Warren County commissioner Republican candidates

Education: B.A. in art education, Eastern Kentucky University; Master’s in psychiatric art therapy, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Employment: Retired teacher, Lebanon City Schools; current tour manager with Classic Student Tours

Community involvement: 32 years in elected office – mayor 20 years, city of Lebanon; 12 years council member/vice mayor city of Lebanon; board member Solutions Community Counseling and Recovery Centers of Warren and Clinton Counties; past president and current member of the Republican Women of Warren County; Republican Central Committee member; board member Lebanon Planning Commission; member Lebanon Chamber of Commerce; member Lebanon Garden Club; former chair of Citizens for Quality Lebanon Schools; Lebanon Chamber Committee member for Festival Events; past board president and member of Main Street Lebanon; past board president of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Warren County; past auxiliary board member ArtScape

Why are you seeking elected office? I have been humbled and blessed to have spent my life dedicated to public service. I wish to continue to be that voice to serve, inspire and help lead this incredible county. To be an elected leader who is humble and works to establish a true working relationship and understanding of those they serve.

Why should voters elect you? As Ronald Reagan stated: “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Our county is blessed with outstanding staff and employees who work tirelessly each and everyday. The credit goes to their work ethic and commitment. I believe my leadership skills, ability to connect with the public and energy to think out of the box brings a new and fresh approach to problem solving and moving in a good direction.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? 1. Confronting the mental health crisis 2. Addressing workforce challenges in both small business and industry 3. Advocate and support our Warren County law enforcement and first responders.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? 1. Confronting the mental health crisis: Establish open lines of communication with mental health leaders. More effectively promoting and utilizing county mental health resources for increased accessibility to those in need, including the expertise of county administration, staff and law enforcement. Leveraging public and private service organizations to tap into resources that are available to Warren County residents. 2. Addressing workforce challenges in both small business and industry: As a commissioner to establish a true working relationship with all local elected leaders, business representatives throughout the county to support efforts and opportunities to help them grow and prosper. Increase understanding of the individual needs and priorities of cities and townships and how the county can best assist them. 3. Advocate and support our Warren County law enforcement and first responders: As a county we have always supported our law enforcement and first responders. We need to continue those efforts as we look at a changing society and the pressure placed on those who serve and protect us.

Anything else you would like voters to know? Please visit my website to learn more about me as your candidate running for Warren County commissioner. www.voteamybrewer.com I humbly ask for your support and vote!

Tom Grossmann

City: Mason

Education: B.A. in political science (Summa Cum Laude) from Miami University; Juris Doctorate degree (Order of Coif) from University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Employment: Current president of the Warren County commission. Worked for 10 years as assistant prosecutor, civil division, Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office; 27 years and a partner at the law firm Taft, Stettinius & Hollister; 5 to 6 years as assistant general counsel for Montedison S.p.A (one of Italy’s largest international companies headquartered in Milan, Italy).

Community involvement: Member of Atrium Medical Center Board for 16 years; past president of the Cincinnati Lawyers’ Chapter of the Federalist Society; past board member of the Dan Beard Council of the Boy Scouts of America (now Scouts BSA); board member of Citizens for Community Values for over 20 years (now the Center for Christian Virtue); former elder and Sunday School teacher at Grace Chapel; past advisory board member of Cincinnati Crises Pregnancy Center; former mayor, vice mayor and member of Mason City Council (11 years).

Why are you seeking elected office? I want to continue as a Warren County commissioner to serve the public and to ensure that the county is run based upon conservative policies. I have kept taxes, spending and debt low; promoted infrastructure and business development; and provided the county with excellent public services and amenities. The commission gave county taxpayers a tax holiday of almost $47 million on the county’s real estate taxes payable in 2022. The county also has less than $1 million in general fund debt, which we will pay-off this year. I brought to Warren County the same principles I followed as Mason’s mayor and as a council member. I wrote Mason’s charter provisions on taxes which lowered Mason’s earnings and real estate taxes, saving Mason taxpayers from 2010 forward over $34.5 million while still increasing Mason’s earnings tax revenue by 132% since 2010. For more information, see my web page at tomgrossmann.com and my Facebook page at Commissioner Tom Grossmann.

Why should voters elect you? The county commission is responsible for the fiscal health of the county. I have a proven record of success and conservative accomplishments which have made Warren County strong and an extremely attractive county for families and businesses. The commissioners enacted the largest tax holiday in state history by cutting our resident’s real estate taxes payable in 2022 by almost $47 million. This was made possible because we had a 2021 year-end cash balance of $56.9 million. We gave most of that surplus back to the taxpayers that earned it. In 2017 and again in 2019, Moody’s Investors Service gave our county its top rating of Aaa (only two other Ohio counties had that rating). The commissioners are also responsible to provide facilities for county offices. In 2021 we completed the county’s largest construction project, a new jail for the county sheriff. We built it for $5 million under our $58 million budget. For more information, see my web page at tomgrossmann.com.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? First, we must continue to promote balanced growth in Warren County to maintain our tax base so that we can maintain and improve the exceptional public services we provide for the county. This includes making sure that our county offices are properly funded and that county facilities are upgraded and improved. Second, we must continue to provide the funding necessary to improve the county’s infrastructure and roads to stay ahead of and to reduce the impact of business and population growth. Warren County is the third fastest growing county in Ohio. Infrastructure maintenance and improvements are essential to business development. Finally, we will seek to maintain our triple A Moody’s Investors Service top bond rating by keeping taxes, spending and debt low.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? We will review carefully our annual budget needs in conjunction with the county’s annual revenue so that our residents do not pay taxes in excess of what is needed for county operations. When possible, we will give money back to the taxpayers as we are doing this year. In 2021, the county commissioners gave our residents a tax holiday for the real estate taxes assessed by the county and payable in 2022, for a total tax reduction of almost $47 million. The county commissioners plan to roll-back the county sales tax by 0.25% and pay-off the debt incurred to fund the new county jail by June 2023. The commissioners and the county’s economic development department actively promote balanced business growth and are working to meet our businesses’ work-force needs. The commissioners will work closely with the county engineer to fund multiple new road and intersection improvement projects throughout the county.

Anything else you would like voters to know? I believe that taxation and debt should be as low as possible, and that the commissioners should return money to the families and businesses that earned it whenever possible. We also should promote balanced growth in our county. I will continue to help bring in major companies to the county and to promote job growth. Businesses are attracted to excellent infrastructure, low taxes and conservative fiscal policies. I also will continue to support open spaces, parks, playing fields, bike paths and other amenities that make Warren County a wonderful place to live and…