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Pro, con rallies set in Valley today
There will be dueling Issue 2 rallies in the Mahoning Valley today.
Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties’ Democratic chairmen and the Mahoning/ Trumbull AFL-CIO are sponsoring a rally at 6 p.m. today at the Mahoning Country Club in Girard in opposition to Issue 2.
At 5 p.m. today, those in support of the issue will be at the Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton for a rally. Gov. John Kasich is scheduled to speak.
If approved by voters Nov. 8, the issue would restrict some collective-bargaining rights for public employees.
“The three parties have not done an event like this in years, and we are excited to bring the three parties together to help us defeat Issue 2,” said Mahoning County Democratic Chairman David Betras.
The other Democratic chairmen are Dan Polivka in Trumbull County and Dennis Johnson in Columbiana County.
The anti-Issue 2 event is open to the public provided each person attending signs up to work an hour at an anti-Issue 2 phone bank or go door-to-door urging people to vote against the issue, Betras said.
The pro-Issue 2 rally features Kasich, a Republican, who signed it into law earlier this year.
Also speaking at the rally will be state Rep. Craig Newbold, R-1st.
“This event is aimed at rallying the base of the Republican Party in the final weeks of the 2011 campaign season,” said Columbiana County Chairman Dave Johnson, the event’s coordinator, “to make everybody aware of just how important voter turnout will be to this very important reform of Ohio’s collective-bargaining law.”
The event is by invitation only, and tickets may be secured by calling Tara Canestraro at 330-223-1511 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.