Retherford, Hamilton in race for seat in 51st Ohio House District

Retherford, 32, said though Ohio’s unemployment rate, 4.7 percent, is below the national average, 5 percent, he says it’s still too high even though it’s the lowest it’s been in years.

“Our unemployment has gone down drastically over the past six or seven years but it’s not where it needs to be yet,” said the two-term state lawmaker. “Everyone that wants a job should be able to have one.”

To be considered at full employment, the unemployment rate should be around 2 or 3 percent. Retherford wants to see it at around 2½ percent.

“We’ll keep pushing it down as best we can,” he said.

Hamilton, 65, said the manufacturing industry is key to Ohio's economy, but it's not a career young people want to explore. Hamilton, who was a tool and die maker, said more must be done to encourage younger generations to consider an industry that he said "puts you right in the middle of the middle class."

"You can't grow the economy unless you grow manufacturing," he said. And Ohio can't grow as an economy "unless you have the personnel," Hamilton said, indicating Ohio needs to do a better job in attracting young adults to work in the state. According to Money-Rates.com, Ohio ranks 18th (tied with Illinois) in the country for young adults.

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But job creation is not a puzzle that will be solved in the General Assembly’s upcoming lame duck session, though a key to get a grip on the job outlook is to get people off heroin and drugs, Retherford said.

"It's killing our community, it's killing our state really," he said. "Ohio is eighth in population and number 2 in heroin overdoses. That's not a good list to be on right there."

Hamilton admits, “I don’t have a clue how to fix” the drug issue, but said he’ll listen to people who come up with ideas to attack the issue. And attacking the issue is going to take everyone moving in the same direction, he said.

Among other issues Hamilton wants to address in the Statehouse, are registering every eligible resident to vote when they get a driver’s license or state identification card, restoring the local government fund cuts from 2011, decreasing sales taxes, growing access to birth control, and gun control.

Hamilton said he is “anti-concealed carry” and doesn’t have problems with people owning guns, but he said the issues Ohio and the country are experiencing with gun deaths didn’t happen before “people got into this gun-toting mentality.”

And he said the state’s open carry law is “even scarier.”

“I don’t want to go back to ‘Gunsmoke’ and the Old West,” he said. “I don’t think it’s necessary.”

LOOKING FOR POLL WORKERS

Boards of elections are frequently looking for poll workers. Those interested in becoming a poll worker in any election can receive more information online at PEOinOhio.com.

In Butler County, contact the board of elections at 513-887-3700 or visit www.butlercountyelections.org.

In Warren County, contact the board of elections at 513-695-1358 or visit www.warrencountyboe.us.

EARLY VOTING HOURS

Every board of elections in Ohio will maintain the same early voting hours. They are as follows:

Source: Ohio Secretary of State