Ted Strickland's Education Funding Plan Is Not Working

Ted Strickland claims he has fixed Ohio's funding problem regarding public education. Think again.

The BASA analysis of school issues scheduled for the November 2, 2010 General Election reveals a total of 214 issues before voters.  Districts are asking voters to support 122 new money issues, with 95 of those providing new operating money.

Does this sound like a system that is fixed? Ask any school board member of school superintendent in those 214 districts and they will tell you Ted Strickland has not fixed the funding issue of Public Education.

If Ted Strickland is re-elected governor, we will see more and more districts going back to the voters for new money issues.

School districts can no longer afford Ted Strickland as Governor.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Ontario Becoming A Renewable Energy Giant

Ontario signalled its intention of becoming a world leader in renewable energy a year ago when it launched a Feed-in Tariff program.

Why Not Ohio? Hawaii Permits Residents to Generate Clean Energy, Feed It to the Grid

HONOLULU, Hawaii, October 14, 2010 (ENS) - The Public Utilities Commission of Hawaii has approved an initial rollout of feed-in tariffs, FIT, a rewards program to facilitate the acquisition and development of renewable energy in Hawaii.

Approved last Wednesday, the FIT program covers renewable energy generators of up to 500 kW in size. The program will allow homes and business to get paid for building renewable energy systems such as rooftop solar and feeding the energy into the electric grid.

Hawaii will be one of the first places in the United States to adopt such a program, versions of which have led to rapid and widespread adoption of renewable energy in Europe.

"We are pleased to launch the FIT program for the Hawaiian Electric Companies," said Commission Chairman Carlito Caliboso. "The predictability and certainty that FITs provide to renewable energy developers should incent future renewable projects and ultimately advance the State's efforts to wean itself off of imported fossil fuel."

The 2009 Hawaii State Legislature enacted this goal into law by establishing a renewable portfolio standard of 40 percent and an energy efficiency standard of 30 percent by 2030.

The Energy Agreement featured the FIT as a way to "dramatically accelerate the addition of renewable energy from new sources."

Why Not Ohio? Why does Ohio continue to support a Democratic Governor who will not push feed in tariffs to the Ohio Legislature?

Why does Ohio continue to support a Governor who continues to push for more and more dirty coal and nuke plants to be built in Ohio.

I support Feed-In Tariffs. Feed-In Tariffs will create green manufacturing jobs and wean our dependance off of coal and nuke power sources.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio Needs To Turn To Green Jobs

The green-collar jobs movement  got another major boost: a groundbreaking  report underscores how the growing green economy can provide high quality jobs for those who need them most. The author, Professor Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes of San Francisco State University, is a leading national expert on green-collar jobs.

This report deepens our understanding of how to harness green business growth to build pathways out of poverty. Prof. Pinderhughes' research provides us with critical guidance as we develop the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, the nation's first attempt to carry out the model that Professor Pinderhughes describes in her report.

Some highlights:

Green businesses need workers, offer training, and pay well.  Of the Berkeley green businesses surveyed by Professor Pinderhughes:

• 86 percent hire workers without previous direct experience or training for green-collar jobs.
• 94 percent provide on-the-job training for workers in entry level positions.
• 90 percent pay the full cost of insuring their workers.
• 73 percent of businesses stated that there was a shortage of qualified green-collar workers for their sector, with the greatest needs in energy, green building, mechanics and bike repair.
• The average hourly wage for green-collar work in Berkeley is $15.80 plus benefits. This is $4.00 higher an hour than Berkeley's current minimum "living wage," which is the highest in the nation.

To bring jobs back to Ohio, Ohio needs a Green Party Governor committed 100% to Green Energy, and not committed to dirty coal and nuke power like Ted Strickland  is.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Why Ohio? No More Pollution from Coal Plants Into The Ohio River

Every year 31 million pounds of toxic waste is dumped into the Ohio River, making it the most polluted river in America. Now, there is a proposal coming before the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission to allow coal-fired power plants to dump even more pollution into the water. We deserve safe, healthy communities to swim, fish and live.The proposed changes to water quality standards for the Ohio River would permit more mercury and other toxins to be discharged into the river. Already, over 30 million pounds of toxic pollution is dumped in the Ohio River every year - more than any other river in the United States. This pollution includes over 67,000 pounds of developmental and reproductive toxins such as PCBs, lead, mercury, and dioxin.As Governor, I would oppose any further dumping of toxins into the Ohio River. It’s time we elect a Governor who will protect the environment, and not just the big dirty coal companies like Ted Strickland and John Kasich will continue to do.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/ 

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio Must Return to a Progressive Fair Tax System

Let's Stop Rising Health Care Premiums With Single-Payer Health Care

The Dayton Daily News reported last week that area workers can expect to pay more for health insurance next year, but controversial new health care laws won’t be a big part of the projected cost increases, experts say.

Doug Anderson, chief policy officer at the Ohio Department of Insurance, said the total cost of health plans for families and individuals in Ohio could increase 8 to 18 percent next year, depending on benefits.

Ohioans can no longer afford rising insurance premiums. That's why I call for the passage of the Health Care for All Ohioans Act.

By going to single payer in Ohio, we can create an Ohio Health Care Fund that will see no premiums, no co-payments, no deductibles,a nd no one denied coverage.

An Ohio Health Care Fund that will save an estimated $11.6 billion in administartive costs and billions of additional dollars in savings as a result of making preventive care more accessible.

As Governor, I will push for the Health Care for All Ohioans Act to help end high health care premiums.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Renewable Energy Can Bring Jobs To Ohio

Renewable energy can provide, on average, four to six times the number of jobs as equivalent investments in fossil fuels manufacturing, installations, operations, and maintenance are all accounted for, according the the Blue-green Alliance Report.

The Current U.S. demand for renewable energy technologies exceeds domestic manufacturing capability, and we are dependant on European and Chinese manufacturers to meet these demands.

So forget about tax breaks and slashing income taxes to bring companies to Ohio. The most direct way to put Ohioans back to work is a 100 percent commitment to renewable energy.

We can have a Governor who still cheers for dirty coal and nuke power like Ted Strickland to champion this cause.

We need a truely Green Governor to lead the charge for renewable energy in this state as well as jobs.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio Still Needs A Single-Payer Health System

The Census Bureau released its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage in the United States earlier this month, and it's no surprise to learn that we're in bad shape. The number of people living in poverty was 43.6 million (14.3 percent), up sharply from 2008, and real per capita income declined 1 percent.

Looking at health insurance, the situation is truly dire. There was a dramatic spike in the uninsured - 4.3 million more, to a record 50.7 million - in spite of the expansion of government health insurance rolls by nearly 6 million.

In my home, we were just informed that Medical Mutual will no longer insure our son, because he has autism.

 Yet the consequence of being uninsured can be lethal: Research published last year shows about 45,000 deaths annually can be linked to lack of coverage. That number is probably more than 50,000 today.

As Don McCanne, senior health policy fellow at Physicians for a National Health Program, has observed,  employers, seeing little relief, will expand the present trend of shifting more insurance and health care costs onto employees.

A single-payer plan would  furnish us with effective cost-control tools, like the ability to negotiate fees and purchase medications in bulk. It would permit patients to go to the doctor and hospital of their choice.

We need an insurance system that pools the risk evenly and spreads out the costs of the sickest 20 percent of us. Other rich nations have versions of a single-payer system to finance health service payments. It is time we adopt a single-payer national health program in the United States. Such a system would provide affordable access to medical services for everyone. No one would have to worry about pre-existing conditions, deductibles, provider networks, medical debt, losing insurance with a job loss or a doctor rejecting them as a patient because they are on Medicaid. Instead, the sick would simply choose their doctor and hospital.

That's why I support the Health Care for all Ohioans Act. We need single-payer health care in the Buckeye State. We need to insure all Ohioans now!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Feed-In Tariffs Can Boost Local Communities

Reg Platt, a researcher with the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), says renewable energy could not only help people reduce their emissions but also provide a much needed cash boost to local communities.

Feed-In Tariffs  means ‘households and organisations can get paid for generating electricity’ via renewable technology, such as wind turbines and solar panels.

Platt argues ‘solar panels on bars, village halls , community centers  churches and other religious buildings , schools and swimming pools could generate millions of dollars through the Feed-In Tariff. In addition the buildings will be able to use the electricity for free and sell anything they don’t use back to the grid.

Up until now, renewable technology has been seen as too expensive for homeowners and organisations, some having to wait 20 years to reap the rewards via reduced electricity bills. However, with the Feed-In Tariff it appears ‘renewables have suddenly become an attractive financial proposition’.

We need an Ohio governor who supports Feed-In Tariffs. Ted Strickland does not. To really jump-start solar and wind power in Ohio, I support a feed-in tariff. Why won't Ted Strickland entertain this idea and sell it to the house and senate? Is it because Ted Strickland is in the back pockets of coal-fired energy producing PACS? Say it ain't so, Ted....

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Education Funding Under Ted Strickland: More Cuts To Come

Last week's newspaper articles showed what public education will look like under a second Strickland Administration: prepare for more budget cuts.

Miami University said its budget plan will take a hit. The Strickland Administration plans to delay a payment of $4.25 million for the Oxford campus and $926,000 for the regional campuses this fiscal year.

A total $127.5 million of state funding for schools will be delayed from June to July, meaning schools get one less payment during the 2011 fiscal year.

David Creamer, Miami’s vice president of finance, issued a letter Oct. 1 on the funding changes.

“As we have with all of the employee actions up to this point, we will take appropriate steps to minimize the number of employees whose positions may be eliminated, and we will give as much notice as possible and provide transition services when such notifications are necessary,” the letter said.

Meanwhile, With an earned income tax levy looming this fall, Graham Local School Board members reviewed possible cuts that could be made if the levy fails, including eliminating as many as 32 jobs within the district.

On Monday, school board members discussed potential cuts during a special meeting at Graham Middle School. The district is asking voters to approve a 1.25 percent earned income tax levy that will be on the ballot in November, and would generate about $2.2 million for the district.

The district’s general fund budget is expected to be in the red if the levy fails. Board members reviewed a recommendation from Norm Glismann, superintendent for the district, that would slash about $1.6 million from the budget if the levy fails by eliminating as many as 26 certified positions and six non-certified positions throughout the district.

This is what the future of education will look like if Ted Strickland is given another 4 years. 4 more years of budget cuts at all levels.

We need a Green Party Governor who is committed to stop budget cuts to education and make the necessary increases in tax revenues needed to funding education properly in Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio? Why Do So Many In Ohio Receive Food Assistance?

Every week last year, 225,700 Ohioans received emergency food assistance from a pantry, soup kitchen or similar service.

A report released today by the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks illustrates the recession's devastating impact on the state.

In all, more than 1.4 million Ohioans received emergency food assistance at least once, and often more frequently, in 2009.

That's a jump of 18 percent from three years ago, the report found.

40 percent of those surveyed in Ohio say they must choose between food and medicine or other health care needs. Thirty-one percent have at least one household member in poor health."

Among the other findings:

* More than a third of those receiving assistance are children.

* 32 percent of households include at least one employed adult.

* Half of those surveyed say they have had to choose between buying food and paying for utilities.

The report is heartbreaking. Yet it underscores the fact that Ted Strickland's campaign to bring jobs back to Ohio is not working. We need to turn Ohio forward in the way we market the state and go after new blue-green jobs.

Ted Strickland's plan to cut more state funding for social programs underscores the need for more increased state revenues instead of Ted's current campaign of axing more social programs. The poor can no longer afford to have Ted Strickland in office another four years.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Why Ohio Needs To Turn To Green Jobs

The green-collar jobs movement  got another major boost: a groundbreaking  report underscores how the growing green economy can provide high quality jobs for those who need them most. The author, Professor Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes of San Francisco State University, is a leading national expert on green-collar jobs.

This report deepens our understanding of how to harness green business growth to build pathways out of poverty. Prof. Pinderhughes' research provides us with critical guidance as we develop the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, the nation's first attempt to carry out the model that Professor Pinderhughes describes in her report.

Some highlights:

Green businesses need workers, offer training, and pay well.  Of the Berkeley green businesses surveyed by Professor Pinderhughes:

• 86 percent hire workers without previous direct experience or training for green-collar jobs.
• 94 percent provide on-the-job training for workers in entry level positions.
• 90 percent pay the full cost of insuring their workers.
• 73 percent of businesses stated that there was a shortage of qualified green-collar workers for their sector, with the greatest needs in energy, green building, mechanics and bike repair.
• The average hourly wage for green-collar work in Berkeley is $15.80 plus benefits. This is $4.00 higher an hour than Berkeley's current minimum "living wage," which is the highest in the nation.

To bring jobs back to Ohio, Ohio needs a Green Party Governor committed 100% to Green Energy, and not committed to dirty coal and nuke power like Ted Strickland  is.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Will Ted Strickland Finally Stop Murray Energy From Polluting Ohio?

It happened again. Murray Energy's coal pipeline carrying toxic coal slurry through southeast Ohio burst open last Friday, flooding a pristine creek and surrounding areas with thick, black sludge.

This is at least the seventh time since 1999 that coal slurry has poured into the creek, killing fish and putting the future of the already endangered eastern hellbender salamander at risk.

Even after seven spills, Murray Energy is applying for permission to build another sludge impoundment that would bury a whole stream and put entire communities at risk of contaminated water and a catastrophic breach.

Murray "Slurry" Energy has proven that coal slurry is toxic and that they can't be trusted to handle it. Just look at the tragically polluted gully that once was Captina Creek.

Will Ted Strickland finally oppose Murray Energy from building another sludge impoundment? Or will Dirty Coal Ted Strickland continue tom support such practices to take place in Ohio.

As the Green Party candidate for Governor, I oppose Murray Energy from building anymore sludge impoundments in the Buckeye State.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www,dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Feed-In Tariffs Would Bring Green Energy Jobs To The State

Paul Gipe wrote last week on how feed-in tariffs would boost renewable energy in the states as well as bring new green jobs:

Something is up when both liberal and conservative think tanks find something to like in the same obscure energy policy with an odd name: feed-in tariffs.

Politicians take notice when the conservative Hoover Institution joins the liberal Center for American Progress in saying that it's time for the United States to consider a policy that pays farmers, homeowners and businesses for the electricity produced by their wind turbines and solar panels.

It's not surprising that Americans from right to left find feed-in tariffs appealing. After all, it's an American idea born three decades ago when the United States last faced an energy crisis. What's more American than unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit to provide a needed product such as electricity?

A feed-in tariff is a premium paid by a utility for power generated by solar or wind power to encourage the development of renewable energy sources.

Unfortunately, the principle languished here when oil prices collapsed in the early 1980s. In the meantime, other nations picked it up, refined it and now are using it to drive industrial development and create new jobs.

"Feed-in tariffs are the most widely used renewable energy policy in the world," says a massive report by a team of researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. According to its study, feed-in tariffs are responsible for 75 percent of all solar photovoltaic and 45 percent of all wind development worldwide.

Germany has become a renewable energy powerhouse through feed-in tariffs, creating 300,000 new jobs since the program was launched a decade ago. In the first three months of 2010 alone, German homeowners, farmers and small businesses installed 30,000 new solar photovoltaic systems. By July 2010, German homeowners alone installed more solar systems than all the projected 2010 solar photovoltaic installations in the United States. German farmers will have installed even more. In the first six months of this year, Germany installed twice the total solar photovoltaic systems installed in the United States during the last 20 years.

Ohio needs a Governor to push feed-in tariffs through the statehouse.

We need a Green Governor to help truely start the ball rolling on converting solar and wind power to good use here in the Buckeye state. We need a Green Governor who will use this new green energy to bring jobs back to Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Democrats Try To Galvanize Greens Before Election, Forget Them After Election

Help Protect Special Education-Vote Green!

It's time we have a Governor in Ohio protect special education funding in the state.

It's time we determine the additional costs necessary to provide educational services to students with special needs, such as students who are socially and economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities and students who require vocational or gifted educational services.

The cost of providing educational services to students with special needs should be indexed to the cost of providing a high quality educational program for regular students, so that each component increases proportionately and in parity. State funding for providing services to students with disabilities should be 100%.

As a father with two sons with autism, these students need funding as adequate as funding regular students.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Protect Public Education Funding-Vote Green!

I believe the support of public education as the number one priority of the state.

We must replace lost revenues with state funds in the event of legislation that results in local revenues lost, such as a reduction of the tac base, exemptions from taxation, or other tac structure changes.

I believe we must prohibit Congress, The Ohio general Assembly, and/or federal or state administrative agencies from enacting and/or promulgating statutes and rules that result in unfunded and underfunded mandates. Fiscal impact statements should accompany all school-related statues and rules.

I believe we should provide an adequate funding mechanism for educational service centers that provides for inflationary growth. State funding for facilities should be a part of the educational service centers' funding formula.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Improving Ohio's Tax Policies To Aid Public Education

Ohio's tax system must be stable, competitive, and reflective of the current economy. All sectors of the economy should pay a fair share of the cost of public school education and state government.

I support state reinbursement that fully matches dollar for dollar the loss of any local tanigble personal property tax base to school districts.

I believe the state should earmark a percentage of state revenues for the elementary snd secondary schools and provide an increase in state revenues either through the enactment of an increase in the state sales tax and or state personal income tax. The increase should be earmarked for education and be depositedinto a state public primary and secondary trust fund.

I also support legistlation that would eliminate the overreliance on local property taxes.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

How Many More Job Losses For Northwest Ohio Under Ted Strickland?

The Toledo Blade recently reported:

Since Jan. 1, 2009, four northwest Ohio factories have closed, shipping their work to Indiana and costing the state 319 jobs.

In the same period, a Blade investigation found, at least 11 other manufacturers employing about 1,900 people in the region have closed and shipped work to North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and elsewhere within the United States.

Massive job losses caused by factory closures are nothing new in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Going back to 2000,

County by county, town by town, there  are thousands of stories of homes and health insurance lost, slashed salaries for those lucky enough to find new jobs, and years of emotional distress for those who were handed permanent pink slips.

This is Ted Strickland's Ohio. Because of inaction by our sitting Governor, more and more Ohioans lose their jobs on a yearly basis, with no hope for new manufacturing jobs coming into Ohio to replace them.

A do-nothing Governor who just tells people to "hang on". Hang on to no job, no income, no health insurance, and eventually no unemployment benefits when they run out.

This is why Ohio needs a new approach to government. A new commitment to the working man. A new commitment to keeping and attracting new manufacturing jobs to Ohio.  A new way of doing things.

It's time to vote Green. It's time to support new leadership for Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Addressing Issues in State Funding of Public Education

When it comes to state funding of public education, the following issues must be addressed:

Phantom Revenue/Chargeoff: All forms of phantom revenue must be eliminated. The local share must be based ona ctual local revenues available.

Pooling: We must reject the pooling of local tax revenues and/or the diverting of locally approved revenues to other entities.

Inflationary Growth: Schools districts must realize real funding growth adequate to address revenue needs without requiring voter approval of new tax levies.

Public/Non public school funding: Ohio's public schools should receive the same per pupil amount as the chartered nonpublic schools in Ohio receive.

I support these issues to fix Ohio's public schools funding issues.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

No More Tax Abatements to Hurt Public Schools

I believe that local boards of education be involved in all discussions and decisions regarding tax abatements. Local Boards should have the authority to enter into negotiations to receive compensation for lost revenues with entities granting abatements and with businesses receiving abatements. Boards should also have veto power, if in their judgement, the abatements adversely impact their district, receive state mandated compensation based on all payroll generated from the abatement, and have standing to institute legal action if a firm has not complied with the terms of the tax abatement.

