Trending
With Ohio Gov. John Kasich banned by term limits from seeking re-election, the race for Ohio governor is heating up among the two major party candidates.
Each spent time at the Tribune Chronicle offices in Warren last week meeting with our newspaper's editorial board.
Republican nominee Mike DeWine, 71, of southwestern Ohio, is Ohio's attorney general and a former U.S. senator. Democratic nominee Richard Cordray, 59, of central Ohio, served as the first director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under former President Barack Obama.
Following our meetings with each, we found issues that we supported in each campaign. For instance, each is aware that the state's rainy-day fund is approaching the maximum allowable under state statute and both said they intend to return local government funds to Ohio's townships and municipalities. Neither intended to tie those funds to specific uses.
Both candidates offered plans for expanded early childhood development and each candidate offered plans to combat Ohio's opioid crisis. Good.
We are disappointed to say, though, that we also found significant shortcomings in the plans offered by both candidates, particularly in the area of economic development specific to our area.
In our discussions on that topic, frankly, neither candidate offered promises or even plans of growth or a brighter outlook for Warren, Trumbull County and Mahoning Valley. Both referred to Ohio's statewide role in oil and gas drilling, and both discussed the possibility of construction of a new ethane cracker plant in Belmont County, believing that will lead to new business growth here. We aren't so sure the positive economic effects of an unconfirmed plant in Belmont County -- 100 miles to our south -- is something we should be counting on.
Regarding infrastructure, DeWine also offered little, saying only that he would be looking closely at spending and project plans at the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Cordray, however, laid out a plan saying he would ask either the state legislature or the voters to support a bond initiative to create funds to pay for road improvements and upgrade infrastructure, public transit and broadband. He said increased taxes would not be necessary to fund the bond repayments because it would be paid over time from the state's general fund and from new sales taxes expected from Ohioans' Internet purchases.
Cordray agreed with Kasich's Ohio Medicaid expansion. DeWine is more focused on tying Medicaid to work requirements that he believes will make the system more sustainable.
Each candidate spoke of the importance of finding ways to combat the opioid crisis, but they differ on their support of statewide Issue 1, which, if passed would reduce the penalties on drug possession charges in Ohio, and jail or prison time would be banned for first and second offenses in most cases.
Cordray is supporting the issue, saying what we are doing right now is not working.
DeWine, however, said decriminalizing some drug-related offenses is not the answer. In fact, he says Cordray's response to the drug abuse crisis is misguided and dangerous.
DeWine also wants to tackle other issues involving school safety. He wants more school resource officers to protect children and better mental health services for students and teachers.
After listening to each and researching their plans, we preferred DeWine's more conservative approach to spending, and we fear under Cordray's leadership, we will see business taxes and regulations go up. That could send Ohio backwards in terms of an "Open for Business" attitude. It could trigger a slowdown in statewide growth.
That's why we endorse Mike DeWine for Ohio governor.
Overall, however, we do hope both candidates rethink their plans on economic development, bringing more focus onto struggling areas of our state including northeast Ohio and the Mahoning Valley.
While both candidates offered plans on important social issues, crime and drugs, each lacked in-depth plans for new business growth and jobs. And that's what we need most.