Larger wants to bring common sense to Columbus

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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 was featured in Friday’s newspaper. Republican Jacob Larger is be featured in today’s newspaper.

Jacob Larger is running for Ohio House District 84 to bring common sense, conservative values to Columbus. Currently the Village Council president in New Bremen, Larger has over a decade of experience getting things done at the local, state and national levels, from being an advocate for small-business owners, to reforming Ohio’s workforce system to better match job seekers to local employers. An attorney by education, Larger currently serves as the Human Resources & Adult Protective Services Administrator at a local Job & Family Services agency. Larger and his wife Maria have three beautiful daughters, Cecelia, Gwendolyn and Vivian.

Should Ohio spend more to arm and train teachers and school staff to secure its public schools from random gun violence?

Gun violence in schools is unacceptable and more should be done to protect our children, yet many in politics focus on the wrong solutions. Before we can talk about arming and training teachers, we must first look at the one and only solution that has proven to be effective in limiting the scope of these attacks: single point of entry. By ensuring a single point of access into schools, those who wish to commit senseless acts of evil are restrained in their efforts to harm others.

What should Ohio do to attract and retain more working-age adults to the state with crucial skills (electricians, mechanics, plumbers etc.)?

To attract and retain a crucial skilled workforce, we must first do more in our schools to promote these jobs as rewarding careers. Career Technical Centers are some of the most valuable tools for our state to build a pipeline of local talent, but we need to demonstrate to our youth that these careers are valuable and that not every job requires a college degree. As someone who has worked in the workforce development area for nearly a decade, I believe I bring valuable experience to help address this issue.

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?

In terms of the sheer number of taxing jurisdictions within our state, Ohio ranks as one of the worst in the nation. So the short answer is no, Ohio is not in line with similar states when it comes to our tax burden. At the state level, we should work to eliminate the state income tax, and ensure that this is not replaced by fees levied by government service providers. A fee is a tax, and a tax is a fee, and largely fees have a disproportionate impact on middle class, working families.

Where do renewables (nuclear, solar, wind etc.) fit into the future of Ohio’s energy supply?

An “all above” approach to energy is necessary for Ohio’s future, but we cannot put the cart before the horse on renewable energy. Wind and solar technology have not advanced enough to be sustainable in Ohio’s climate, with solar panels only converting around 20% of the sun’s energy into electricity. Our state and our nation run on energy, and we cannot allow special interests to force Ohio to abandon traditional energy before renewable technologies are advanced enough to sustain energy production on a statewide scale.

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?

From the moment of conception, a child in the womb has its own distinct DNA from the mother. Scientifically, that makes a preborn child no less of a human being than its mother or father. I welcome Roe v. Wade being overturned, and will work to ensure Ohio protects life from conception to natural death. Ohio should be a leader in promoting the work of crisis pregnancy centers, and connecting our state’s large network of supportive services with expectant mothers. Being Pro-Life means supporting life both in and out of the womb.

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 not be opposed to pausing the gas tax so long as other dollars are identified to address road projects. Gas taxes are used to fund road repairs and anyone who has driven on state highways in Ohio can tell you there’s a lot of work to do to keep our roads safe and drivable. I believe there are other budget areas where the state could look to fix our roads, while also providing some relief at the pump.

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?

School choice is the first solution we need to address some of the issues in our public schools. Trapping children in failing schools is unacceptable. Once we address mobility of education, the state should adopt a “backpack bill” style of school funding, where dollars follow the student. Our state currently wastes money in districts that are failing our children, but by fully funding educational mobility, districts are incentivized to work collaboratively within their communities to deliver for its students. A rising tide lifts all boats. By better meeting student needs, schools become a more attractive place to build a career.

Larger
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