I am writing today not as the president of Bowling Green City Council, as a high school government teacher of over two decades, or as someone who has been active in our political system, but rather as a citizen concerned about the voice of his fellow Ohioans.
I generally try to remain in my lane when it comes to my governance responsibilities, but this is becoming increasingly more difficult as I see others venturing far outside theirs.
Currently there are two major issues causing me concern: gerrymandering and Senate Joint Resolution Two (SJR2), which is also House Joint Resolution One (HJR1). Because the latter is currently more time sensitive, I would like to focus on it today.
This is not, and should not, be a partisan issue, although some will try to politicize it to their own advantage. One of our founding Constitutional principles is that of popular sovereignty, the belief that government is created by and subject to the will of the people. We have also long been a nation committed to the principle of majority rule safeguarding minority rights. This proposed legislation goes against these principles but allows a minority of people to block what the majority want.
If passed, this legislation will be decided in a special election in August costing Ohio taxpayers upwards of $20 million. Even if it is worthy of consideration, which in my opinion it is not, why waste money on a special August election?
Simply place it on the November ballot and save us some money. SJR 2 which is cosponsored by our State Senator Theresa Gavarone has already passed in the Ohio Senate.
On May 2, it was voted out of committee in the Ohio House and will be voted on by that body very soon, if it hasn’t been by the posting of this letter.
Please contact your State Representative Haraz Ghanbari and ask him not to support this legislation.
Mark Hollenbaugh
Bowling Green
