Sarah Grace and Eddie Smith disagree on issues including fracking and minimum wage.
As the winter weather subsided, Sarah Grace and Eddie Smith could be found knocking on the doors of district residents, debating the issues facing their constituents and speaking at local meetings to vy for the vote that would pit them against Republican candidate Jay Edwards in November.
The two are competing to be the state representative for the residents of Ohio’s 94th District — a position that pays $60,584 per year and differs quite distinctly from the jobs that they hold today.
Grace, a local small business owner, has lived in Athens with her family for the past 19 years. Smith, an Ohio University graduate student, is working to complete his second master’s degree while serving as president of Graduate Student Senate at OU.
Though both candidates are running as Democrats and agree upon topics such as public education and rights for labor unions, their positions on a couple of issues differ.
Smith did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Fracking
From Grace:
Unlike Smith, Grace does not support a direct ban on hydraulic fracturing, rather citing the need for “increasing regulation” on the industry and a greater diversification of the economy.
"The future of the hydraulic fracturing industry is highly dependent on the price of oil, which is very difficult to predict." Grace said in an email. "As our economy diversifies, extraction industries will have a decreased role. Injection wells are a different matter. The majority of the injected waste comes from out of state and is not tied to local hydraulic fracturing activity. This needs to be addressed by increasing regulation on the industry.”
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From Smith:
On his campaign website, Smith describes hydraulic fracturing as an “unconventional” process, describing the potential for adverse effects on the environment, as well as on public health.
"Our district has spoken up on this issue time and time again and made it clear that we are not going to let industry or gas and oil come into our communities and risk the safety of the drinking water our families depend on," Smith's website reads.
Banning injection wells is the long term goal, Smith says on his website. For now, however, he would like to lift the cap on injection well taxes, and instead designate tax dollars to water safety testing and environmental protection.
On raising the minimum wage
From Grace:
Grace has voiced her support of raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, as outlined in the "Focus on the Future" agenda proposed by Ohio Democratic lawmakers. That raise, Grace said, would be a nearly 25 percent increase for Ohio’s minimum wage workers.
"This is responsible legislation that would provide meaningful improvements in the quality of life for many Ohioans," Grace said in an email.
From Smith:
At the Feb. 16 Athens County League of Women Voters Candidate Forum, Smith said he supports raising the minimum wage. However, in the long run, prices will grow to be “relative to the wage," he said. Smith said the focus should be on the distribution of wealth itself.
“While I absolutely support (the raising of) minimum wage for short-term benefits, what needs changed here is the distribution of wealth in Ohio and in our district,” Smith said, adding that a disparity exists between the salary of OU administrators and the median salary of Athens County residents.
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