Training and Experience
Served 10 years on Green City Council, including a term as Council President.
Volunteer/Community Service
City of Green Community Volunteer Program ; Summit County Probate Court - Volunteer Guardianship Program
I believe we need representation that is laser-focused on education, job creation and issues that affect everyday workers, seniors, families and young Ohioans - such as education, job creation, raising our quality of life, and protecting the rights of ALL citizens. I will not be distracted by efforts to further divide us with radical cultural issues or extremist agendas.
Now more than ever, Ohio needs leaders who are willing to put egos, petty politics aside in favor of consensus-building and collaboration. My track record as a Green City Council member and Council president demonstrates that I can work with both sides to deliver results. As State Representative, I will put my experience in public service to work for the people every day.
First and foremost, I want to make it easier for people to vote - not harder. I strongly oppose unnecessary purging of voter rolls, additional roadblocks to voting, reductions to early voting opportunities, and a shameful redistricting process that puts voters last and limits competition. I support expanded early voting opportunities and same-day voter registration. These are common sense measures that allow the process of voting to be kept secure while remaining fair and accessible to all citizens.
When I speak to small businesses throughout the 32nd State House District, the number one issue that comes up is access to labor. As a state, we must make the investment into workforce development now in order to meet the needs of the major employers where they are. This includes developing vocational and apprenticeship programs that will give young people access to jobs that allow them to start a family, buy a house and enjoy a reasonable quality of life. I would seek to expand collaboration with labor organizations that offer effective apprenticeship programs that lead to living-wage jobs that are in demand.
Education is an issue near and dear to me. Both my mother and grandmother served full careers as teachers in Akron public schools. I have seen the impact our hardworking teachers can have on children's lives, as well as the many challenges they face on a daily basis. I believe we need to provide the support and competitive pay our frontline educators deserve. Instead of of steering vital resources to for-profit, private charter schools that are not held to the same standards as public schools, we need to reinvest in top-notch education for all. Lastly, numerous studies show that quality pre-K greatly increases the odds of a child succeeding later in life. Adoption of universal pre-K is something Ohio can and should do now.
As a former Green City Council member for 10 years, I have seen the power and effectiveness of our system of local home-rule government to develop solutions to address local problems first-hand. I am troubled by the trends from recent Ohio General Assemblies to both supersede our time-honored principle of home-rule on arbitrary matters, while also undercutting the ability of local public officials to do their jobs effectively and provide the vital services Ohioans want, need, and expect. The draconian cuts to local government funds, for example, had a negative impact on every jurisdiction in my district and countless others throughout the state.
Broadly speaking, our healthcare policy should be driven by science, facts, and medical professionals. Healthcare decisions should be made between patients and their doctors – period. Like the vast majority of voters in my district and statewide, I opposed the extremist law to limit a woman’s right to choose.
I would work to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare in Ohio – especially when the federal government provides resources for the state to do so. As the son of a local dentist who operated in the Firestone Park neighborhood of Akron, I understand the importance of dental care and know that many could benefit from increased coverage options for dental and vision.
I would love to see Ohio become a national leader in forging state-level solutions to the climate change crisis facing our global community. By investing in businesses and technologies in the renewable energy sector, Ohio could reduce our carbon footprint while spurring new, high-paying “green-collar jobs” at the same time. As a Green City Council member, I was proud to support long term investments in a stellar parks system that increases the quality of life for residents, and for helping secure the protection of the unique and pristine Singer Lake Bog with an innovative solution made possible by local officials working in earnest for the benefit of generations to come.
Sadly, the current Ohio General Assembly has all too often proven to be the very problem when it comes to discrimination in this state – proactively (and needlessly) legislating discrimination rather than protecting the rights of all, especially the most vulnerable among us.
We must collectively demand better from our representatives. When elected officials ignore their oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, including the equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment, they need to be held accountable at the polls for that unacceptable behavior. Fair and competitive districts would empower voters to make these corrections over time, and I am heartened that voters may have an opportunity to demand fair districts soon.