What State Funding Of Public Education Should Look Like

In terms of  the state funding public education, I believe: · Each student has a fundamental right to a high quality public education. · Phantom revenue must be eliminated. · School funding is a state responsibility. · Educational opportunities must extend from Pre-K through grade 12. · Enforceability of the right of students high quality educational opportunities must be included in the package. · The over-reliance on property tax must be reduced. Property tax relief must be achieved. · The quality of education must not be a function of school district property valuation or district income.

I believe we need to establish a process for determining the components and costs of a high quality education and provides that the state shall pay 100% of the cost for an adequate education for every child and 100% of the cost of the categoricals that enable every school district to provide such an education to every student.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

How to Fix Ohio's Budget Mess

There's only one fair way to fix Ohio's budget mess, although Ted Strickland and John Kasich are both not man enough to do or say it: Raise Revenues.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Candidtae for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, call 330-503-1407

Thank Ted Strickland: Ohio Has 3 Of The Dirtiest Coal Plants in Nation For Mercury Pollution

In a story from the Columbus Dispatch:

Three Ohio power plants are among the top 50 "dirtiest" in the U.S. for the mercury they emit from their smokestacks, according to a report released today.

American Electric Power's Gavin plant along the Ohio River in Gallia County more than doubled its output, emitting 937 pounds of mercury in 2008 compared to 435 pounds it released in 2007.

That was enough to rank Gavin 12 on the Environmental Integrity Project's list.

The Washington D.C.-based advocacy group used pollution data on 467 coal fired power plants that utilities report each year to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's toxic release inventory to compile its rankings. AEP's Conesville plant in Coshocton County, pictured above, was No. 14 on the list with 898 pounds of mercury emitted.

FirstEnergy's Sammis plant, along the Ohio River in Jefferson County ranked No. 44 with 498 pounds of mercury in 2008. Mercury is linked to nerve and kidney damage in children and is linked to brain damage and mental retardation in fetuses.

The U.S. EPA considers coal fired power plants "the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States."

It's one of the most common pollutants found in Ohio's lakes, streams and fish. That's prompted a statewide Ohio EPA advisory that residents should eat no more than one meal of locally caught fish per week.

And Ted Strickland is a "Green" Governor? Thanks to Ted Strickland being in bed with the dirty coal lobbyists Ohio continues to pollute the air and streams of this great state with mercury. And it will only get worse with Ted Strickland as Governor, Ted propses to keep 75% of Ohio's power sources to remain coal fired plants. It's time we elect a Green Party Governor to Ohio to help clean our state's natural resources.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Ohio Governor

Ted Strickland, Nuclear subsidies put taxpayers at risk

What is Ted Strickland Doing To Help Ohio Families?

The latest TV ads for Ted Strickland describe what Ted is doing to help business in Ohio. But what is Ted doing to help families in Ohio?

According to data from the latest Census Report, the percent of Ohioans without health insurance coverage increased and the median household income decreased significantly, the data show. More than 1.6 million Ohioans were without health care coverage last year, while the median household income dropped by 7 percent.

My Vision For A New, Better, Ohio

With unemployment so high, it's time for a Green New Deal to tackle economic and ecological problems at the same time.

We should put Americans back to work with living-wage green jobs: retrofitting homes for energy efficiency, building modern mass transit systems, installing renewable energy technology, and conserving our irreplaceable ecosystems.

As the father of two sons with autism, and since my wife teaches pre-school multihandicapped children, I am well aware of the financial problems facing social services. Funding of social services would be for me a priority in funding, right up their with public education. Neither of these programs can stand anymore budget cutting. By returning Ohio to the Pre-Bob taft tax cuts, we could raise enough revenue to fund both social services and public education at the proper levels.

Why Not Ohio? A State-Owned Bank Like The Bank of North Dakota

The AP ran a story earlier this year on the State Bank of North Dakota....

======================================================

(AP) The Bank of North Dakota - the nation's only state-owned bank - might seem to be a relic.

But now officials in other states are wondering if it is helping North Dakota sail through the national recession.

The Bank of North Dakota serves as an economic development agency and "banker's bank" that lessens the loan risks of private banks and helps them finance larger projects. It offers cheap loans to farmers, students and businesses.

The bank had almost $4 billion in assets and a $2.67 billion loan portfolio at the end of last year, according to its most recent quarterly financial report. It made $58.1 million in profits in 2009, setting a record for the sixth straight year. During the last decade, the bank funneled almost $300 million in profits to North Dakota's treasury.

The bank has the advantage of being the repository for most state funds, which can be used for loans and occasional relief for private banks that need a jolt of cash during sluggish credit markets.

The state earns roughly 0.25 percent less interest than state agencies would get from a commercial institution. The bank also pays no state or federal taxes and has no deposit insurance; North Dakota taxpayers are on the hook for any losses.

=====================================================

Why not a state bank for Ohio? With a state bank like North Dakota's we could fund new businesses and restore our crumbling infrastructure.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Candidate for Governor

We Need A Rebuild Ohio Plan

The problem with the U.S. economy today, as it was during the Great Depression, is the absence of sufficient demand for goods and services. Consumers, struggling with sky-high unemployment and staggering debt loads, are tapped out. The economy cannot be made healthy again, and there is no chance of doing anything substantial about budget deficits, as long as so many millions of people are left with essentially no purchasing power. Jobs are the only real answer.

During the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt explained to the public the difference between wasteful spending and sound government investments. “You cannot borrow your way out of debt,” he said, “but you can invest your way into a sounder future.”

We need to build things again. We need a jobs works program to put Ohioans back to work.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Ted Strickland's Coal Plants Poison Ohioans

Among all industrial sources of air pollution, none poses greater risks to human health and the environment than coal-fired power plants. Emissions from coalfired power plants contribute to global warming, ozone smog, acid rain, regional haze, and–perhaps most consequential of all from a public health standpoint – fine particle pollution. In 2000 and again in 2004, the Clean Air Task Force commissioned comprehensive studies of health impacts caused by fine particle air pollution from the nation's roughly 500 coal-fired power plants. Each study incorporated the latest scientific findings concerning the link between air pollution and public health, as well as up-to-date emissions information. Both found that emissions from the U.S. power sector cause tens of thousands of premature deaths each year and hundreds of thousands of heart attacks, asthma attacks, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and lost workdays.

Ohio is ranked SECOND in the Nation in terms of the number of Ohioans who face premature deaths, emergency rooms visits, and heart attackes due to dirty coal plants.

Ted Strickland never met a dirty coal plant he didn't like. He supported the building of a new coal plant in meigs County. He supports building a dirty coal to fossil fuel plant in Columbiana County. Ted Strickland is supported by dirty coal plant energy companies such as AMP, Duke Energy,First Energy, and others.

It's time to stop Ted Strickland from hurting more Ohioans. It's time we elect a truely Green Governor who will put the health and environment first over PACS and corporations who posion Ohio citizens.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio Needs 21 Century Clean Green Energy, Not Dirty Coal

Ted Strickland want to build more Nuclear plants for Ohio. What does that mean? If the costly new nuclear plants aren't finished, then taxpayers cover the huge financial loss.

If they are built, then we're stuck with power plants that generate overpriced electricity and create deadly radioactive waste that will remain toxic for thousands of years.

Either way, the nuclear industry wins, and we lose.


Nuclear power creates deadly radioactive waste, from the mining process onwards.   It's got a scary history: think Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.

Just recently, a nuclear plant in Vermont was ordered shut down after radioactive tritium, which is linked to cancer, leaked from the plant into local water supplies.

Nuclear power is so financially risky that even Wall Street won't bet on it.  It's a public health and financial disaster waiting to happen.

Instead, our government should promote energy efficiency and a decentralized power system based on safe, clean, renewable energy.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Ohio Governor!

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Why Not Ohio? Because Ted Strickland Has Dropped The Ball When It Comes To Solar Power

The first two paragraph's of  a Sunday's Toledo Blade Investigative reports on Ohio's lack of success in luring solar power to the Buckeye state says it all:

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Where will John Kasich's Tax Cuts Take Ohio? 

David Sirota's description of what's happening to that conservative stronghold of Colorado Springs should serve as a cautionary tale.

Thanks to the city’s rejection of tax increases—and, thus, depleted municipal revenues—The Denver Post reports that “more than a third of the streetlights in Colorado Springs will go dark; the city is dumping firefighting jobs, a vice team, burglary investigators, beat cops; water cutbacks mean most parks will be dead ... recreation centers, indoor and outdoor pools [and] museums will close for good; buses no longer run on evenings and weekends; [and] the city won’t pay for any street paving.”

Meanwhile, even with the Colorado Springs Gazette uncovering tent ghettos of newly homeless residents, the city’s social services are being reduced—all as fat cats aim to punish what remains of a middle class. As just one example, rather than initiating a tax discussion, the CEO of The Springs’ most lavish luxury hotel is pushing city leaders to cut public employee salaries to the $24,000-a-year level he pays his own workforce—a level approaching Colorado’s official poverty line for a family of four.

This is what Reaganites have always meant when they’ve talked of a “shining city on a hill.” They envision a dystopia whose anti-tax fires incinerate social fabric faster than James Dobson can say “family values”—a place like Colorado Springs that is starting to reek of economic death.
Well, maybe it isn't a function of government to provide streetlights, municipal water, parks, swimmingpools, fire department, police protection, and paved roads. Or it won't be, anymore. Someday, we'll have to pave our own roads. Scratch that. We'll be free to pave our own roads and hire our own police, etc.

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John Kasich's tax cuts will Turn Ohio Backwards!

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Ohio's Wind Power Potential Far Greater Than Strickland's 25% Proposal

While Ted Strickland touts his 25% clean energy bill by year 2025 Green Party candidate Dennis Spisak says Ohio could do so much more. According to Ohio wind Working Group, Ohio has the potential to generate 60,000 megawatts of wind energy, TWICE what is needed to power the state. In addition, Ohio is also ranked second in the nation in its capacity to manufacture parts for wind turbines.

But Ted Strickland only believes in 25% clean energy for Ohio because he is bought by the dirty coal and nuke lobbyists in Columbus.

As Green Party candidate for Governor, I would call for 100% potential in wind, solar,biomass, and hydro power as possible.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info: contact 330-503-1407

A Green Party Governor Would Support the OEC

As Governor of Ohio, I would work with the Ohio Environmental Council and put a stop to dumping of construction material into Ohio's groundwater.

From the OEC: 

Waste from construction and demolition sites are routinely dumped into Ohio's landfills. The construction and demolition debris (CDD) industry has long contended that this waste is inert and poses no risk to groundwater or the environment.

Yet last year, Ohio EPA released study results on Ohio's CDD landfills, concluding that liquid waste from CDD landfills "poses a threat to public health and the environment if released to groundwater or surface water." 

New reports released by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) have resulted in a combined effort across the state involving many environmental organizations and Ohio citizens to urge Governor Strickland to issue a moratorium regarding Construction & Demolition Debris (C&DD) landfill facilities.  The moratorium would halt additional construction and expansion of C&DD facilities until the Ohio Revised Code and Administrative Rules can be altered in order to provide protection from the reported dangers of C&DD landfill toxins to underground bodies of water.

Many other states require the same safety regulations for C&DD facilities as for Solid Municipal Waste (SMW) facilities.  Ohio's requirements for C&DD are vastly inferior to SMW requirements resulting in hazard to Ohio's environment and to the health of Ohio's citizens.  The OEPA reports document the need for more protection in Ohio.

=================================================== 

I urge Ted Strickland  to issue a statewide moratorium on dumping construction and demolition waste in Ohio's CDD landfills.Our health, and the health of my community, depend on it!

Ted Strickland won't because he is not a "green Governor", but I will!

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info: contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Let's Make Things In Ohio With Green Jobs

It's time in Ohio for the Governor, business, labor, bipartisan lawmakers and communities work hard to build a clean energy future. It's time we turn away from Ted Strickland's plans for more dirty coal plants and nuke plants for true green renewable energy power.

Throughout this campaign I have spoken to people who want America to "make things again."  By providing the training that will turn 20th century blue-collar jobs into secure 21st century green-collar jobs, we'll not only reduce our dependence on foreign energy, but also reenergize the American manufacturing sector. 

It's time we have an Ohio Governor committed to ensuring that we emerge as the country's and world leader in clean energy technology and jobs.

 As we try and recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create thousands of jobs for Ohioans as we enter a new energy frontier.

It's time for Ohio's to reject Ted Strickland's plans for more dirty coal and nuke plants.

It's time we begin to make things again in Ohio and America. it's time we begin building green energy manufacturing jobs.

It's time we elect a Governor 100 percent committed to green energy and manufacturing.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio? Tell Ted Strickland No Nukes For Duke Energy

As you know, Ohio utilities rely too heavily on dirty and expensive fossil fuels. Ohio's new energy law requires utilities to invest in efficiency and renewables - creating jobs, protecting public health, and cleaning our air.

However, Ted Strickland supports folks like Duke Energy, who wants to be let off the hook for its efficiency responsibilities and has proposed to build an expensive new nuclear plant instead. If Duke gets away with gutting Ohio's new efficiency and renewable standard, other utilities may try to follow suit!

Wind power and energy efficiency are far cheaper, cleaner and safer than building a new nuclear plant. Ted Strickland knows this, but because Duke Energy PACS have put big money into Ted's re-election campaign this fall, Ted will back Duke's plan for more Nukes in Ohio!

Duke Energy should shield customers from rising energy costs through efficiency and by building more renewables - not a nuclear plant. Duke's plans are bad for Ohio's economy and for the environment!

It's time Ohioans tell folks like Ted Strickland and Duke Energy that we want more renewable energy, not more dirty NUKE PLANTS!

Ohio now receives only 1 percent of it's energy from renewable energy sources. The national average is 9 percent. We need more green energy, not more NUKES!!!

It's time for Ohio to elect a true, Green Governor for Ohio. It's time for Ohio to say NO to Ted Strickland and his dirty NUKE PLANS!!!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

How to Strengthen Ohio's Economy
How can we strengthen Ohio's economy? We need a buildup. We need to get back to making stuff, based on real engineering not just financial engineering. We need to launch an E.T.,energy technology, revolution with the same urgency as this bailout. Otherwise, all we will have done is bought ourselves a respite, but not a future. The exciting thing about the energy technology revolution is that it spans the whole economy — from green-collar construction jobs to high-tech solar panel designing jobs. Our No. 1

resource is our people. Let’s put people back to work-

retrofitting and repowering Ohio!

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Governor of Ohio

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info: contact 330-503-1407

Corporate Tax Reform and Eliminating Wasteful Economic Subsidies

In a Progressive States Network Report :

Corporations should also be paying their fair share in taxes.  They benefit from state investments in education, infrastructure, and public safety, but unfortunately, corporations have repeatedly and excessively exploited the tax system.

• Corporate income tax revenue as a share of all taxes has fallen dramatically.  In 1979, the corporate income tax accounted for 10.2 percent of total state tax revenue. In 2005, the figure fell to 6.5 percent. 
• The Iowa Fiscal Partnership reported that approximately half of Iowa corporations with at least $1 million of sales in state pay no corporate income tax. 
• Similarly, the Oklahoma Tax Commission revealed that only 35 percent of corporations filing tax returns in 2000 reported positive taxable income- almost an anomaly considering the economy experienced substantial gains that year.
• The problems are similar at the federal level. A Government Accountability Office report, Comparison of the Reported Tax Liabilities of Foreign- and U.S.-Controlled Corporations, 1998-2005, found almost two-thirds of all corporations reported no tax liability from 1998 to 2005.

Accordingly, there are a variety of corporate taxation policy options legislators can pursue to ensure businesses are contributing adequately to a state.

• Close Tax Loopholes:  Ending some of the egregious corporate tax loopholes that businesses abuse should be a top priority for lawmakers.  States lose billions of dollars each year as a result of these loopholes.  For instance, states should opt out of the "domestic production deduction" tax break that was passed by the federal government in 2004 and subsequently incorporated into the tax code in several states.  Currently, 25 states allow the deduction, which by 2011, will cost states $500 million annually and favors large corporations over small businesses.  States can also eliminate Net Operating Loss "Carryback" Deductions, reform the "cancellation of debt income" (CODI) provision, and reform the tax treatment of S-Corporations and Limited Liability Companies.
• Combined Reporting:  23 states have implemented combined reporting, which requires multi-state corporations to report profits from all entities, including subsidiaries, for tax purposes.  Combined reporting is a key policy to restrict tax avoidance.  The policy makes the tax system fairer, brings in greater revenue, and does not impede economic growth.  In fact, CBPP finds, "combined reporting states are well-represented among the most economically-successful states in the country."

The Film Tax Credit as Case Study of Corporate Giveaways:  Several states are dealing with ineffective expenditures, a notorious recent example being the proliferation of film tax credits.  In 2002, only three states offered incentives to the film industry.  Currently, of the 44 states that offer some type of movie production incentive, 28 provide tax credits.  The Tax Foundation provides a graphic that depicts states with incentives and the year in which they were approved.

Following an explosive scandal involving members of the Department of Economic Development and abuse of the film tax credit, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver ordered a review of credits the state provides.  In early January, Iowa released the Tax Credit Review Report that recommended the state:

• Provide greater transparency of tax credits;
• Develop an effective return on investment calculation for all tax credits;
• Establish a five-year sunset for all tax credits;
• Cap all currently uncapped tax credits;
• And eliminate certain tax credits.

Reports by many other advocacy organizations and government bodies, including the Oregon Center for Public Policy, Connecticut Voices for Children, New Mexico Fiscal Policy Project, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, indicate that offering these tax credits are ineffective and provide little to no economic benefit to a state or its residents.  The Tax Foundation writes that states are greatly overestimating the impact of providing film tax credits and basing decisions "on fanciful estimates of economic activity and tax revenue (leading to) small returns and unnecessary risks with taxpayer dollars."

Other states have taken tangible steps to address these problems:

• Connecticut:  Gov. M. Jodi Rell estimated that a $25 million cap for film tax credits would save the state $70 million in the next two years.
• Massachusetts:  Rep. Steven D'Amico introduced legislation, HB 3854, to limit state spending on incentives for the film industry.
• Michigan:  Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm proposed reducing the 42% refundable tax credit to approximately 37%.
• Wisconsin:  Gov. Jim Doyle offered a plan to completely eliminate the state's 25% film tax credit and replace it with a two-year, $1 million grant program to create permanent film industry jobs
• New Mexico:  Rep. Dennis Kintigh has sponsored HB52 to limit the state's spending on film tax credits.

Discontinue Excessive Corporate Subsidies:  Even as states confront massive gaps, many are still doling out huge subsidies to corporations.  Many times, these subsidies do not produce long-term growth and may even result in lost revenue.  In North Carolina, for instance, a Dell plant closed just a few years after it received a promise of up to $300 million in grants, an amount more than twice the cost of building the plant.  As Good Jobs First explains, states waste money competing for firms to locate within their borders by providing extremely costly and ineffective incentives, rather than on fostering entrepreneurship and new jobs.  The report details:

[T]ax reductions, exemptions or credits exert a very small marginal influence on corporate investment decisions... For the vast majority of companies, tax breaks are windfalls, not determinants, and are therefore wasted.

As government officials look to eliminate wasteful spending, they should also rethink allocating enormous and often inefficient business tax breaks as a better option than cutting programs for their most vulnerable residents.  The public money squandered through tax credits and corporate subsidies demonstrates that blind giveaways are not a sustainable model for economic growth and a more transparent budget process is needed in the future.

