Pro Issue 2 campaign announces leadership coalition

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Rolls out new statewide TV ad, “The Facts”

Columbus Ohio—The Building a Better Ohio campaign announced today its statewide leadership coalition at an event hosted by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

“These job-creator organizations standing with us know firsthand why passage of Issue 2 is crucial to the economic stability of our state,” said campaign spokesman Jason Mauk. “Representing hundreds of thousands of employers and employees, they believe that Ohioans deserve the facts on Issue 2.

“Unfortunately, opponents have made it clear that they want to talk about anything but what is actually in Issue 2. As members of our statewide leadership coalition, these organizations will help lead the charge to educate voters to ensure they know what Issue 2 is really about—fairness, accountability for taxpayers, and getting Ohio back on track.”

As key educators on the necessary reforms in Issue 2, the statewide leadership team joined Building a Better Ohio in releasing the campaign’s new ad, “The Facts,” which will begin airing statewide on Friday. That ad can be viewed here:

The following organizations and individuals participated in today’s event:

  • Associated Builders and Contractors – Thaddeus Claggett, chairman
  • NFIB/Ohio - Roger Geiger, vice president/executive director
  • Ohio Chamber of Commerce - Linda Woggon, executive vice president, government affairs
  • Ohio Farm Bureau Federation - Steve Hirsch, farmer president
  • Ohio Manufacturers Association – Eric Burkland, president
  • Ohio Society of CPAs – Walt Eckert of Russell, board member
  • Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce – Matt Davis, vice president, government affairs
  • Columbus Chamber of Commerce – Mike Hartley, vice president, government relations
  • Dayton Chamber of Commerce – Chris Kershner, vice president, public policy & economic development
  • Greater Cleveland Partnership – Martin McGann, vice president, state and local government affairs

Issue 2 makes long overdue reforms to Ohio’s costly and unfair government employment practices. These reforms include asking government employees to earn pay raises in part based on job performance and to pay at least 15 percent of their health insurance premium and 10 percent of their pension contribution.

They are estimated to save local communities millions of dollars annually, which will help save jobs, balance budgets and avoid the endless demand for local tax increases. Issue 2 also contains significant reforms to education by finally adopting policies that reward the best and brightest teachers, while making it harder for bad teachers to hide behind the protections of a union contract.

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