. The process has already
begun.
The stream of bills passed and regulation changes over the past year
have
resulted in Standard and Poors increasing Ohio’s credit
rating. The
momentum is there for Ohio to see a boom of economic activity and I
trust it
will make a substantial difference for our local governments.
In my family
business we always make a sacrifice at the top before asking employees
to join
in the hardship. This is an attribute of leadership that has
been
engrained in me. The Governor also holds this
understanding. The
Office of the Governor was cut along with the Ohio Consumer’s Council,
the
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Ohio Lottery Commission and
numerous
other agencies. Budget cuts were felt from top to bottom, but
along with
those cuts we provided tools to help the agencies maintain services to
Ohioans.
Ohioans
want this state turned around. In state government we are
making
decisions that will bring business and jobs to this state once
again.
Ohio has a great location and immense resources. We must
remove the laws,
regulations, and tax burden that currently deter business from putting
Ohioans
to work. The cuts in the budget were surrounded by tough
decisions but
the end result will be a better Ohio.
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September
4, 2011
Dear
Fellow
Republican,
To most people, Labor Day weekend is
often viewed as the unofficial end of summer. But to us we know it
marks the
beginning of the final stretch in the run up to Election Day. Here in
Ohio,
these two events are linked more today than in years past.
Grit, determination, and ultimately,
sacrifice have personified for generations important components of
Labor's
history. And it is ultimately these qualities in our labor force which
will fix
our economy and set America on a path to prosperity.
Unfortunately we've seen, and Toledo Blade
editors
wrote this week, that some in Ohio's labor community are not interested
in
shared sacrifice and fairness:
"Senate
Bill 5 - Issue 2 on the November ballot - is winning
support from Ohio voters who reject the idea that they should pay
higher taxes
or take cuts in government services so that public employees can
maintain pay,
benefits, and job security that they don't get.
"The
most recent example of union denial of economic reality
comes courtesy of Local 7 of the American Federation of State, County,
and
Municipal Employees, which represents about 850 non-uniformed City of
Toledo
workers. This week, local members soundly rejected an independent fact
finder's
report in their contract dispute with the city, then marched outside
One
Government Center to protest their ill treatment."
Broad
based public support is growing for State Issue 2 because
people are beginning to recognize just how reasonable, and critical to
the
sustainability of our state's economy,
 Governor
John Kasich's
reforms are. That's why, just this past week, a YES VOTE on State Issue
2 was
endorsed by Ohio Manufacturers,
Farmers, and Financial Professionals.
Former Ohio fire marshal and independent Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, who
understands first-hand the
opportunity Senate Bill 5 offers his cash-strapped city, also announced
his
support for State Issue2. For Mayor Bell and Ohio voters, reasonable
reform
comes before politics.
On Friday we learned
that our country produced zero jobs
during the month of August. Earlier this year, Ohio Congressman John
Boehner
and Senator Rob Portman put forward plans which control unsustainable
government spending and put in place pro-growth reforms to foster a
better
environment for job creation.
Ohio Senator Rob Portman, a member of the debt-reduction
supercommittee, is seeking your
 ideas
on how to reduce the
deficit. We face many problems today as a result of our own doing, and
we need
uniquely American solutions to overcome them. Please take a moment to
provide
Senator Portman with your feedback and ideas, here.
This past week I joined Ohio Republican Party staff members in
traveling to Carrollton, Alliance, Medina, Cincinnati and Oxford, Ohio.
What's
clear is that people are struggling; they want less government and more
jobs.
On Labor Day we celebrate generations of hard work which literally
built our
nation; but in eight weeks, with the passage of State Issue 2 and State
Issue
3, we'll have the chance to embrace the beginning of recovery.
Respectfully
yours,
Kevin
DeWine
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party
PS.
On Friday, September 16 the Ohio Republican Party will host Phil
Castellini,
Chief Operating Officer of the Cincinnati Reds, and Paul Dolan,
Chairman &
CEO of the Cleveland Indians, in Columbus for a business lunch
discussion about
the history and state of America's Pastime in Ohio. Tickets
for this
event are going quickly, so if you would like to RSVP, please contact
Rita
Graham at (614) 228-2481, or email her at RSVP@ohiogop.org. If you're
a lover of
baseball like myself, this is an event you'll surely not want to miss!
______________________________________________________________
Paid for by the Ohio Republican Party.
www.OhioGOP.org Not authorized by any candidate or candidate
committee.
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Representative
Richard N. Adams (R-79)
Representative
Adams recently gave a very good speech during the dedication and
opening celebrations of the new Franklin Monroe School.
Click
HERE
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Guest
Column from
State Representative Jim Buchy
Working Together to Bring Jobs,
Issue 2 is Key to the New Direction
Lately, I have noticed a few people in the district speaking about
Issue 2, collective bargaining reform for government employees, as if
they had all the facts. Unfortunately, the claims made and
printed in local newspapers by these individuals are not the
facts. A YES on Issue 2 means jobs, and a NO means status
quo.
