Arguments for Issue 2
Reform unfair and costly government employment practices.
Control government spending, make government more accountable.
Schools can retain and reward good teachers by basing raises on job performance.
Communities save millions of dollars annually, helping to balance budgets and retain jobs.
Arguments against Issue 2
Public workers — such as fire fighters — will lose their rights and see their benefits gutted.
Public safety will be in danger because police will have a tougher time getting trained.
Students will suffer because it will be easier to lay off teachers and cut school funding.
Politicians, executives will get an exemption while calling for “shared sacrifice.”
We Are Ohio is a coalition of labor groups that circulated petitions to put Senate Bill 5 up for a statewide referendum vote. The group raised $6.9 million for the campaign and collected nearly 1.3 million petition signatures from Ohioans.
Its campaign manager is A.J. Stokes. Its website: www.weare ohio.com
Building A Better Ohio is the campaign to keep Senate Bill 5. It is supported by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, and other business and conservative groups.
Its campaign manager is Vaughn Flasher. Its website:www.betterohio.org
Gov. John Kasich heavily supported Senate Bill 5 after its introduction, appearing at one of its early legislative hearings and voicing support for it since then. He signed the bill March 31.
House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina, and Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, are the top legislative leaders. They reassigned lawmakers on committees to assure Senate Bill 5's passage and have voiced strong support for it.
State Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, is the primary author of Senate Bill 5 and a member of the Senate leadership team.