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TAKE ACTION TO STRENGTHEN OHIO'S DEMOCRACY
Tell Governor DeWine to use his line-item veto power to strike these terrible provisions from the budget!
When lawmakers show us their budget, they show us their priorities. The Ohio General Assembly has just shown us their priorities for the next two years, and the gulf between what a gerrymandered legislature thinks is worth fighting for and what the people of Ohio really need has never been more stark.
It’s now up to Governor DeWine to show us his priorities. This is the last budget he will sign before he retires, and we believe he wants to leave a legacy of strong education, good government, and secure elections for Ohio citizens. But he needs to hear from us!
It’s now up to Governor DeWine to show us his priorities. This is the last budget he will sign before he retires, and we believe he wants to leave a legacy of strong education, good government, and secure elections for Ohio citizens. But he needs to hear from us!
The new budget takes effect on Tuesday, July 1st, which means the governor is supposed to sign by Monday. Ohio law gives governors the power to strike provisions in the budget they don't like by using the line-item veto, so we must urge Governor DeWine to remove the below amendments now.
We recommend emailing AND calling.
Start with our email here to Governor DeWine first.
Start with our email here to Governor DeWine first.
If you can keep going, the next thing to do is to call the governor's office: 614-466-3555 or 614-644-4357
We've listed the section in the budget comparison document where the provision can be found, which you'll need to mention when you call, along with what the provision is about and why you oppose it.
Keep it short. And it's ok to just pick one or two of these to call about.
Here’s what to say when you call:
Hi, my name is ______, and I’m calling as an Ohio citizen and resident of (Ohio city/county) to respectfully ask the governor use his line-item veto power to strike these provisions from the Ohio budget:
1) SOSCD14, which requires candidates for State Board of Education, school district board of education, or educational service center governing board to appear on the general election ballot with a political party designation along with other partisan offices:
- This injects partisanship into what should be a community-focused role, making our schools more about politics than students.
2) TAXCD91, which imposes a 40% cap on carryover funds for local school districts:
- This undermines local control and forces districts to go back to the voters with property tax levies more frequently, increasing program instability.
3) TAXCD104, which takes away local authority to decide what kind of property tax levies work best in their communities.
- This eliminates home rule and prevents voters from having a say if an emergency in their community demands a new tax levy.
4) SENCD7, which bans public records requests for communications between legislators or between legislators and their staffers, only allowing requests after the 2-year General Assembly session they were created during has been adjourned.
- This shields lawmakers from public transparency, taking a critical public accountability tool away from Ohio citizens.
Then thank whoever you are speaking with and hang up. If you get voicemail, that's fine, just leave a message. Calling multiple times is fine— encouraged, even!
If you're still feeling fired up, there are more people to call:
• Lt. Governor Jim Tressel: 614-579-8868 or 614-648-1404
• Ms. Ann O'Donnell, Chief Advisor to the Governor: 614-728-7576
• Mr. Scott Partika, Policy Director: 614-644-0871
• Mr. Giles Allen: Legislative Affairs Director: 614-466-2828
Tell Governor DeWine to veto these provisions today!
TAKE ACTION TO STRENGTHEN OHIO'S DEMOCRACY
Thank you for taking the time to act! Right now, there are no General Assembly members associated with your address. This could mean you are not an Ohio resident, or that you have newly elected members in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate, which has not yet updated their new member contacts. If it is the latter, please try again in a few days. Please reach out to Elisabeth Warner with any questions at ewarner@lwvohio.org.
Thank you!
THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!
Thank you for taking the time to stand up for Ohio!
If you'd like to keep going, you can call or other folks in Governor DeWine's staff. Here is a more extensive list of those in the governor's inner circle: tinyurl.com/GovDeWineContacts
Here are some tips for effective communication with our lawmakers.
- Have a clear and concise message: Write or speak briefly about the issue and finish with your ask ("vote no/yes on x", "increase funding for x", "create legislation that will x"). If you are communicating about a specific bill, be sure to provide the bill number and sponsor. Elected officials and their staff are often dealing with a high volume of calls, so a focused message makes it easier for them to understand and respond to.
- Personalize your message: Why is this important to you? What is your connection to the issue? Make it a story so you stand out.
- Identify yourself as a constituent: Most lawmakers will immediately disregard someone who is outside of their district, so be sure to let them know you are a potential voter.
- Why phone calls? Person-to-person communication is the most effective. They show effort and passion, and give you and the legislator (or their staff) the chance for an actual conversation.
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