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Lieutenant governor touts reform plan during local GOP event
Taylor says Ohio will benefit
By Tom Troy

The Kasich administration hit the ground running with dramatic change because it felt a sense of urgency, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor told supporters in the annual Lincoln Day Dinner for the Lucas County Republican Party Thursday night.

Ms. Taylor, sworn in just three months ago, told the Republican party faithful at the Gladieux Meadows banquet hall on Heatherdowns Boulevard that she and Gov. John Kasich believe their efforts to cut taxes and give local governments more “tools” with revamped collective bargaining laws will pay off with a boost in the state’s competitiveness.

“We have a window of opportunity to reduce our taxes, cut government spending, fix our broken regulations, modernize our government, and make it more efficient and accountable to you, our constituents,” Ms. Taylor said.

“Yes, the cuts and the change that is coming will be tough at first, but as we make Ohio more competitive companies will come here, start up here, and more Ohioans will have good jobs here,” Ms. Taylor said.

The Republican lieutenant governor was met by protesters, about 20 Toledo Police officers who said they were Republicans and wanted to express their opposition to Senate Bill 5, which scaled back the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including police officers.

“We want to know why she turned her back on all these officers who supported her,” said Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association union.

There was no direct confrontation because protesters were lined up in front of the banquet hall’s front entrance and Ms. Taylor was taken in through the back entrance.

Ms. Taylor said the administration values the work of the officers but that Ohio needs a better balance between the interests of government workers and taxpayers.

“Senate Bill 5 ... is a necessary tool to help our local governments and state agencies manage their costs,” Ms. Taylor said.

If a repeal effort goes on the ballot Nov. 8, Ms. Taylor said, “my hope is that we get the opportunity to make sure that the truth be told.”

She declined to analyze Governor Kasich’s low standing in job approval polls after the passage of Senate Bill 5 and the introduction of a budget that eliminates a nearly $8 billion deficit. The administration’s budget cuts income tax rates 4.2 percent while slashing state subsidies to local governments and school districts.

“We’re the seventh-highest-taxed state in the country,” Ms. Taylor said, referring to state and local taxes. “We have to make Ohio competitive. We have to make Ohio jobs-friendly again. And what we’re trying to do in Columbus is accomplish just that,” she said.

The former Summit County legislator and state auditor said she has not ruled out running for the U.S. Senate in 2012 against Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown.

“I’m very busy with CSI [“Common Sense Initiative” to reform Ohio’s regulatory policies] and the Department of Insurance. We have a lot of opportunities to expand the insurance industry in Ohio and right now that is my primary focus,” Ms. Taylor said.

Three Republican candidates who are running for Toledo Municipal Court introduced themselves to the gathering. They were Mark Davis, Kenneth Phillips, and Josh Lanzinger.

Also introduced were two candidates for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court -- Judith French of the 10th District Court of Appeals in Franklin County and Sharon Kennedy, a Butler County domestic relations judge.

They are competing for the GOP nomination for the seat now held by appointed Democratic Justice Yvette McGee Brown. Judge McGee Brown was appointed in January by former Gov. Ted Strickland to fill a vacancy in a six-year term that expires at the end of 2012.

Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook said about 260 tickets were sold for the event that helps pay for the party’s operations. Last year’s dinner, which featured national GOP strategist Karl Rove, grossed $19,795 before expenses were paid, according to campaign finance reports at the Lucas County Board of Elections.

There was no sign of the party strife that sundered the party last year when Mr. Stainbrook fought off a coup attempt before winning a second two-year term.

Read it at the Toledo Blade


 
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