Turnaround Ohio sponsors event
Strickland criticized Blackwell for wanting to do away with food stamps.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
WARREN -- Denise Hardway said that nearly every day she sees the effects that financial struggles have on many children she works with and their parents.
Hardway, who lives in Warren and is a special-education teacher in Brookfield, said she feels Ohio is in need of political and economic changes, and that U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland would deliver them.
If he becomes Ohio's next governor, Democrat Strickland would bring & quot;positive changes for not only our community, but for the state and country, & quot; she predicted.
Ed Freisen, a union delegate with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, blasted the state's Republican leadership for doing what he said was too little to correct the way public schools in Ohio are funded. As a result, he contended, too much money is funding charter schools and voucher programs instead of public schools.
Freisen said he believes that, if elected as governor in the Nov. 7 general election, Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, would see to it that the state Supreme Court works to change the school funding system it declared as unconstitutional.
Turnout
Freisen and Hardway were among about 200 people who braved temperatures in the low 90s to attend Sunday's Turnaround Ohio rally. The 90-minute event, sponsored by the Trumbull County Democratic Party, featured speeches by several elected officials designed to drum up support of Strickland's run for governor against Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell.
Strickland told his audience he would ensure that good-paying jobs as well as affordable education and expanded access to health care are available to Ohioans. Strickland touted a state work force development program for helping retrain older people and others who have lost their jobs, but contended the state is not using the bulk of the $75 million accumulated in the fund for its intended purposes.
Strickland also said he would vote to increase the minimum wage, which since 1997 has been $5.15 per hour, and would work to make college more affordable to students.
& quot;We must stop this insane escalation of tuition in Ohio, & quot; he said, adding that he supports the creation of a savings account for youngsters that will make it easier for them to attend college.
Criticisms
Strickland accused Blackwell of expressing in Blackwell's book a desire to do away with programs such as food stamps, adoption assistance and children's health insurance. He also said that Blackwell's investing in a company that makes voting machines calls into question the secretary of state's credibility regarding handling state elections.
& quot;People see my opponent as an extreme person who doesn't believe in government help for people, & quot; Strickland said. & quot;He doesn't believe in programs to help the neediest among us. & quot;
Strickland added that President Bush should send envoys to the Middle East to ease tensions in that region. More diplomacy, not deeper American involvement, is needed to prevent the conflict there from spreading throughout the Muslim world, he said.
Issue of jobs
Kicking off the rally was Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien, who said he thinks Strickland would bring more jobs to the Mahoning Valley and the state. He also touted a program set up to take people to the polls.
In the last eight years, the state has lost about 300,000 jobs under Republican leadership, contended Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112. Graham blamed the GOP for an investment scandal involving the Bureau of Workers' Compensation and for creating policies he said have contributed to high gasoline prices and have forced seniors to & quot;decide to eat or pay for their prescription drugs.
& quot;Special interests are making billions at the expense of our country, & quot; Graham said.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, said Ohio has numerous resources but needs stronger leadership. He also urged those in the audience to recruit others to vote in November.
& quot;[Ohio] is in a ... bind and we need your help, & quot; Ryan said.