Candidates for State Representative
84th District
• Connie Crockett (Democrat)
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| Connie Crockett |
Address: 611 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs
Occupation: Program associate, Kettering Foundation
Previous service as public official: I served on the Village Council of Yellow Springs from 1987 to 1993.
Education: I have a Masters in public administration from the University of Dayton.
Major issues in this election: The economy, the environment and our future. Stop mega-farms threatening our good water, our roads and air. Keep our young people in state by tying loans for training such as nursing with waivers for working here. The economy will improve when we invest ourselves in our neighborhoods and towns, link them with trails, and think regionally. Small loans to college grads wanting to start businesses will keep them here. These things work together. By improving the quality and connectivity of our small towns, young people will find a way to be successful in their own backyards.
• Robert D. Hackett (Republican)
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| Robert Hackett |
Address: 2050 Palouse Dr., London
Occupation: Madi-son County commissioner. Financial planner, Central Ohio Financial Mgmt. Group.
Previous service as public official: Madison County commissioner (2001-2008), comple-ting second term.
Education: Graduate London High School. B.A. in economics, Columbia University. CLU – American College. ChFC (chartered financial consultant) – American College.
Community Activities/Honors: Choctaw Lake Board of Directors (past president), London Country Club (past president), St. Patrick’s Parish, Madison County Farm Bureau, Madison County Historical Society, Madison County Hospital Board, Mercator Club, London Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, Madison County Farmland Preservation Task Force.
Awards and honors include: athletic—all-League and all-state (football) London H.S.; captain of undefeated football team; all-Ivy League and top scholar award, Columbia University football team; member of London H.S. Athletic Hall of Fame; community—winner of Tecumseh Award (Choctaw Lake Person of the Year).
Major issues in this election:
1. Improve the economy and bring more jobs to Ohio. I will work toward improving the business environment in order to attract more new companies and to keep our existing companies.
2. Improve the existing tax system in Ohio. Our citizens and businesses are taxed too much. I will work hard to bring needed increased revenues by improving the economy, not by increasing taxes.
3. Decrease rising healthcare costs. Healthcare premiums are not affordable to many small businesses and their employees. As a county commissioner, I worked with many other counties to band together and set up a self-insured health care consortium that now has 18 counties as members. I am president of that consortium, which saves both county employees and Ohio taxpayers over $2 million annually.
• Craig W. Saunders (Republican)
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| Craig Saunders |
Address: 1655 Clifton Road, Yellow Springs
Occupation: Assistant prosecutor, City of Xenia. Village of Jamestown solicitor. Lawyer, private practice.
Previous service as public official: None
Education/military experience: Xenia High School, 1992. Denison University, 1996 (B.A. political science; B.A. music). University of Dayton School of Law, 1999 Juris Doctor.
Community activities: Greene County Republican Central Committee chairman. Greene County Republican Central Committee vice-chairman. Director, Greene County Cattlemen’s Association. Member, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association. Director, Greene County Board of Elections. Local Legal Counsel for Ohio Republican Party for 2004 and 2006 election cycles. Ohio Farm Bureau member. 4-H Advisor. Intern for Ohio Statehouse. Trustee, Cedarville United Presbyterian Church. Cedar Cliff Schools levy committee. Rotary International. Director, Greene County Agricultural Society. Greene County Sheep & Wool Committee. Cedarville and Bellbrook Chambers of Commerce.
Major issues in this election: The economy, taxes and our education are the top three issues. Ohio needs to lower taxes and decrease regulation to be competitive and promote business growth. With the fifth highest state/local tax burden in the nation, the 84th District needs my leadership and experience as a small business owner and lawyer to promote growth.
Continued support of the STEM initiative and other education programs will provide potential employers with a pool of well-qualified employees. I also propose exploring tax credits for those companies willing to locate here and hire locally. This provides incentives for growth and gives our youth quality jobs so as to keep them from leaving the state.