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As Governor of Ohio, Corporations will pay their fare share of taxes.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info: contact 330-503-1407

New Revenue is Needed to Invest in Economic Recovery

In a Progressive States Network report :

 As 48 states confront monetary shortfalls this fiscal year, the budget will undoubtedly be the predominant focus of lawmakers.  In fact, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimates that states will face cumulative deficits of approximately $350 billion in 2010 and 2011.  The downturn has also taken an enormous toll on tax revenue.  Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's Economy.com, reports that state and local tax revenues have dropped 9 percent from last year, "the largest decline on record going back to just after World War II."  

During an economic downturn, progressive revenue generation is far preferable to deep cuts, as it allows states to provide funding for essential programs, pump money into the economy, and protect working families in this time of hardship.  A budget that relies too heavily on cuts will not only force layoffs of state employees, but will also cut off funding in the state for crucial services, thereby reducing spending pumping dollars in the private sector. 

Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Nobel prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz confirm:

[T]ax increases on higher-income families are the least damaging mechanism for closing state fiscal deficits in the short run.  Reductions in government spending on goods and services, or reductions in transfer payments to lower-income families, are likely to be more damaging to the economy in the short run than tax increases focused on higher-income families.

As a recent report by the Economic Opportunity Institute denotes, "every dollar of state spending generates $1.41 of economic activity.  Much of that spending - 62%, or 88 cents - boosts the private sector.  Cutting state spending means fewer purchases from suppliers, reduced contracts with service providers, less money from public and private employee paychecks circulating through local businesses - and of course, fewer public services."

Also, spending on programs that assist low and middle-income families is smart economic policy.  By assisting working families, who will more readily spend their funds on basic necessities, the government is boosting short-run demand and fostering market activity.  For instance, Zandi finds that increasing food stamps spending creates $1.73 in demand for each dollar spent by the federal government. 

• 28 states instituted cuts that will limit low-income children's access to health care
• 24 states have slashed services for the elderly and disabled
• 36 states have reduced funding for higher education
• 42 states implemented cuts that affect state employees, including 26 that have hiring freezes, 14 that have announced layoffs and 26 that have decreased wages

If new revenues are not generated, further cuts will continue a cycle of job layoffs by states, lower spending on crucial programs, diminished economic growth, and deep budget cuts.  The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) provides the following chart illustrating the danger of state budget cuts as they ripple through the economy; teachers, nurses and police are laid off, state funds supporting private sector activity are reduced, and individuals receiving state support stop spending in their local communities.

Working and Middle Class Families Have the Highest Tax Burdens On Average:  A common misconception about state and local taxes is the idea that the wealthy have incredibly high tax burdens.  The reality is the richest taxpayers have not been contributing their fair share for years.  When you factor in sales and excise, property, and income taxes, states tax working families far more heavily than richer individuals, according to Who Pays?, a report from ITEP.  As the graph below highlights, the lowest 20 percent of earners pay about 11 percent of their income in state and local taxes while the top 1 percent pay a little over 6 percent of their income to state and local governments.  

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We need to raise revenues in ohio to avoid loss of services. Somebody tell

Ted Strickland that. He cuts programs as bad as a Republican!

Dennis Spisak-Green Party candidate for Governor

Debunking Myths that Taxes Undermine Economic Growth

Public Support for Progressive Taxation & The Failure of the Anti-Tax Movement
 The Progressive States Network reported that byapproving Measures 66 and 67, Oregonians not only expressed their desire to protect services, but became the latest state to reject the hollow manipulations of right-wing anti-tax rhetoric. 

• Just last November, voters in Maine and Washington rejected anti-tax initiatives , including so-called "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" (TABOR) initiatives meant to impose a rigid strait jacket on revenue options for state legislatures.
• In 2008, similar measures were defeated overwhelmingly in Massachusetts, North Dakota and Oregon.  In all three states, proposed initiatives that would have slashed or, in the case of Massachusetts, completely eliminated the income tax, were rejected at the polls.
• In 2006, voters in Maine, Nebraska and Oregon each rejected TABOR ballot initiatives.  This came on top of judges and other officials rejecting TABOR initiatives in Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Missouri due to fraud and manipulation by anti-tax campaigns.
• In 2005, voters in Colorado--the only state ever to approve a TABOR initiative--decided by initiative to significantly weaken the TABOR rules.  This followed years of declining education and health standards due to the state's as a result of the implementation of the TABOR.

State Legislatures Reject Anti-Tax Rhetoric as Well:  The string of failures of the anti-tax movement at the ballot box is paralleled by state legislatures passing revenue increases across the country.  In 2009 alone, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin instituted either a permanent or temporary reform of personal income taxes.  Another 11 states considered or enacted business tax increases to help deal with budget deficits and even more states raised other taxes or fees to address the fiscal crisis in state across the country.

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) notes that out of the 28 attempts by the right-wing to introduce TABOR legislatively, Colorado is the only state that has adopted this disastrous policy.  State lawmakers have watched as Colorado's experience with TABOR has led to an increase in the number of adults and children without health insurance and a severe decline in education funding.

Empty Threats by the Anti-Tax Right:  While right-wing leaders like Grover Norquist and his Americans for Tax Reform like to make threats of punishing legislators who raise taxes, anti-tax forces have largely revealed themselves to be weak paper tigers.  After New Jersey increased taxes on the wealthy in 2004, the Democratic House majority increased to its largest size in three decades the following year, while progressives in Maryland and Minnesota continued to maintain and grow strong legislative majorities in the wake of approving increased taxes on high-income earners in 2008 and 2007.

In 2009, BISC found that "[t]he Grover Norquist, Club for Growth, Glenn Beck, Tea Party crowd tried to use the bleak budget picture as an opportunity to ratchet down even harder as states look to find the revenue necessary to protect priorities, create jobs, and get their economies going-- but voters rejected that failed approach."

Even many conservative politicians have rejected these type of policies.  For instance, Tom Slade, the former head of the Florida Republican party, dismisses Norquist's ideas and finds his anti-tax pledge to be illogical and dangerous.  Slade states, "[y]ou don't know how wide or deep the river's going to get.  Saying I'm never going to use a life boat seemed foolish to me."  After a Republican State Senator from Virginia, Robert Hurt, voted for a $1.4 billion tax increase, Norquist vowed to back a primary challenge against him.  Despite this, the Senator won re-election and is now favored to win the party's nomination for Congress.

Public Opinion Supports Funding Public Investments:  Polling shows that 79% of the public believes "[g]overnment investments in education, infrastructure, and science are necessary to ensure America's long-term economic growth."  Accordingly, during an economic downturn when so many working families are struggling, voters are likely to support policies to raise revenue, strengthen public programs, and provide safeguards to those who have been hurt by the recession.

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As the Green Party candidate for Governor, I say Ohio must return to a progressive tax structure to balance our state budget.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Samsung Signs $6.6 Billion Solar and Wind Power Deal with Ontario, Canada

I read a Green Options report which states the Ontario will be giving the green light to receive 16,000 jobs thanks to their energy legistlation which is allowing a 6.6 billion dollar wind and solar power deal to fall their way:

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 In one of the biggest renewable energy deals in the history of the world, a Korean consortium led by Samsung has agreed to build 2,500 megawatts of wind and solar power capacity in the Canadian province of Ontario.

REPORT:  JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY IN OHIO

Job Opportunities for the Green Economy: A State-by-State Picture of Occupations that Gain from Green Investments is a new report from the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The report examines 12 states and the people employed in occupations affected by six green economic strategies: building retrofitting, mass transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power and cellulosic biofuels. It also looks at what the average wages are in each state for these jobs.  Job Opportunities for the Green Economy makes clear that millions of U.S. workers—across a wide range of occupations, states, and income and skill levels—will benefit from a movement to defeat global warming and transform the United States into a green economy.

Job Opportunities in a Green Economy: Ohio Can Gain from Fighting Global Warming:

Curbing global warming is the work of a generation; specifically, the work of
millions of people, performing the jobs needed to build the green economy.
Clean energy investments will create opportunities for welders, sheet metal
workers, machinists, truck drivers, and others. In Ohio, there are more
than 551,000 jobs in a representative group of job areas that could see job
growth or wage increases by putting global warming solutions to work. And
the benefits of those new jobs would spread to a much wider swath of the
economy.

Clean-Energy Strategies Can Generate Job Growth

A new study by economists at the Political Economy Research Institute of the University
of Massachusetts at Amherst examines the types of jobs that are needed to create a clean-energy economy and pinpoints six specific energy strategies that reduce pollution and can lead to job growth:
Building retrofitting
Mass transit
Energy-efficient automobiles
Wind power
Solar power
Cellulosic biofuels

New jobs will certainly be needed for building a green economy, but the vast majority of jobs associated with these six green strategies are in the same areas of employment that people already work in today, in every region and state of the country. For example, constructing wind farms creates jobs for sheet metal workers, machinists, and truck drivers, among many others. Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings through retrofitting relies, among others, on roofers, insulators, and building inspectors. Expanding mass transit systems employs civil engineers, electricians, and dispatchers. What makes these entirely familiar occupations “green jobs” is that the people working in them are contributing their everyday labors toward building a green economy.

As the  Green Party Candidate for Goveernor of Ohio, I will work to bring these types of jobs back to the state to help our poor, working, and middle class.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Candidate for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party Of Ohio Stands With Working Ohioans

TheGreen Party of Ohio calls for a guaranteed job at a living wage; a single-payer, universal health insurance plan; restoration of workers' rights; an end to corporate abuse of trade; an end to corporate welfare and corporate domination of elections; universal access to quality public education; protection of the environment; an end to bigotry on the job and in society; "NO" to privatization; solidarity with locked-out workers and workers on strike; and other measures designed to provide workers with job security and a decent standard of living.

We stand with Ohio's working men, women, and families, people who the Democrats and Republicans have forgotten over the years.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Time To Clean Up Ohio's Lakes Is Now, Not Two Years From Now

This summer blue-green algae that has turned many of Ohio's lakes into toxic cesspools. The situation is so bad that state officials have issued "no contact" advisories for several lakes across the state - including Grand Lake St. Mary's, the state's largest inland lake. How did things get this way? In large part, because of runoff from the state's factory farms.
The toxic blue-green algae is thriving in part becuase of incredibly lax regulation that dictates when factory farmers can spread manure. Right now, the state allows manure spreading even in the winter when the ground is frozen. Because frozen soil can't absorb the manure, virtually all that waste ends up in Ohio's lakes and streams. Incredibly, the state recognizes this problem but is proposing to let these industrial livestock producers continue to spread manure on snow and frozen ground for two more years.

Ohio's lakes are already toxic. We don't have two years to wait while this problem gets worse. Tell Ted Strickland and the Department of Natural Resources to stop this destructive practice immediately so we can enjoy Ohio's lakes now!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

How To Keep Ohio's Students From Leaving The State

. To keep college graduates from leaving the state, Ohio must become a more attractive state to reside in. We must improve employment opportunities for students while increasing the diversity of new jobs coming into the state as well as creating more blue-green jobs for Ohio. We also need to better fund our public education system, clean up Ohio’s environment, and pass Single-Payer Health Care for All Ohioans so students will want to remain in the buckeye state. By passing statewide universal healthcare, Ohio would be sending the message that we want our young college graduates to stay in Ohio and that we will provide health care for them and their growing future families.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Bring Business Back To Ohio

To attract business to Ohio, the focus must be on innovation as a driver of the economy in seven focus areas: expansion and creation of industry clusters, education and talent, business climate, infrastructure, international business, quality of life and innovation through research and development and commercialization of new products by Ohio companies. We need the state's agencies, together with federal and local governments, to cooperatively develop an effective and comprehensive ``investment strategy'' in urban areas to encourage investment and job creation in our inner cities. We must aggressively promote Ohio’s business assets with a new and fresh marketing strategy to dramatically increase business investment and resources. 

 Our educational system must be improved as knowledge-based, diversified industries need a skilled and educated workforce. The top requirement from potential businesses is education and workforce.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

A Green Progressive Direction For Ohio In 2010

The Green Party of Ohio wants to move the Buckeye State in the following progressive directions in 2010:The economy: Centered on innovation that creates good-paying jobs and provides every Ohioan a fair opportunity to prosper.Health: Every Ohioan should have access to a state-of-the art, affordable health care system.Education: A vibrant, well-funded, and expanding public education system with the highest standards for every child and school. We also support early childhood education.Environment: A clean, healthy, and safe enviroment for ourselves and our children: water you can drink and air you can breathe. Polluters pay for the damage they cause.Energy: We need to make a major investment in renewable energy for the jobs it will create, independence from Middle Eastern oil, improvements in public health, preservation of the environment, and the effort to halt global warming.Equal Rights: We support equal rights in every area involving race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.

Protections: We support keeping and extending protections for consumers, workers, retirees, and investors.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info: contact 330-503-1407

It's Time For New Leadership In Ohio

New Conditions impose new requirements upon government and those who conduct government. The Democrats and Ted Strickland will continue to operate in their fail ways of the past four years if re-elected this November. That is why we need a Green Party Governor and leadership to move Ohio forward.We need a green government that owes to every man an avenue to work, a right to own property, and a right to health care.We must see that purchasing power is well distributed throughout every group in this state. We need to see wages restored and unemployment aided, and farmers brought back to their level of prosperity. We need to create opportunity once more in this great state.We must have government leadership that believes in change and progress. We must have a state government for the benefit of the many, not the benefit of the few.

To do what Ohio's future requires and what the public sector cannot do-or is not doing-effectively, ethically, or not at all. It is the job of the governor to promote, and, if possible, provide protection, greater democracy, more freedom, a cleaner environment, broader prosperity, better health, and the building and maintaining of public infrastructure.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

How a Green Party Governor Would Fix Ohio's Budget Problems.

How a Green Party Governor Would Fix Ohio's Budget Problems.

How would a Green Party Ohio Governor fix Ohio's budget problems?

Green Party Candidate Dennis Spisak would restructure the 2005 tax changes that lowered income taxes for wealthy taxpapers. The Office of Budget and Manaagement says reversing just one year of the income tax cuts would bring in $422 million dollars. To help low-income households,raise the amount households can make before owing an income tax. Implement an Ohio Earned Income Tax Credit system like the Federal EITC. Currently, 24 states and the District of Columbia have this credit in place which would bring low-income familes out of poverty.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party Plan to Fix Education Funding In Ohio

Ted Strickland's model to fund education is confusing and impossible to fund.

What we need is a straight approach to funding education. 

I believe we need to remove education funding from the general revenue fund by creating an education trust fund. This fund would be responsible for funding primary, secondary, and higher education. It would earmark part of the state income tax, sales tax, and the commercial activity tax as it’s funding source.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Where To Make Cuts In The State Budget

The first place I would look to make cuts is in the area of Adult Corrections. Spending on state prisons has been among the fastest growing expenditure in state budgets. The need for around-the-clock supervision increases operating costs in institutional agencies compared with other state agencies. The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has the largest staff of any state agency.

The last place I would look to make cuts is to K-12 public education and health and human services.  These sectors have already been sliced to pieces.

In looking at Medicaid expenditures, though most seniors prefer to receive long-term care in their homes, Ohio’s long-term care delivery system substantially favors care in institutional settings. We must balance our long-term care delivery system to ensure long-term sustainability.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, cotact 330-503-1407

How To Fix Ohio's 8 billion Dollar Budget Shortfall

    The Center for Community Solutions suggests a three part strategy to solving Ohio’s budget crisis

tax increases,
reductions in tax expenditures, and
reductions in programmatic expenditures.

 While the term ‘tax expenditures’ may be unfamiliar, their existence and significance are quite familiar indeed. More generally, and pejoratively, described as ‘loopholes’ or ‘tax breaks,’ they may be defined as a loss of tax revenue attributable to an exemption, deduction, preference, or other exclusion from tax law.

In Ohio, the relative burden of state and local taxes paid by businesses has steadily declined since 1975, from 40 percent to 26 percent in 2010. This trend was reinforced by the business, personal income, and sales tax changes adopted five years ago in H.B. 66, and subsequent modifications enacted during 2009 in H.B. 318. (It is worth noting, too, that these tax changes also shifted a significant portion of taxes paid by individuals and families from the progres- sive income tax to the regressive sales tax.)

While incomes for most Americans have stagnated for three decades, those of Ohioans have generally stagnated at lower levels, reducing the capacity of the middle class in particular to bear additional tax burdens.

The wealthiest fifth of taxpayers have enjoyed soaring incomes for over 20 years. While progressive federal taxes have also made them by far the largest contributors to the overall costs of government, the regressive effects of combined state and local taxes in Ohio take a larger share of middle class incomes than the wealthy.

Business taxes, as a proportion of state tax revenue, have been in steady decline for several decades; the long-range implications in this regard of the 2005 tax overhaul are as yet unclear.
State personal income and business tax changes during the middle of the last decade (The 2005 Tax Reduction Act) have contributed significantly to the structural deficit. (About $2 per year or $4 per per biannual budget).

Returning to the former upper bracket rate of 7.5 percent for those whose incomes have outpaced the vast majority of Ohioans, would affect just over 2 percent of taxpayers, while raising $448 million annually. (This top rate, and all rates, were reduced 17% by the 2005 Tax Reduction Act, and are still scheduled to be reduced 4.1% more.)

The imbalance between business and individual taxes also might be addressed in a revenue package. Currently, the rate on the CAT is set too low to reimburse schools and local governments for the full amount of lost tangible property tax revenue. The resulting drain on the General Revenue Fund during the next biennium is estimated to be $322 to $438 million, far short of even beginning to replace lost revenue from the former corpo- rate franchise tax. Each 1/100 of 1 percent increase in the CAT would annually raise approximately $50 million. An increase of 0.08 percent would yield about $400 million annually, enough to cover the estimated cost of GRF subsidies to schools and local governments for loss of tangible personal property tax revenue, and return ap- proximately $200 million per year to the GRF.

 I will take a realistic approach to balancing Ohio's budget shortfall. Ted Strickland and John Kasich won't.

Why Not Ohio? Colorado Towns Explore Renewable Energy Options

Already, 75 percent of the electricity distributed by the municipal utility department in Aspen comes from renewable sources, mostly wind. The city hopes to push that to 83 percent with installation of a small hydroelectric plant on a local creek.

Could something called a feed-in tariff push Aspen toward its goal of 100 percent renewable energy?

Feed-in tariffs provide generators of small to intermediate amounts of renewable energy fixed prices and long-term guarantees from their utility. The guarantee gives entrepreneurs easier access to financing.

“We are certainly going to look at it intensely to see if it has merit,” says Dave Hornbacher, the city’s deputy director of utilities and renewable energy. “It appears to have the potential to facilitate additional photovoltaic installations,” he added.

In the wonkish world of energy policy, feed-in tariffs occupy a particularly esoteric niche. But speakers at a workshop last week in Boulder said they will be crucial in accelerating the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re not thinking grandly enough, boldly enough,” said Randy Udall, an energy analyst and activist from the Aspen area. Feed-in tariffs, he said, are the only way to achieve the giant steps that are needed.

Jim Woolsey, a former director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, said they would also provide environmental benefits by reducing atmospheric pollution from mercury, nitrous oxide and other toxin byproducts of burning coal.

Woolsey said feed-in tariffs could also make the United States less vulnerable to terrorists by making our energy supplies less centralized. An ordinary squirrel in Ohio was able to put New York as well as other states and parts of Canada into the dark in 2003. He suggested a few people with far more malevolent intentions could do far worse.

The effect of the tariffs would be to substantially change the nature of our electrical supply. That existing system is centralized around large coal-fired plants. But feed-in tariffs would create more diverse and dispersed energy sources.

Why Not Ohio? Why does Governor Strickland not push for Feed-in tariffs?

Is it because we know Ted Strickland is tied too closely to dirty coal and nuke PACS who tell Ted how to supply power to the state?

