7th District October 2013 eNewsletter
Content
From the Desk of Rep. Dovilla
x From the Desk of Rep. Dovilla x x x At the Statehouse Around the 7th Upcoming Events
Dear 7th District Resident: Restoring a businessfriendly environment that encourages job creation: since taking office nearly three years ago, that has been my top priority for you and your family here at the Ohio Statehouse. I remain fully committed to this goal each and every day that I walk on to the floor of the House of Representatives or travel around the communities of our district – Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville. Our state continues to make progress; unemployment is down, our credit rating is up, and we have enacted two fiscally conservative budgets that lower taxes, reduce regulations and improve Ohio’s climate for job creation. We’ve eliminated an $8 billion budget deficit, replenished our rainy day fund from 89 cents to $1.48 billion, and sent a strong signal to job creators that Ohio is once again open for business. Yet, there remains a lot of work to be done. And in that regard, I’m continuing to develop legislative solutions to our state’s challenges. Just this week, I offered sponsor testimony on two bipartisan bills I’ve introduced with colleagues to continue placing Ohio on a path toward prosperity. You can learn more about these measures in this month’s “At the Statehouse” section below. While I enjoy all times of the year, fall is my favorite season to experience all that northeast Ohio has to offer. I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to visit all parts of our district for a variety of events. I particularly enjoyed being able to host my colleagues from around the state on the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee for a tour of Baldwin Wallace University on about as perfect a fall day in Berea as one can imagine. That event and other activities in our local communities are described in our “Around the 7th” segment. It remains an honor and privilege to serve you and your family in the Ohio House of Representatives. If I may ever be of assistance, please contact my office at 6144664895 or [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely,
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126 – Proud New Homeowners 255 – Responses to Constituents
Mitchell Muha Eagle Scout David Bratnik Eagle Scout
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State Representative Mike Dovilla At the Statehouse One of my House colleagues from Cuyahoga County, a small business owner in nearby Westlake, often reminds us “It’s All About Jobs.” And she’s exactly right. While government does not create private sector jobs, it can either encourage or inhibit businesses from doing just that through the enactment of policies that are supportive of – or detrimental to – job creators. I believe we have an obligation to do the former. That’s why my top priority as your voice in Columbus remains restoring an environment for economic development and job creation. On Tuesday, I appeared before the House Committee on Economic Development and Regulatory Reform to offer sponsor testimony in the first hearing on two bipartisan bills I introduced this summer. House Bill 218, jointly sponsored by Rep. Cliff Rosenberger (RClarksville) and seven other Republican and Democratic members of the House, would require the Small Business Advisory Council to establish an entrepreneur in residence (EIR) pilot program in the State of Ohio. The EIR concept, created in the private sector, has flourished at many renowned colleges and universities in the United States. Most recently, this model has been injected into the federal government through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which launched an EIR program in Cleveland in 2011. The initiative we have proposed for Ohio would provide opportunities for private sector executives to enter government on a volunteer basis for oneyear appointments to offer their expertise to the public sector on how to make the state more businessfriendly. The program would allow such individuals to analyze the internal processes of these agencies and recommend ways in which we can reduce or eliminate unnecessarily burdensome rules and regulations on the job creators in our state. We envision this program working in conjunction with the Common Sense Initiative (CSI), which the legislature established in 2011. House Bill 259, jointly sponsored by Rep. Michael Stinziano (D Columbus) and seven other Republican and Democratic members of the House, would create an “economic gardening” pilot program in the Ohio Development Services Agency. Economic gardening is an alternative to traditional economic development strategies. It was first developed in Littleton, Colorado in 1987 in response to massive corporate layoffs. Since its implementation, Littleton has seen its job base double and its sales tax base more than triple. This economic development model embraces the fundamental idea that entrepreneurs drive economics, seeking to create jobs by connecting entrepreneurs to resources, encouraging the development of essential infrastructure and providing entrepreneurs with needed information. The program we are proposing for Ohio would provide technical assistance to eligible businesses, including assistance in market research, marketing, and the development of connections with trade associations, academic institutions, business advocacy groups, peer
