House Democrats Avoid Wasteful Spending

Last week my colleagues and I in the Ohio House voted to merge Ohio’s two primaries into one and end the redistricting standoff.  The Democrats worked diligently to re-unite the primaries and end the confusion for voters.

While the new redistricting plan makes few improvements to the congressional maps  as originally drawn, it does take initial steps towards long-term reform and saves taxpayers from paying a $15 million bill for two primaries.  The difference of opinion regarding the maps has forced a meaningful debate about the process in which maps are crafted and I am hopeful that this compromise will lead to the necessary lasting improvements that Ohioans deserve.
 
The compromise will include a bi-partisan redistricting reform taskforce made up of two members of each legislative caucus in the Ohio House and Senate.  The eight member task force will review the most recent redistricting process and create a proposal for redistricting reform for the legislature to consider in 2012.  The taskforce will hold a minimum of three public hearings, one of which must be held after the proposal is drafted to ensure public review.
 
Creating two primaries was fiscally irresponsible and would have cost the state millions in funds at a time when funding to education, police and fire, and local government is being slashed.  By reuniting the primaries Democrats have prevented voter confusion and saved the state more than $15 million in taxpayer dollars.  By creating a taskforce to study the redistricting process we have set the stage for meaningful reform.