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Official ODP repsonse to Taft's State of the State address

Official Ohio Democratic Party Response to Taft's State of the State Speech

For Immediate Release                                                          January 25, 2006
Contact: Brian Rothenberg, Comm. Dir.                            Phone: (614) 221-656

( COLUMBUS) – With an economy in sharp decline after 16-years of One-Party GOP rule, Ohio Democrats responded to Governor Bob Taft’s final State of the State Address by focusing on restoring Job creation, Fiscal Responsibility, Tax Fairness, and an end to a Culture of Corruption in Columbus that has spread to Washington D.C. and left Ohio Republicans in disarray.  

Led by their standard bearer, convicted Ohio Governor Bob Taft, Ohio Republicans continued a shell game of reinventing education while thumbing their nose at an unconstitutional system defined by the Ohio Supreme Court nearly a decade ago.

Lost in today's rhetoric was the fact that after 16-years of Republican leadership Ohio ranks:

Democratic Candidates Respond to the State of the State  
(NOTE TO MEDIA: The Ohio Democratic Party contacted all announced candidates and asked them to submit their response to today’s State of the State speech. Some candidates have indicated they will release their own statements in addition to these quotes.)

“Despite the words offered and promises made today, the record of the Taft administration and one-party rule is clear: job loss, decline and corruption.  Ohioan’s need and deserve a change. They deserve state leaders as decent and hardworking as they are. I’m going to pour my heart and soul into providing the leadership Ohio needs to rebuild our economy, revive our schools and increase access to quality health care.”
--- Ted Strickland, Gubernatorial Candidate  

“Governor Taft and his Republican cohorts have lost touch with the needs
of Ohio's businesses and families.  Governor Taft's State of the State
speech ignores a highly critical problem in Ohio; our unconstitutional
school funding system.  While Ohioans are being buried by high property taxes and constant school levies, our elected leaders have turned their
backs on Ohio's future.”   
--Bryan Flannery, Gubernatorial Candidate 

"I just returned from Governor Taft's State of the State
address, which was delivered in the chamber of the Ohio House of
Representatives in Columbus. I am struck by the gap between the governor's
overall theme, with which I largely agree, and his programs, which don't
come close to meeting the urgent situation we face as a state.

Taft's theme was straightforward and correct: Ohio is facing the challenge
of creating and attracting good jobs in an increasingly competitive global
economy. The problem comes in addressing solutions. In this, his eighth and
final speech, we once again see proposals that fall far short of what is
needed to meet this competition.

-Eric Fingerhut, Gubernatorial Candidate
 

Budgets are moral documents. As Democrats, we fight for the values of Ohio's working families: good-paying jobs, quality public schools, affordable higher education, and access to health care for every child and every adult. The Taft, Bush, DeWine team has it backwards. They cut health care funding to pay for tax cuts for the rich. They cut student loans and lavish money on corporate giveaways. They use our tax dollars to help outsource our jobs. Their budgets speak loud and clear: Republican leadership bows to the wants of multinational corporations and big campaign donors. It is time for state and federal budgets to reflect our family values. It is time for change.
--- Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senate Candidate

"As the disgraceful Taft administration finally comes to a close, it is time for the Governor to be honest about the true State of the State here in Ohio. His remarks won't bring jobs back to the state, improve our under-funded and failing schools, clean up the Republican culture of corruption in Columbus or ensure a better life for Ohioans that are struggling to make ends meet. Bob Taft, Mike DeWine and the Republican Party lack the backbone, credibility and vision to make the right decisions for Ohio. The hard working men and women of this state are sick and tired of being sick and tired. They want real change, right now and deserve real leadership not more rhetoric from another corrupt career politician,"
--- Paul Hackett, U.S. Senate Candidate  

“ It took Hurricane Katrina to push Louisiana and Mississippi lower than Ohio in job creation last year but Hurricane Bob Taft and his political cronies almost beat them to bottom of the list with their efforts to make a disaster out of Ohio's economy.  And now, after failing to enforce the law that Ohio's schools should be funded equitably, Ohioans are supposed to trust Bob Taft and his friends on educational readiness?  After aiding and abetting predatory lenders and fighting the City of Cleveland when we tried to defend the homes of their victims, Ohioans are supposed to trust Bob Taft and friends and their new get-tough policy?  Ohioans couldn't even trust Bob Taft to not break the law and we certainly can't trust him not to sell out our interests to his political friends.  Instead, we will do what people always do in the face of disaster – pray for it to end quickly and bring in experienced, competent, and accountable people to help us rebuild and begin a new era in Ohio
--Subodh Chandra, Candidate for Ohio Attorney General

The best thing about this state of the state speech is that it will be the last one Bob Taft gives.  For seven years he has ignored the interests of the people while he and the Republicans have pandered to the special interests whose campaign contributions fuel their corrupt pay-to-play system.  Today, he offered platitudes and promises instead of solutions, he refused to apologize for his failed leadership and ethical failures, and he exposed once again the need for a new vision for the future of our state.  Thankfully, a Democratic governor will offer that vision during next year’s State of the State address and I look forward to working with him to make that vision a dynamic reality.

Marc Dann, Candidate for Attorney General

"Governor Bob Taft missed an opportunity in his final State of the State address to put an end to the voter discrimination bill that is known as House Bill 3.  Stated very simply, the Governor should have told the legislature that he would veto the bill.  Instead, he seemed content to stand by, let this bill become law, and ultimately strip thousands of Ohioans of their voting rights.   Ohio voters are still smarting from how they were treated in the 2004 election by a Secretary of State who now wants to succeed Bob Taft as Governor.  It is disappointing that Governor Taft, a former Secretary of State himself, won’t stand up for all Ohioans to stop this poor excuse for a voting reform bill from becoming law.”
-- Jennifer Brunner, Candidate for Ohio Secretary of State

“Noe peddled his coins, Abramoff bought Ohio Congressmen with native currency, Deters sold most everything that wasn't nailed down at the Ohio Treasury before sneaking off to Cincinnati, and the good Governor golfed as the Ohio economy gagged.”
--Hugh Quill, Ohio Treasurer Candidate

"It is time for change in Ohio.  Rather than corruption and cronyism, we need new thinking and a new direction.  Ohioans have suffered under this administration, and we now are worst in the country for personal bankruptcies and home foreclosures.  As Democrats, we will restore fiscal responsibility, focus on the real problems in our communities, and  offer a different brand of people-oriented leadership.  With new leadership, we will find ways to make Ohio great again, so that our young people will stay here and help us build the brighter future we all deserve."
-- Richard Cordray, Ohio Treasurer Candidate

"The Taft administration has not been fully honest, accountable or responsible with the tax dollars and trust given by the citizens of Ohio.  The consequences are growing increasingly clear - thousands of Ohioans have lost healthcare benefits; children continue to be denied access to a quality education; and thousands of low-paid and unemployed citizens are sinking deeper into debt and poverty.  We look to our leaders to exemplify basic morals and integrity and the Taft administration has abused that trust.  I am not only disappointed by the valuable tax dollars and other resources that have been wasted due to lack of leadership and fiscal oversight, but infuriated by the direct impact that it has had on the ability of many citizens to improve their quality of life." 
-- Barbara Sykes, Ohio Auditor Candidate