Gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald visits county
As the 2014 campaign for Ohio governor draws to a virtual dead heat in recent polling, Democratic candidate Ed FitzGerald visited Hillsboro Wednesday morning.
FitzGerald, along with Highland County Democratic Party Chair Dinah Phillips, met with The Highland County Press to discuss the gubernatorial race and related issues.
FitzGerald, 46, also announced this week that his campaign has launched its first television advertisement.
The essence of his message is:
• Who is the promise of Ohio meant for? Just the wealthy and well-connected? Or the average Ohioans who get up early and get it done every day?
• I think it's time Ohio starts working for working people. As governor, I'll create jobs by helping small businesses grow and restore cuts to firefighters, police and teachers.
• Let's start supporting the middle class for a change, not just a wealthy few, because Ohio was meant for all of us.
Fitzgerald is a former Lakewood City Council member, mayor of Lakewood, Cuyahoga County executive, prosecutor and FBI agent.
According to his website, http://www.edfitzgeraldforohio.com/, in 2010, following one of the largest public corruption scandals in the history of Ohio, he was elected to lead a new county government.
As county executive, FitzGerald reduced government waste by tens of millions of dollars and used those savings to create four times more jobs than his predecessor. While balancing the budget every year, he also expanded the county’s pre-kindergarten program and “restored people’s trust in Cuyahoga County,” putting in place some of the toughest ethics laws in Ohio.
He says the state government could be much more efficient than it presently is.
"As mayor of Lakewood, I cut spending by 27 percent," he said. "We audited our city departments and found ways to be more efficient."
An opponent of Gov. John Kasich's cuts to local government funding and increases in state spending, FitzGerald said, if elected, he would work to reverse those practices.
"In many ways, townships are the most efficient and least bureaucratic (of all government bodies). They are a great example of efficiency," he said.
FitzGerald said he offers a more fiscally conservative approach to state government.
"If you look at what he (Kasich) is doing on conservative principles, it's not a fiscally conservative record," he said. "Money has been taken from education and local government funding. Senior citizens will pay more taxes for the same services."
FitzGerald noted that "There are three ways to balance the budget: Cut spending, raise taxes or grow the economy."
He claims the Kasich administration has raised the Commercial Activities Tax, plus taxes on oil and gas.
FitzGerald said he would support across-the-board audits of all state government offices. "That's how I cut my budgets at the city and county levels. We should be able to provide good services at a reasonable cost."
FitzGerald also referenced a recent survey conducted by Public Policy Polling – on behalf of the Democratic Party – that found 45 percent of the voters backed Kasich and 44 percent supported FitzGerald. (Eleven percent were undecided.)
FitzGerald said he is eager to debate the governor but has not received confirmation on any of six invitations to debate.
FitzGerald has officially accepted six debate invitations and has extended offers to Gov. Kasich to participate in several more across the state.
"People have a right to hear from us," FitzGerald said. "And not just in the '3 Cs' (Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland)."
"I'm very excited for the party that Ed is running for Ohio governor," Phillips told The Highland County Press.
"As a mayor and county executive, he's been very innovative. He's a lot more conservative than some Republicans. He's very forthright and succinctly answers your questions.
"I think people need to meet him – face to face – and they will be impressed."
(Note: Ed FitzGerald and his wife, Shannon, are the proud parents of four children in college and high school: Jack, Connor, Colleen and Bridget.)