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It's all about Issue 2 in Ohio

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The Highland County Press

Efforts to control spending will continue after today’s election no matter the outcome, Ohio Governor John Kasich, said at a Nov. 4 rally in Mansfield. Kasich signed a law in March that was billed as a way to cut costs by limiting collective bargaining. Photo: David Maxwell/Bloomberg

Ohio voters will decide today whether to support Gov. John Kasich and the Republican-controlled General Assembly's efforts to rein in spending, as the fate on Senate Bill 5 hinges on State Issue 2.

Today's vote on the issue could have considerable impact on the 2012 presidential election as well.
 
In a report this morning by Bloomberg News (www.bloomberg.com), Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Firefighters, said "The outcome is going to have a lot to do with where this country goes politically. In every way you can measure it, this is really a national election.”

A Quinnipiac University poll released Oct. 25 showed that 57 percent of Ohio voters support repeal of SB 5, compared with 32 percent who would keep it. The poll also showed Ohioans back provisions including requiring workers to contribute more for health care and pensions.

According to the Bloomberg report, "Efforts to control spending will continue after today’s election no matter the outcome," Kasich said at a Nov. 4 rally in support of the law.

“This is one battle in what’s going to be a number of battles that we have to wage,” Kasich said. “The problem isn’t going to go away for local communities. They have got to figure out a way to control their costs.”

The attention garnered by Issue 2 has overshadowed two other state issues. Issue 1 would increase the age for eligibility of Ohio judges, stating, "No person shall be elected or appointed to any judicial office if on or before the date of the election or appointment at which the office is to be filled, the person shall have exceeded the age of 75 years."

Issue 3 would allow Ohio to opt out of a nationally mandated medical insurance plan, stating, "In Ohio, no law or rule shall compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system. No law or rule shall prohibit the purchase or sale of health care or health insurance. No law or rule shall impose a penalty or fine for the sale or purchase of health care or health insurance."

Polls opened at 6:30 this morning and close at 7:30 p.m. today.[[In-content Ad]]

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