based learning sessions, mentoring programs, and other businesses. The target businesses for this initiative are Stage Two Companies, which have passed the startup phase and have the potential for growth. These companies typically have 10 to 99 employees and generate about $1 million to $50 million in revenue, depending on their industry. We are seeking an initial appropriation of $250,000 per year to support this two year pilot. The response to each of these bills by members on both sides of the aisle in committee was highly favorable, and I am hopeful they will move expeditiously through the balance of the legislative process toward enactment. If you have other ideas for legislation I can introduce to help improve Ohio’s jobs climate, please feel free to contact me. Many of our best concepts for bills come from constituents, and I am eager to hear from you. Elsewhere on the jobs front, October is Ohio Manufacturing Month, the result of House Bill 77, which I sponsored earlier this year with Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze (DParma). Manufacturing remains one of the pillars of Ohio’s economy and remains our state’s number two industry (only after agriculture). In Ohio, we grow things and we make things – and I believe it is critical for our state to continue embracing policies that strengthen our manufacturing base. I am a strong advocate for Ohio’s manufacturers and am pleased to have accepted two speaking invitations this month – one with the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and another right in our district at Swagelok in Strongsville – to continue our efforts to encourage our state’s manufacturers to invest in Ohio. On a level playing field, no one can outwork the Ohio worker – and this is a message I will share as often as I am able. Finally, with respect to the ongoing debate over Medicaid expansion, there has been recent activity by the administration to move this matter to the Controlling Board. Irrespective of the pros and cons of expanding this federalstate partnership for our indigent and disabled populations, I strongly oppose this endrun around the legislative process, which has continued to develop through the summer and into the fall in the form of three varied proposals offered to date. Medicaid already consumes some 42 percent of the state’s budget and is a budgetary matter on which the legislature has a constitutional obligation to express its views and to make public policy on your behalf. I am troubled by efforts to cut out the voice of the 117,000 constituents I directly represent – and by extension the 11.5 million Ohioans who are impacted by the policies on which I vote as one of 132 state legislators. Our state faces tremendous challenges when it comes to assisting those with drug addiction and mental health issues, providing essential services to veterans, and otherwise taking care of the least among us. I believe we should take the time to get the decision on this issue right and to reform a system that can be made to work better. Please let me know your own thoughts on this, as I know there is a wide range of opinions. As your state representative, I need to know what you think about this and other
important public policy matters. Around the 7th In addition to preparing for our summer hearings and continuing to work on legislative and oversight matters at the Statehouse and around Ohio, over the past few weeks, I participated in the following activities in our district: On September 26, I convened a hearing of the House Committee on Policy and Legislative Oversight at Baldwin Wallace University. The purpose of this fourth and final summer field hearing was to conduct oversight on changes being implemented by the Department of Veterans Services and as a result of House Bill 490 from the 129th General Assembly and the support services offered to veterans by myriad organizations throughout the state. As a U.S. Navy veteran and BW graduate, I was particularly gratified that my alma mater, which has been recognized as a Yellow Ribbon institution for its robust program to attract returning veterans, offered to host our committee for this hearing. The following link provides additional information on our day on campus: http://www.bw.edu/news/veterans_hearing/ On September 28, I participated in an inaugural community day hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3345 in Strongsville. I was pleased to see the post of which I have been a member since returning from Iraq in 2008 open its doors to the area residents to demonstrate the important work the VFW does to advocate for veterans and their families and to support initiatives in our community. For more information, I invite you to visit: http://vfwpost3345.homestead.com/ On September 28 and October 5, I held the first two days of my fall 2013 round of district office hours at the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries branches in Berea and North Royalton, respectively. As always, it was good to visit with local elected officials and constituents who dropped by to chat with me on issues ranging from economic development to Ohio Turnpike noise mitigation to oil and gas drilling. I will hold additional office hours in Strongsville and Olmsted Falls in the coming weeks; details appear below in our “Upcoming Events” section. On September 30, I offered remarks at Cintas in Strongsville at a luncheon celebrating their designation as a Voluntary Participation Program (VPP) Star workplace by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor. On September 30, I visited with representatives of the Ohio Association of Career Colleges and toured Bryant & Stratton in Parma. While this facility is outside of our district, I was pleased to accept the invitation of its director and other OACC leaders who provide this important piece of postsecondary educational options for our district’s residents.
