DEAR EDITOR:

On July 2, The Vindicator published an article by David Skolnick titled: “DeWine vetoes 67 budget items.”

This extensive article disingenuously alludes to DeWine’s line-item veto of 67 items in the Ohio budget, recently passed by the radical right wing-dominated Legislature.

The article sought out and got responses from the local Republican legislators: State Rep. David Thomas (Jefferson), State Rep. Tex (formally known as Austin) Fischer (Boardman); State Sen. Al Cutrona (Canfield), and State Sen. Sandra O’Brien (Lenox). All four railed against DeWine’s veto. Their main invective appeared to be how this would bury homeowners under property taxes. Glaringly, Skolnick failed to query Laura McNally, Democrat from Youngstown, concerning her opinion.

Here’s what DeWine’s veto will keep from happening:

1. Libraries will not be forced to hide books and be guardians of young people’s minds.

2. Local school board races will not become partisan.

3. Your tax dollars will not be diverted to unregulated religious schools.

4. Babies and toddlers will not lose access to Medicaid until the age of 3.

5. Legal aid for those that cannot afford a lawyer will not be discontinued.

6. And (the most egregious) public school systems would not be banned from carrying 40% of their operating budget into the following year.

What DeWine did not veto and is still in the budget, and is perfectly OK with the Republicans are:

1. About 750,000 Ohio’s will lose Medicaid coverage.

2. A massive tax cut for Ohio’s wealthiest.

3. Elimination of the election of Ohio’s State School Board members — they will become political appointees.

4. Hiding legislators’ communications from the public record will become law.

5. Legal aid for those that cannot afford a lawyer be discontinued.

6. $600 million of Ohio unclaimed funds will go to building a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns.

It appears that some of DeWine’s vetoes will be overridden by the Republican-dominated Legislature on July 21.

This budget is cruel. It was created by arrogant legislators whose domination of both the House and Senate exist because of hyperpartisan gerrymandering. 45% of Ohio voters consistently vote for Democrats in national elections yet our Senate is only 27% Democrat and our House is 34% Democrat. As far as I can see, that’s taxation without representation.

I’m not sure writing or calling any of these Republicans will change their minds. After all, they are all dedicated ideologues.

Your only power is as a voter. Remember this next year.

FRANK WANAT

Poland