Party people get together

By Pat Lawrence

Highland County Democrats welcomed Rep. Dani Isaacsohn for their annual Party Picnic Sunday afternoon at the Church of the Nazarene. 

As Minority leader for the Democratic Caucus, he is responsible for development and implementation of the Democratic Caucus agenda. He is serving his second term representing Ohio’s 24th District, which covers downtown Cincinnati, and surrounding neighborhoods. The setting was casual, but the issues were significant.

Rep. Isaacsohn first offered an alternate view of Democrats in the House. 

“People seem to think we go to work, get bullied by Republicans, go home and cry. But 12 million people in Ohio are too many to give up on," Isaacsohn said. "We can’t let the other side make us cynical or willing to surrender. As Democrats, we work collectively, together. We get wins where we can, and we fight to get them. We try to mitigate, soften the blow, for every cut to teachers, hospitals and kids.”

He recounted how one of those wins began with the rejected request to use an allocated $200 million available to provide meals for underprivileged children attending public school. 

“They said it was too much, we went back with $100 million, they said that was too much. We finally went to $4 million, which in legislative numbers is like a ‘rounding’ error, and that was approved. But it’s a win because now 70,000 Ohio children get to eat.”

A public school graduate from Cincinnati, with degrees from Georgetown University, Yale Law and Cambridge University, Isaacsohn is a committed fighter for, “a world class public education for every student.”

He says, “Our schools are not living large. We have two and a half billion dollars for private school vouchers while kids in public schools are suffering. We have 400,000 kids in school who can’t afford to eat. We don’t have money for them because of four billion dollars in tax cuts for the very wealthy, which they don’t need or even notice, and sports venues. Currently, 68% of public education is paid for by property taxes. Rather than fully funding our public schools, who are responsible for educating more than 80% of Ohio children, this state budget will send more state dollars to private schools than our traditional public schools. The state needs to pay their fair share, at least 50%, and we have to give property owners some relief. Real property tax relief is one of the most pressing needs for everyday Ohioans.”

In other far-ranging remarks, Isaacsohn discussed the state budget, strategy for Democrats to pass legislation, how federal judges imposed maps that the Ohio Supreme Court ruled were unconstitutionally gerrymandered, the statewide initiative needed to address it and how Ohio no longer has the judicial backstop for legislative overreach.

He also reminded the audience just how important their actions can be. 

“The only reason two of the most harmful veto overrides initiated for the latest budget were rejected was because so many people responded," he said. "Teachers made it clear to their representatives what that legislation would mean to their their classrooms and their schools. Townships, firemen, police, all the local services at risk spoke up. The pressure worked. Know that it matters when you do this. Paying attention works, calling your legislator works, making sure they know the cost of their actions matters. Every vote mattered that day.

"If we really want to make Ohio the best place to live, work, and raise a family, we have to make sure the policies passed and implemented by the State of Ohio allow that to happen. We’re going to keep fighting because that’s what you and our communities deserve.”

Pictured below are Judge Rocky Coss and Rep. Dani Isaacsohn.

Pictured below are Rep. Dani Isaacsohn and Central Committee member John Knauff.

Below are Carol Gratch, Emmy Selby, Dani Isaacson, Joyce Ford Carolyn Goins and Teresa Grimsley.