On October 1, I participated in a 7th House District teleforum with constituents. We had a wideranging discussion on issues including the recently enacted state budget, which included a $2.7 billion net tax cut for working Ohioans, to options for Medicaid expansion/reform being considered by the Ohio legislature. I thank all constituents who took about an hour from their Tuesday evening to ask questions and provide input on some of the major issues on which I am working in Columbus. On October 3, I had the opportunity once again to participate in a tour of several of Cleveland’s excellent arts and cultural institutions and to learn more about their projected requests in anticipation of the upcoming capital appropriations bill. During our afternoon together, my House and Senate colleagues, including Speaker Batchelder and President Faber, visited the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Natural History Museum, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Playhouse Square. Many thanks to the leaders at these wonderful sites for opening their doors to us and offering additional insights on the substantial economic impact they have on our region. On October 4, I dropped by North Royalton Middle School to visit with constituents supporting the North Royalton Education Foundation at a pasta dinner, where I had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming bond issue on the ballot this fall. On October 7, I met with State Senator Tom Patton, Olmsted Falls Mayor Bob Blomquist, Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) Executive Director Rick Hodges, and OTIC staff to continue an extensive dialogue on noise mitigation in areas of our district adjacent to the toll road. I will be following up soon with Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials on a commitment the ODOT director made in testimony before the House Finance and Appropriations Committee to move ahead with a program to develop noise abatement in locations where it was deemed necessary across the toll road corridor. Upcoming Events We are continuing our fall 2013 round of district office hours, hosted by branches of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) in the 7th House District. I invite you to join me between 10:00 a.m. and noon on any of the following days for a oneonone, no appointment necessary meeting in your community: x October 26: Strongsville x December 7: Olmsted Falls Other upcoming dates of note on my official calendar and in our community include: x October 21: Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Meeting, OTIC HQ, Berea
x x x
October 22: Founders’ Day Luncheon, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea October 23: Manufacturing Month Event, Swagelok, Strongsville November 7: Taste of North Royalton, St. Paul Hellenic Center, North Royalton
Save the date! On Sunday, December 8, the Kiwanis Club of Berea will hold its Annual Pancake Festival at BereaMidpark High School. Stay tuned for more details. For more information on any event or to submit an event for inclusion in a future issue of the 7th District Newsletter, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you!
x From the Desk of Rep. Dovilla x x x At the Statehouse Around the 7th Upcoming Events
Dear 7th District Resident: Restoring a businessfriendly environment that encourages job creation: since taking office nearly three years ago, that has been my top priority for you and your family here at the Ohio Statehouse. I remain fully committed to this goal each and every day that I walk on to the floor of the House of Representatives or travel around the communities of our district – Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville. Our state continues to make progress; unemployment is down, our credit rating is up, and we have enacted two fiscally conservative budgets that lower taxes, reduce regulations and improve Ohio’s climate for job creation. We’ve eliminated an $8 billion budget deficit, replenished our rainy day fund from 89 cents to $1.48 billion, and sent a strong signal to job creators that Ohio is once again open for business. Yet, there remains a lot of work to be done. And in that regard, I’m continuing to develop legislative solutions to our state’s challenges. Just this week, I offered sponsor testimony on two bipartisan bills I’ve introduced with colleagues to continue placing Ohio on a path toward prosperity. You can learn more about these measures in this month’s “At the Statehouse” section below. While I enjoy all times of the year, fall is my favorite season to experience all that northeast Ohio has to offer. I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to visit all parts of our district for a variety of events. I particularly enjoyed being able to host my colleagues from around the state on the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee for a tour of Baldwin Wallace University on about as perfect a fall day in Berea as one can imagine. That event and other activities in our local communities are described in our “Around the 7th” segment. It remains an honor and privilege to serve you and your family in the Ohio House of Representatives. If I may ever be of assistance, please contact my office at 6144664895 or [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely,
Forward this newsletter to a friend!
126 – Proud New Homeowners 255 – Responses to Constituents
Mitchell Muha Eagle Scout David Bratnik Eagle Scout
To unsubscribe please reply to this newsletter with the response, “Unsubscribe.”
