CELINA — Three Republican candidates for the 84th District Ohio House of Representatives are seeking voter approval to advance to the November General Election. Running on the Republican ticket are Angie King, of Celina, Jacob Larger, of New Bremen, and Aimee Morrow, of Greenville. The winner of the Aug. 2 Special Election will face Democrat Sophia Rodriguez, who is unopposed on Aug. 2.
The 84th District includes the northern half of Darke County and the southern half of Auglaize County and all of Mercer County. Darke County towns includes Greenville. Auglaize County includes Wapakoneta, Minster, New Bremen and New Knoxville.
Questionnaires were emailed to each candidate for publication in the Sidney Daily News. Morrow didn’t respond to the email.
Thursday’s candidate profile was Democrat Sophia Rodriguez. Republican Angie King is featured in today’s newspaper. Republican Jacob Larger will be featured in Saturday’s newspaper.
Angie King, 56, is a small business owner. She has been involved in buying, selling and managing real estate investments for 25 years. Mercer County Recorder 9 years. Celina City Council 11 years. King has successfully impacted policy at the local, state, and federal levels. Oldest of five children, from a farm family. Married 31 years, two adult children, and two grandchildren. With more than 20 years of both small business and public service experience is well equipped to represent our values of limited government, champion small business and our ag community, protect family values, defend the unborn and the Second Amendment, and stand up for our liberties and freedoms. For more information: KingforOhio.com
Should Ohio spend more to arm and train teachers and school staff to secure its public schools from random gun violence?
House Bill 99 was recently signed by Ohio Governor DeWine which allows teachers and other school personnel to carry firearms in school safety zones. $4.8 million was awarded in grants to schools to help them improve safety and security of their buildings.
Funding will be used to install security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks and visitor badging systems. These grants will help schools evaluate potential threats and develop appropriate responses to increase their efforts to prevent random gun violence. School Safety requires prevention and planning, the $4.8 million in grants will help with those efforts.
What should Ohio do to attract and retain more working-age adults to the state with crucial skills (electricians, mechanics, plumbers etc.)?
US Department of Labor predicts a construction labor workforce shortage of 1.6 million by the end 2022. Ohio high school students are eligible for free tuition to earn college credits and construction training could be added. High school students enrolled in a US Department of Labor certified apprentice training program would also be eligible for state funding. Ohio’s Manufacturing Mentorship Program for 16 and 17 year olds could be expanded to include construction trades. Trade & apprentice programs will not only build a workforce pipeline, but also help to address the states out bound migration issu
Do you think the taxation rates in Ohio are in line with similar states for middle class, working families? If not, how would you fix this?
Ohio’s tax ranking, according to Walletnews, is 43rd and 49th for income tax. (1 being the lowest tax burden) There has been progress over the last 10 years. Instead of 9 tax brackets – we now have 4. Ohioans who received $25,000 or less in 2021 didn’t pay any state income tax. Ohio is still the 9th highest tax rate in country. The consumer price index rose 8.6% in May. Inflation is at a 40 year high. There are currently 7 states without state income tax. SB 327, would phase out personal income tax over the next ten years. Why wait 10 years? Ohioans need relief now.
Where do renewables (nuclear, solar, wind, etc.) fit into the future of Ohio’s energy supply?
Solar and wind turbines farms are a heavy topic in our agricultural district. I attended a public hearing in my district and not one of the individuals who spoke were in favor of the 1,200 acre solar farm. The destruction of productive farmland and how the land will be zoned were top concerns.
SB 52 gives county commissioners the authority to approve or deny certification of wind and solar facilities that produce greater than 50 megawatts of power. It also gives county commissioners authority to designate exclusive zones where wind/solar projects would be disallowed. Wind or solar developers can no longer come into the county without the full knowledge & consent of the county government.
With the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, what are your feelings? Since it was overturned, what should the state of Ohio do to ensure a woman’s right of choice?
I’m honored to be the only candidate endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life PAC. After nearly 50 years, the Supreme Court has finally recognized that the Constitution does not establish or defend a right to an abortion. Every constitutional provision that secures a human right was designed just as much for the protection of the rights of the unborn as for the rights of the born. No baby with a beating heart can be aborted in the state of Ohio. Human life, beginning at the moment of conception, is sacred in all of its forms and I will continue to fight for the life of the unborn.
The skyrocketing price of fuel is affecting both the worker and the person wanting to go on vacation. Should the state of Ohio put a pause on gas taxes until the prices go down?
I would support a temporary repeal of the gas tax increase and the annual registration fees for electric vehicles and hybrids. (Repeal tax increase from the transportation budget of 2019)
Ohio will get $11.5 billion in federal funds from the infrastructure bill, and the Ohio Senate has proposed repealing the gas tax increase for five years. The federal funds from the infrastructure bill would make up for the lost revenue. The gas tax would generate $1.5 billion, the difference of $10 billion more than was estimated when the tax was passed in 2019.
School districts are facing a shortage of teachers, bus drivers and other staff members to help educate Ohio’s children. What do you think should be done to get more employees for the districts?
Sadly, employers all across the U.S. are struggling with staffing their businesses and retaining new hires. Nursing homes, schools, hospitals, restaurant chains, hotels, retailers, builders, manufacturers, and the list goes on. The labor force participation rate still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Are unemployment benefits disincentivizing individuals from going back to work? If unemployment benefits are too generous or duration too long, workers may choose to stay home because they make more money from the government. Instead of punishing retirees who want to rejoin the workforce, raise the income threshold for social security and let retirees return to work.
Older Americans with years of experience shouldn’t be penalized for wanting to regain employment.
