Trending
State Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Canfield, is being challenged for his 59th Ohio House District seat by Democrat Wayne Penny Jr.
Fischer, a political consultant, was appointed June 26, 2024, to fill the remainder of Al Cutrona's term after the latter was selected to an open state Senate position. Fischer won the 2024 general election and is seeking his second two-year term in the Ohio House.
Penny of Canfield is a former U.S. Army reservist who unsuccessfully ran for a different Ohio House seat in 2022. Penny works in the YMCA's recreation department and is director of programming and policy for Associates in Counseling & Child Guidance.
The 59th District includes Boardman, Canfield, Struthers, Campbell, Beloit, Berlin, Ellsworth, Sebring, New Middletown, North Lima, Smith, Goshen, Green, Beaver, Springfield and Washingtonville in Mahoning County as well as Knox and Butler in Columbiana County.
Based on statewide partisan election results during the past decade, the district favors Republicans by more than 12%.
Fischer said he is "proud of the work" the state Legislature did in this session to reduce property taxes by more than $3 billion over the next three years and "bringing greater transparency for tax levies."
Fischer said, "Property taxes are what we hear about the most, but the need for reform doesn't end there. Every day, Ohioans are pulling double duty, working incredibly hard. Whether they're first responders, nurses or manufacturing workers, people are working extra shifts to keep up with the cost of living and provide for their families. I introduced the No Tax on Overtime bill to put more money in the pockets of Ohio workers. If you're going to work in our state, you should be rewarded. Let Ohioans keep more of what they earn will always be one of my top priorities."
Penny said: "Affordability is about much more than numbers in a state budget. It is about what families can afford after paying for groceries, utilities, housing, transportation, healthcare, childcare and other necessities. I believe Ohio needs policies that address these pressures while protecting the public services residents depend upon."
Penny said, if elected, he would prioritize "meaningful property tax reform. I support reviewing Ohio's homestead exemption and developing targeted relief for seniors, residents with disabilities and homeowners facing significant financial pressure."
Penny said property tax relief "must be structured responsibly" and "any reform should identify how essential services will remain funded rather than simply transferring costs to other taxpayers."
Fischer said the state's "aging grid and increasing demand for energy have driven prices up, hitting residents with massive utility spikes over the last two years. Growth requires energy and Ohio is blessed with an abundance of natural resources that give us the potential to be a dominant energy-producing state."
While serving on the House Energy Committee, Fischer said the Legislature "passed landmark energy legislation that has spurred more energy project applications in the last year than in the entire previous decade combined. It will take time for these power plants to come online, but there is more we can do in the interim to help reduce the stress on the grid by incentivizing large electric users to build their own energy generation on brownfield sites, which will ensure our economy can continue to grow and reduce utility costs for the rest of us."
Fischer wants an "all-of-the-above strategy that recognizes that solar, coal, natural gas and nuclear all have a role to play and should be allowed to freely compete on the market without the heavy hand of government picking winners and losers, and bailing out corrupt utilities."
Fischer also said he is focused on making homeownership easier for young families.
"Here in the Mahoning Valley, we have spent the last decade focused on demolishing blighted homes, and for good reason. But we have struggled to bring new housing units to the market in good neighborhoods where people actually want to live," Fischer said. "This has to change."
That's why, Fischer said, he introduced legislation to cut "red tape for homebuilders and get more homes built faster. We can't control the rising costs of labor and building materials, but we can streamline and standardize zoning decisions, inspections and permitting to make it easier to build more houses and increase the supply of homes which will bring prices down all across Ohio."
Penny said public education and providing opportunities for children are among his top priorities.
Penny said: "Ohio's children deserve access to quality instruction, safe schools, appropriate educational resources and opportunities to prepare for their futures. I support a stable and transparent school funding system that recognizes differences in student needs, district resources, transportation requirements and special education costs. I would work with educators, administrators, families and school boards to identify funding gaps and evaluate the consequences of proposed changes to state education policy."
Penny said he supports career-technical education and partnering with businesses, community colleges, organized labor and apprenticeship programs because "not every student will follow the same educational path."
Penny said through his work with young people and community organizations, he sees the "importance of mentorship, athletics, recreation and structured activities. I would explore competitive grants, public-private partnerships, and existing state and federal funding opportunities to support after-school programs, youth recreation, mentorship initiatives and community facilities."
Another priority for Penny is focusing on workforce development and economic investment throughout the Mahoning Valley.
"I support strengthening partnerships among OhioMeansJobs, local workforce development boards, community colleges, employers, trade unions and educational institutions," Penny said. "These partnerships can help residents obtain training for careers in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, transportation, construction, technology and other industries."