MIKE ROBERTO ON THE ISSUES
Economy
As the father of four, Mike understands that for too long, working people are paying more for housing, groceries, utilities, and just about everything else. A strong economy means a strong middle class, and Mike believes one of the best ways to strengthen the middle class is to bring down costs. In Columbus, he will work to make housing more affordable, provide relief from high property taxes, cut health care costs, especially for children, and provide support to hardworking Ohio families.
Senate District 27 is home to a wealth of economic engines. Whether it's our colleges and universities, our hospitals and clinics, our factory floors and farmed fields, Mike believes everyone in District 27 deserves to have a State Senator that fights for their prosperity. When he gets to Columbus, Mike will work to unleash the potential of District 27, with jobs that pay a living wage, a workplace where workers have the right to organize, and investments into our small businesses that support the growth of our communities.
As the superintendent for Aurora City Schools, Mike was responsible for an organization with a $45 million annual budget and 400+ employees, including during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, so he understands the importance of taking care of people while maintaining fiscal responsibility. When he heads down to Columbus, Mike will put this same experience to work for you, making sure your tax dollars are spent efficiently and that seniors and those in need see relief from skyrocketing property taxes.
Education
With 34 years of experience in education as a science teacher, school principal, and district superintendent, Mike believes that a high quality education is a right for every child. At the Statehouse, Mike will work to make sure every child has the opportunity to get an excellent education from Pre-K to the work force.
Additionally, over the course of his career in education, Mike has seen that our children's future is under threat like never before. Columbus politicians have continued to cut funding for our schools and continue to kick the can down the road, over-relying on property taxes and burdening local communities including seniors on fixed incomes. All while handing out tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. Enough is enough! In the State Senate, Mike will champion to fully fund public schools and will be a strong voice to advocate for our kids and families.
Mike believes public dollars are for public schools. Ohio’s universal voucher program has ballooned into a giant hand out to the wealthy, sending your tax dollars to private schools, no matter a parents’ income and no matter a school’s performance. All while politicians in Columbus claim there’s no more money for our local public schools. It’s wrong and it has to stop. When he gets to the Statehouse, Mike will make sure to make sure public dollars go to public schools, not to subsidize the ultra-rich and for-profit private schools.
Environment
As a biology and science teacher, Mike knows the importance of caring for our environment. Senate District 27 is home to three excellent county park systems which protect and maintain over 25,000 acres, 50 parks, and over 150 miles of hike & bike trails. This includes Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a crown jewel of Northeast Ohio. Protecting these public lands not only is good for the environment but helps drive our local economies and is a major reason why people decide to set down roots here. As your State Senator, Mike will listen to the people living in District 27 and will be their advocate to protect clean air, clean water and public lands. He will also work to invest in clean energy jobs and technologies that will explode our economic growth and lower our electric bills.
Mike also knows that some of the most qualified environmentalists are sportsmen and farmers. They invest their own personal resources every day to protect the land where they hunt, fish, and farm. At the Statehouse, Mike will work to protect our family farms, waterways, and parks from special interests and shady international investors who seek to use them for their own personal gain. He will make sure polluters are held accountable and that the land, air and waters of District 27 are protected for generations to come.
Healthcare
Mike believes that every Ohioan deserves access to high quality, affordable, health care. Politicians, both at the state and federal level, have made major cuts to health care for hundreds of thousands of Ohioans, including folks in District 27. Mike will work to protect rural hospitals from closing and fight to protect Medicare for the seniors who have already paid into and earned these benefits.
Mike knows everyday items are becoming less affordable, that includes prescription drugs. No parent should have to decide whether to put food on the table or pay for their child’s insulin! That’s why Mike supports holding Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) accountable and taking out the middle men who prevent Ohioans from getting their life-saving drugs affordably.
Mike believes medical decisions should be between a patient and their doctor. That’s why he supports the Ohio Constitution which protects women’s access to health care, including abortion, and will protect IVF treatments for people wanting to start or continue a family.
Public Safety
As a former school superintendent, Mike knows that the foundation of every community is safety and security. He knows that public safety is created through investment into public safety officials, our local police, fire and first responders. But right now, Columbus politicians are taking tax money out of local communities and spending it on tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy while local governments are struggling to give police officers and fire fighters the raises they deserve. Mike will make sure we are supporting the men and women who work every day to keep our communities safe.
Mike also supports making communities safe for everyone. No matter a person’s color, religion, gender identity, or politics, we all deserve to live in safety and with dignity. That’s why Mike will support stronger laws on hate crimes and investing in training for first responders.
As a teacher and school administrator, Mike understands how scary it can be for parents to drop their children off to school in this day and age of gun violence. That’s why Mike supports common sense gun safety measures like universal background checks, red flag laws, and age restrictions for certain types of weapons. Mike understands that supporting our Second Amendment and keeping people safe, are not mutually exclusive. He will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and partners in law enforcement to find solutions to save lives and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.