Lundy Responds to State of the State Address

Editor's note: State representative Matt Lundy (D-Elyria) released this letter following Ohio governor John Kasich's State of the State address on Tuesday.

I was hoping to hear the governor explain how he plans to make public education funding constitutional in Ohio.  I didn’t hear a plan for funding public education.  His push for school choice only takes more money away from our students.

 Governor Kasich’s plan will place a greater reliance on local property taxes to fund our schools. I believe the state should be picking up more of the tab.  It’s troubling to hear the Governor not put his own plan on the table for public education.

 Governor Kasich continues to introduce extreme changes, but I wish he would talk more about the importance of listening to what taxpayers want before racing his plans through the legislature.  Many of these ideas to sell off our assets are one-time cash grabs.  Privatization is a slippery slope that I fear in the long run will cost taxpayers more money and leave them without a voice in the decision-making process. 

 I stand ready to work with this governor to create jobs in Ohio.  However, I don’t understand his agenda to pit workers against workers in some of his extreme changes for Ohio.   These are Ohio families whose lives could be dramatically changed by his ideas.  There needs to be more willingness on his part to listen and to work together.

Matt Lundy

State Representative, 57th District