League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 2, 2004 Election
	Pat DeWine Answers Questions Candidate for Commissioner; County of Hamilton; 4 Year Term Starting 1/3/05

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. What are your qualifications for office?

Since 1999, I have served as a member of Cincinnati City Council, where I have consistently fought wasteful Council spending and worked to reduce the burden on taxpayers while improving the quality of life in Cincinnati.

2. How would you implement your top priority?

We must get control of spending growth in both the general fund and in the special levies. I am truly committed to keeping spending and tax growth below the rate of inflation. We must take strong measures to reduce the disparity between property taxes in Hamilton County and in the surrounding counties. By controlling spending and taxes, we can help make the County more competitive with other regions and help end the trend of population and job loss.

3. What do you see as the two most pressing issues you would address if elected? What plans do you have relative to those issues?

Controlling the Tax Burden: I'm committed to keeping spending below the inflation rate. Hamilton County's the highest taxed large county in Ohio, and has the second largest population loss of any US county. We need to reverse the trend of population and job loss.

Reforming County Government: I'm committed to making government more accountable and providing higher quality services more efficiently. We must end insider deals and restore trust and confidence in government.