Democratic News

State Representative and Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) released the following statement today in commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington:

“As we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March On Washington, President Obama's speech confirmed that there is still much work to be done for equality, race relations, voting rights, and economics to ensure that everyone has a chance at the American Dream. It is time to work with a sense of urgency to make Dr. King's dream real.”

State Representative Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) will be speaking at the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, tomorrow, August 24^th at 10 a.m. in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The event is being organized by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and will focus on issues such as economic injustice and racial inequality.

During her speech, Rep. Alicia Reece will call for a Voter Bill of Rights state constitutional amendment to be launched in Ohio and across the nation in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  Her initiative aims to provide concrete rights to voters that would extend access to polls, protect voters against voter intimidation and disenfranchisement, and ensure citizens’ right to vote.

Ohio State Rep. Reece has been a strong advocate for voting rights since her days at Grambling State University.  She has fought against voter intimidation and suppression in Ohio and she has championed numerous voting rights bills.  Rep. Reece is a national board member of the National Action Network, and has been asked to participate as a speaker at the March on Washington at the Mall on Saturday, August 24th.You can learn more about Rep. Reece’s work on voting rights here. A high resolution photo of the Cincinnati lawmaker is attached.

In 2011, Ohio was faced with a choice: We could either establish our own customized, state-run health-insurance exchange where Ohioans could purchase health insurance, or we could use a one-size-fits-all federal exchange. During that pivotal time, I asked Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, director of the Ohio Department of Insurance, to come to the Ohio House Health and Aging Committee to discuss the choice, but my request was met with silence.

Voices from across the health-care system — physicians, health insurers, insurance agents, consumer advocates and hospitals — thought that a state-run exchange would be better for both Ohio insurers and consumers by encouraging more insurers to participate. So Rep. Nickie Antonio of Lakewood and I introduced legislation that would create a state-based exchange. Still, Taylor refused to appear in front of the committee to discuss the bill and ignored all offers to work collaboratively to establish a state-based exchange.

Gov. John Kasich and Taylor opted to do nothing and settle for a one-size-fits-all approach to offer affordable health care to Ohioans. Now, Taylor is claiming that, because fewer insurers are participating in the federal exchange, costs will go up for Ohio's consumers.

In response to today’s Dayton Daily News investigative report on potential conflicts of interest at JobsOhio, Rep. John Patrick Carney (D-Columbus) released the following statement:

“The latest revelations in this ongoing controversy at JobsOhio are disturbing at best.

"It is problematic when you see that a majority of individuals who direct economic development in our state also have personal financial interests in the companies that received state incentives.

“It is beyond problematic when it is exposed that Governor Kasich worked to set up a secretive economic development system that would go on to benefit his recent employers.

“Economic development in our state should be based on best practices and evidence-based projects. It shouldn’t be about who you know, or what your powerful friends can do with taxpayer dollars.”

In response to today’s Dayton Daily News investigative report on potential conflicts of interest at JobsOhio, Rep. Matt Lundy (D-Elyria) released the following statement:

“The veil of secrecy over JobsOhio creates fertile ground for possible corruption.

“Even the perception of conflicts of interest needs to be taken seriously. JobsOhio should be subject to all of the ethics laws that government officials must adhere to.

“Using taxpayer money to reward cozy relationships at JobsOhio and the Governor’s office is appalling.

“It is more apparent now than ever before that we need to account for every dollar used in the name of economic development-- instead of having a ‘take care of your buddy system’.”

State Representative Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) has led area legislators in writing a letter urging the Federal Government to renew the contract of the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) to manage the incarceration of federal prisoners at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (NEOCC). The prison, in which CCA employs over four hundred workers from Mahoning and neighboring counties, may see most of its inmate population moved to Pennsylvania if it does not win a re-bid of its current contract.

“The NEOCC has supported Youngstown families with good paying jobs for many years,” Rep. Hagan said.  “The significant positive economic impact the facility has had for the Youngstown area cannot be overstated.”

Today, House Democratic Leader Tracy Maxwell Heard expressed frustration with Rep. Ron Amstutz’s (R-Wooster) recent announcement that he is now seeking legislative action for Medicaid expansion on October 1^st of this year.

“I think we are all starting to become a little more frustrated every time one of these false deadlines is paraded about,” said Leader Heard. “Rep. Amstutz’s announcement is the seventh time in three months that a he or Speaker Batchelder have changed the deadline for action on Medicaid this year.”