Just a reminder...the 2011 General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8th. Polls are open countywide from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm.

You may visit the Board of Elections website to review the list of candidates and issues that will appear on the ballot in your area.

For more information, contact the Montgomery County Board of elections at (937) 225-5656. 

Issue 2 asks government employees to pay at least 15% of the cost of their health insurance coverage, with taxpayers funding the rest. That's less than half of what private sector workers are currently paying.

Issue 2 allows job performance to be considered when deciding whether to reward or retain employees and puts an end to automatic pay increases just for showing up. Private sector workers earn their paychecks by doing a good job - so should government employees.

Issue 2 asks government employees to make a small contribution (10%) to their publicly funded retirement plan, rather than forcing taxpayers to provide generous pensions for free. In this economy, many private sector workers get no retirement benefits at all. 

Issue 2 allows us to keep good teachers in the classroom, while making it harder for bad teachers to hide behind the protections of a union contract. 

Issue 2 allows government employees to negotiate on wages and working conditions - just as they've done for nearly 30 years - while also returning basic control of our schools and services to the taxpayers who fund them.

For further information, visit www.betterohio.org.

September 30th marked the end of the federal fiscal year. It also marks the third year in a row that our government has overspent a trillion dollars more than we had available. Racking up additional debt at the expense of hardworking taxpayers has to stop. Already every man, woman and child in our nation owes $46,000 towards the outstanding $14.3 trillion federal debt. This is one of the reasons I voted against further increasing our national debt.

I voted no because, American's have had enough of failed tax and spend policies. It is time that real steps are taken to reign in this out of control spending, including passing a responsible budget as well as a Balanced Budget Amendment to our Constitution.

One thing is clear when it comes to our budget problems - we are not in this mess because of a shortage of tax revenue. Our government now spends about 30% more than we are able to pay for.  With unemployment in Ohio above 9%, we cannot afford another stimulus. By putting a halt to the spending binge, we will be able to deliver a more efficient, effective government. One which spends less and serves the taxpayer better.

The budget I voted in favor of this year is one of many starting points for a real conversation about the road ahead for reforming our nation's finances and growing the economy. We can no longer continue to take the easy road and just trim our budget at the corners. We must take real steps to find efficiencies in overall spending in order to end the trillion dollar deficits of the past, lower tax rates to empower small business owners, and reform our entitlement programs while still preserving them for future generations.

Also, a Balanced Budget Amendment added to our Constitution would require that the President submit a budget to Congress which doesn't spend more than we take in each year - except in time of war or national emergency. It's a basic approach which the majority of American families adhere to. If you don't have the money - you shouldn't be spending it.

With an ever growing mountain of debt, it's clear why our country needs a Balanced Budget Amendment. We cannot afford to continue spending at this rate. The Federal Government spends over $10 billion a day; we must change the course we're on. A Constitutional requirement to balance the budget placed in the framework of our government is part of the solution to the stop the endless spending in Washington.

The time has come to put America's hardworking taxpayers back in charge of their finances so that we can grow the economy and create jobs. The House has already passed both a reasonable budget and a Balanced Budget Amendment this year. Meanwhile, the Senate has failed to even propose a budget, and has rejected plans to balance the budget. The partisan gridlock must end if we are going to begin to dig ourselves out of the budget hole Washington has dug for us. I look forward to the Senate working with the House in passing a budget and beginning to pay down the ever increasing debt. We cannot continue to delay on this matter as interest on the debt adds up, and our government continues to spend more than it has available.

Here in the Buckeye State, the latest political uproar has centered on the process of congressional redistricting. This is an important procedure that occurs every 10 years, after the release of U.S. Census data. Redistricting ensures that there is equal representation in each congressional district across the country, in accordance with population shifts.

 
In the past decade, Ohio has experienced slow population growth, causing our state to lose two U.S. representatives, down from 18 to 16. With two fewer districts, the process of redrawing the lines has been especially laborious and time-consuming. After much deliberation, the final product, House Bill 319, passed through the General Assembly, and Governor Kasich recently signed it into law. I voted for this legislation because it defines effective legal boundaries pursuant to the Voting Rights Act and federal and state laws.

 
Reworking these boundaries is an extremely complex project. First and foremost, all districts must have exactly the same number of residents in order to comply with federal law. Another important stipulation is that the map must be in place by February 8, in order for primary elections to remain on schedule. These stipulations, though rigid, are absolutely necessary to ensure that all people have fair and equal representation in the legislative system.

 
To follow these strict redistricting rules laid out by the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions, as well as the Voting Rights Act, all those involved must be flexible and willing to compromise. Ultimately, these laws were set out to make the democratic process as balanced as possible. Most everyone acknowledges the necessity of redistricting, but arguments arise regarding the way it is implemented.

