Democratic News

The state jobs report for Nov. was released today, showing Ohio well-above the national unemployment rate with 427,000 Ohioans still looking for work. The U.S. economy is growing at the fastest pace since late 2011, but Ohio lost 12,000 jobs last month and the state’s unemployment rate continues to trend much higher than last year. State Rep. John Patrick Carney (D-Columbus) released the following statement in response to the news:

The state jobs report  for Nov. was released today, showing Ohio well-above the national unemployment rate with 427,000 Ohioans still looking for work. The U.S. economy is growing at the fastest pace since late 2011, but Ohio lost 12,000 jobs last month and the state’s unemployment rate continues to trend much higher than last year. State Rep. Debbie Phillips (D-Albany) released the following statement in response to the news:

“As the U.S. economy expands at the fastest pace since 2011, the number of unemployed Ohioans remains at an abysmal 427,000. Gov. Kasich’s top-down economic policies are in full-effect, and it’s no coincidence that Ohio was number 1 in the  nation for job loss in November. Ohio is moving in the wrong direction. Instead of catering to special interests, we should be prioritizing our middle class families, investing in our schools and communities and restoring accountability to the failing so-called economic development agency JobsOhio.”

Once again, Secretary Husted has revealed how rare of a problem so-called voter fraud is in Ohio compared with the real problems in our elections. Thirteen months after the November 2012 election, the Secretary is focused on 0.0003% of the 5.63 million votes cast. In that same election, over 47,000 voters had their ballots thrown out and over 3 million Ohioans did not participate in their election at all. When will the Secretary hold a press conference on this much larger number of voters and the real problems in Ohio elections?

The Secretary of State already has approval under Ohio law to implement full online voter registration. The website is already built and he should switch it on. He does not need additional legislative action. Online voter registration would simplify the process for voters and election officials to register and to verify registrations with fewer errors and with huge cost savings. 

There are already mechanisms in the law to prevent non-citizens from voting and to punish illegal voting.  These laws should continue to be enforced and illegal voting should not be tolerated.

In response to Gov. Kasich’s year-in-review speech given to members of the business community today, House Democratic Leader Tracy Maxwell Heard (D-Columbus) released the following statement:

“Cuts to communities and tax breaks that favor the rich have hurt the middle class and stymied Ohio's economic recovery. Ohio is one of the worst states in the country for job creation over the last 12 months and our unemployment is now higher than the national rate. Instead of favoring special friends and special interests, we need to start putting working and middle class families first."  

Today, Gov. Kasich, Speaker Batchelder and President Faber spoke to members of the business community during a year-in-review speech at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. State Rep. Debbie Phillips (D-Athens) released the following statement in response to today’s speech:

“Ohio is 44^th in the nation for job creation; unemployment is at 7.5 percent-- significantly higher than the national average. Governor Kasich and Ohio’s GOP elected officials need an economic reality check. Instead of prioritizing millionaires and special interests, Ohio needs to grow our economy by putting working and middle class families first.  What we heard today is more of the same failed trickle-down policies, which knocked Ohio back down just when we were starting on the road to recovery.”

Today, Gov. Kasich, Speaker Batchelder and President Faber spoke to members of the business community during a year-in-review speech at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. State Rep. John Patrick Carney (D-Columbus) released the following statement in response to today’s speech:

Today, Gov. Kasich, Speaker Batchelder and President Faber spoke to members of the business community during a year-in-review speech at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. State Rep. Matt Lundy (D-Elyria) released the following statement in response to today’s speech:

State Rep. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) announced on Wednesday the passage of Senate Bill 23, a bill to provide persons adopted between 1964-1996 access to their original birth certificate. The bill passed by a nearly unanimous vote of  88 to 2.