League of Women Voters of Ohio
Hamilton County, OH November 4, 2003 Election
	Jeffrey Ritchie Answers Questions Candidate for Clerk; Township of Springfield

The questions were prepared by the LWV Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. How would you implement your top priority?

Residents need to know what the township is doing. To facilitate communication, I will make more effective use of electonic communications. Meeting agendas will be posted at least three business days in advance of all meetings, and minutes will be posted no more than three business days afterward. The township budget and other pertinent information will also be available for all resident to review, and the township will set up a list-serve to that residents can receive e-mails about upcoming events and issues.

2. Numerous important issues including transportation, land use planning, housing and economic development for the Greater Hamilton County regions are being deliberated by OKI's Land Use Commission and Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission and Planning Partnership COMPASS; how engaged should local government be in these planning activities? If elected, how would you participate in these planning activities?

We have to think regionally if our area is to be competetive in a global economy, and that means being both comprehensive and cooperative in our planning efforts. I would be an active participant in regional planning efforts wherever and whenever my input would be productive.

3. Ohio Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Recycling Coalition conducted a state-specific study and found recycling businesses in Ohio generated $650.6 million dollars in state government revenue. If elected how would you promote recycling and support recycling programs currently in place in your community to reduce solid waste generation?

If elected, how would you promote recycling and support recycling programs currently in place in your community to reduce solid waste generation? Wherever feasible, the township should purchase material with a high rate of recycled content, in addition to purchasing the most energy-efficient vehicles and products available. The township should expand it's drop-off recycling efforts and promote them more aggressively.