To the Editor:
No matter where you live in Ohio, we can all agree that everyone should follow the law.
For the third time since the redistricting process started, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has submitted maps for districts that the Ohio Supreme Court says violate the Ohio Constitution.
With each round, instead of getting better at adhering to the law, the maps have gotten worse. What is it with the Ohio Redistricting Commission that they won’t follow the law?
From the First Energy corruption scandal to drawing district maps, some in our current state legislature don’t seem to think that rules and the law apply to them. Why is that?
An overwhelming, bipartisan coalition of Ohioans voted for and want fair districts, where leaders are accountable to voters and everyone’s vote counts. They do not want districts where politicians pick their voters and hold on to power regardless of what the public wants.
Under this kind of power-at-any-cost leadership, Ohio has gone from being among the nation’s leading states in education, social mobility, women’s and children health outcomes and economic opportunity, to being at the back of the pack.
The old way of doing business is not working for all Ohioans. We can and must do better, Ohio. And we deserve elected leaders that don’t waste taxpayer dollars and judicial resources because they can’t follow our state constitution. We have too many important issues to tackle to be wasting time and tying up precious resources because the commission won’t draw fair maps.
Tell Columbus to get their act together, follow the law, produce fair maps and get on with the business of making Ohio a place where people can thrive.
Portia Ash
Maumee
