IBEW Local 32 (Lima OH) Hall Hosts Ohio Democratic Governor Candidate

Democrat governor candidate Coleman says it’s time for a change
By GREG SOWINSKI, Lima News, 3/20/2005, gsowinski@limanews.com, 419-993-2090

LIMA — Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Michael Coleman heard about job loss, the need for education reform and health care during his first day of campaigning for the 2006 race.
“We need a change. The state of Ohio is in a crisis,” Coleman told about 50 people Saturday gathered at the IBEW Hall on North West Street. Coleman is on a 18-city, three-day campaign trip.
Coleman blasted the Republicans who have been in power in Columbus for more than a dec-ade, saying it was the current office holders who cost the state jobs. In the past four years the state has lost 280,000 jobs, he said.
Coleman said he would not stand for job loss and said he would fight against what happened with the community during the closing of Lima Correctional Institution, which cost 500 local jobs.
As another example, Coleman said if a company such as Ford Motor Co. Lima Engine Plant were planning to cut jobs, Coleman said he would go to Detroit to meet with the executives of Ford to fight for the jobs.
A governor’s principle priority is to make sure people have jobs, to create jobs and to market the state, he said.
Coleman said he has a plan and is passionate about being governor, but he needs help. He encouraged people to get involved in his campaign and work to get him elected.
“When I win, you win. When I go to the governor’s mansion, you go to the governor’s man-sion,” he said.
The Ohio governor’s race in 2006 could determine who wins the White House in 2008. Cole-man predicted it would be the toughest, most expensive governor’s race in the state’s history.
“The 2006 Ohio governor’s race will be in the No. 1 national race,” he said.
Ohioans don’t have a long wish list. They just want good jobs, health care and to be able to afford to send their children to go to college, he said.
Coleman criticized current Republican Gov. Bob Taft for being out of touch with the people of Ohio.
“The folks in Columbus have turned their backs on those in Lima,” he said.
Coleman said he represents people and their problems.
“A governor’s role is to make people’s lives better. That’s what I will do whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat,” he said.
Coleman touted what he’s done in six years as the mayor of Columbus, saying he’s cut the city’s budget by 25 percent without hurting safety services.
On top of job loss, Coleman said three Ohio cities, Toledo, Cleveland and Cincinnati, rank in the top 20 nationally for people living in poverty. Ohio also is a national leader in bankruptcy filings and foreclosures, he said.
“I’m running to make a change. I have had enough,” he said.
Coleman is traveling the state, planning to visit many small towns as well as big cities to find out what people want the governor to do. After that, he said he would return to the communi-ties with his proposed solutions to the problems.
“This is a state where we’ve lost our momentum. This state used to be at the top of every-thing good,” he said. “We need a change.”