43
Valley Dems criticize Kasich’s record ahead of State of the State
YOUNGSTOWN
Instead of waiting until after Republican Gov. John Kasich returns from the presidential campaign trail to deliver his State of the State speech today in Marietta, Mahoning Valley Democratic state representatives conducted a pre-emptive news conference here the day before.
The event was promoted by the Ohio House Democratic Caucus. It took place at the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office.
“We remain very concerned about the state and trajectory of our economic viability, not only as a country, but also as a region and as a state,” said state Rep. John Boccieri of Poland, D-59th.
He cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing Ohio ranks 27th among the 50 states in private-sector job growth over the past year, with a 1.78 percent growth rate.
Ohio has the 22nd-highest unemployment rate, with 20 percent of its children living in poverty, Boccieri said.
“Ohio families are stronger today thanks to our improved economic climate and the creation of more than 417,000 new private sector jobs over the past five years,” countered Joe Andrews, the governor’s press secretary, in an email.
It was Democratic leaders “who drove Ohio over the cliff and lost 350,000 jobs,” Andrews added.
“We’ll hear Gov. Kasich’s speech, and it’ll be like a campaign speech, and he’s really gotten a free pass from the national media, but we, here in the Valley, know what the real state of the state is,” said state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th.
“Since 2011, Ohio public schools tumbled from fifth in the nation to 23rd,” she said, referring to an Education Week index that combines academic performance and school financing measures.
“State support for K-12 public education is at record levels” of funding, countered Andrews, adding that Kasich has made K-12 education a high priority.
State Rep. Mike O’Brien, a former Warren mayor, complained that local governments are suffering from state funding cuts as the state maintains a $2.2 billion rainy-day fund as a surplus under the Kasich administration.
“He’s done that on the backs of the local communities. At a time when we have a heroin epidemic nationwide, now’s not the time to cut funds for police departments and sheriff’s departments,” said O’Brien, D-64th.
Tax “dollars that went to Columbus and came back with a formula based on population are now staying in Columbus, and they’re part of the rainy-day fund. Well, it’s pouring outside” statewide, O’Brien added.
“Communities now have to raise their own local taxes and have increases in road levies, fire levies and police levies just to break even” and compensate for the loss of state funds, he said.