I am afraid it is so.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green party of Ohio Nominee fior Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ted Strickland Wants To Make Ohio's Air Even Dirtier

Ted Strickland believes in burning for Biomass. Industry groups are pushing hard to get large-scale tree and garbage incineration into a mix as “renewable biomass” energy.  Think that sounds too bad to be true?  Ohio’s renewable energy standards already count trees as “renewable biomass.”  Several Ohio utilities are seeking permits under these regulations to cut and burn millions of tree's for energy. It's time we elect a Green Party governor to keep garbage and trees out of any proposed federal definition of renewable biomass.

Burning biomass is not “carbon neutral” in any time frame that is meaningful to climate change. Our nation’s forests are natural “carbon sinks” and our best defense against the climate crisis. When forests are cut for biomass incinerators, they will not re-store the amount of carbon released for decades,, if at all. Groundbreaking scientific reports issued in June 2010 by the Manomet Center for Conservation Science and Environmental Working Group conclusively show that biomass incineration using forests as fuel will undermine efforts to curb carbon emissions. The destructive impacts on forest  diversity have been documented from Oregon to Massachusetts. Burning garbage and wood for electricity is terribly inefficient; biomass incinerators are about 25% efficient – that is, for every 100 trees burned, only 25 are converted into energy. Finally, available data shows biomass burning smokestacks emit more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than coal, oil and natural gas, and in some cases up to 50% more carbon dioxide than coal, per unit of energy.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info contact 330-503-1407 

Let's Fix Ohio's Economy By Fixing Taxes

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Kids Worse Off Today On Ted Strickland's Watch

A child advocacy organization’s report shows there’s room for improvement in providing for the welfare of Medina County’s children.

Mead Wilkins, director of Medina County Job and Family Services, presented the 2009 Ohio KIDS COUNT statistics to county commissioners a few weeks back. They showed that in many categories area children are economically worse off than they were several years ago.

“What it’s shown is that children are falling through the safety net,” Wilkins said.

The Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, a nonprofit organization, recently released the publication, which contains data regarding children’s welfare in Ohio and for each county. The report compares the most recent data available in four categories — economic security, health, education and safety — to data from 2001.

The numbers showed the economic well-being of Ohio children has declined. More children are living in poverty, receiving food stamps and in public health care programs.

Wilkins said the numbers will be an important tool in showing state lawmakers that funding and legislation is important in protecting children.

What future funding under Ted Strickland? Hasn't the Governor's office already told Ohio agencies to brace for another 10% cut to budgets for the next budget cycle?

Under Ted Strickland's leadership over the past four years, children in Ohio have suffered, because Ted Strickland has dropped the ball with his continued funding cuts and the lack of any plan to turnaround Ohio.

Can we afford another four years of Ted Strickland's agenda for our children? How many more children must fall through the safety net under Ted Strickland's watchful eyes? Yes sir, If we keep Ted in charge, all of Ohio's children may one day get to live in a chicken coop in Duck Run like the Governor.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more information, contact 330-503-1407

Green Collar Jobs Will Make Ohio Stronger

Green collar jobs arewhat's needed in turning Ohio's faltering economy around. John Kasich can talk about his tax cuts plans and Ted Strickland can talk about being from Duck Run, but in the end we will need a Governor who believes and promotes green jobs in the state of Ohio.

Green-collar jobs are good jobs. Like blue-collar jobs, green-collar jobs pay family wages and provide opportunities for advancement along a career track of increasing skills and wages. A job that does something for the planet, and little to nothing for the people or the economy, is not a green-collar job. The green economy cannot be built with solar sweat shops and Wal-Mart wind farms.

Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs requiring more education than high school, but less than a four-year degree -- and are well within reach for lower-skilled and low-income workers as long as they have access to effective training programs and appropriate supports. We must ensure that all green-collar jobs strategies provide opportunities for low-income people to take the first step on a pathway from poverty to economic self-sufficiency.

The green economy demands workers with new skill sets. Some green collar jobs -- say renewable energy technicians -- are brand new. But even more are existing jobs that are being transformed as industries transition to a clean energy economy: computer control operators who can cut steel for wind towers as well as for submarines; or mechanics who can fix an electric engine as well as an internal combustion engine. We need identify the specific skills the green economy demands. Then we need to invest in creating new training programs and retooling existing training programs to meet the demand.

Much of the work we have to do to green our economy involves transforming the places that we live and work and the way we get around. These jobs are difficult or impossible to offshore. For instance, you can't pick up a house, send it to China to have solar panels installed, and have it shipped back. In addition, one of the major sources of manufacturing jobs -- a sector that has been extensively off-shored -- are components parts for wind towers and turbines. Because of their size and related high transportation costs, they are most cost-effectively produced as near as possible to wind-farm sites. Cities and communities should begin thinking now about ways their green strategies can also create local jobs.

Urban and rural America have both been negatively impacted over the past decades by a failure to invest in their growth -- green-collar jobs provide an opportunity to reclaim these areas for the benefit of local residents. From new transit spending and energy audits in inner cities to windmills and biomass in our nation's heartland, green jobs mean a reinvestment in the communities hardest hit in recent decades.

This may be obvious. The "green" in green-collar is about preserving and enhancing environmental quality. Green-collar jobs are in the growing industries that are helping us kick the oil habit, curb greenhouse-gas emissions, eliminate toxins, and protect natural systems.

Green-collar workers are installing solar panels, retrofitting buildings to make them more efficient, constructing transit lines, refining waste oil into biodiesel, erecting wind farms, repairing hybrid cars, building green rooftops, planting trees, and so much more. And they are doing it today. There are already many green-collar jobs in America. But there could be so many more if we focus our economic strategies on growing a green economy.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Fix Ohio's Education Problem Once And For All

The State of Ohio must ensure that its citizens receive appropriate education opportunities in order to eradicate poverty, reduce crime, and assure proper medical care. We call for a comprehensive and holistic approach to insuring the equitable, quality education programs in Ohio. Ohio needs to the educate all of Ohio's children to sustain the well being of the entire state. The Ohio state constitution article 6 says we " will secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state" The Ohio Green Party stands behind this article of the Ohio Constitution.

1. The Ohio Green Party supports equitable funding of all Ohio school districts, and we support the following three goals of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding:
   Goal 1: Develop a comprehensive needs assessment of current facilities.
   Goal 2: Develop standards that clearly define high quality education for Ohioans; establish a "per-pupil funding level" required to meet these standards; create a new system of funding which will assure each district adequate funds to meet these "per-pupil" standards and which will diverge from "excessive reliance on property tax as a funding source."
   Goal 3: Provide immediate relief to districts operating without the funds necessary to meet the new standards, based on need as opposed to the budget-based emergency assistance of the "School Solvency Assistance Program" or further reliance on property taxes.
   
2. Meaningful civic education should be mandatory for Ohio's secondary school curriculum. Students should be involved in programs that teach them the power of democracy and the responsibility of citizenship at an early age. Programs such as student government, peer mediation and peer counseling should be used to address the ever-growing trend of emotional and psychological abuse among students that has shown in recent years to lead to violence. In this way, students should be encouraged to be part of the solution.
   
3. The GPO recognizes that 20% of the adults in Ohio function at the lowest levels of literacy and that only 85% of the adults over 25 have a high school or equivalency diploma and calls for the end of the marginalization of adult literacy programs. We support funding of programs that offer adult literacy education, vocational training, and family literacy as a means to break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

Current Governor Ted Strickland and the Democrats and Republicans have put education funding reform on the backburner. It's time to make funding education a number one priority in Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Got Mercury? Got Smog? Got Soot? Thank Ted Strickland

While some "progressive" blogs are hailing Governor Ted Strickland as the Green Power Governor because of his commiyment to 25% of renewable energy sources powering Ohio by 2025, Ted is still a friend and lover of DIRTY COAL.

Ted Strickland's energy policy thus calls for the remaining 75% of energy needs to come form nuke plants or building bigger and dirtier coal plants. Environment Ohio executive director Erin Bower notes that 87 percent of the state’s electricity comes from burning coal, compared with a national average of 53 percent. Ohio is ranked fourth nationally in its contributions to the country’s carbon dioxide emissions problem, Ohio ranks second nationally in the amount of those emissions coming from coal-fired power plants.Bower has also commented that “The important thing is that the Legislature and our governor really listen to Ohioans across the state who are clamoring for alternatives to being so dependent on fossil fuels, which are putting Ohio at the top of the list for mercury pollution and smog and soot pollution,” she said.

 The facts are Ted Strickland will never move fast enough or massive enough on clean renewable energies. He is powered and manipulated by nuke and coal lobbyists and will continue to be if elected to a second term as Governor.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? No More Coal On Ohio College Campuses

It's time to get dirty coal off of all Ohio college and university campuses.

Ohio needs more Geothermal Systems on Ohio Campuses

 An AP story from last December pointed out that while solar and wind power get most of the headlines, geothermal power is quietly being placed on college campuses where energy costs can take millions of dolalrs each year from the school budgets."

The article points out that 46 colleges and universities across the country are divvying up millions in federal stimulus dollars to advance technology that uses the temperature of the Earth, rather than coal-fired power plants, to heat and cool buildings. So far this year, the Department of Energy has announced $400 million in grants to advance these geothermal projects.

By going to geothermal power, colleges rely less on coal fired plants to heat their campuses. This cuts down on dirty emissions as well as costs to the schools. Thus, colleges switching to geothermal heating can eventually keep tuition costs down as well as clean up their enivronments at the same time. Ohio should become a leader in this type of program and require all college campuses to follow this lead and make Ohio college campuses air friendly while passing the savings on to students through lower tuition rates.

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ted Strickland's Dirty Resume

Ted Strickland likes to telll people he is a "Green Governor." Ted Strickland likes to tell it so much that he must be trying to convince himself that he is a "Green Governor."

Fact is, Ted Strickland has a dirty resume when it comes to cleaning up Ohio's environment. Ted doesn't want to clean up Ohio, but in fact, make Ohio a dirtier state.

Actions, or inactions speak louder than words.Ted Strickland can go to all the energy conferences and talk about how he wants to bring renewable energy to Ohio, but in reality, his actions as Governor show he is in the pockets of Nuke and Coal Lobbyists here in the Buckeye State.

Let's look at Ted Strickland's resume:

 1. He did not oppose the proposed nuke reactor at Piketon.

 2. He did not oppose the AMP Coal Plant in Meigs County,but promoted it.

 3. His energy plan for Ohio calls for more Nukes and "Clean" Coal. Ohio does not need more troublesome nuke plants like Davis-Bessie in the state and is there no such thing as "clean coal."

Ted Strickland has a dirty resume he is hiding from the people of this great state who want a cleaner Ohio. The Governor is just blowing smoke when he says he is a "Green Governor."

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

It's Time For The Health Care For All Ohioans Act

I support the Health Care for All Ohioans Act to improve and better health care for all Ohioans. Ted Strickland supports the President's plan which does nothing more than support the current health insurance companies and their lobbyists.

I support the following Prosperity Agenda Findings on a single payer health plan for Ohio:

A single payer system would remove the private insurance industry which puts profits before the needs of patients. This would accomplish a number of objectives. First, such a system would give people the greatest security and control over their lives. People would have greater security because health care would no longer be tied to employment. People would have access to health care as a birthright. People would have more control over their lives because they would no longer be limited to the approved insurance list of doctors, health providers, hospitals, and treatments but could choose whomever they preferred. The real death panels, insurance industry reviewers who deny health care recommended by doctors, would be put out of business.

Second, an improved single payer system would be good for the American economy. Unlike the bills being considered in Congress, such a system would control costs, allow group negotiation of prices, and provide more predictable health care expenses for consumers, business, and government. A single-payer national health care plan would be a job creator rather than a drag on the economy. A study published this year found that such a system would create 2.8 million jobs, netting 2.2 million new jobs when insurance industry job losses were subtracted. This means hundreds of billions in new economic activity and tax revenues. And, a unified single-payer system would allow for the opportunity to capture hundreds of billions of dollars formerly lost to waste, fraud, and abuse.

When we looked at what Congress and the White House were doing we saw single-payer, the most cost-effective and popular reform among American voters, off the table and not being considered. When President Obama held a White House summit on health care he did not invite any single-payer advocates to attend. After emails, phone calls and faxes the Obama administration invited one single-payer advocate, Dr. Oliver Fein, along with Rep. John Conyers to attend. Neither was allowed to talk at the event, but the insurance industry was the first and last speaker at the summit. From the White House summit the writing was on the wall - this "reform" was going to protect the profits of the private insurance industry. This is what Ted Strickland supports!

Ted Strickland supports the status quo in health care for Ohioans. He supports insurance companies continuing to make huge profits. Why?

Because Ted Strickland takes in huge campaign donations from such PACS as Aetna and Medical Mutual...to the tune of some $28,000 to date.

Now we know who butters Ted Strickland's bread.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

It's Time To Come Clean Ohio:Time To Remove Dirty King Coal Ted Strickland

Ohio ranks almost dead last in the current use of renewable energy across the country.

Ohio is currently only producing 1 percent of it's energy from renewable energy sources, while the national average is at 9 percent.

Ohio that far behind? Yup, because we have a dirty coal governor in the likes of Ted Strickland who refuses to clean up Ohio while at the same time promote more renewable energy.

Ohio needs to come clean.This is a great moment for the state of Ohio to move forward in creating renewable energy jobs, companies, and industry.

If we elect a Green Party Governor of Ohio, no longer will Ohioans have to live with mercury in our air and water from dirty coal plants. We can move forward in building solar, wind turbines, and geothermal plants while showing dirty coal lobbyists the exit doors at the statehouse.

It's time to come clean Ohio. It's time to remove Ted Strickland as Governor.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407 

Could You Run On Ted Strickland's Record?

Ask the average Ohioan on the street this simple question and you are guarenteed a blank stare back from the person whom you've posed the question to:

"What has Ted Strickland done for the state of Ohio?"

Ask the man on the street, Joe Bagofdonuts, that question and you get an immediate "deer in the headlights" reaction and stare. Any maybe one word..."duh?"

Yes, from Columbus to Cleveland to even Duck Run, when average Ohioans are asked that question, not one has been able to come up with a single answer.

What has Ted Strickland done for the state of Ohio?

Fixed Ohio's economy? No. Fixed Ohio's broken financial education system?No. Cleaned up the environment? No. Help bring affordable single-payer health-care to Ohio? No. Help the poor, sick, and aged? No. No. No.

Since Ted Strickland won the Democratic Nomination back in  May, no one has been able to answer that question.

Even Ted Strickland can't answer that question. The only thing we have heard from Ted's mouth since May is that he once lived in a chicken coop in Duck Run.

And unless he turns around Ohio  in terms of committing himself to a Green New Deal, Fixing Public School Funding, Cleanig Up The Enviroment, and Approving Single-Payer Health Care, we might all one day wnd up living in a chicken coop in Duck Run.

Could you run on Ted Strickland's record? I don't think so.

We know Ted Strickland certainly can't, and he proves it everyday.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Feed-In Tariffs Can Spur Green Energy Growth

The feed-in tariff (FIT) has exploded renewable growth every place it has been implemented and a new study from UC Berkeley says it will do the same in California.

A FIT is an above-retail rate ("tariff") paid for renewable energy-generated electricity that producers "feed" into the grid. It was first used in California in the late 1970s and early 1980s but failed at that time due to design flaws and lack of support. Revived in Germany with stunning success in the early 2000s, the FIT concept has subsequently been used successfully, according to Professor Dan Kammen, the lead author of the UC Berkeley study and one of the foremost U.S. renewable energy authorities, in at least fifteen countries. Dozens more are considering implementation.

The proposed California FIT has been carefully designed to drive the growth of projects in the one-to-twenty-megawatt range. This spectrum encompasses both small solar systems driven by the state's "million solar roofs" initiative and utility-scale projects driven by its Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that requires regulated utilities to obtain twenty percent of their power from renewable sources by the end of this year and 33 percent from renewable sources by 2020.

According to the study Economic Benefits of a Comprehensive Feed-In Tariff: An Analysis of the REESA in California, from Kammen and Max Wei of the University of California, Berkeley's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory Energy and Resources Group, a well-designed feed-in tariff like the one used by the newest version of REESA, will bring California $2 billion in additional tax revenues and $50 billion in new investment, add an average of 50,000 new jobs each year for a decade and provide the mega-growth in renewables that California will need to meet its newly mandated standard of 33% renewable electricity by 2020.

Why Not Ohio? Why isn't Ted STrickland pushing for feed-in tariffs? Is it because once again we see that Ted Strickland can not think outside the box when it comes to promoting Green Energy in Ohio? Is it because TEd STrickland is so committed to dirty coal and nuke energy he lacks the drive and passon for feed-in tariffs? I believe so.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Why Not Ohio? Oregon and Others Fill Budget Holes With Tax Increases

Ohio must develop a balanced approach for raising revenues, one that least burdens low-income families and the unemployed.

Government spending-on payroll, contracts, and subsidies-can also be a form of economic stimulus that can ease the impact of the recession. John Kasich is wrong when it comes to budget cuts-deep cuts not only hurt people who need assistance-they can make the recession worse.

Ohio must look to raising revenues, even if it involves tax increases to help fill holes in the budget. 11 states raised income taxes in Fiscal Year 2010, including Oregon, which also raised it's corporate income tax. The nonpartisian Oregon Legistlative Reference Office compared the economic impact of the tax increases with the impact of the expenditure reductions that would have been needed to fill the budget gap. The report concluded in the short run, the state would be better off with a tax increase instead of budget cuts. In the long term, the economic effects of a tax increase depended on how increased revenue was spent. Spending on educationa nd infrastructure were likely to raise productivity and have a positive economic impact.

Why Not Ohio? Why must Ohio continue down the same old re-hashed ideas when it comes to economic stability? Ohio needs to follow the leads of other states and create truely new ways of doing business and raising revenues to rebuild our economy.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For mroe info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio Has A Revenue Problem, Not Spending Problem

Why is Ohio in an 8 billion dollar budget shortfall? Well, Ohio government doesn't have a spending problem, it has a revenue problem. The deep recession and structural problems in the economy have compounded the effect of tax policy decisions.

Receipts to the General Revenue Fund did not grow at all between fiscal year 2006 and 2008. Between fiscal year 2008 and 2009, revenues fell by 12 percent, and are expected to fall another 7 percent in fiscal year 2010.

It's time Ohio begins to look at reversing the tax changes of 2005 that reduced state revenues by 2.4 billion dollars.

It's time Ohio begins to look at increasing taxes which historically have not hindered a strong economic recovery. During the recession of 1983-1989 Ohio's economy gained an average of 118,00 jobs a year. During the recession of 1993 to 1999, Ohio's economy created an average of 108,000 jobs a year. In contrast, the economy has not seen a boost from the tax cuts that have taken place since 2005.

It's time Ohio has a Green Party Governor who will truely work to get Ohio out of a recession.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspissak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

To Fix Ohio's Budget, Tax Loopholes Must Go

Last month, the nonprofit Center for Community Solutions called for a three-pronged approach of cuts, tax increases and eliminating tax breaks to fix the budget.

"Closing any loophole is difficult because each has a particular rationale and specific interest group that will rise to its defense," the Cleveland-based group said. "Often, supporters of these exemptions justify them on the grounds of economic development and job creation. Equally often, the rationales are long on theory and short on measurable evidence."

I am the only candidate for Governor who agrees with the Center and calls for such tax loopholes to be studied and eventually elimintating some tax breaks to fix the budget.

A three-pronged approach is the most logical way to fix Ohio's 8 billion dollar budget shortfall. Ted Strickland and John Kasich will tell you cuts alone can save the budget. Ted Strickland and John Kasich are wrong.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Partry of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contat 330-503-1407

Let's Use A Green Agenda To Turn Ohio Foward

It's time we use a Green Agenda to fix Ohio after 2010. Ted Strickland's Turn Around Ohio plan has failed. John Kasich's plan to will Turn Ohio Backwards. Let's Turn Ohio Forward using a state-wide Green Agenda.