Issue 2 will lower the cost of doing
business in this state by providing local governments and the state the
ability to rein in labor cost which is the highest cost to any
government employer. The other side wants things to stay the
way
they are. According to Rich States, Poor States, Ohio is 49th
in
economic performance rank. Our tax structure and policies are
costing this state economic productivity. We must make
changes to
the way we function as a state. There are two choices: make
changes and move forward, or continue down the same path in a rut that
causes productive and promising people to flee the state and jobs to
leave. I supported collective bargaining reform in the
legislature because I went to Columbus to do a job; I want to turn this
state around.
In the letters to the editor
recently, Governor Kasich and the pro-jobs side was accused of being
weak by wanting to negotiate with the unions. Throughout the
collective bargaining reform process we have invited the unions to the
table. We want their input and partnership in this
opportunity to
turn Ohio in the right direction. The OEA has not come to the
table, and many of the unions refused to offer suggestions on how to
correct the language. During the process I held three public
forums in the district. I listened to the residents and
government employees, and I then brought those suggestions back to the
legislature. Those suggestions were a key part of making SB 5
a
good bill. It is natural that leaders would remain open to
discussion with the unions and avoid a political battle in November
that will cost each side 40 million dollars and fill your mailboxes and
consume your televisions.
Issue 2 is about
jobs, and bringing this state in the right direction. I am
confident I am on the right side of this issue. Despite what
you
may read from the other side, many Ohioans understand the consequences
of the status quo. In November, I will be voting YES for
jobs,
YES for Issue 2. That is the right direction and that is how we will
move Ohio forward.
Paid for by: Citizens for Buchy,
Dave
Wolters, Treasurer, 2191 Oak Street, Maria Stein, Ohio 45860
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August 28,
2011
Dear Fellow Republican,
Our Republican leaders who serve us in
Washington campaigned for office last year on a commitment of
responsiveness and accessibility to the people they represent. That is
why we have seen them hard at work during the August Work Period,
traversing the state and their congressional districts to hear from
constituents and local business owners.
Senator Rob Portman began last week by taking part in his second Pelotonia, a
102-mile bike ride from Columbus to Athens that raises money for cancer
research. Senator Portman also brought his focus on job creation and
debt reduction to stops in a number of Ohio cities in August, including
Marysville, Cincinnati, Columbus and Mentor. In an interview with WKYC
in Cleveland, Senator Portman discussed creating a more efficient tax
code and his selection to the debt reduction "supercommittee":
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Portman
Discusses Deficit Reduction Committee Plans with Tom Beres of WKYC
Cleveland
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Governor John Kasich brought welcomed news
back to Ohio from his recent trip to Michigan where he met with
Detroit's Big Three auto manufactures. The governor's meetings with
auto executives from Ford, General Motors and Chrysler came on the same
day that Chrysler announced it would invest $72 million in its Toledo
Machining Plant and retain 640 jobs. The Columbus Dispatch quoted a
General Motors executive who heaped praise on the pro-growth reforms
being spearheaded by Governor Kasich and the Republican-led General
Assembly in Ohio:
 "We're
very encouraged by the changes we see happening in Ohio," Bryan Roosa,
GM's executive director for state government relations, wrote in an
email. "The attitude toward manufacturers is very supportive, and it's
helping create a very strong environment for business. We're very
pleased with our relationship with Ohio and like what's happening there
for GM."
This
week the National Federation of Independent Business endorsed a YES vote on Issue
2. The NFIB, which represents 24,000 independent businesses
throughout Ohio, is the latest organization to come out in favor of
these important reforms.
While we are fighting to implement common-sense reform in Ohio by
encouraging YES votes in State Issue 2 &
State Issue 3, our
Republican Members of Congress are fighting to get our economy moving
forward again with substantive proposals which cut taxes and rein in
deficit spending in Washington. I was very pleased to join Ohio
Republican Party staff in traveling to party-building events,
congressional town halls and county party fundraisers in Hardin,
Muskingum, Marion and Guernsey counties this past week. You can show
Ohio's federal leaders your support, and keep up to date with their
travels around Ohio through the remainder of the August Work Period, by
liking their Facebook pages and following them on Twitter.
Senator Rob Portman
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facebook | twitter
Rep. Steve Chabot (1st
District) -
facebook | twitter
Rep. Jean Schmidt (2nd
District) -
facebook | twitter
Rep. Mike Turner (3rd
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Rep. Jim Jordan (4th
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Rep. Bob Latta (5th
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Rep. Bill Johnson (6th
District)
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facebook | twitter
Rep. Steve Austria (7th
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Speaker John Boehner (8th
District) - facebook | twitter
Rep. Pat Tiberi (12th
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Rep. Steve LaTourette (14th
District) - facebook | twitter
Rep. Steve Stivers (15th
District)
-
facebook | twitter
Rep. Jim Renacci (16th
District) -
facebook | twitter
Rep. Bob Gibbs (18th
District) -
facebook | twitter
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