For instance, losing two congressional seats meant that all districts in our state would be subject to adjustment. There was simply no way around it if we were to follow the law requiring equal population in each district. Everyone must remember that individual Congress members do not own their seat. The general public decides who assumes the position of representative every two years.

 
There have been some questions not only about the changes made to individual districts, but also about county representation. Concerns have been raised that the new map divides too many counties up between multiple districts. A county might be represented by two or three Congress members instead of just one. This set-up may be viewed as splitting the interests of a county, but it will, in fact, give the county multiple voices of representation in Congress. Though these different voices may not always automatically agree, this initial dissonance among representatives will hopefully draw more attention to problems, engendering more debate and producing thoughtful solutions.
 
Redistricting has been an arduous process, but the resulting map is fair and effective. Most importantly, it lives up to our nation's high standard of equal representation, the bottom line of American democracy. Regardless of current opposition to the map as drawn, the Ohio House continues to seek ways to avoid yet another referendum and all of the confusion that citizens would have as a result.

 
Rep. Blair may be reached at (614) 466-6504 or by writing to Representative Terry Blair, Ohio House of Representatives, 77 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. You may also e-mail his office at District38@ohr.state.oh.us. 

It is my honor to serve the families of Darke, Miami, and Montgomery counties in the Ohio Senate, and one of my top priorities remains keeping you updated on the important issues facing residents of the 5th District.

As the State Senator for the 5th Senate District, I came to Columbus to help with the revitalization of our state and the Miami Valley. I was elected to the Ohio Senate in November of 2010 and took office in January of this year. During my short time in office, I have had the opportunity to be involved with numerous legislative priorities, but none more important in my opinion than workforce development and job creation. I want to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the successes that the State of Ohio has had partnering with businesses to create jobs in our region.

Over the past 10 months the State of Ohio-through workforce development, grants, and loans-has been able to work with businesses in the Miami Valley to retain and assist in the creation of nearly 1,500 jobs in the 5th District alone, and many more throughout the region. Through sound investment in our businesses and our workforce we can turn things around in the Miami Valley.

Just recently unemployment rates were down for the second straight month in Dayton and Montgomery County, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. This shows that our region is continuing to grow and with sound policies and innovative efforts like JobsOhio, which I supported, we can help those businesses that are looking to grow and expand do so, while also attracting companies to relocate to the Miami Valley.

Also, Regulatory reform through the new Common Sense Initiative (CSI) at the Ohio Department of Insurance Lt. Governor Mary Taylor and her team are beginning the arduous task of examining the thousands of regulations that can be a hindrance to job growth. My colleagues and I here in the Ohio General Assembly supported this effort and our hopeful that this will be another tool that can be used to make Ohio, business friendly again.

If I can ever be of assistance to you please feel free to contact me at:

Phone:   614.466.6247

E-mail:   SD05@senate.state.oh.us

Address:

State Senator Bill Beagle

Statehouse 1 Capital Square

Senate Building Rm #132

Columbus, OH 43215

Senator Bill Beagle serves the people of Ohio's 5th Senate District, which includes Miami County and portions of Montgomery and Darke Counties.

To all Ohio veterans, I would like to say thank you. Your service is one of the finest displays of patriotism, and we are proud to honor you this Veterans Day.

For many of us, it is difficult to fully express our gratitude to family, friends and neighbors who served our country as a member of the armed forces. Each November 11 we honor their bravery and sacrifice on Veterans Day by celebrating them with parades and other tributes and memorials. One way we can recognize their bravery and sacrifice beyond Veterans Day is by exercising the very right to vote they fought so hard to defend.

The Vote in Honor of a Veteran initiative sponsored by my office gives us all a chance to show our respect and admiration for special veterans in our life by allowing us to dedicate our vote to them on Election Day. When you sign up to Vote in Honor of a Veteran, you can post a testimonial about the veteran you are honoring on the Secretary of State's website and social media sites, and even receive a special pin to wear on Election Day (at no cost). We have had a wonderful response so far, and I look forward to the initiative's continued success.

I encourage you to visit OhioMilitaryVotes.com if you are interested in dedicating your vote to a veteran this Election Day. Also at OhioMilitaryVotes.com you will find our Military Ready-to-Vote program, the goal of which is to make voting while on active duty as hassle free and straightforward as possible. We believe that ensuring our servicemen and women are able to cast their vote no matter where they may be in the world is a top priority.

Again, to all of our veterans past and present-thank you and may God bless you this Veterans Day.