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10/11/2012 - West Side Leader
     

By Staff Writer

Robert Gregory Roush vs. Thomas Sawyer (incumbent)

Thomas Sawyer

Voters will vote for one candidate for District 28 state senator for the term commencing Jan. 1, 2013, on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot. Republican Robert Gregory Roush did not submit answers to our questions by the stated deadline. The information provided below was submitted by Democratic incumbent Thomas Sawyer, with his responses to our questions printed as submitted.

Thomas Sawyer (incumbent)

Political affiliation: Democrat

What would you do to improve the economy in Ohio?

“The government, of course, does not actually manage our economy, nor should it. But to the degree that our state and local governments shape the environment in which Ohio’s economy functions, they all need to work together far more closely than we do today. Compatible revenue mechanisms (taxes, fees, tuition, etc.) and collaborative service delivery systems (public safety, infrastructure, health, etc.) service are the keys to the much discussed, but little practiced, regional cooperation that can lead to real economic development alliances and lasting growth.”

What are the other major issues facing your district and how would you address them?

“Fixing the school funding fromula in the state of Ohio touches virtually every element of our state and local economy and millions of lives. Ohio schools have been living with a structural imbalnce between state and local funding for more than two decades.

“I have a two part proposal, which I plan to introduce in January, that includes both constitutional amendments as well as statutory changes to Ohio law. Its net goal is to inventory the elements of a constitutionally compliant ‘thorough and efficient eduation,’ cost them out, and provide for the distribution of the needed funding to schools on a per-pupil basis. In the end, we need to establish a fair and stable balance between state and local funding sources that Ohioans can rely upon.”