Training and Experience
Ohio State Representative (2023-present)
Volunteer/Community Service
Participant, Volunteer Lawyers Program, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (2020-present); general counsel, The Public Interest Patent Law Institute (2020-present); adjunct professor, Kent State U. (fall 2023); field organizer, Biden Victory 2020 (2020)
Restoring reproductive freedom, enacting common-sense gun control, raising the minimum wage and, maybe most importantly, ending gerrymandering.
I am working now on legislation that builds on Issue 1 and expands further our reproductive freedom. It’s called the Trust Women Act. It would guarantee access to abortion services throughout the duration of the period of gestation, not just before the viability moment. The government should never interfere with a pregnant person’s reproductive freedom.
I am also working to organize an Ohio ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to enact common-sense gun control. I am working with the proponents of the redistricting-reform and minimum-wage-raise ballot initiatives.
I support ending gerrymandering and increasing access to voting. If you are eligible to vote, then voting should be easy. I support automatic voter registration and same-day registration, mailing before each election to all eligible voters an absentee ballot and establishing many more ballot drop-boxes. I support enacting programs that increase literacy, because higher levels of literacy are correlated with higher rates of voting.
Make Ohio a welcoming place for everyone. Restore reproductive freedom, enact common-sense gun control, raise the minimum wage and end gerrymandering. Promote public education, support our seniors, lower taxes on the middle class, build clean energy, improve health care, strengthen labor laws and help with post-incarceration reentry.
Enact universal pre-K and free community college and trade schools. Lower to as close to zero as possible the cost of attending college and university. Fund 100% our public schools. Stop funding private-school voucher programs. Pay our teachers more.
The state should support local government more. Each of us relies on the services that local governments deliver, services like road repair, fire and police and emergency services. The amount allocated in the state operating budget to the local government fund is shamefully small. We should increase it by multiples.
Health care is a critical issue in everyone’s lives. And it must be better, more affordable and more accessible. I am fighting to improve our health care in every way. I will fully fund mental-health programs, lower the prices of prescription drugs (for example, capping the price of insulin) and enact universal child health insurance.
Climate change is a crisis. We must act now to avoid the worst consequences. I am working to build an Ohio Green New Deal, including (1) installing solar panels on all government buildings and (2) building out Ohio’s electric-vehicle infrastructure.
Black people and the members of other marginalized groups need help. As the son of gay parents, I am committed to values of equality and social justice. I fight every day to ensure that the law treats each of us equally. Also, I am working to enact a post-incarceration program to help transition formerly incarcerated individuals back to civilian life.
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Training and Experience
Attorney, public and private practice from 2005-present.
Volunteer/Community Service
Board Member, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland. Board Member, Coventry Special Improvement District. Board Member, Beachwood 100. Volunteer in several programs through the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.
My top priorities involve the Democratic Party's current core values: defending our democracy, protecting women's and minority rights, fighting for fair school funding, and ending gun violence.
Further, I want to be a fighter for those in the middle class and those trying to make it to the middle class. Therefore, priorities in that regard are increasing the minimum wage, supporting union labor, and more workforce and job development and training.
I also believe in targeting specific growth areas in the NE Ohio economy, from traditional areas like manufacturing and health care to more specific areas like the motion film industry and the music recording industry, where there are current tax and incentive policies that need to be expanded.
I believe that our democracy is only strong when the maximum amount of people who are able to participate are able to do so. I also believe that claims of voter fraud are exaggerated and are used as a scare tactic in order to constrain voting rights.
I support any policies that allow the maximum number of citizens to vote, as long as there are some guardrails in place. I think Ohio has a good early voting system and I generally support our early voting system. I do believe that the state should pay to send absentee ballot applications to every resident for every election. It is a small cost and well worth it.
I think that Ohio has generally done a good job with economic development in the last 15-20 years. Our economy remains diverse and state unemployment is very low. While I am a strong advocate for better wages for lower and middle class Ohioans, I am very optimistic and pleased with the State's economic development efforts. I also believe Jobs Ohio has been very effective.
Having said that, I believe that the state has been too focused on Columbus and Central Ohio and needs to refocus on NE Ohio. The State should focus on vacant land in our inner city and inner ring suburbs, like Euclid, and promote future use to companies in Ohio and across the world. I do believe that we need to market Ohio more internationally as a viable location.
My first aspiration is for there to be Universal Pre-K (UPK) in the State of Ohio. Studies show how important UPK is for the development of our children and UPK also allows for more parents to remain in the workforce.
Secondly, we need fair school funding in Ohio. The Cupp-Patterson plan is a good start and needs to be funded again in 2025. Unfortunately, the increased school voucher plan is hurting our public schools. I fully support cutting back vouchers. In this house district, the CH-UH schools lost $27 million over 7 years.
The next aspiration is to eliminate for-profit charter schools that have no accountability or standards and hurt students while enriching the operators.
Lastly, we need to fund our higher education more.
Columbus needs to do a better job of supporting and funding local governments. The double punch in 2011-2012 of eliminating the Estate Tax and cutting the Local Government Fund hurt many of our cities. Now that the state's Rainy Day Fund is over $3.5 Billion, it is time to release some of those funds to our neediest local governments.
Further, I am very aware of how Euclid in particular has been successful in obtaining state grant money, and I support the continuation of robust grant funding to local governments.
