Dem lt. gov. candidate starts 3-day tour in Mahoning County

BOARDMAN

Sharen Neuhardt, Democrat Ed FitzGerald’s lieutenant gubernatorial running mate, said Gov. John Kasich’s economic recovery policies have benefited only the wealthy.

The Republican governor is to deliver the State of the State address Monday.

Neuhardt, a Dayton-area business lawyer, and FitzGerald, the Cuyahoga County executive, started a three-day “Real State of the State” tour Saturday. Her first stop was at the Mahoning County Democratic Party’s endorsement meeting at St. Luke Parish Hall here.

“The real state of the state is working-class Ohioans, middle-class Ohioans, the working poor are not seeing a recovery,” she said in an interview with The Vindicator. “They’re more frightened about what they see.”

Chris Schrimpf, Ohio Republican Party spokesman, said, “Since Gov. Kasich took office, 170,000 private-sector jobs have been created and incomes are going up at twice the national rate. This is a sharp contrast from the last Democratic administration who saw Ohio lose 400,000 jobs on their watch. Gov. Kasich has reduced taxes by $3 billion, benefiting all Ohioans, and significantly reduced taxes on small businesses.”

Neuhardt said Kasich’s tax decisions help the rich, while “the rest of the state has suffered through an additional sales tax increase.”

For the complete story, read Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.