When I took my oath at the City Forum in December of 2014, I made a very generalized statement to the many friends, community leaders and family members in attendance. I said, “I promise Republicans I will send as little of their tax dollars to Columbus as possible. I promise Democrats I will bring back as much of their tax dollars to our community as possible. And finally to everyone else, I promise to spend what gets left in Columbus as judiciously as possible.” I hope I have accomplished those three goals no matter who it applies to.
Tax rates for Ohioans are at a record low, tax revenue is at record highs, and job creation in our county is off the charts.
We have increased funding for public education in each of the four budgets I voted on. We improved school choice by expanding opportunities for Ed Choice scholarships. We funded a new parking garage in Springfield that is at the center of the revitalization of the downtown area. And lastly, we fought together as a community to finalize the clean up of the Tremont City Barrel Fill that will begin in the coming year.
Of course, I cannot forget to thank the community, church, and business leaders who stood with me to take on the payday lending industry. Predatory lenders had been robbing disenfranchised families of millions of dollars for over a decade in not only Springfield - but all over Ohio. The individuals from our community who came to Columbus to testify and stand with me helped pass the biggest reform of payday lending in decades. Now, other states across the country look at House Bill 123 as the way to reform payday lending. Our little community has started a national movement.
I often recount to my colleagues in Columbus the story of Springfield. I share that Springfield was one of the largest manufacturing cities in the world at the turn of the last century. Historians know that some of it was because the federal government stopped funding the National Road when it reached Springfield. Anyone heading west to seek their fortune was forced to stop in our town. Those seeking a better life began creating cars, agriculture equipment, and many products that ultimately fueled the industrial revolution. With the creation of the National Advanced Air Mobility Center, our city and county will now become the epicenter of flying vehicles. Where a road ends is not important to our future any more. Like Doc Brown said in the movie Back To The Future: “Roads? Where we are going… we don’t need roads!”
I pray that our city, our county, and the many small villages that make up the 79th District continue to work together so that our future is only limited by how far we can fly and how high our hopes and dreams can take us.
Thank you once again for allowing me to serve you.
Kyle Koehler is the State Representative for Ohio’s 79th District.
About the Author