State Representative Mike Dovilla At the Statehouse One of my House colleagues from Cuyahoga County, a small business owner in nearby Westlake, often reminds us “It’s All About Jobs.” And she’s exactly right. While government does not create private sector jobs, it can either encourage or inhibit businesses from doing just that through the enactment of policies that are supportive of – or detrimental to – job creators. I believe we have an obligation to do the former. That’s why my top priority as your voice in Columbus remains restoring an environment for economic development and job creation. On Tuesday, I appeared before the House Committee on Economic Development and Regulatory Reform to offer sponsor testimony in the first hearing on two bipartisan bills I introduced this summer. House Bill 218, jointly sponsored by Rep. Cliff Rosenberger (RClarksville) and seven other Republican and Democratic members of the House, would require the Small Business Advisory Council to establish an entrepreneur in residence (EIR) pilot program in the State of Ohio. The EIR concept, created in the private sector, has flourished at many renowned colleges and universities in the United States. Most recently, this model has been injected into the federal government through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which launched an EIR program in Cleveland in 2011. The initiative we have proposed for Ohio would provide opportunities for private sector executives to enter government on a volunteer basis for oneyear appointments to offer their expertise to the public sector on how to make the state more businessfriendly. The program would allow such individuals to analyze the internal processes of these agencies and recommend ways in which we can reduce or eliminate unnecessarily burdensome rules and regulations on the job creators in our state. We envision this program working in conjunction with the Common Sense Initiative (CSI), which the legislature established in 2011. House Bill 259, jointly sponsored by Rep. Michael Stinziano (D Columbus) and seven other Republican and Democratic members of the House, would create an “economic gardening” pilot program in the Ohio Development Services Agency. Economic gardening is an alternative to traditional economic development strategies. It was first developed in Littleton, Colorado in 1987 in response to massive corporate layoffs. Since its implementation, Littleton has seen its job base double and its sales tax base more than triple. This economic development model embraces the fundamental idea that entrepreneurs drive economics, seeking to create jobs by connecting entrepreneurs to resources, encouraging the development of essential infrastructure and providing entrepreneurs with needed information. The program we are proposing for Ohio would provide technical assistance to eligible businesses, including assistance in market research, marketing, and the development of connections with trade associations, academic institutions, business advocacy groups, peer
based learning sessions, mentoring programs, and other businesses. The target businesses for this initiative are Stage Two Companies, which have passed the startup phase and have the potential for growth. These companies typically have 10 to 99 employees and generate about $1 million to $50 million in revenue, depending on their industry. We are seeking an initial appropriation of $250,000 per year to support this two year pilot. The response to each of these bills by members on both sides of the aisle in committee was highly favorable, and I am hopeful they will move expeditiously through the balance of the legislative process toward enactment. If you have other ideas for legislation I can introduce to help improve Ohio’s jobs climate, please feel free to contact me. Many of our best concepts for bills come from constituents, and I am eager to hear from you. Elsewhere on the jobs front, October is Ohio Manufacturing Month, the result of House Bill 77, which I sponsored earlier this year with Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze (DParma). Manufacturing remains one of the pillars of Ohio’s economy and remains our state’s number two industry (only after agriculture). In Ohio, we grow things and we make things – and I believe it is critical for our state to continue embracing policies that strengthen our manufacturing base. I am a strong advocate for Ohio’s manufacturers and am pleased to have accepted two speaking invitations this month – one with the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and another right in our district at Swagelok in Strongsville – to continue our efforts to encourage our state’s manufacturers to invest in Ohio. On a level playing field, no one can outwork the Ohio worker – and this is a message I will share as often as I am able. Finally, with respect to the ongoing debate over Medicaid expansion, there has been recent activity by the administration to move this matter to the Controlling Board. Irrespective of the pros and cons of expanding this federalstate partnership for our indigent and disabled populations, I strongly oppose this endrun around the legislative process, which has continued to develop through the summer and into the fall in the form of three varied proposals offered to date. Medicaid already consumes some 42 percent of the state’s budget and is a budgetary matter on which the legislature has a constitutional obligation to express its views and to make public policy on your behalf. I am troubled by efforts to cut out the voice of the 117,000 constituents I directly represent – and by extension the 11.5 million Ohioans who are impacted by the policies on which I vote as one of 132 state legislators. Our state faces tremendous challenges when it comes to assisting those with drug addiction and mental health issues, providing essential services to veterans, and otherwise taking care of the least among us. I believe we should take the time to get the decision on this issue right and to reform a system that can be made to work better. Please let me know your own thoughts on this, as I know there is a wide range of opinions. As your state representative, I need to know what you think about this and other