To Fix Ohio's 8 billion dollar budget shortfall, I call for an income tax increase and business tax increase. I believe we should pairs these tax proposals with plans for an audit of the state budget to identify and cut wasteful programs, practices and positions – and ending pork-barrel spending. We must take these actions first before we commit to cutting another 10% in the state budget that would hurt
Human Services and Public Education.

I believe in raising the minimum wage to a “living wage,” making college free for qualified residents and expanding public sector employment with more, higher-paying social service jobs.

I believe in a state-run bank – similar to one created by North Dakota – which would collect all state revenues to invest both surplus funds and private deposits in projects that would benefit the state.

I also want to promote green energy by implementing a “fee and dividend” system, which would collect fees from greenhouse gas producers and nuclear power companies. Part of the proceeds would be used to pay the state’s bills, while the rest would be redistributed to among Ohio residents, with low-income residents receiving the largest shares.

This Green Agenda will help Turn Ohio forward. Ted Strickland and John Kasich's plans won't.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Time For A New Green Deal For Ohio

It's time for a Green New Deal for Ohio.

Here are the eight policies endorsed by the Green New Deal Coalition:

• Create millions of green union jobs through massive public investment in renewable energy, mass transit and conservation;

• Set ambitious, science-based greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and enact a revenue-neutral carbon tax to meet them;

• Establish single-payer “Medicare for all” health care;

• Provide tuition-free public higher education;

• Change trade agreements to improve labor, environmental, consumer, health and safety standards;

• Enact tough limits on credit interest and lending rates, progressive tax reform and strict financial regulation;

• Amend the U.S. Constitution to abolish corporate personhood; and

• Pass sweeping electoral, campaign finance and anti-corruption reforms.

Let's Turn Ohio Green! Let's remove Red and Blue Politicians from Ohio!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ted Strickland:Hurting Human Services In Ohio

Tax cuts under the Ted Strickland administration have reduced the state's revenues by more than $2 billion per year. When combined with revenue losses from the recession, the state cannot meet current obligations to provide basic programs such as mental health, adult and child protective services, and emergency assistance for families in need.

The next budget will be even worse for health and social services if revenues are not increased. Ted Strickland's current budget relies heavily on federal stimulus funds and one-time state funds, creating a budget deficit of $ 6 Billion to $8 Billion by fiscal year 2012.

Ted Strickland has no plan to raise revenues. Ted Strickland continues to talk about making drastic cuts to the state budget if re-elected.

Can Human Services continue to take massive cuts from Ted Strickland's budget cutting knife? I say no.

It's time save Human Services in Ohio. It's time to remove Ted Strickland as Governor.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Get Ohio University Truely Green and White, Not Brown And Black

As the Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor, I support the efforts of the Ohio University Beyond Coal student group and their effort to get Ohio University on the fast track to cleaner energy sources.

As a 1981 graduate of Ohio University. I support Beyond Coal's efforts to create an OU Athens campus that is at least 50 percent carbon neutral by 2025.

The Lausche Power Plant on campus received 31,164 tons of coal which produced around 1.4 million tons of Sulfer Dioxide in 2007. Sulfer Dioxide is dangerous to breathe in and over long periods of time and can be harmful to health and the environment.

Ted Strickland sees nothing wrong with the continued burning of coal in Ohio. In fact, Ted Strickland lobbied for an additional coal plant to be built in Meigs County.

It's time for Ohio students and residents to have a truely Green governor who supports the efforts to reduce coal use in the Buckeye State. We need to improve the health and environment of our state. I will do that.

Ted Strickland won't.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Let's Bring Jobs To Ohio Using Solar Power

Ohio may not be first state that comes to mind when people think about solar power. But solar panels utilize the sunlight that allows us to see, not necessarily the sunlight that makes us hot. Therefore, Ohio’s weather is more than adequate to make solar power viable.

The world’s largest solar markets are in Germany and Japan—neither nearly as sunny as Ohio. Within the U.S., states with the largest amount of solar installations are also not known for their sunny weather. New Jersey has the second-largest amount of solar installations, and New York and Connecticut also rank in the top ten. The primary driver of these solar markets is the policies enacted in these states and countries, not their solar energy potential. 

Why Not Ohio? Solar power has the potential to be a significant part of Ohio’s energy future, and Ohio is already home to more than 115 companies and research institutions involved in the solar energy industry.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry has proven to be a bright spot in the global economy.  For the past 15 years, the industry has experienced annual growth rates of 30 to 40 percent.   Global solar PV installations grew from 125 MW in 1999 to 4,500 MW in 2008, resulting in a compound annual growth rate of 47 percent for the last 10 years.    Looking ahead, most industry observers expect continued 20+% annual growth in the PV markets for many years to come.

Employment sectors that would increase in demand with an investment in solar power include, but are not limited to, the following:

•    Carpenters
•    Materials suppliers including glass, plastic, metal, chemicals, sealants, etc.
•    Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers
•    Electricians
•    HVAC mechanics and installers
•    Inspectors, testers, and sorters
•    Machinists
•    Sheet metal workers
•    Business operations specialists
•    Chemical technicians
•    Civil engineers
•    Computer and IT managers
•    Computer programmers
•    Environmental engineers
•    Mechanical engineers
•    Payroll and timekeeping clerks
•    Purchasing agents
•    Sales representatives
•    Surveyors
•    Training and development specialists
•    Tool and die makers
•    Shipping and receiving clerk

If we have a truely Green Governor who commits to solar power instead of Ted Strickland who is committed to bringing more and more dirty coal power to Ohio, we will bring more jobs to Ohio. We will Move Ohio Forward.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Ontario To Use Wind Power To Boost Manufacturing

A $1.1-billion wind farm development slated for Southwestern Ontario would be the largest of its type in the province and cement the region’s reputation as a wind energy centre.

Next Era Energy, North America’s largest energy company, is proposing to build three wind farm projects in Lambton and Huron counties. Combined, they’d dwarf other farms — adding up to 300 wind turbines to the landscape and generating 490 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 144,000 homes.

The developments would also bring manufacturing jobs, since Next Era will buy either General Electric or Siemens turbines and has made it clear it wants to buy local — pressing the manufacturers to open plants here.

Over the next six years about 1,000 MW of wind power are expected to be added to the power grid each year.

Murray Stewart, president of the Energy Council of Canada, agreed, saying Next Era’s “is a big development and there are a lot more on the horizon.”

He also credited Ontario’s Green Energy Act and its feed-in tariff program — it pays a fixed amount to businesses providing energy to the grid, and the rates for sustainable energy ensure a profit — with spurring development.

“There is no question the FIT makes it easier for suppliers and developers to come here — they get a good, long-term contract and a good market,” he said.

What a difference government can make. In Ontario you have a government pushing Feed-In Tariffs and wind energy, while Ted Strickland pushes dirty coal and nuke power for Ohio. How many new manufacturing jobs are your new dirty coal plants bringing into Ohio, Ted? Zilch, Zero, None.

Ohio is already at the bottom of the list of states currently using renewable energy at producing only 1% of renewable energy. Do we really see this number going any higher with Ted Strickland remaining in office for another 4 years? I don't think so.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not America? Germany Kicks Butt When It Comes To Renewable Energy

Germany installed more solar photovoltaics (PV) in the first quarter of 2010 than the US installed in all of 2009.

30,000 new solar PV systems were installed in the first three months of 2010 for a total of 714.7 MW.

In a draft study, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) reports that only 435 MW of solar PV were installed in the entire US in 2009.

Renewable energy journalist Craig Morris was the first to report the story in English at his blog, Notes from the Otherside.

Germany installed more solar PV in the first month of 2010, about 240 MW, than the state of California installed in all of 2009, 212 MW, according to preliminary data from IREC. Germany has twice the population of California but a much smaller land area.

While attention has focused on Germany's solar PV development, the country continues to install wind and biogas plants as well. In 2009 Germany installed nearly 2,000 MW of new wind generating capacity--roughly equivalent to 1,000 wind turbines--and about 1,000 MW of new biogas plants.

Italy was also expected to surpass the US in total solar PV capacity during the first quarter.

America, Losing the World Cup in Renewable Energy as well. What do you expect from leaders like Preesident Obama and Ted Strickland who are addicted to dirty oil, dirty coal, and nuke power?

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

How Green Is Ted Strickland? Ohio Ranks Near The Bottom In Renewable Energy

Ted Strickland likes to claim that he is the "Green" Governor. Ted Strickland lieks to claim that he is turning Ohio into a renewable energy giant.  Fact is, Ohio is near the bottom of the list of states when it comes to having renewable energy.

The League of Womern Voters May 2010 Ohio Renewable Energy Database states the following:

 Ohio continues to lag other states in renewable energy. Ohio still gets only a bit more than one percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Since the national average is about nine percent, we rank close to the bottom of the states by several criteria.

Thus, Ted Strickland is not as green as he makes himself and Ohio out to be.

Ohio ranks close to the bottom of all states in renewable energy.

And we want Ted Strickland to lead Ohio's green energy crusade for another 4 years.

I think not.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more information, contact 330-503-1407

How To Shore Up Ohio's Budget Problem

To fix Ohio's looming budget problem we must focus on three areas: New Tax Revenue, Reduced Tax Expenditures, and Reduced Programmatic Expenditures.

We must reinstate the upper bracket personal income tax rate of 7.5%, which would generate $900 million dollars.

We must increase the CAT tax by .08%, which would cover the estimated General Revenue Fund subsideries to schools and local governments and raise over $400 million dollars.

We must reduce tax expenditures, which cost Ohio over $ 7 billion dollars a year.

We must also reduce expenditures, which could also save millions over the biennium.

A Green Party Governor can call for these changes. Ted Strickland and John Kasich won't.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Illinois Poised To Be Major U.S. Solar Player

At a former industrial site on Chicago's South Side, more than 32,000 solar panels slowly tilt every few minutes, following the sun as it moves across the sky.

Operated by Exelon Corp. (NYSE:EXC) , the 40 acres of panels in West Pullman is the nation's largest urban solar plant, generating 10 megawatts of clean power and hope for an Illinois industry that has long waited for its moment in the sun.

"We have been frustrated over the years that solar has not become more mainstream," said Kevin Lynch, who trains electricians to install solar panels for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. "We understand it's still a relatively expensive technology, but the cost is much less than it was a few years ago."

Indeed, the biggest obstacle to the growth of solar energy -- its cost -- has started to decline. The price of photovoltaic solar panels dropped more than 40 percent last year due to a glut in global supply, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

The drop in price is driving renewed interest in solar energy, said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

Last month, Illinois lawmakers passed legislation that will double the state's solar power supply each year and create an estimated 5,000 "green" jobs by 2014. Meanwhile, at least three solar developers have plans to build solar projects of 10 to 20 megawatts in Illinois, Learner said.

To be sure, Illinois is not quite the solar-powered mecca of California or Florida. But the potential is there: The sun in Illinois is more intense than in Japan or Germany, the world's two largest solar markets.

"Illinois has the opportunity to be a very significant solar energy leader between the two coasts," Learner said.

Why Not Ohio? Because Ted Strickland still pushes for more and more dirty coal power plants and nuke plants for Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Stop Ted Strickland From Hurting Early Childhood Education

Ted Strickland's funding decreases for early childhood care and education in H.B. 1 has damaged Ohio's early childhood system and decreased access to quality care for all families with young children. The decisions Ted Strickland makes with future budgets will not only affect Ohio's families but Ohio's future as well.

Research show that 85% of a child's brain is developed by age 5, making the first five years of life critical to development, growth, and the foundation for future learning. Yet Ted Strickland's decision to decrease revenues in early childhood education will have negative impacts and more costly impacts when these children reach the K-12 system unprepared to learn. The result will be less academic achievement, higer criminal activity among low-achieving children, and eventually a less-prepared workforce.

Ted Strickland's choice to cut spending on early childhood care and education will only mean larger and more damaging costs to our families, our workforce, and our state budget to come.

Ohio is facing a substantial budget deficit next year. Ohio's revenue structure has been severely damaged by five years of tax cuts, all on Ted Strickland's watch. Ohio's budget can no longer be balanced by cuts alone, increased revenue must be part of the solution.

Ted Strickland won't raise revenues for early childhood care and education.

I will.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

If Ohio Needs Jobs, Ohio Needs To Go Green

Between 1998 and 2007, the growth in green jobs was 9.1 percent, far outpacing growth in all jobs at 3.7 percent. This pace is expected to continue across the country. Green Energy expeditures are more labor-intensive than fossil-fuel based expenditures producing three to four jobs as compared to one job from the same amount expended on fossil fuels.

While there is a need for specialized skills in some green jobs, workers still need the basics. Green skills are an overlay of new skills and knowledge; and learners cannot access the new knowledge without the foundation.

For Ohio to gain jobs, you must have a Governor committed to going 100% green, and not just 25% green by 2025 like Ted Strickland.

You need a Green Governor willing to commit 100% to green economic investments such as building retrofitting, mass transit/freight rail, smart grid, wind pwoer, solar power, and advanced biofuels.

Ohio needs to go green for more jobs in the future.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Green Jobs Are Important For Ohio

 A clean green energy economy generates jobs, businesses and reinvestments while expanding clean energy production, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution, and conserving water and other natural resources.

Can Ted Strickland's dirty coal plants and nuke plants say the same?

A clean green economy is clearly related to the development of new technologies that advance the production and use of clean energy, and conserve the earth's natural resources.

Can Ted Strickland's dirty coal plants and nuke plants say the same?

New Green Jobs in Ohio represent a new demand for labor that results from investments in transitioning our state economy away from carbon-intensive energy, minimizing degradation of our natural resources, and protecting Ohioans from pollution and waste.

Can Ted Strickland's dirty coal plants and nuke plants say the same?

Green Jobs make the enviornment better.

Ted Strickland's dirty coal plants and nuke plants can't.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio Freight Trains Will Create New Jobs

Investments in America’s freight rail system would create thousands of green jobs in Ohio, improve the country’s infrastructure and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, according to a report released by the BlueGreen Alliance and the Economic Policy Institute. Congressman John Boccieri (D – Alliance) and local elected officials joined members of the United Steelworkers (USW), the Ohio Sierra Club, and Growth Options for the 21st Century (Go21) to highlight the significance of this report in Northeast Ohio.

The report shows that the expansion of freight rail in the U.S. can create approximately 7,800 green jobs for every $1 billion of capital invested and serves as a guide for policy makers on sustaining and expanding the domestic freight rail network.  If this is expanded to include re-spending by freight rail and supporting industry employees, between 12,300 and 26,600 American jobs would be created or sustained per $1 billion invested.

It's time we reinvest in improving freight rail lines across the buckeye state.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ted Strickland: Afraid To Lead, Afraid To Raise Revenues

Ted Strickland refuses to stand up and be a leader. Ted Strickland refuses to see the handwriting on the wall and come to the logical conclusion that increases in state tax rates are needed for the future prosperity of the state.

Business tax cuts as well as personal income tax cuts over the past five years on Strickland's watch have lead to Ohio being unable to pay for basic services even with his very tight, massive cuts, and low-growth budgets over the last four years.

If Ted Strickland won't lead this state then I will. I call for restoring the top income-tax rate on taxpayers who make over $200,000 per year.

In terms of business taxes, I believe in raising the CAT tax to a level that more fairly spreads the tax burdens between workers and businesses.

We can no longer afford to have a Governor who refuses to take fiscally responsible steps. Ohio continues to head towards more economic doom and downward revisions in state revenues.

We need a realistic leader to be Governor. We don't need a Chicken from Duck Run.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Our transportation policy encourages the growth of mass transit and alternatives to cars and trucks. We call for major public investment in mass transportation, so that such systems are cheap or free to the public and are safe, accessible, and easily understandable to first-time users. We embrace the “complete streets” concept that calls for streets to be redesigned to better and more safely accommodate all users including cyclists, pedestrians, children, and the elderly.

Green Solutions

MORE SAFE SPACE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS

1. Make streets, neighborhoods and commercial districts more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists.

2. Increase the amount appropriate (native/drought tolerant/etc.) greenery in street design.

3. Utilize traffic-calming methods, where the design of streets promotes safer speeds and safer interaction with pedestrians. Create auto-free zones in urban cores.

4. Develop extensive networks of bikeways, bicycle lanes and paths. Include bike racks on all public transit.

5. Maintain free community bicycle fleets, and provide necessary support for cyclists.

6. Develop affordable mass transit systems that are more economical to use than private vehicles.

MASS TRANSPORTATION

6. Encourage employer subsidies of transit commuter tickets for employees, funded by government congestion management grants.

7. Use existing auto infrastructure for transit expansion where possible. Light rail should be established in expressway medians through metropolitan high-density corridors.

8. Expand our state's network of rail lines, including high-speed regional passenger service.

9. Build rail lines for the exclusive use of passenger trains.

REDUCE ENERGY-INTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION

10. Place a moratorium on highway widening then use the money for mass transit and facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists.

11. Mandate HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes on freeways, and lower toll fees for carpools.

12. Discourage unnecessary auto use by eliminating free parking in non-residential areas well served by mass transit, and establish preferential parking rates for HOV.

13. Develop and market the conversion of existing, used cars and trucks to electric vehicles, so that such conversions are cheaper than purchasing new vehicles.

14. Support government procurement of high efficiency motor vehicles.

15. Encourage carpooling programs, telecommuting, and other creative solutions to reduce commuter traffic congestion. We advocate fair buy-backs of the most polluting and least efficient vehicles to remove them from the road.

16. We call for incentives to get long-distance truck hauling off of our highways and on to railways. Governments on all levels must take the initiative in eliminating administrative and logistical obstacles to efficient rail freight transportation.

17. Make airports accessible by local transit systems.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://wwww.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party And 10 Key Values For A Better Ohio

1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY

Everyone deserves to influence the government decisions that affect their lives. We believe decision making is best done at the individual, local and regional levels. We work to increase public participation and transparency at all levels of government, and to ensure that our public officials are fully accountable.

2. SOCIAL JUSTICE

The heart of social justice is the equitable distribution of social and natural resources, both locally and globally, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to develop their innate gifts and talents, and to enjoy the pleasures of life on earth. Greens believe in equal rights for citizens, regardless of gender, race, age, religion, class, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, wealth or health.

3. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM

Our human community is a part of nature, not separate from it. We must learn to live within the natural limits of our planet, to protect animal and plant life, and the conditions that nourish it. We support a sustainable society that uses natural resources with wisdom, thrift, and with future generations in mind.

4. NON-VIOLENCE

We endorse non-violence, and work towards lasting personal, community and global peace. We support demilitarization, disarmament and elimination of all weapons of mass destruction. Security does not derive from military strength but from justice, cooperation, negotiation, mutual respect, sound economic and social development, and environmental conservation. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree. However, we recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations.

5. DECENTRALIZATION

Greens seek to reverse the increasing concentration of wealth and power, both economic and political. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual, local and regional levels, while assuring that fundamental rights are protected for all citizens. Power should be centralized only as a last resort. We believe in local self-reliance, buying local, eating local, and strengthening local communities.

6. COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS

Greens aim to build vibrant local economies that maintain balance with nature. A Green economy supplies meaningful work with dignity, while paying a living wage that reflects one’s true contribution. We want to reduce the rights and powers of large corporations, and to expand the rights and powers of individuals in our economy, including the right to basic economic security.

