Even though Ohio voters defeated one of state Republicans’ most controversial issues when they voted against Issue 2, Gov. John Kasich and other GOP leaders are looking ahead.
Tuesday, more than 60 percent of ballots voted against Issue 2, the referendum to repeal the controversial Ohio Senate Bill 5.
“The grassroots who stayed home and let Kasich become governor came out today and voted,” said Lenny Eliason, Athens County Commissioner. “The (Ohio University) College Democrats deserve a lot of credit for pushing people out to vote and what to vote for.”
The repealed law would have limited the collective-bargaining rights for union workers in Ohio.
After Kasich signed the bill into law earlier this year, 915,456 citizens petitioned to push SB 5 to a citizen’s vote as Issue 2. Of those, 7,134 were collected in Athens County.
“Ohio’s problems developed over time because too many people cared more about popularity than about making the tough — and sometimes unpopular — choices Ohio needed,” Kasich said, adding that bringing and keeping jobs in Ohio will remain the priority.
“But our lives and our work aren’t sprints; they’re marathons, and we strive for bigger rewards than the fleeting praise of the here and now.”
Along with Kasich’s promise of jobs as a priority, state Sen. Troy Balderson, R-20th, said there are other proactive measures to be taken other than reacting to the fact an issue was voted down.
“It’s not like we’ve been sitting around waiting to hear the results of the SB 5 referendum,” said Joshua Eck, Balderson’s legislative aide. “(The senator) has had projects in the works all year long and is trying to get them through the legislature.”
These projects include keeping business and jobs in Ohio as well as regulating exotic animal ownership.
Balderson and Eck do not believe the lack of success with SB 5 will have an effect on the Republican Party in next year’s elections.
Though there is work to be done, state Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-92nd, said she believes the repeal is still very much a positive thing for working Ohioans.
“This is a victory for the middle class, especially in our community and the state of Ohio,” Phillips said.
ld311710@ohiou.edu
