Ken Matesz

Office: Governor

Age: 45

Party: Libertarian

Ken Matesz, an Ohio native, started his own business, the Masonry Heater Store, in 1990 in Holland, OH. He is a member of trade organizations, such as the Toledo Home Builders Association and the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association.

After studying the Constitution, he began teaching and speaking about its intent and purpose in 2009. Matesz believes the current monetary system is unconstitutional and is not happy about the nation’s debt. He is for eliminating income taxes and decreasing the state budget by at least 40 percent.

Matesz isn’t interested in a career in politics and has promised not to run for a second term to avoid the pressure of making policies that are convenient for his career instead of Ohio. He has also said he would take the job of governor for 25 percent of what the current governor is paid.

Economy

·supports freezes in public employee hiring, wages and pensions in order to reduce the budget deficit

·wants to shrink the state government

·wants to eliminate state income tax

Jobs

·would repeal minimum wage laws so employees could negotiate their preferred wages

·believes repealing the state income tax, estate tax and property tax would generate jobs

·believes private property rights should be supported, defended and exercised

Healthcare

·supports the repeal of the federal healthcare law (“Obamacare”)

·would encourage state lawmakers to pass laws nullifying the bill

·believes it is unconstitutional for the government to dictate to citizens how to spend their money

Web sites used: mateszforohio.com, liberty-candidates.org, votesmart.org , lwvhudsonohio.org, dispatchpolitics.com

Margaret Ann Leech

Office: Lieutenant Governor

Age: 57

Party: Libertarian

Margaret Ann Leech received her Bachelor’s degree from Eckerd College in 1975, her Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 1978 and her MBA from the University of Cincinnati in 1984.

Leech was the state chair of the Libertarian Party of Ohio in 2000 and has been the secretary and past treasurer of the party since 1978. She was a candidate for the Ohio Senate in 2000 and again in 2008.

Web sites used: votesmart.org

Dennis Spisak

Office: Governor

Age: 51

Party: Green Party

Dennis Spisak received his Bachelor’s in Communications from Ohio University in 1981 and Master’s in Education from Ohio State University in 1989. He has taught and worked in the administrations of six Ohio high schools and is currently a member on the Board of Education in the Struthers City School System. Spisak was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008.

Spisak is a supporter of a single-payer health care system in Ohio, which he believes would encourage young college graduates to stay in the state. He also wants to change Ohio’s tax system to a Progressive Fair Tax System, which would not allow the wealthiest citizens to pay less taxes in proportion to their income compared to low and middle class citizens. Spisak also supports funding for sustainable energy research and policies that include taxes or fines for energy waste.

Higher Education

·would move funding out of the general fund and create a “trust fund” for education

·this would spare education from anymore funding cuts

·has been involved in public education for 25 years and believes education is the most important aspect of what a state can do for its citizens

Jobs

·believes the next wave of manufacturing jobs will be for sustainable energy

·would create manufacturing jobs, which would build parts for solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

·wants Ohio to be the manufacturing hub for this type of industry

Healthcare

·wants single-payer healthcare for Ohio

·doctor visits, prescriptions and hospitalization are paid by the Ohio Health Care Fund

·believes this will encourage college grads to stay in Ohio

Web sites used: votespisak.org/governor, votesmart.org

Anita Rios

Office: Lieutenant Governor

Age:

Party: Green Party

Anita Rios received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo when she was 31. She has a special interest in social issues and has been involved in several social justice campaigns, such as the Right to Work, which is a law that allows employees to determine whether or not they want to join a union, and SPAN (Single Payer Action Network) Ohio. She is the former state president of NOW (National Organization for Women) and currently is the president of the Toledo chapter.

No Web sites used. This info is from Dennis Spisak.

David Sargent II

Office: Governor

Party: Write-in

Andrew Pfeifer

Office: Lieutenant Governor

Party: Write-in