Issues

Children are our future and every child should have access to a quality education

–  We can invest in our schools without relying solely on the tax burden of levies, which some residents may not be able to afford

–  Unregulated charter schools, which aren’t required to meet minimum state standards on staffing or course materials, receive a whopping 10% of the state’s education budget, with another 7% going to private school vouchers.

–  We must adequately fund our public schools so parents aren’t forced to choose between poorly funded-public schools and poorly-regulated charters

–  Ohio Republicans are working to enact statewide bans on what they see as “divisive concepts,” wresting control from local school boards, parents and teachers. These bans will limit discussion on whatever the legislature deems “divisive,” including current issues, certain books, and a range of topics.

Under the Republican supermajority, Ohio’s local governments are receiving about $1 billion less per year than they were 10 years ago, resulting in cuts to everything from public health to child protective services

–  We must restore adequate funding to local governments to ensure they can provide efficient essential services

Ohio, and especially the Dayton area, is fortunate to have abundant and clean drinking water, and we must protect this invaluable resource for future generations

–  Our waterways aren’t just for drinking: they are an economic draw that attracts businesses to Ohio from around the world

–  Our state government must protect our water from pollutants such as agricultural runoff, ensuring healthy water for drinking, recreation, and economic development

Dayton has an educated and willing workforce, and we are ripe for even more job growth

–  Instead of funding tax breaks for wealthy business owners, like the LLC loophole which costs Ohio around $1 billion annually, Ohio must prioritize creating good jobs

–  We can invest in careers like high-tech manufacturing, important trades, and renewable energy development by funding Career Technical Education and making the program available to more of our students

–  Training programs like these will enable tomorrow’s workers to earn living wages in the modern workspace while ensuring Ohio remains a source of lucrative, unique, qualified talent

Amid rising costs, Ohio must ensure all families can fulfill basic needs like prescription drugs, healthcare, and utilities

–  The state must ensure programs like Medicaid are adequately funded so our families can obtain necessary drugs and primary care services without costly delays or even bankruptcies

–  As gas and electric costs skyrocket, Ohio’s most vulnerable populations are at risk of utility shutoffs. We should help these families and offer ways to make living and work spaces more energy efficient.

–  Over 1.3 million Ohio families are food insecure, and many of these families are not eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. We need to ensure all families have access to fresh and healthy foods, which can lead to healthier futures.

We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as we work toward a new system that encourages renewable energy

–  Renewable energy is cleaner, cheaper and more reliable than traditional fossil fuels

–  Our state must support renewable energy by incentivizing clean energy adoption and encouraging green developments like wind and solar farms

LGBTQ rights are human rights. All Ohioans should have the same rights and opportunities, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation

–  Republican-led campaigns against our LGBTQ communities, specifically LGBTQ youth, are wrong, and I will work to fight discrimination and laws that seek to limit LGBTQ rights

–  We can start by passing anti-discrimination bills at the state level, ending conversion therapy in Ohio, and protecting our LBGTQ youth, who deserve to thrive

While Republicans are making buying and carrying guns easier, nearly 2000 Ohioans were killed by gun violence.

–  We need more common-sense gun regulations, like greater tracking and cracking down on “ghost guns,” gun show sales and internet buy-and-trade sites.

–  Only reducing the number of guns on the street, as well regulating the types of guns available, will reduce gun violence

–  My opponent recently voted for SB 215, which allows anyone to carry concealed weapons without a license or training, despite the Fraternal Order of Police’s opposition to the law

–  Our district needs someone to who puts the safety of Ohioans first and foremost

Having a robust and efficient public transportation system would help combat climate change by reducing car emissions and encourage more people to move to Ohio because they will not need a car to commute

–  We should build an inter-city rail system between Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus which would encourage regional growth and allow people to reduce commute times by working on the train rather than waiting in their car

Access to polls is essential for our democracy and we need to make sure voting is both efficient and secure

Republicans in Ohio want to pick their own voters and ensure our democracy only works for them

We must increase:

–  Early voting opportunities

–  Make election day a statewide holiday

–  Make sure that people can still vote absentee

–  The recent redistricting crisis is one of the most egregious examples as Republicans have cost Ohio taxpayers $25 million dollars by refusing to pass fair maps and follow the Ohio Constitution

–  Instead, they have passed gerrymandered maps solely on partisan lines

The majority of Ohioans believe access to abortion should remain a legal option. Physician groups, like the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, support access to abortion care.

–  Republicans in Columbus, however, are attempting to outlaw all abortions, with no exceptions for rape, incest or even terminal fetal abnormality

–  We must ensure women have access to safe, legal, and compassionate abortion care, while Republicans threaten these rights as well as access to contraceptives and other reproductive health services

We need to reform our criminal justice system and focus on rehabilitation and increased funding

Working in the court system, I have seen firsthand how unfairly our criminal justice system treats low-income individuals, especially those of color

We can do this by:

–  Getting rid of cash bail

–  Increasing funding to court systems and diversionary programs

–  More support for mental health services

Unions and workers are the backbone of our country and have helped create a strong and prosperous middle class, our State must support workers’ right to organize and stand with union members in labor disputes

This includes efforts like:

–  Preventing “Right to Work” legislation from passing in Ohio

–  Working with unions to create more vocational and apprenticeship programs, and making them more available to everyday Ohioans

–  Speaking out on behalf of workers’ issues and rights, and making sure workers are not unfairly disciplined for organizing and expressing their rights under the Constitution

I see so much potential in Ohio, but Republicans in the State House are squandering it and keeping Ohio in a race to the bottom.

We need change in the State House. One-party rule has led to failures in our state and no new ideas to draw people to Ohio, like the young people who grew up here, love our state, and are looking for opportunities to stay.

We need new fresh ideas in the State House and I want to be that change.
Please join me!