The October 2nd community event “Be in the Know, Ohio” was half panel presentation, half townhall. Volunteers welcomed NWOhioans to discuss Education, Health Care, Family Finances, Immigration, and Farmers.
The Crescent News left midway, thereby providing no report on the 2nd half–a community-wide conversation about 2025 state and federal budgets and policies. Experts’ responses to attendees’ questions and concerns included:
Marcy Kaptur: “Out of my 778,000 constituents, 29,000 will lose Medicaid. Costs continue to rise. Food banks and salvation armies are seeing a substantial increase in need even now. This budget puts us at $5 trillion in debt to give permanent tax cuts to the top 1%. A working family of 4 earning 64k a year will see an insurance premium increase of $2700+. A majority of our farmers’ corn and soy go to fuel production. Those deals are now overseas and not coming back. We must find new markets for our farmers.”
Hannah Halbert: “30% of those in Ohio‘s top occupations will need food assistance under the budget. 90% employed by those same occupations will earn wages below the cost of living. The 2.5% flat tax will cost $1.6 billion of the state budget over the biennium. An individual making less than $100k/ year won’t see a meaningful tax cut.”
Dr. Bryan Hambley: “The biggest threat is Medicaid cuts. 500,000 Ohioans will lose coverage a month and a half after midterms. 15 rural hospitals are at risk of closing or being bought out by corporate hospitals. Rural folks will need to travel far for services like cancer treatment and childbirth.”
Kristi Reighard—“The current administration is systematically dismantling public education. Ohio is going from 11 state board reps to 5 appointed (not by district)–just one for rural schools, one urban, one suburban, one charter, and one private. 89% of our students attend public school. Lifewise doesn’t take kids with special needs, teachers aren’t background checked, the school day is disrupted and tax dollars used while students miss instructional time.”
Eugenio Mollo—“Our clinic represents 200 people in NW Ohio and SE Michigan. We see many immigrant crime victims withhold information that could keep others safe, for fear of unlawful deportation. Immigrants are detained while going to mandated court hearings. Children are detained and deported unless parents sign over rights or turn them over to social services. Churches and schools aren’t even ‘safe spaces.’”
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