Dann earns a full Senate term

Perhaps it's because there are relatively few of them, but it hasn't taken Democrat Marc Dann long to be noticed in the Ohio Senate.
As one of only 11 Democrats, the 32nd District senator has had the opportunity to lead the opposition in some bruising battles with the Republicans, who control 22 seats. He has fought with gusto -- as he did against the Defense of Marriage Act. But by taking such a strident public stand on this explosive social issue, Dann has drawn the ire of the majority party, which has labeled him with its favorite pejorative, liberal.
Dann was appointed to the seat last year by the Democratic caucus after Tim Ryan was elected 17th District congressman. Dann, a lawyer who served on the Liberty Township Board of Education, is on the ballot next month for a full four-year term.
He is being challenged for the 32nd District seat by Republican Gary L. Pasqualone of Geneva, also a lawyer and a member of the Geneva Area City Schools Board of Education.
While Pasqualone came across as a sincere candidate during his interview with Vindicator writers, and was convincing when he said he would not follow blindly the dictates of GOP leaders in the Senate, his priorities seemed skewed.
The vote
He said he was "most concerned" about Dann's vote and said he feels "very strongly" that marriage is between a man and a woman. When it was pointed out that Ohio law already defines marriage as between one man and one woman, Pasqualone said he saw no problem in the General Assembly's reiterating that position through the Defense of Marriage Act.
Dann, on the other hand, has a legislative record that shows a willingness to be pragmatic on issues such as Ohio's deteriorating economic condition. He insists that the projected $5 billion general fund shortfall in the next biennium will not be solved simply by extending the life of the penny state sales tax. The tax expires in June, and Republican leaders in the House and Senate have said they will not renew it, though Gov. Bob Taft says it is vital to the state's budget.
Dann contends that the state's tax code, especially as it applies to business, must be revised to make Ohio more attractive to companies.
Given Dann's understanding of the state budget and his knowledge of Ohio's education system, the residents of the 32nd District would continue to be well served with him in the Senate. The district encompasses Trumbull and Ashtabula counties.