Lastly, in the wake of the Legislature's veto override of the ability of local governments to ban the sale of flavored tobacco, the state needs to respect "Home Rule" when it comes to certain safety and welfare legislation.
I believe that in the wealthiest country in the world, all citizens should have access to good healthcare. When we do not have fair access to healthcare, it is a true failure.
One area of healthcare policy that I am focused on and that I feel is often overlooked is incentivizing people to be healthier and to do more preventative care. Disease prevention and health promotion should be a bigger priority of our policymakers.
Funding for mental health and substance abuse should also be a bigger priority. We have both a suicide epidemic and a drug overdose epidemic in Ohio.
Lastly, as a Board Member of a nonprofit that deals in health care, I am also aware of issues with "aging in place" for seniors and funding for actual providers & nurses.
I am a proud friend of the environment and advocate for green policies every chance I get. Climate change is real and is one of the biggest threats and challenges of our lifetime. I fully support everything from plastic bag bans to incentivizing recycling for individuals, businesses and local governmental entities to consistently raising standards for fuel efficiency.
As our region sits on Lake Erie I am also very concerned about preserving Lake Erie as a natural resource. Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River are also key economic driving forces for our region.
Lastly, since Ohio has such unique and precious natural resources, I believe that protecting our natural lands from clearcutting, development and extraction of resources is essential.
The government can, and must, play a strong role in protecting minorities and minority rights in order to ensure that no person is discriminated against. Government should ensure that all people are treated fairly and with dignity by the government, by businesses, and by fellow citizens.
Since I was in law school, some of my favorite writing has been from Supreme Court Justices in opinions and dissenting opinions on cases involving civil rights. I am always in agreement with those Justices, like Thurgood Marshall and William Brennan, when they opine that government must intervene to ensure fairness.
Lastly, I want to add that I'm shocked and saddened that the Ohio Fairness Act is not the law in our state. I fully support this Act.
Training and Experience
Thirty years of experience in Healthcare compliance, regulation and consultancy; Non-profit; Entrepreneurship
Volunteer/Community Service
Volunteers regularly with community events and sponsors community events; Entrepreneur/ Mentor
My top priorities are centered around the pressing needs of our community. I am committed to improving our education system by advocating for increased funding, better resources for teachers, and equitable opportunities for all students. I am dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities, ensuring that every member of our community has access to affordable and quality healthcare services with a focus on mental healthcare. Economic development is another crucial focus, and I plan to work towards creating job opportunities, supporting local businesses, and fostering overall economic growth. Criminal justice reform is also on my agenda, with a commitment to implementing policies that promote fairness, accountability, and community safety
I firmly believe in the fundamental principles of democracy, and I support policies that aim to enhance accessibility, inclusivity, and integrity in our voting and elections system. I want to make it easier for eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote, such as expanded early voting options, accessible polling locations, and efforts to address voter suppression.
As an entrepreneur, I believe in the importance of creating a thriving economic environment in Ohio. To bring about economic and job opportunities, the government should focus on policies that support small businesses, innovation, and workforce development. This includes providing targeted incentives and support for entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses, fostering innovation through investment in research and development, and collaborating with educational institutions to ensure a skilled and adaptable workforce. I also advocate for infrastructure investments that enhance connectivity and accessibility, creating an environment that attracts businesses and promotes job growth.
I am committed to fostering an inclusive educational environment that celebrates diversity and promotes cultural competency. By advocating for policies that prioritize the well-being and success of our students, we can build a strong educational foundation that contributes to the overall prosperity of Ohio. My aspirations for K-12 students in Ohio revolve around creating a robust and equitable system that empowers students to reach their full potential. I advocate for increased funding to support quality teachers, updated resources, and modernized infrastructure. Addressing disparities in educational outcomes is crucial, and I propose targeted programs to provide additional support to schools in underserved communities.
As a candidate who supports maintaining home rule, I believe in empowering local governments to make decisions that directly impact their communities. However, it is essential for the state to step in and provide support or checks when local actions may infringe upon individual rights, violate state laws, or create significant disparities among different communities.
While respecting local autonomy, the state should intervene when there are issues that transcend local boundaries, such as environmental concerns, civil rights violations, or issues requiring a unified state response.
As a candidate, my position on healthcare policy is centered on ensuring accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare for all residents of Ohio. I believe in the importance of comprehensive healthcare coverage that addresses both physical and mental health needs. To achieve this, I support policies that expand Medicaid, strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and work towards a system that leaves no one behind.
I am an advocate for lowering prescription drug costs, promoting preventative care, and addressing healthcare disparities within our communities. I also recognize the role of public health, and I am committed to policies that address the root causes of health disparities, promote healthy living, and respond effectively.
I am committed to robust environmental policy and responsible natural resource management in Ohio. I believe in implementing measures that safeguard our environment, promote sustainability, and protect the health of our communities.
I support investing in renewable energy sources to reduce our carbon footprint and transition towards a more sustainable future. This includes advocating for incentives for businesses and individuals to adopt cleaner technologies and renewable energy practices.
I firmly believe that government has a crucial role in ensuring that no person is discriminated against. It is the responsibility of our government to champion equality, protect civil rights, and create an inclusive society for all Ohioans. I support robust anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other protected characteristics. These laws should be enforced rigorously to hold accountable those who engage in discriminatory practices. Additionally, I am committed to advocating for policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of public life.
