Latest news with #AllenCountyRepublicanParty
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State ballot issue centers around infrastructure funding
Apr. 15—LIMA — Ohio taxpayers have been funding a public infrastructure bond since 1987, and every 10 years, voters are called upon to evaluate the return on that investment in the form of a bond renewal. This May, voters have the chance to say yes or no to keeping this initiative going for a fifth decade. At stake in this vote are up to $2.5 billion in bonds, limited to $250 million per year over the next decade, issued through the State Capital Improvements Program and from which county and local governments statewide can draw to fund needed infrastructure improvements, including roadways, bridges, water and sewer projects. "It affects us all directly in that it is funding that locals can apply for directly," Allen County Engineer Brion Rhodes said during the Allen County Republican Party monthly luncheon held April 4. "I'm talking about counties, townships, cities, municipalities, all across the board. We all receive that funding." According to the argument in favor of Issue 2 published by the Ohio Secretary of State's office, the SCIP has funded more than 19,000 grants and loans since its inception. "Issue 2 will help thousands more projects be completed that wouldn't be otherwise and support tens of thousands of jobs throughout Ohio," the argument reads. "An objective grant allocation process assures fairness so that communities both large and small receive funding." Rhodes also emphasized that this renewal would not result in any tax increase if passed, and because it has been passed in three previous elections — 1995, 2005 and 2014 — Allen County has benefitted from it for years. "Allen County as a whole receives about $2 million per year," he said. "That helps pay for our paving. It pays for water lines, sewer lines, bridgets and sewer projects, as well." While no organization has submitted an official argument against the measure, the Ohio Secretary of State's office issued a contrary argument when it released the text of the ballot issue emphasizing the length of time it may take to pay the bonds off and maintaining that not all Ohioans would equally see the benefits of this program, depending on where the projects are located. "These are community-based project from which many Ohioans may not see a direct benefit and which local governments should prioritize and pay for using locally-raised dollars," the argument reads. "Though the newly-issued bonds will pay for projects over the next decade, it may take up to three times that long to pay them back." Auglaize County Commissioner David Bambauer maintained at the April 10 Wapakoneta Chamber of Commmerce State of the City, County and Schools that the investment does reap benefits locally. "Our county, in the last 10 years, has received over $6.75 million," he said. "How our county has determined how we split that up is we divide it in four. One year, the county engineer gets that money. One year the cities of Wapakonteta and St. Marys get that money. One year the municipalities split the money, which is Waynesfield, New Bremen, New Knoxville and Minster. And the one year, all that money goes to the townships." For an interactive county map from the Ohio Public Works Commission outlining projects funded by the SCIP, go to ELECTION COVERAGE See election coverage at Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Williams shares life story at GOP luncheon
Apr. 4—LIMA — The monthly luncheon for the Allen County Republican Party often features speakers who touch on various matters of policy or encourage area Republicans before elections. On Friday, those in attendance at the luncheon at the Lima Eagles heard a more personal story. Ohio Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, shared his story as the keynote speaker at Friday's Republican luncheon, relating his journey from homelessness and despair to his position today as the first Black Republican elected to the Ohio House in 50 years and the first Black Majority Whip in state history. Growing up in Toledo, Williams, 40, was raised by a single mother after losing his father to cancer when he was 5. Despite obtaining good grades in school, Williams described himself at that time as a "knucklehead," a trait which led him into a difficult season. "At the end of my junior year, my mom said, 'You're out on your own if you don't want to follow the rules,'" he said. "So at 18, I was on my own as a junior and I survived for a little bit. I had my first apartment, and I couldn't afford to go to school and work at the same time, so I dropped out as a senior with a full scholarship to Ohio State, and I became homeless." After evntually moving in with his then-girlfriend and learning she had become pregnant, Williams began working in the railroad industry to help support his family. But just before the birth of his son in 2005, Williams fell 30 feet off the side of a train and severely injured his spine, herniating seven discs. "By the time I was 23, I was fully disabled," he said. "I woke up from a nap on the couch and I couldn't feel my legs." After multiple back surgeries, Williams was barely able to walk, being bedridden for two years and nearly committing suicide. However, he said, his Christian faith and his children inspired him to turn his life around, eventually leading to his obtaining multiple degrees from the University of Toledo, including his Juris Doctorate. He became a practicing criminal defense attorney while also teaching at Adrian College in Michigan. Eventually, Williams was encouraged to become a legislator and was elected to the Ohio House in 2023. Those previous experiences, he said, has encouraged him to advocate for programs like school choice and workforce development. "Going through all of these programs and seeing how these programs are set up to hold you in poverty to where if you make $1 more, you're not going to be able to keep your benefits, we're trying to fix that benefit cliff so we can incentivize people to actually try to dig themselves out of poverty without a penalty," he said. "So we introduced legislation like a hand up that will create a bridge program here [to opportunities] in the state of Ohio." Williams has found this current General Assembly to be very productive, as he has already seen the introduction of more than 25 pieces of legislation over the past three months. "We had a target goal of 40 pieces of legislation by the end of the General Assembly, but I think we're going to blow that out of the water," he said. "So as long as I can craft and get passed good pieces of legislation, I'll keep working." Featured Local Savings