7. FEMINISM

We want more women leaders in every area of life. We advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and equal opportunities for women and everyone else. We honor the ability of women and the Earth to regenerate life. A woman’s right to control her own body shall not be infringed.

8. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

We celebrate cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and strive to build peace and understanding between disparate groups. We believe that the diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and governments, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally kept out of it. We depend on the diversity of the natural world and we must protect it.

9. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

We must change our values and lifestyles to make them consonant with peace, justice and preserving life on our planet. We should act with the well-being of others in mind, including other peoples, nations, species and future generations. We should not pursue our well-being to the detriment of others. Greens believe in the power of setting a good example.

10. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Earth’s resources are finite. We cannot long live beyond the carrying capacity of the earth. So we must build a sustainable society that guarantees our long-term future, and that of other species with whom we share this planet. Where knowledge is limited, we follow the precautionary principle for safety, and to secure the continued abundance of the resources of the planet for present and future generations. Our actions must be motivated by sustainability and quality of life, not short-term profits and perpetual economic growth.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party and Fair Taxes For Ohio

Most working Americans pay too much in taxes compared to corporations, multi-millionaires and billionaires.

Our current tax system is outrageously unjust. It is riddled with loopholes, subsidies and dodges for corporations and the super-rich. Many of our biggest and most profitable corporations pay little or no tax. Much investment income is taxed at less than the rate workers pay.

We can afford to cut taxes for most Americans if we make corporations and the super-rich pay their fair share.

Our tax system is far too complex. Greens want a simpler, fairer tax code.

Political democracy remains a distant promise without economic democracy. A principal instrument for achieving economic democracy is our tax system. Taxes are the means whereby we fund our public services. They can also help create equity, justice, health and sustainability.

Progressive taxation, shifting tax from individuals to corporations, taxing bads not goods, taxing unearned income at same rate as earned income, taxing speculation on Wall Street, and cutting corporate tax giveaways are the best ways to use the tax system to bring about a better America.

Green Solutions

Cut taxes for hard-working Americans

1. People earning less than $25,000 per year, and families earning less than $50,000 per year (adjusted for inflation), should be exempt from income tax. Federal and state income taxes must be strongly progressive.

2. Exempt food, clothing, prescription medications, and other necessities and second-hand goods from sales taxes.

Fair taxes for corporations and wealthy Americans

1. End corporate welfare, such as the bailouts for Wall Street, the big banks and the automobile industry; subsidies for agribusiness, Export-Import Bank loan guarantees; tax abatements for big box stores; the tax loophole for “carried interest” from private equity and hedge fund managers; tax deductibility for advertising and business entertainment expenses; offshore tax avoidance schemes; giveaways for new sports stadiums and casinos.

2. Impose a financial transaction tax on trades of stocks, bonds, currency, derivatives, and other financial instruments.

3. Block financial transactions with tax havens, to stop tax evasion.

4. Enact a wealth tax of 0.5% per year on assets over $5 million.

Eco-taxes to help save the planet

1. Establish a system of carbon taxes on all fossil fuels, to begin to reflect the real environmental cost of their extraction and use. Carbon taxes should be applied as far upstream as possible, preferably when possession of the carbon-bearing fuel passes from extraction (for example, coal mine; oil wellhead or tanker; gas wellhead) to the next entity in the supply chain (for example, coal shipper or utility; oil refiner or importer; natural gas pipeline). Offset potential regressivity for lower income individuals via the Green Tax shift that lowers income taxes and/or other approaches.

2. Eliminate tax subsidies for the oil, gas, nuclear and timber and mining industries.

3. Enact a Green Tax Shift that shifts from taxing people and work (via income and payroll taxes) to taxing natural resource extraction, use, waste and pollution.

4. Enact a system of Community Ground Rent/Land Value Taxation that distinguishes between the socially and privately created wealth of land, by increasing the taxes on the former to retain for society the value that it collectively creates and lowers them on the latter to reward individuals for their initiative and work.

5. To ensure that prices reflect their true environmental cost, enact a system of True Cost Pricing (TCP) for goods and services. TCP is an accounting and pricing system that includes all costs in the price of a product. TCP charges extractive and productive industries for the immediate or prolonged damage (pollution of air and water) and diminishment of natural resources caused by their acts.

6. Impose a carbon fee on goods imported from nations with lower carbon taxes than in the U.S., based upon the carbon spent in manufacturing and transporting them to the U.S.

Taxes for a better, healthier America

1. Simplify the tax code.

2. Eliminate tax incentives to ship jobs overseas.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Cleaner Transportation Provides For New Jobs

Last week,two reports documented the job creation potential of increased U.S. investments in public transit. The Apollo Alliance has long promoted public transit as a key component of our clean energy agenda, because of its effectiveness in reducing transportation-related oil use and greenhouse gas emissions. Public transit is especially important this year, because the national transportation bill has expired and will need to be re-authorized in the near future. The transportation bill presents a unique opportunity to reexamine U.S. transportation policy with an eye toward the twin goals of cleaner transportation and good jobs.

The first report, which was prepared by the Duke University Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness (CGGC) for the Apollo Alliance, focused exclusively on rail transit, which is expected to undergo considerable growth in the coming years, as Amtrak upgrades its railcars and adds high-speed trains, and as lawmakers consider a transportation bill that calls for significantly greater investments in public transit, including rail. It looked at the manufacture of U.S. rail vehicles and their component parts and found that the U.S. rail supply chain includes 247 manufacturing facilities in 35 states.

"Our research found that while there is already a healthy chain of U.S.-based manufacturing locations that produce components and systems for rail cars, the sector still has plenty of room to grow if the next federal transportation bill prioritizes public transit and rail investments," said Marcy Lowe, a senior research analyst at the CGGC and the report's lead author.

The states with the most manufacturing facilities-New York (32 rail manufacturing facilities), Pennsylvania (26), Illinois (23), California (22) and Ohio (13)-would reap major benefits from such a bill. "These states have a real chance to be at the center of America's 21st century rail manufacturing industry," said Phil Angelides, chairman of the Apollo Alliance. "Our nation needs a new transportation policy that invests in expanded public transit and more energy-efficient transportation, including rail. Done right, these investments could mean a windfall of rail manufacturing jobs across the country."

The other public transit report that was released last week backed up the Duke study's finding that increased public transit investments will create more U.S. manufacturing jobs. In a report called The Job Impact of Transportation Reauthorization, the Economic Policy Institute looked at the job creation potential of two different transportation bills funded at the level of $500 billion-one with the current mix of transportation investments and one that invests more heavily in repair and maintenance, public transportation and livable communities. EPI found that the public-transit friendly bill, which is based on a proposal put forward by Transportation for America, would yield 400,000 more jobs over the six-year life of the law, for a total of more than 7.2 million jobs. 761,000 of those jobs would be in manufacturing.

The analysis also found that the Transportation for America investment strategy would especially benefit those hardest hit by the recession, including low-wage workers and Americans without a college degree. Approximately 80 percent of the new jobs created would be filled by Americans without a four-year degree. The proposal also would create jobs at a higher level of unionization (15 percent) than the overall economy (12 percent).

"This study shows why America needs a new direction in our transportation policy," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "Cleaner and smarter transportation investments will create millions of good-paying, quality jobs and put our nation on a path to a lasting economic recovery."

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party and Building Local Economies

Greens support reforms that give communities more control over their own local economies.

Greens believe in decentralization, and call for for a community-based economics whose aim is local prosperity and self-sufficiency.

We support local production, local manufacturing, local sales, local recycling wherever and whenever possible. We believe in face-to-face relationships with local business owners and shopkeepers.

Successful local Green communities nurture everyone of all ages, generate good jobs and housing, and provide public services; creating cities and towns that educate everyone, encourage recreation, and preserve natural and cultural resources; building local governments that protect people from environmental hazards and crime; and motivating citizens to participate in making decisions.

GREEN SOLUTIONS

1. Protect local businesses from the predatory practices of chain and “big box” stores.

2. Support incentives for cooperative enterprises, such as consumer co-ops, workers’ cooperatives, credit unions, incubators, micro-loan funds, and other institutions that help communities develop economic projects.

3. Allow municipalities to approve or disapprove large economic projects case-by-case based on environmental impacts, local ownership, community reinvestment, wage levels, and working conditions.

4. Allow communities to set environmental, consumer, human rights, labor, health and safety standards higher than federal or state minimums.

5. Invest in the commons.

6. Support local living wage laws.

7. Establish local currencies such as Time Dollars, Ithaca Hours and BerkShares, to strengthen local economies and meet local needs more effectively and efficiently.

8. Enact place of origin labeling requirements, to allow consumers to choose food grown near their home.

9. Enact corporate good character laws, requiring corporations to disclose all violations of law they have committed when applying for a permit. Empower officials to deny permits based on lawlessness or repeat violations of law.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Bring Green Jobs To Ohio Now...Not Later

Greens want to help millions of Americans obtain a green-collar job that pays a living wage while helping to build a brighter environmental future.

5 million Green jobs will help us stabilize our national economic crisis and the global climate. Green jobs can conserve energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Green jobs are union jobs and created in communities that really need them. Green jobs nourish our communities because they can’t be outsourced overseas cheaply. Green jobs grow local businesses and foster community development.

GREEN SOLUTIONS

1. Support massive public investment to create 5 million green jobs in fields such as energy conservation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green building and the construction of mass transportation.

2. Create an inclusive program to train workers for the new, clean energy economy.

3. Prioritize the creation of green jobs in communities of color and low income communities.

3. Support union organizing at all workplaces.

4. Adopt a reduced-hour 35 hour work week as a standard.

5. Establish more federally funded programs for Green jobs development and skills training.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http;//www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party And Improving Ohio's Agriculture

Greens support a shift towards organic farming, and ending the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Our current food system is dominated by agribusiness and unsustainable practices that threaten our health, food security, degrade the environment, destroy communities, and squeeze out family farmers. Our so-called cheap food comes at the expense of the exploitation of our farmers and farmworkers along with the oppression of developing countries, inhumane treatment of animals, pollution of air and water, and degradation of our land.

There must be a paradigm shift and a reorganization of our agricultural system with a sense of real sustainability, where culture and ecology redefine the economics and where we create new opportunities by granting local access to safe and nutritious food, as well as farming methods that do not degrade the quality of water, soil, and air.

Green Solutions

Expanding organic farming

1. Establish the highest organic standards and reject the routine use of hormones and antibiotics in animal feed.

2. Shift price supports and government subsidies to organic food products so that they will be competitive with chemically-produced food.

3. Phase out man-made pesticides and artificial fertilizers, as well as a ban on sewage sludge and hazardous wastes as fertilizers. We promote locally or regionally produced, organic composting systems.

4. Educate farmers about best practices and support their transition to organic farming.

Safe, local and organic food for all

1. Localize our food system and decentralize agriculture lands, production, and distribution. We support the creation of land trusts for much of our farmland and encourage public support for producer and consumer cooperatives, community kitchens, Community Supported Agriculture, urban agriculture, and community farms and gardens.

2. In the interests of ecological sustainability, public health, non-violence and alleviating hunger, we promote the initiation of public education to encourage people to reduce their consumption of animal foods, including information on healthy vegetarian diets.

Democratic oversight and consumer power

1. Phase out all public subsidies to large agribusiness conglomerates and redirect the subsidies to small and medium-sized farms that promote local organic production and sustainable agricultural practices.

2. Ensure that food prices reflect the true cost of food production, including the health effects of eating processed foods, antibiotic resistance, pesticide effects on growers and consumers, soil erosion, water pollution, pesticide drift, air pollution and the vast inefficiency and ecological footprint involved in the production of animal foods.

3. Require mandatory, full-disclosure of food and fiber labeling, including products stamped “inspected” by the USDA. Consumers have the right to know the contents of their food and fiber, how they were produced, and where they originated. Labels should address the presence of GMOs, use of irradiation, pesticide application (in production, transport, storage, and retail), and the country of origin.

Biodiversity and the Environment

1. Promote the restoration of formerly traditional food crops, as well as innovative farm production methods, such as permaculture, polyculture and terra preta.

2. Enact a moratorium on irradiated food and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) until safety can be conclusively demonstrated by independent (non-corporate funded), long-term tests for food safety, genetic drift, resistance, soil health, effects on non-target organisms, and cumulative interactions. We support the growing international demand to eliminate patent rights for genetic material, lifeforms, gene-splicing techniques, and biochemicals derived from them.

3. According to the United Nations’ Livestock’s Long Shadow report, the livestock sector is one of the most significant contributors to our most serious environmental problems, including global warming, land degradation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Thus, we support a rapid phase out of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) not only because of their adverse impact on the environment, but also on food safety (e.g. disease epidemics), public health, and animal protection.

4. We support the elimination of public subsidies to finance livestock grazing permits on public lands.

5. Promote the widespread growth and use of hemp for industrial purposes. Properly grown, hemp has virtually no psychoactive effects when consumed. With a relatively short growth cycle, hemp is an efficient and economically sustainable crop. Hemp seeds are extremely nutritious, one of the best vegetable proteins and hemp fiber has a wide range of uses including paper, wood alternatives, and textiles.

Denis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party and Cleaning Up Ohio's Environment

THE GREEN PARTY SOLUTION

The obvious answer to fossil fuel depletion and climate change is to simply substitute alternative energy sources for oil, natural gas, and coal.

However, this solution quickly bogs down on two fronts. First, there are no alternative energy sources (renewable or otherwise) capable of supplying energy as cheaply and in such abundance as fossil fuels currently yield in the time that we need them to come online. Second, we have designed and built the infrastructure of our transport, electricity, and food systems – as well as our national building stock – to suit the unique characteristics of oil, natural gas, and coal. Changing to different energy sources will require the redesign of many aspects of those systems.

The energy transition cannot be accomplished with a minor retrofit of existing energy infrastructure. Just as the fossil fuel economy of today systemically and comprehensively differs from the agrarian economy of 1800, the post-fossil fuel economy of 2050 will profoundly differ from all that we are familiar with now. This difference will be reflected in urban design and land use patterns, food systems, manufacturing and distribution networks, the job market, transportation systems, health care, tourism, and more.

It could be argued that these changes will occur in some fashion whether we plan for them or not, that it is only necessary to wait for the market price of fossil fuels to reflect scarcity, with higher costs forcing society to adapt. However, lack of government planning will result in a transition that is chaotic, painful, destructive, and possibly (if the worst climate forecasts are realized), unsurvivable. A passive approach to the fossil fuel depletion problem would lead to social, economic, and political costs of unprecedented scope. Bold action is required.

We need to reduce our overall energy consumption, and restructure our economy to run primarily on renewable energy – and the federal government must lead the way.

The Green Party calls on the United States to take the following actions, including Requirements for Energy Transition.

1. Move decisively to an energy system based on wind, solar and geo- thermal power.

The development of earth-gentle, alternative energy sources must be a cornerstone of any plan to reduce our national reliance on conventional fossil fuels and build a sustainable future. Many alternatives being pushed by policy-makers currently – including nuclear power, coal, industrial-scale biofuels, and low-grade fossil fuels such as oil shale and tar sands – suffer from serious drawbacks, including low energy profit ratios, high environmental impacts, or a limited resource base.

Greens advocate renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and advanced geothermal as the long-term solution to the nation’s and the world’s energy problems. However, further research is needed into new energy storage technologies, as well as new photovoltaic materials and processes, and new geothermal and tidal power technologies. While much of this could be accomplished by the private sector, the economic crisis is likely to delay or undercut needed funding, increasing the need for government support.

2. Electrify the transportation system

America’s existing investment in highways, airports, cars, buses, trucks, and aircraft is enormous. This system is almost completely dependent on oil, and it will be significantly handicapped by higher fuel prices, and devastated by actual fuel shortages. The electrification of road-based vehicles will help; however, this strategy will require at least two decades to fully deploy. Meanwhile, road repair and tire manufacturing will continue to depend upon petroleum products, unless alternative materials can be found.

Even if it is electrified, a ground transport system consisting of trucks and private automobiles is inherently energy intensive compared to public transit alternatives and non-motorized alternatives. The building and widening of highways must therefore come to a halt, and the bulk of federal transportation funding must be transferred to support electrified and non-motorized infrastructure and services. Meanwhile, the existing fleet of private automobiles must be put to use more efficiently through carpooling, car-sharing, and ride-sharing networks.

3. Begin the phase-out of nuclear and coal power plants.

All of the processes associated with nuclear power are dangerous, from the mining of uranium to the transportation and disposal of the radioactive waste. Radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants will remain toxic to humans for more than 100,000 years, and there is no way to store this waste safely.

The plain fact is, there are no technological quick fixes that can effectively isolate nuclear waste from the biosphere for the durations of its hazardous life. Therefore, rather than producing more of this waste, it is essential that the generation of nuclear wastes be halted. The enormous and long-lasting health and environmental dangers alone make nuclear power unfeasible. Cost in dollars is another huge factor, with each new nuclear power plant expected to cost at least nine billion dollars.

Rather than building more nuclear power plants, the Green Party of the United States calls for a moratorium on new nuclear power plants, the early retirement of nuclear power reactors, and the phase-out of technologies that use or produce nuclear waste, such as nuclear waste incinerators, food irradiators, and all commercial and military uses of depleted uranium.

Coal is particularly damaging to the environment. In the absence of commercially viable “clean coal” carbon capture and sequestration technology, coal is not environmentally sustainable.

4. Plan for decentralized, bio-regional electricity generation and distribution.

Regional utility companies are already beginning to invest in renewables and “smart grid” upgrades, but the work is going much too slowly to avert looming power supply problems. Moreover, the credit crunch will likely slow the work that is currently under way.

Therefore the federal government must step in to set goals and standards and to provide public investment capital. This effort must not favor commercial utilities over municipal power districts; indeed, the devolution of control over power systems to the community level should be encouraged, as decentralized power systems are likely to be more resilient in the face of now-inevitable power disruptions.

Keeping electricity production close to areas of greatest consumption demand will cut down on losses due to transportation, assure citizens greater control of their power grids, and prevent the massive ecological and social destruction that accompanies production of electricity in distant, mega-scale projects.

Dennis S. Spisak=Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Put an End to Ted Strickland's Dirty Coal And Nuke Plants

U.S. dependence on and overuse of dirty and dangerous energy sources has generated an unparalleled assault on the global environment and human rights in many nations. In the U.S., low income communities and communities of color bear the greatest burden of health impacts due to exposure to emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants. Native American communities have been devastated by uranium mining, and the poor of Appalachia witness helplessly as their ancient mountains are destroyed for a few years’ worth of coal-fired electricity.

The regional and global peaks in supply of oil, gas, coal and uranium production are driving up costs of conventional fuels, threatening continued wars and social chaos. To avert this we must move beyond the dirty and dangerous energy sources immediately and invest in only the cleanest, most sustainable energy strategies. We can and must strengthen our conservation and energy efficiency standards. Of highest importance is to use less, then to use wisely, and to have clean production of what is used.

GREEN SOLUTIONS

CLEAN RENEWABLES

1. Support public subsidies for clean renewable energy technologies – technologies that do not create pollution in the course of generating electricity. These can include wind, solar (including solar thermal and concentrating solar), ocean power, geothermal, and small-scale hydro. Since even clean renewable energy can have negative environmental impacts, care must be taken to minimize such impacts. Clean renewable energy does not include nuclear power, any sort of combustion or process in which by-products are ultimately combusted, or hydroelectric dams that block entire rivers.

2. Federal commitment to the mass-production of cheap, non-toxic solar photovoltaic technology to enable widespread deployment of solar power. To make solar more cost-competitive, we support large-scale government purchases of solar cells for installation on government facilities.

