MOUNT VERNON – Former U.S. Congressman Jim Renacci brought his campaign for Ohio Governor to the Knox County Fair last week, sharing his Ohio First vision for the state.
He said he was amazed that most of the people he met already knew him.
“It gives me an opportunity to get out and meet with Knox County Republicans and/or anyone basically in Knox County that wants to stop by and ask questions,” he told the Mount Vernon News after his visit.
Renacci got his start in Ohio at age 24, coming from western Pennsylvania. He said he created more than 1,500 jobs and employed more than 3,000 people cumulatively over multiple businesses, including construction, nursing homes, retail and even car dealerships.
He also built and owned a nursing home for many years in Mount Vernon.
“The biggest issue facing Ohio today is we can't compete with the other states. We spend too much; we tax too much. We're ranked 15th in jobs and new businesses. We're ranked No. 1 in corruption,” he said.
The state is ranked somewhere in the 40s for its business tax environment. A study Renacci commissioned for the University of Akron showed the state is losing ground in the national economy.
“We're running a state with economic policies in the 20th Century when we're in the 21st Century, and we need to change,” he said.
The unemployment system has failed state residents, Renacci said, adding that's something the governor and lieutenant governor should have fixed long before it was broken.
They failed to do anything despite being warned in 2019 by the federal government and state officials the system would have significant problems with even a slight downturn, Renacci said.
“People are leaving; they're going to other states with better economies. They’re starting their life in a new state, which is one of the reasons why we're losing another congressman as well,” he said.
Pay for play is rampant in the state, he said. Gov. Mike DeWine needs to pay back all the money he received from First Energy, Renacci said.
“That's a first start, but second, we need processes in place that stop this corruption. You should not be able to get an appointment just because you're a big donor. You should not be able to get a contract just because you're a big donor,” he said.
Problems with opioids have existed for a long time in Ohio, and elected officials haven’t done anything to change it, Renacci said. He thinks the problems start in education. A remedy, he said, is to make sure youths see the opportunities to advance including using their hands to accomplish things. A lot of opportunities exist that don’t require college to earn $70,000 or more if they get the right skill set. Renacci said Ohio needs to promote career tech.
