Betras challenges chamber CEO to debate on SB 5

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras is challenging Tom Humphries, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s president and chief executive officer, to debate him on the merits of Senate Bill 5.

Betras made the request in a Thursday letter to David Detec, the chamber’s attorney.

Humphries couldn’t be reached to comment about the public-debate challenge.

County Republican Chairman Mark Munroe also declined a similar request from Betras earlier this month.

SB 5 places some restrictions on the collective-bargaining rights of Ohio public employees.

Opponents of the bill are collecting signatures to place it on the November ballot for a repeal vote.

Humphries and Munroe support the bill, and Betras opposes it.