3. We support efforts of individuals and institutions to voluntarily purchase wind and solar power products through tradable renewable energy certificates. However, there are limits to the volunteer, market-based approach to promoting clean energy. Just as we cannot expect that individual purchases of organic food will cause all food production to become organic, we cannot expect that voluntary approaches will be sufficient to fully replace current energy supplies with clean energy. We support net-metering to make decentralized energy production economically viable.

4. We support further research to identify more safe, clean renewables and safe energy storage strategies.

END THE USE OF DIRTY AND DANGEROUS ENERGY SOURCES

1. Oppose further coal, oil and gas drilling or exploration.

2. Ban the construction of hydroelectric dams.

3. Ban mountaintop removal mining.

4. Stop the development of fuels produced with polluting, energy-intensive processes or from unsustainable or toxic feedstocks, such as genetically-engineered crops, coal and waste streams contaminated with persistent toxics.

5. Support small and community-scale renewable and biofuels fuel production operations or programs that recover otherwise wasted biomass or utilize clean primary energy sources such as wind and solar.

NO NUCLEAR POWER

1. Ban any new construction of nuclear fission power plants

2. Decommission all existing U.S. nuclear power plants expeditiously

3. Phase out technologies that use or produce nuclear waste, including non-commercial nuclear reactors, reprocessing facilities, nuclear waste incinerators, food irradiators, and all commercial and military uses of depleted uranium.

4. Ban plutonium (MOX) fuel, nuclear fuel reprocessing, uranium enrichment, and the manufacturing of new plutonium pits for a new generation of nuclear weapons.

5. No public subsidies or bailouts for the nuclear power industry.

CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY

1. Create extensive energy conservation efforts, with a goal of reducing energy consumption by 50% by 2030. (Review amount and time goal)

2. Decentralize electric grids.

3. Authorize tax-exempt bonds to finance public ownership of utilities and to allow publicly owned utilities to finance conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy projects.

4. Enact smart energy utility regulation for generation, transmission and distribution, not deregulation.

5. Support building codes for new construction that incorporate the best available energy conservation designs. For existing homes and buildings, we support programs to aid in their weatherization and increased energy efficiency.

6. Support research into advanced fuels when the purpose of the research is to develop a fuel that in its full cycle does not create more problems than it solves.

PUBLIC CONTROL AND TRANSPARENCY

1. Support municipal, county-level, and state efforts to regain control over electricity by establishing democratic, public utility systems, to locally coordinate supply and demand and to eliminate energy trading.

2. Provide ratepayers deserve full disclosure of the specific electric generating facilities used to produce their electricity.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party Wants Universal Health Care Now-Ted Strickland Wants to Keep The Status Quo

Greens support single-payer universal health care and preventive care for all.

Greens believe that a universal, comprehensive, national single-payer health insurance program is the only solution that will control costs, provide high quality care, and cover everyone. We believe that health care is a right, not a privilege.

Our current health care system kills tens of thousands of people each year by excluding them from care, while its exorbitant cost is crippling our economy. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without a national health care system.

Under a universal national single-payer health care system, the administrative waste of private insurance corporations would be redirected to patient care. If the U.S. were to shift to a system of universal coverage and a single payer plan, as in Canada, the savings in administrative costs would be more than enough to offset the cost of additional care. Expenses for businesses currently providing coverage would be reduced. State and local governments would pay less because they would receive reimbursement for services provided to the previously uninsured, and because public programs would cease to be the “dumping ground” for high-risk patients and those rejected by HMOs when they become disabled and unemployed.

Most importantly, the people of America will gain the peace of mind in knowing that they have health care they need. No longer will people have to worry about the prospect of financial ruin if they become seriously ill, are laid off their jobs, or are injured in an accident.

Greens want to provide Americans with a wide range of alternative health care services, not just conventional medicine.

Green Solutions

Enact a universal, comprehensive, national single-payer health plan that will provide the following with no increase in cost, including:

1. A publicly funded health care insurance program, administered at the state and local levels;

2. Lifetime benefits for everyone;

3. Freedom to choose the type of health care provider, with a wide range of health care choices;

4. Decision-making in the hands of health providers and their patients;

5. Comprehensive benefits, as good or better than existing plans, including dental, vision, mental health care, hospice, long-term care, substance abuse treatment and medication coverage;

6. Participation of all licensed and/or certified health providers, subject to standards of practice in their field;

7. Portability regardless of geographical location or employment;

8. Primary and preventive care as priorities, including wellness education about diet, nutrition and exercise;

9. Greatly reduced paperwork for both patients and providers;

10. Fair and full reimbursement to providers for their services;

11. Preservation of all health care services currently available;

12. Cost controls via streamlined administration, national fee schedules, bulk purchases of drugs and medical equipment, and coordination of capital expenditures. Prices of medications must be publicly negotiated;

13. Hospitals that can afford safe staffing levels for registered nurses;

14. Establishment of national, state, and local Health Policy Boards consisting of health consumers and providers to oversee and evaluate the performance of the system, expand access to care, and determine research priorities; and

15. Establishment of a National Health Trust Fund that would channel all current Federal payments for health care programs directly into the Fund, in addition to employees’ health premium payments.

16. Holistic health including naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and herbalism.

17. Medical marijuana

18. More comprehensive services for those who have special needs: the mentally ill, the handicapped and those who are terminally ill.

19. A better mental health care system that safeguards human dignity, respects individual autonomy, and protects informed consent.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party And Ending Poverty In Ohio

Every Ohioan has the right to food, housing, medical care, jobs that pay a living wage, education, and support in times of hardship.

Greens believe that support for families, children, the poor and the disabled must not be given grudgingly; it is the right of those presently in need and an investment in our future. We must take an uncompromising position that the care and nurture of children, elders and the disabled are essential to a healthy, peaceful, and sustainable society. We should recognize that the work of their caregivers is of social and economic value, and reward it accordingly. Ensuring that children and their caregivers have access to an adequate, secure standard of living should form the cornerstone of our economic priorities. Only then can we hope to build our future on a foundation of healthy, educated children who are raised in an atmosphere of love and security.

Green Solutions

1. Restore federally-funded entitlement program to support children, families, the unemployed, elderly and disabled, with no time limit on benefits.

2. Establish a graduated supplemental income, or negative income tax, that would maintain all individual adult incomes above the poverty level, regardless of employment or marital status.

3. Provide massive investments in living-wage job development and work training programs. Publicly-funded work training and education programs should have a goal of increasing employment options at finding living-wage jobs.

4. Provide public funding for the development of living-wage jobs in community and environmental service, including environmental clean-up, recycling, sustainable agriculture and food production, sustainable forest management, repair and maintenance of public facilities, neighborhood-based public safety, aides in schools, libraries and childcare centers, and construction and renovation of energy-efficient housing. Oppose enterprise zone give-aways which benefit corporations more than inner-city communities.

5. Enact tax policies to encourage businesses to adopt fair employee wage distribution standards.

6. Stop forcing welfare recipients to accept jobs that pay less than a living wage. Workfare is a form of indentured servitude.

7. Require corporations receiving public subsidies to provide jobs that pay a living wage, observe basic workers’ rights, and agree to affirmative action policies.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party And A Safe Environment For All Ohioans

Greens believe that no one — including people of color and the poor — should be poisoned nor subjected to harmful levels of toxic chemicals and that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.

Low-income citizens and minorities suffer disproportionately from environmental hazards in the workplace, at home, and in their communities. Inadequate laws, lax enforcement of existing environmental regulations, and weak penalties for infractions undermine environmental protection and civil rights. Environmental justice is the crossroads of environmental activism and the civil rights movement, founded on two fundamental beliefs:

All people have the right to live, work, learn, and play in safe and healthful environments.

People have the right to have a say in decisions that affect environmental quality in their communities.

Greens believe that government must ensure the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Green Solutions

1. Ensure that all people have the right to a clean and healthful environment;

2. Make pollution prevention (i.e., the elimination of threats before they occur) the preferred strategy for dealing with environmental justice issues; always consider cumulative environmental impacts when evaluating risk

3. Base decision-making upon the precautionary principle, such that polluters bear the burden of proof in demonstrating the safety of their practices.

4. Expand the application of the precautionary principle from chemicals-and-health to land-use, waste, energy, food-policy and local economic development. Continue to develop the precautionary approach into an overarching philosophy for community decision-making, combined with the public trust doctrine (which states government’s role is to protect the commons), and the commons (where we must give the benefit of the doubt to public health and the natural environment).

5. Actively support programs, policies, and activities that build the capacity to identify disproportionate sitings of facilities, discriminatory land use and zoning laws, and to assure nondiscriminatory compliance with all environmental, health and safety laws in order to assure equal protection of the public health.

6. Ensure procedural justice, ensuring the public right-to-know to make rules and regulations transparent in order for communities to access and participate in the decision-making process

7. Ensure corrective justice, ensuring the right of communities and agencies to seek redress. Communities and agencies must not be required to show or prove “intent” to discriminate to achieve redress for problems of disproportionate environmental impacts.

8. Target precautionary and corrective justice actions and resources in communities with the highest concentrations of environmental hazards.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www,dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party For A Better Education In Ohio

Greens support equal access to high-quality education, and sharp increases in financial aid for college students.

Ohio will be a great state to the extent that our schools are excellent. Right now, we are abjectly failing this test. We must make major changes.

Every child deserves a superb public education that fosters critical and independent thought, and provides the breadth and depth of learning necessary to become an active citizen and a constructive member of our society.

In general, we expect too little from our students, teachers and schools. We must teach our children and teenagers to be leaders, and challenge them with difficult material in literature, philosophy, history, music, art and economics.

Greens believe in education, not indoctrination. We do not think schools should turn our children into servile students, employees, consumers or citizens. We think it is very important to teach children how to ask good questions.

Effective schools have sufficient resources. Too many of our teachers are overworked, underpaid, and starved of key materials. We must be more generous to our schools, so that our children will learn what generosity is, and know enough to be able to be generous to us in return.

Green Solutions

1. Eliminate gross inequalities in school funding by adjusting educational funding formulas at the state level.

2. Provide free college tuition to all qualified students at public universities and vocational schools.

3. Oppose the administration of public schools by private, for-profit entities.

4. Increase funding for after-school programs for “latchkey” children.

5. Provide state funding for day care that includes school children under the age of ten when after-school programs are not available.

6. Give classroom teachers at the elementary and high school levels professional status and salaries comparable to related professions requiring advanced education, training and responsibility.

7. Purchase and use computers only when they are instructive, and not merely to benefit computer hardware or software companies.

8. Teach non-violent conflict resolution and humane education at all levels of education.

9. Encourage a diverse set of educational opportunities, including bi-lingual education, continuing education, job retraining, mentoring and apprenticeship programs.

10. Prohibit advertising to children in schools. Corporations should not be allowed to use the schools as vehicles for commercial advertising. Schools must safeguard students’ privacy rights and not make private student information available on corporate (or federal government) request.

11. Provide healthy school meals that are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, and offer plant-based vegetarian options. Support Farm-to-School programs that provide food from local family farms and exchange of educational opportunities.

12. Ban the sale of soda pop and junk food in schools. Junk food is defined as food or beverages that are relatively high in saturated or trans fat, added sugars or salt, and relatively low in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.

13. Oppose military and corporate control over the priorities and topics of university academic research.

14. Expand opportunities for universal higher education and life-long learning.

15. Make student loans available to all college students, with forgiveness for graduates who choose public service occupations.

16. The “No Child Left Behind” Act must be revised, eliminating state-wide norm-referenced standardized testing in favor of criterion-referenced testing while allowing multiple ways for children to show what they have learned from a rich challenging curriculum. The section that gives the military access to student records should be eliminated.

17. Include a vigorous and engrossing civics curriculum in later elementary and secondary schools, to teach students to be active citizens.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party and Green Jobs For Every Ohio Citizen

Greens want to help thousands of Ohioans obtain a green-collar job that pays a living wage while helping to build a brighter environmental future.

Green jobs will help us stabilize our  economic crisis and the global climate. Green jobs can conserve energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Green jobs are union jobs and created in communities that really need them. Green jobs nourish our communities because they can’t be outsourced overseas cheaply. Green jobs grow local businesses and foster community development.

GREEN SOLUTIONS

1. Support massive public investment to create green jobs in fields such as energy conservation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green building and the construction of mass transportation.

2. Create an inclusive program to train workers for the new, clean energy economy.

3. Prioritize the creation of green jobs in communities of color and low income communities.

3. Support union organizing at all workplaces.

4. Adopt a reduced-hour 35 hour work week as a standard.

5. Establish more federally funded programs for Green jobs development and skills training.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party On Work And Job Creation

The Green Party proposes a third alternative to a job or no job dichotomy: that is to provide everyone a sustainable livelihood. The need of our times is for security, not necessarily jobs. We need security in the knowledge that, while markets may fluctuate and jobs may come and go, we are still able to lead a life rooted in dignity and well-being.

The concept of a “job” is only a few hundred years old; and the artificial dichotomy between “employment” and “unemployment” has become a tool of social leverage for corporate exploiters. This produces a dysfunctional society in various ways: (1) It is used to justify bringing harmful industries to rural communities, such as extensive prison construction and clear cutting of pristine forests. (2) It has been used to pit workers (people needing jobs) against the interests of their own communities. (3) It has created a self-esteem crisis in a large segment of the adult population who have been forced into doing work that is irrelevant, socially harmful, or environmentally unsound.

We will also promote policies that have job-increasing effects. Many people will still need jobs for their security. We need to counterbalance the decline in jobs caused either by new technology, corporate flight to cheaper labor markets outside our borders, or the disappearance of socially wasteful jobs that will inevitably occur as more and more people embrace a green culture.

To begin a transition to a system providing sustainable livelihood, we support:

1. creating alternative, low-consumption communities and living arrangements, including a reinvigorated sustainable homesteading movement in rural areas and voluntary shared housing in urban areas.

2. Universal health care requiring coverage for all.

3. The creating and spreading local currencies and barter systems.

4. Subsidizing technological development of consumer items that would contribute toward economic autonomy, such as renewable energy devices.

5. Establishing local non-profit development corporations.

6. Providing people with information about alternatives to jobs.

Creating Jobs

For creating jobs we propose:

7. Reducing taxes on labor. This will make labor more competitive with energy and capital investment. (See Taxation above.)

8. Solidarity with unions and workers fighting the practice of contracting out tasks to part-time workers in order to avoid paying benefits and to break up unions.

9. Adopting a reduced-hour (30-35 hours) work week as a standard. This could translate into as many as 26 million new jobs.

10. Subsidizing renewable energy sources, which directly employ 2 to 5 times as many people for every unit of electricity generated as fossil or nuclear sources yet are cost competitive. Also, retrofit existing buildings for energy conservation and build non-polluting, low impact transportation systems.

11. Supporting small business by reducing tax, fee and bureaucratic burdens. The majority of new jobs today are created by small businesses. This would cut their failure rate and help them create more jobs.

12. Opposing the trend toward “bundling” of contracts that minimizes opportunity for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses.

13. Reducing consumption to minimize outsourcing – the exportation of jobs to other countries – thus reducing the relative price of using U.S. workers.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

What Will Dirty Coal King Ted Strickland Do?

This July, Green For All is calling for a Dirty Energy Independence Week of Action. As the President pointed out, America is addicted to oil and fossil fuels. It is only fitting that, as we celebrate our nation's freeing itself from Britain, we also move boldly on the next frontier of American independence: independence from dirty, deadly fossil fuels that are polluting our country, compromising our security, and costing Americans their livelihoods.

What will Dirty Coal Boss Ted Strickland do? Will he join the movement to end our addiction to dirty coal or will he continue to hawk for more and more dirty coal plants to be built in Ohio?

Considering Ted Strickland is backed through political contributions from dirty coal energy producers such as Duke Energy, First Energy, and Dayton Power and Light, Ted will continue to promote " Burn Coal Baby, Burn!"

As the Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor, I stand with Green For All.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Virginia Seeks To Lead Drive For Electric Cars

Why Not Ohio? Let's Block Dirty New Coal Plants

No new coal plants should be built in Ohio unless and until they can safely capture 100 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

Ohio should not build new power plants based on old, dangerous, carbon-spewing technologies. If coal is to play any part of our future energy mix, dramatic breakthroughs in carbon-capturing technology must take place.

Also, mountaintop removal should be banned. No coal company should be allowed to blow up mountains-destroying America's beauty, poisoning its rivers, and destroying rural communities.

It's time we break our addiction to dirty coal, before our addiction breaks Ohio.

Ted Strickland is addiction to dirty coal money from coal supplies and electric companies. Thus, Ted Strickland is addicted to continuing keeping dirty coal in business or Ohio.

To keep your air safe, to keep your rivers clean, to keep your local communities intact, it's time we elect a truely Green Governor in Ohio.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Let's Invest In Low-Carbon Mass Transportation

In an era of increasing oil prices, traffic gridlock, and hazardous air quality, it's time Ohio invests in local mass-transit systems, regional and interstate high speed rail, and low carbon means of transportation of both passengers and freight.

Expanding mass transit and rail infrastructure promises to create thousands of good constrcution jobs for Ohio while expanding transportation choices and strengthening communities across the Buckeye State.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Let's Increase Production Of Renewable Electricity

Ohio needs to deploy it's abundant renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal . We must grow the market for renewables. We should have an Ohio Governor whose's objective is to drive the price of renewable energy cheaper than traditional fossil-fuel based energy in the market, thus allowing an ending to finanical incentives.

Ted Strickland won't agree to this. He is backed too much by the dirty coal and nuke industry.

Renewable electricity creates more than twice as many jobs per unit of energy and per dollar invested than traditional fossil fuel-based electricity.

And electricity and heat account for more than 30 percent of all U.S. carbon emissions, a figure that can be drastically reduced by turning to low-carbon renewable energy.

Ted Strickland believes in a future of adding more dirty coal to Ohio's landscape. Ted Strickland thus does not believe in reducing carbon emissions, and thus does not believe you deserve a cleaner Ohio.

Ted Strickland does not deserve to be Governor after 2010.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

We Need an Ohio Governor To Support Green Jobs

Ted Strickland doesn't and won't. We need a Green Party Governor for Ohio who will lead the way for improving energy efficiency and deploying more renewable technology at a scale that will produce massive demands for skilled labor.

We must have a Green Party Governor who will push hard for investing in worker training, support employment services, manufacuring extensions, and community development to meet these goals.

We must use public investment to prime new industries as well as lift people out of poverty. We must connect to people's immediate self-interests and larger moral purposes of creating solutions.

We must have a Governor who will lead us in neighborhood -level actions, restoring communities with green space and green buildings, restoring bodies with parks and clean air, and restoring families with purpose and paychecks.

When's the last time you heard Ted Strickland speak in these terms? The answer is never. Ted's talk is not there, thus, Ted's actions are not there as well.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ted Strickland likes to proclaim that the Ohio economy has turned a corner, but the state's unemployment rate, which was 10.9percent in April, is expected to remain in double digits into 2012, according to Ted Strickland's Council of Economic Advisors.

The Green Party solution to fixing Ted's unemployment mess is that government must play a key role in creating an inclusive, green economy- by setting standards, spurring innovation, realigning existing investments, and making new investments.

A Green Party Governor would accelerate growth in 3 ways-regulate conduct by establishing standards, invest money through direct spending and offering incentives, and convene leaders by spurring the formation of new collaborative institutions that solve problems by bringing together public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders.

Ted Strickland is re-active, not pro-active in solving Ohio's unemployemnt mess. We need a Green Party Governor who will support problem solvers to unemployment-the clean energy producers, green builders, community educators, green-collar workers, and green consumers.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? It's Time For A State Bank Of Ohio

It's time to promote the idea of a state-owned bank for Ohio.

