MAUMEE, Ohio (WTVG) – Ohio State Rep. Erika White (D–Springfield Twp.) has only been in office for just over 80 days, but she said it feels like much longer.
“Things have changed a lot, a lot,” Rep. White said during a town hall meeting Monday night.
As she delivered the very first state of District 41 address, she delved into topics that she never expected to talk about.
“Because when I was elected back in November 2024, it seems like a whole year’s worth of stuff has been crammed into just a few weeks,” White said. “So people, their lives, have been changed significantly, and they’re very, very concerned about what the future looks like.”
Federal initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks and cutting back on public education spending are being mirrored on the state level here in Ohio.
While Republican lawmakers, who control both the House and the Senate in Columbus, largely seem to be on board, Democrats, who hold the minority, are at the opposite end.
Members of the public were passionate and spoke out during the question-and-answer portion of the town hall, upset with how the state government is being run.
Rep. White said her goal is to continue to get feedback from her constituents, especially as the state approves a new budget this year.
She said some of her goals are to provide more housing and property tax relief and raise the minimum wage.
“What I’m making sure is that we’re listening and we’re going back and they are being heard,” Rep. White said, referencing House Democrats’ “People First” messaging.
Rep. White said she hopes to have more town halls in the future at different locations across her district, which includes parts of Lucas County such as Maumee, Holland, Toledo and Springfield Township.
13 Action News reached out to other local state representatives to see if they also have public events coming up. Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) said he will have a town hall after the House budget is released.
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