Democratic News

State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) today issued the following statement in response to Gov. John Kasich’s reported response to the Ohio Department of Education’s delay in releasing public records associated with Kasich’s campaign manager’s husband scrubbing failing grades from online charter schools.

“It seems like a fair indication that charter school corruption has deep roots in our state, considering the governor is closely involved in the response to a six-week old public records request. ODE should have independently filled the request weeks ago with a volume of information that errs on the side of complete transparency and accountability.

“Given the amount of time that has passed since the request, and the fact that the Ohio Department of Education and the governor have a lot to lose if records reveal willful and systemic charter school corruption at the highest levels of government – an independent eye should have investigated the scandal with Mr. Kasich’s campaign manager’s husband when it first happened. It is unfortunate that, at this point, there is no way to trust or verify pending results that have likely been carefully picked over by multiple parties.”

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) today issued the following statement about the Secretary of State finally complying with the law requiring a public comment period for proposed directives: 

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) announced today the introduction of House Bill 309, legislation to fix a problem in the law that requires voters’ absentee ballots to be thrown out if they arrive on time at boards of elections without a postmark. 

The state’s highest-ranking Democratic member of the House education panel, State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo), today called for an clean and independent investigation into allegations of attendance fraud at the Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA). 

House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) today issued the statement below in response to the news that the state has purchased a record 19 percent of eligible goods and services through minority-owned businesses this year. Ohio’s Minority Business Enterprise program, established in 1980, requires state agencies to make some of their annual purchases for goods and services with certified minority-owned businesses.

Last Thursday, State Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and the Ohio Department of Medicaid held a forum with community members and activists to discuss ways to reduce the state’s high infant mortality rate. Attendees included nonprofits, faith-based organizations, all local hospital systems, and all five managed care organizations. State lawmakers set aside $13 million in the recent state budget to address infant mortality in Ohio, including a number of hotspots in the Akron area.

State Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) announced today that he has been selected to serve on the Ohio 2020 Tax Policy Study Committee, a panel created to review the state’s tax policies and develop a plan that reflects Ohio’s changing economy. The Bellaire lawmaker hopes the newly formed committee will study tax changes to reverse the recent state budget cuts that have devastated local communities and underfunded public education. Rep. Cera also serves as ranking member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

State Rep. Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) convened this week with thirty-four legislators from sixteen states to kick-off the National Network of State Legislators Committed to Civil Governance. The event took place in Seattle, home of this year’s National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Annual Summit. 

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) was invited to and will attend the 50^th Anniversary celebration of the Voting Rights Act at the White House today.

Rep. Clyde will join President Obama and key leaders from around the country in marking the historic signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The White House event will also call for the renewing of the Voting Rights Act in order to combat attacks on voting rights in states like Ohio that have sought to limit access to the polls. 

“I am honored to be asked to participate in this White House event,” said Clyde. “Voting is our most fundamental right, and we must do all we can at the local, state, and federal levels to protect people’s access to the polls.”

State Rep. Stephen Slesnick (D-Canton) today announced Ohio’s first-ever sales tax-free holiday scheduled for this weekend, August 7-9. The tax-free holiday runs Friday through Sunday and covers many back-to-school items, including clothing, school supplies and instructional materials. Not only will the temporary holiday help offset Ohio’s 4.5 percent sales tax increase enacted by the 2013 state budget, but for three days shoppers will pay no sales tax on itemized purchases as they prepare their children for the coming of the new school year.

“Back to school shopping can be financially burdensome for many families in Stark County. My hope is that with this tax-free weekend we can ease the hardship for many Ohioans and better prepare our students for the upcoming school year,” said Rep. Slesnick.

Clothing priced at $75 or less per article, school supplies priced at $20 or less per item and school instructional material priced at $20 or less per item will all be exempt from Ohio’s sales and use tax this weekend.