Modeled after the powerful Non-Partisan League’s state-owned bank in North Dakota, An Ohio state-owned bank could be modeled after the nation’s commercial banks and — relying on the commonly accepted practice of “fractional reserve banking” — could provide fixed-rate mortgages at two percent and credit cards at six percent. The Bank of the State of Ohio, could also provide attractive rates on car loans and other consumer borrowing while offering CD’s yielding a 6 percent return.

The bank’s profits would help fund the state government in much the same way that the Bank of North Dakota regularly contributes to that state’s budget. In the past decade, the nation’s only state-owned bank plowed nearly $300 million into North Dakota’s treasury.

Consequently, it’s one of the few states that doesn’t find itself in a fiscal crisis.

In 2009, North Dakota enjoyed a record $1.3 billion surplus, enabling the state legislature to shift more of the burden for funding education to the state while requiring local governments to cut property taxes by $295 million. In addition, individual taxpayers and businesses received about $100 million in income-tax reductions.

According to the Wall Street Journal, state lawmakers anticipate a $700 million budget surplus in June 2011, the end of its next budget cycle. With a jobless rate of only 4.4 percent, the state also boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.

A similar state-owned bank could become the catalyst for an “economic miracle” in recession-ravaged Ohio, a state that experienced thousands of foreclosure filings in 2009. The bank could be instrumental in providing the necessary capital to create jobs for many out-of-work Ohioans.

Why not Ohio? If the Big 10 can look west to Nebraska for help, surely Ohio state government could look west to North Dakota for help.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio? Ted Strickland Protects Coal Industry And Not Communities

Coal ash is toxic.

Communities near the approximately 2,000 coal ash sites scattered across the country face a heightened risk of cancer, learning disabilities, birth defects and other illnesses due to the hazardous materials -- including arsenic, lead and mercury -- that seep into our drinking water.

Yet the industry and Ted Strickland would have us believe coal ash is as safe as regular dirt!

As the Green Party Nominee for Governor, we need strong EPA safeguards to protect our health and environment.

The EPA is taking a stand against King Coal by proposing the first ever federally enforceable regulations for coal ash, but coal companies and Ted Strickland are fighting back, pushing for weaker safeguards and winning support from key legislators.

In January, the National Governors Association sent an inaccurate and misleading letter -- based on outdated studies that don't reflect the latest science -- to the EPA and members of Congress denying the hazards of coal ash and urging the EPA to maintain the current system, an inadequate patchwork of state level protections.

The next Ohio Governor should protect communities, not the coal industry, by supporting strong, federally enforceable coal ash regulations. Ted Strickland is NOT THAT GOVERNOR!

If the BP oil disaster and the Tennessee coal ash tragedy taught us anything, it's that we can't just take the polluter's word for it anymore.

It's time to stand up to the coal industry's lies and break free of the last century's dirty, dangerous, and deadly energy technology.

Don't let Ted Strickland stand in the way of critical protections against coal ash -- send a message today ! Vote for the Green Party of Ohio this November!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Use Tax Incentives And Grants For Alternative Energy

It's time Ohio uses tax cuts, tax credits, and grants for solar, wind,water, and other alternative green energy sources.

Tax Credits should not be given for dirty coal and nukes like Ted Strickland is supporting.

We can no longer build a state on liquefied fossils and then think it will last forever.

We must move to make Ohio energy independent and to convert our centralized electric grids into more efficient and locally owned sources of power generation.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

A Green Party Governor Will Clean Up Ohio's Environment, Ted Strickland Won't

It's time we realize we cannot afford to continue to poison our Ohio waterways and air.

Ted Strickland never talks about cleaning up Ohio. He continues to talk about adding more dirty coal plants to Ohio, adding more dirty nuke plants to Ohio, and adding more construction junkyards to Ohio.

Ted Strickland won't clean up Ohio because corporate lobbyists have bought and control Ted Strickland. Yet Ted Strickland will stand up and tell you that these dirty coal and nuke industries are deserving of support and by supporting them is a positive political vrtue.

It's time that a Green party Governor for Ohio and the people of Ohio take back the commons of our air and water, and the first step is to reject corporate participation in politics.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

A Green Party Governor: Bring Back The Middle Class To Ohio

It's time we return Ohio to the more steeply progressive tax rates that led to the creation of the American middle class in the era of 1947-1980. This will be good for Ohio, and good for corporate Ohio as well.

People living on the edge of existence shouldn't pay taxes on the necessities of life. On the other hand, those who have accumulated so much wealth should be subject to substantial taxation.

In Sweden, they have a most vital middle class and highest quality of life. CEO's earn 13 times as much as their average blue-collar workers. In The U.S., the aveage CEO makes 411 times as much as the aveage worker.

The simple reality is that they are not working as hard as 411 people all at the same time nor are they 411 smarter than their fellow workers.

America was created in response against aristocracy. We must bring back the middle class by resoring the tax laws that created it.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more information, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party Way of Strengthening The Social Safety Net

The best way to lead Ohioans out of poverty in the 21st century is to ensure that we have a strong middle class with an abundance of well-paying jobs and high levels of worker security. We must have government authorizing the existence of corporations and providing for their security and at the same time authorizing the existence of labor unions and guaranteeing their security.

When organized capital and organized labor have relatively equal levels of power, society stabilizes, as we saw from the 1940's to 1970's, the golden age of the middle class.

When government tilts the scales in favor of business and corporations, we see  job secuirty vanish, wages drop, corporate profits soar, and corporate corruption runs rampant.

A Green Party of Ohio Governor would see that labor is given the same authorities and limitations that business has to organize, negotiate, and fully participate in the marketplace.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.org

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Thanks to Dirty Coal and Ted Strickland, EPA Puts Ohio On Notice To Reduce Sulfur Dioxide

Thanks to Ted Strickland and his love of dirty coal, five Ohio counties have too much sulfur-dioxide pollution, according to a new federal health standard that will force the state to look for ways to reduce the amount of toxin.

Let's Require a Living Wage in Ohio

The Green Party of Ohio believes in a living wage for all Ohioans. One of our core liberal ideas-which helped build the middle class-was the notion that workers should earn enough to participate fully in society.

A well-payed labor force will become a market for Ohio goods. Business does not require low-wages for success.

Conservatives like the Democrats and Republicans believe if corporations get cheap labor, it means cheaper goods for you and me. Not so. Did Nike shoes become cheaper when they moved operations overseas during the 1980's and 1990s? I think not.

Labor is only a small part of the cost of most products, and when conservative business owners drive down the cost of labor, they usually keep the difference for themselves.

It's time to reinvest in Ohio workers with a living wage.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Let's Provide Health Care For All

The Green Party of Ohio supports single-payer health care for all Ohioans.

We believe in a health care system itself that is private, and you can choose any doctor, hospital, or pharmacy. Government pays the bills directly to whomever you chose to provide you with health care. The only losers would be the insurance companies and Ted Strickland, who supports them, fastening themselves onto our backs like giant leeches.

Why should America and Ohio rank 54th in the world in fairness of access to health care and drive a half-million families a year into the desperation of bankruptcy with medical expenses? We can do better.

The health insurance and HMO industry spends thousands of dollars to keep Ted Strickland, Democrats, and Republicans under their thumbs and us in the dark.

We can do better. By voting for the Green Party of Ohio this November.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

A Free High-Quality Public Education For Ohio

The Green Party of Ohio advocates for a free public education-one for producing mobility between economic classes. In those nations where any child can attend school with no costs to him or his family do we see the smallest differences between rich and poor, and the least rigidity of the remnants of class systems.

A free public education is a key to the survival of Ohio. We must bring into acttion that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty. And we can do so by providing quality free education.

We must put a full education back into the reach of all our citizens.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more information, contact 330-503-1407

A Green Party Philosophy for Ohio

The Green Party of Ohio believes in the following philosophy for Ohio, a philosophy lost on the Democrats and Republicans:

A Stronger Ohio: greater strength in our economy, our education system, our health care system, our families, our communities, and our environment.

Broad Prosperity: for all Ohioans, completely free.

Better Future: in all areas of life, economically, educationally, and environmentally.

Effective Government: eliminate waste

Mutual Responsibility: best values of families and communities. Authoritative, equal, two-way, based around caring, responsibility, and strength.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Green Party Progressive Directions

The Green Party of Ohio wants to move the Buckeye State in the following progressive directions in 2010:

The economy: Centered on innovation that creates good-paying jobs and provides every Ohioan a fair opportunity to prosper.

Health: Every Ohioan should have access to a state-of-the art, affordable health care system.

Education: A vibrant, well-funded, and expanding public education system with the highest standards for every child and school. We also support early childhood education.

Environment: A clean, healthy, and safe enviroment for ourselves and our children: water you can drink and air you can breathe. Polluters pay for the damage they cause.

Energy: We need to make a major investment in renewable energy for the jobs it will create, independence from Middle Eastern oil, improvements in public health, preservation of the environment, and the effort to halt global warming.

Equal Rights: We support equal rights in every area involving race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.

Protections: We support keeping and extending protections for consumers, workers, retirees, and investors.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Ohio Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Massachusetts Goes More Solar

The roof of National Grid's distribution center in Northbridge, Massachusetts is covered with about 4,700 solar panels, making it the largest solar-generating facility in the state and the first such project to be owned by a utility.The rooftop array - capable of producing about a megawatt of electricity, or enough to power 200 homes - was built mostly with Massachusetts technology and expertise.``It's all good work for all the right reasons,'' said Michael Monahan, business manager for Local 103 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, whose members worked on the project. The Cambridge consulting firm Zapotec Energy Inc. (NYSE:EGAS) was also involved, as was the renewable-energy developer Nexamp Inc. of North And over. The panels were made by Marlborough-based Evergreen Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:ESLR) ``These are projects that a utility is in a good position to take ownership of and build,'' said Dan Leary, Nexamp's president. "They own the electrical infrastructure.''This week, the panels will begin converting sunlight into power, said Ed White, a National Grid vice president. The company also is moving forward with solar projects in Dorchester, Everett, Haverhill, and Revere that will provide an additional 4 megawatts of electricity-generating capacity, possibly by the end of the year.

 Western Massachusetts Electric Co. is also looking to build solar projects, according to documents filed with the state Department of Public Utilities, and has received approval. Having more renewable energy available to customers - especially electricity generated locally - is a goal of Governor Deval Patrick, who wants Massachusetts to have 250 megawatts of solar power generating capacity by 2017. Currently, it has 28.1 megawatts, with more than 30 megawatts in the pipeline.The electricity from National Grid's project is expected to eliminate about 1.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of removing 400 cars from the roads.The project is expected to cost less than the $6.5 million originally estimated, White said. Since 2008, when National Grid filed plans to build solar facilities, panel prices have dropped. Customers will pay about a penny a month more for the facility over two decades.

Why not Ohio? Is It because Ted Strickland and his energy companies still like to import  dirty coal into Ohio which pollutes our rivers and air?

I believe so. Ohio will never be truely green with Dirty Coal Ted Strickland in charge of the state.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more information, contact 330-503-1407

A Green State Government For A Better Future

A Green Party Government does what Ohio's future requires and what the public sector cannot do-or is not doing-effectively, ethically, or not at all. It is the job of the government to promote, and, if possible, provide protection, greater democracy, more freedom, a cleaner enviroment, broader prosperity, better health, and the building and maintaining of public infrastructure.

This is the principle that the Green Party of Ohio is running on in this year's election.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party of Ohio's Progressive Vision

We picture an Ohio where people care about each other, not just themselves, and act responsibly with strength and effectiveness for each other.

We want to protect Ohioans, we want them to propser, and we want them to be treated fairly.

There is no fulfillment without freedom, no freedom without opportunity, and no opprtunity without prosperity.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio's Dependence on Imported Coal

The Union of Concerned Scientists reported last week that the

cost of importing coal is a major drain on the

Why Not Ohio? Because Ted Strickland Is Committed To A Dirty Environment

As long as Ted Strickland backs dirty coal and nuke power for Ohio, our families will have dirty water, dirty air, and no real means of gaining progressive employment in the ever-growing clean green energy world.

As long as Ted Strickland supports dirty coal and nukes, we will not see jobs created.

We will not see less air pollution and less childhood asthma.

We will not have clean environments and homes.

We will still be dependent on Middle Eastern oil.

Clean, green energy is not just about energy. it's about jobs, health, clean air and water, global warming, and foreign policy. Issues that all Ohioans care about. Issues that Ted Strickland will not try and solve as long as he is a slave to dirty coal and nuke lobbyists.

Ohioans deserve a Governor who will champion their fight for a cleaner world and a world of more jobs and economic growth, not a slave or puppet to dirty coal and nukes.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Ohio Needs The Progressive Values Of the Green Party

This year's Governor's race in Ohio comes down to what values are important to you and your children. Ohio needs the progressive values of the Green Party of Ohio to move Ohio forward in a positive direction after November 2nd.

Ohioans want progressive values that focus on environmental protection, worker protection, consumer protection, and protection from disease.

There must be opportunity and prosperity for all Ohioans.

Our children and our parents must be treated with fairness by others.

We must have community-building and cooperation between communities.

The Green Party of Ohio holds those values that will help you and your family prosper in the future. We are the party of hope to those oppressed by a current system run by Democrats and Republicans. The Green Party is the only party interested in building foundations to help as many people as possible. Helping people, not corporations, is the right thing to do.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Not Ohio? Just Say No To Vouchers

The Green Party of Ohio does not believe in a voucher system to support private schools. We believe in funding a good public education system.

While the Republicans and to an extend the Democrats support a voucher system here in Ohio, what we are setting Ohio up for is a system where the wealthy will have good schools-paid for in part by what used to be tax payments to public schools. By continuing this voucher system, the poor will not have money for good schools. We will end up with a two-tier school system-a good one for the deserving rich and a bad one for the undeserving poor.

It's time to end vouchers-time to invest in public schools again like we used to. It's time we had a Green Party Governor to just say no to vouchers!

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Taxes: Your User Fee In Ohio

Unlike the Democrats and Republicans, the Green Party of Ohio knows that taxation is paying your dues, paying your membership in Ohio. If you join a country club or rec center, you pay fees. You did not build the swimming pool. You have to maintain it. You did not build the tennis courts. Someone else has to maintain it or it will fall apart.

People who avoid paying taxes, like corporations that move out of the country and state, are not paying their dues. It is patriotic to be a taxpayer. It is traitorus to desert our country and not pay your taxes.

Taxpayer investments have also supported companies and wealthy investors. The wealthy have gotten rich using what taxpayers have paid for. They owe the taxpayers of this country a great deal and should be paying it back: to help Ohio families maintain coummunities, schools, and the environment.

Taxes: the user fee we need to support to keep Ohio a great state in the nation.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Tax Cuts Will Harm Ohio Families

John Kasich's tax cuts will harm Ohio families. By cutting taxes, John Kasich will make sure there is not enough money in the budget for any of the state's social programs. Not enough money for the homeless, disabled, schools, education, or environmental protection.

We need taxes for Ohio families. We need taxes to live in a civilied society.

We need taxes to have democracy and opportunity.

Dennis Spisak-Green Party of Ohio Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info,ontact 330-503-1407

Green Collar Jobs And Job Growth

Green Collar Jobs can grow an inclusive sustainable economy by developing education and job-training programs that improve social equity and provides pathways out of poverty for Ohioans while strengthening the middle class by equipping workers for high-demand jobs in the green economy.

This will also strengthen and make further progress on our stated commitment to improving Ohio's environment in ways that grow both the green economy and gree-collar jobs locally.

We can build on climate and environmental commitments to create market demand for green products, services, skilled workers, and create more propserous local economies.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

For more info, contact 330-503-1407

Green Collars Jobs As A Central Stategy

We in Ohio must see that green collar jobs are a central strategy for advancing environmental, economic, and climate protection goals.

Green collar jobs will provide pathways to prosperity for all workers and offer comptetive salaries while leading to a lasting career track. This will help strengthen our middle class.

Green Jobs will also emphasize community-based investments that cannot be outsourced and contribute directly to preserving and enhancing environmental quality.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party of Ohio nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

We Need Green Technology To Power Ohio In The Future

By electing a Green Party Governor to Ohio, Ohioans would be sending a message that we want a clean-technology revolution in Ohio and a transformation of our aging energy infrastructure to become the next great engines for green energy innovation, productivity, job growth, and social-equity gains.

Our nation has always prospered when we invested in innovative technology in the past: from rural electification, the transcontinential railroad and interstate highway systems, telecommunications, and the Internet.

Bold Green Public Leadership will provide incentives for scientific inquiry, new technology, and an infrastructure that will allow the private sector to flourish while building up the middle class.

Building a green clean energy economy will generate hundreads of billions of dollars of productive new investments.

This is a vision Ted Strickland can't seem to comprehend. This is why Ted Strickland remains fixed to dirty coal and nukes as his "green energy plan."

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

The Green Party: Equal Protection and Equal Opprtunity For All Ohioans

The difference between the Green party of Ohio and the Democrats this election year is the straight fact that the Green Party of Ohio believes in equal protection and equal opportunity for all Ohioans, principles the Democrats have long abandoned.

For the most vulnerable in Ohio, The Green Party has a duty to do two things: minimize their pain and maximize their gain. On good days, we do not leave anyone out. On bad days, we do not leave anyone behind.

The Green Party of Ohio does not accept a state where people of color and low-income people are always first in line for everything bad and then left to benefit last and least when it comes to anything good.

All Ohioans must be allowed to share equitably in the benefits and the burdens of moving to a more survivable green economic system. This is how Ohio will be a better place under Green Party political leadership.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor/

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Why Ohio Needs A Green Economy To Help Ohioans

Ohio needs a Green Party Governor who will push Ohio into a Green Economy where ordinary people can earn money. The only part of the U.S. economy that is growing, and can grow long-term, is green. New green products, services, and technologies can help struggling communities. The possibility of new green-collar jobs offers a chance to improve community health and opportunities to build wealth in a sustainable way.

Ordinary people have a chance to dignified and meaningful employement, have a chance to become inventors, investors, owners, entrepreneurs, and employers in a green economy.

A Green Economy can bring new green-colar jobs and businesses to former brownfields, depressed urban areas, and hard-hit rural towns.

A Green Economy can bring hope, optimism, and opportunity to inspire and energize people of all races and classes.

We need this broad, populist movement. And we need a Green Party Governor to lead it.

Dennis S. Spisak-Green Party Nominee for Governor

Http://www.votespisak.org/governor

Http://www.dennisspisak.com

for more info, contact 330-503-1407

Burning Coal Is Dirty Business, Ted

Clean Coal is an oxymoron, the technology for it does not exist. Burning and mining coal are the two dirtiest activities happening in Ohio, both back wholeheartedly by Ted Strickland.

Ted Strickland believes we can pump all of carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants into big holes in the ground. It's not an option. No earth-born container is guaranteed forever.

Ted Strickland believes we can have clean coal by turning it into liquid fuel. However, with this process you have double the carbon dioxide emissions:first during production, and again from the tailpipe of cars or jets.

The bottom line is, there is no clean way to burn coal. This is of no concern to Ted Strickland, who believes Ohio should continue to burn coal, and tons of it.

When will Ted Strickland wake up and smell the clean air? Can't say. Since Ted Strickland is controlled by dirty coal-firing electric power companies who pour thousands of dollars into his campaign, Ted will continue to embrace burning dirty coal in Ohio. And for Ohio, our environment, and our children, this is a sad state of affairs.

As a Green Party Governor, I would call for an immediate turn to clean green energy. I would call for a start to a massive build-up of clean green energy technology for Ohio, a "New Green Deal". We need to push far greater then we currently are for solar and wind power development in Ohio. This will be my goal, and my plan.

Dennis S. S