GOP corruption continues in Ohio | News, Sports, Jobs

DEAR EDITOR:

Let’s talk about House Bill 6, the biggest scandal to rock any state’s legislative body. Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was indicted in July 2020, but customers continue paying add-on bill charges of $211 million. In fact, that’s $287,000 every single day on the backs of Ohio taxpayers.

The plants operated by Ohio Valley Electric Corporation were allowed to pass losses on to Ohio taxpayers, and one of the plants we pay for is in Indiana!

Over the past three fiscal years, GOP legislators asked Gov. Mike DeWine for $300 billion in tax loopholes and giveaways to wealthy individuals and corporations. That’s money we do not have in our coffers for needs within our communities.

They raised the top bracket so they could save thousands on their own tax bills. That and other cuts for the wealthy will cost taxpayers $1.85 billion over the next two years.

There’s more. DeWine’s private airplane travel money paid to a prisoner who was beaten, improper Medicaid payments and U.S. attorneys investigating tax credits of $20 million by the DOJ and SEC that employs DeWine’s grandson as its lobbyist.

The costs of Republican-dominated Redistricting Commission, so far, come to $15 million. The Republicans refused to follow instructions in the Constitution, as approved by almost 75 percent of Ohio voters, because they did not want to draw legislative districts fairly between Democrats and Republicans. I listened to the hearings myself, and they literally whined about having to comply, even after orders by the Ohio Supreme Court.

They blame the Ohio Supreme Court for not allowing them to break the law. Frank LaRose, the man in charge of our elections, said he would be fine if the chief justice were impeached. Taxpayers are paying the cost of the commission’s meetings, payment for out-of-state legal help and for independent map drawers whose maps the GOP stymied at every turn. Now we have a split primary election: You vote for most candidates in May but vote for state legislators in August, which costs us an extra $20 million.

Who’s looking out for you? Ohioans should not be spending their hard-earned money on the corruption running rampant at the statehouse. Now, when we go to vote in a May and August primary elections, let’s ensure our voices are heard and say no to GOP corruption.

LINDA COCUZZI RICHTER

Niles