State Representative Jim Buchy...
A Vote for Issue 2 on Tuesday will Move Ohio in the Right Direction  
November  1, 2011 

The last few months, many of you have had a chance to speak about Issue 2 directly with Senator Faber and me.  In many of my conversations it was clear that voters were confused about what exactly will happen as a result of Collective Bargaining Reform.  I have been traveling the State bringing a message of what this reasonable reform will mean to Joe the taxpayer.  This is all about jobs.  It is one part of Governor Kasich’s five part plan to jump start Ohio’s economy. 

For decades Ohio has been losing workers to neighboring and distant states.  Our retirees have been fleeing the state to avoid high taxes.  It has been a down hill path of less people and less taxpayers, but yet; Ohio Government has continued to grow and spend more.  We are on a path to end up like California.  Governor Kasich is leading us on the right path.  We balanced a budget without raising taxes and we slated the estate tax to end in 2013.  To continue on this path we must ensure that government employers have the tools to manage their labor costs. 

Labor cost makes up 85% of the cost to provide you with public services.  Over time, we have witnessed the impact of budget constraints on our schools as administrations have been forced to cut classroom supplies, bussing, and athletics to balance the budget.  Some Ohio districts have nothing left to cut but remain in a fiscal crisis.  In business you need flexibility when reorganizing operations and these schools have not had the tools to manage labor costs they way they should. 

I am proud to say I have noticed sacrifice from teachers in the 77th House District.  Many local teachers have not taken raises and frozen step increases.  These are steps that should not have to be taken.  I believe good teachers should be paid adequately for their good job.  That will keep the best teachers in our classrooms.  Issue 2 increases local control to make decisions and develop a performance pay system based on level of licensure, student growth, peer and or administrator evaluations, and “highly qualified teacher” which almost all Ohio teachers are.  In west central Ohio, we are not facing problems like we have in the urban eight.  Our schools are run properly, and good students are educated by good teachers.  We cannot risk that changing and administrators need to be able to replace teachers that are not performing. 

Recently, I traveled to a Cleveland Metropolitan Public School District school board meeting to learn more about the troubles of the school system and discuss the positive merits of Issue 2.  I was greeted by 400 teachers chanting and singing throughout the meeting.  There was no order in the room.  These are the teachers that serve as examples to the Cleveland students.  When I joined three local State Representatives to address the board about how Issue 2 would solve their fiscal problem; I was first met by objectivity which quickly boomed into a roar of shouting as the crowd did not want to hear about Issue 2. 

The school district has a 13 million dollar budget deficit which they are solving by cutting spring sports and pre-school.  If Issue 2 were in effect the school district would not have to make those cuts and the young people of Cleveland could stay off the streets and focus their energy on athletics.  The teachers union was at the meeting to intimidate the board and cause a scene.  They did offer a set of half-hearted concessions but those would not come close to solving the budget problem in a school that laid-off hundreds of teachers last year.  If Issue 2 is passed, schools like Cleveland will have the ability to make changes in labor costs that benefit teachers and students.  We will see more teachers working, and schools that have a strong fiscal outlook. 

Recent polls show that Issue 2, which is endorsed by every major Ohio newspaper, will win on Election Day if you get out and vote.  This Issue is of paramount importance.  We can turn Ohio in the right direction or continue down the same path of tax and spend which has made this state struggle for the last three decades.  I appreciate the hospitality that I have received in the district as I discussed this Issue with you and I hope we can continue this dialogue after Issue 2 passes.