Vote No on Issue One, A Corrupt, Government Power Grab at the Expense of Ohio Voters

 Issue One is a corrupt, government power grab at the expense of Ohio voters.  Vote No.

Since 1912, Ohio law has allowed Ohio voters to amend the Constitution.  The process is already one of the most onerous in the country.  Five percent of Ohio Voters in 44 of the 88 counties must sign initiatives to get the amendments on the ballot then a majority of voters must pass the amendment in a general election. Not surprisingly, Ohio voters have responsibly used this process for more than a century, often to address government overreach and corruption.  Corrupt, Ohio politicians now seek to further consolidate government power over Ohio voters by enacting a process that would effectively kill the citizen led amendment process.  Ohio voters must reject this government power grab and vote no. 

Ohio voters have successfully used this process to place limits on Ohio’s ability to tax voters.  When Ohio voters grew concerned that their property taxes were being raised to support government spending, voters placed limits on the governments’ ability to raise their property taxes without voter approval.  Because of this restriction, politicians now come to the voters seeking their permission when they want to raise property taxes (in the form of school levies, police and fire levies, etc.).  Ohio voters also successfully used this process to eliminate taxes on food.  Ohio voters saw fit to protect their money when politicians failed to do so and were able to because of the process corrupt politicians now seek to destroy.

In recent years, Ohio voters have used the initiative process to create a nonpartisan redistricting process.  Corrupt legislators have actually ignored this process, repeatedly creating illegal districts the courts strike down, and are fearful Ohio voters will attempt to use the initiative process to prevent this continued illegal conduct in the future.  Ohio voters have used the process to approve Casinos in the state, which has resulted in additional tax revenue.  Ohio voters have also used the process to add constitutional protections for victims of crime.  

Perhaps just as importantly, Ohio voters have rejected amendments when they have catered to specific outside interests.  In 2015, a group of investors, many outside Ohio, sought to legalize marijuana use.  The initiative catered to those specific investors to potentially create a monopoly for the investors in the commercial sale of marijuana.  The measure was soundly rejected by 65% of Ohio voters, despite the legalization of marijuana generally polling much higher.  Despite what issue one advocates would have you believe, Ohio voters have recognized outside influence and acted responsibly to reject it.  This responsible use of the initiative process is consistent throughout its history in Ohio.  Voters know what they are voting for, but corrupt politicians fear it because they don’t want voters to have power over them.

Issue 1 would have no chance of passing in a normal election, so corrupt Ohio politicians are trying to pass it when voters aren’t paying attention.  Ohio law forbids August elections for that reason…August elections don’t produce a normal sample of the electorate.  These corrupt politicians have specifically written in a carve out for this ballot initiative, because they know Ohio voters would reject it and are hoping to jam it through when you are not paying attention.  Of course, it would only require a majority vote…as would any politician-passed initiative in the future.  It is only your power over them that corrupt politicians seek to eliminate.  

Don’t let them.  Issue One is a corrupt, government power grab at the expense of Ohio voters.  Vote No.