important public policy matters. Around the 7th In addition to preparing for our summer hearings and continuing to work on legislative and oversight matters at the Statehouse and around Ohio, over the past few weeks, I participated in the following activities in our district: On September 26, I convened a hearing of the House Committee on Policy and Legislative Oversight at Baldwin Wallace University. The purpose of this fourth and final summer field hearing was to conduct oversight on changes being implemented by the Department of Veterans Services and as a result of House Bill 490 from the 129th General Assembly and the support services offered to veterans by myriad organizations throughout the state. As a U.S. Navy veteran and BW graduate, I was particularly gratified that my alma mater, which has been recognized as a Yellow Ribbon institution for its robust program to attract returning veterans, offered to host our committee for this hearing. The following link provides additional information on our day on campus: http://www.bw.edu/news/veterans_hearing/ On September 28, I participated in an inaugural community day hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3345 in Strongsville. I was pleased to see the post of which I have been a member since returning from Iraq in 2008 open its doors to the area residents to demonstrate the important work the VFW does to advocate for veterans and their families and to support initiatives in our community. For more information, I invite you to visit: http://vfwpost3345.homestead.com/ On September 28 and October 5, I held the first two days of my fall 2013 round of district office hours at the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries branches in Berea and North Royalton, respectively. As always, it was good to visit with local elected officials and constituents who dropped by to chat with me on issues ranging from economic development to Ohio Turnpike noise mitigation to oil and gas drilling. I will hold additional office hours in Strongsville and Olmsted Falls in the coming weeks; details appear below in our “Upcoming Events” section. On September 30, I offered remarks at Cintas in Strongsville at a luncheon celebrating their designation as a Voluntary Participation Program (VPP) Star workplace by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor. On September 30, I visited with representatives of the Ohio Association of Career Colleges and toured Bryant & Stratton in Parma. While this facility is outside of our district, I was pleased to accept the invitation of its director and other OACC leaders who provide this important piece of postsecondary educational options for our district’s residents.
On October 1, I participated in a 7th House District teleforum with constituents. We had a wideranging discussion on issues including the recently enacted state budget, which included a $2.7 billion net tax cut for working Ohioans, to options for Medicaid expansion/reform being considered by the Ohio legislature. I thank all constituents who took about an hour from their Tuesday evening to ask questions and provide input on some of the major issues on which I am working in Columbus. On October 3, I had the opportunity once again to participate in a tour of several of Cleveland’s excellent arts and cultural institutions and to learn more about their projected requests in anticipation of the upcoming capital appropriations bill. During our afternoon together, my House and Senate colleagues, including Speaker Batchelder and President Faber, visited the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Natural History Museum, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Playhouse Square. Many thanks to the leaders at these wonderful sites for opening their doors to us and offering additional insights on the substantial economic impact they have on our region. On October 4, I dropped by North Royalton Middle School to visit with constituents supporting the North Royalton Education Foundation at a pasta dinner, where I had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming bond issue on the ballot this fall. On October 7, I met with State Senator Tom Patton, Olmsted Falls Mayor Bob Blomquist, Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) Executive Director Rick Hodges, and OTIC staff to continue an extensive dialogue on noise mitigation in areas of our district adjacent to the toll road. I will be following up soon with Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials on a commitment the ODOT director made in testimony before the House Finance and Appropriations Committee to move ahead with a program to develop noise abatement in locations where it was deemed necessary across the toll road corridor. Upcoming Events We are continuing our fall 2013 round of district office hours, hosted by branches of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) in the 7th House District. I invite you to join me between 10:00 a.m. and noon on any of the following days for a oneonone, no appointment necessary meeting in your community: x October 26: Strongsville x December 7: Olmsted Falls Other upcoming dates of note on my official calendar and in our community include: x October 21: Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Meeting, OTIC HQ, Berea
x x x
October 22: Founders’ Day Luncheon, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea October 23: Manufacturing Month Event, Swagelok, Strongsville November 7: Taste of North Royalton, St. Paul Hellenic Center, North Royalton
Save the date! On Sunday, December 8, the Kiwanis Club of Berea will hold its Annual Pancake Festival at BereaMidpark High School. Stay tuned for more details. For more information on any event or to submit an event for inclusion in a future issue of the 7th District Newsletter, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you!
