This newsletter was sent to all subscribers on June 15 2025. To be added to our email list, please use the link at the bottom of this webpage.
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Dear Democrat friends,
How about those No Kings! protests yesterday! The one on the Public Square in Mount Vernon attracted over 500 people and lots of positive honks and thumbs up from cars driving by. The relatively few cars with people yelling pro-Trump slogans were drowned out by the joy in the crowd.
We celebrated both No Kings! and Flag Day and gave extra loud cheers when a truck with a Pride flag circled the Square repeatedly. Thank you all who showed up! What a great day for Mount Vernon, and for America!
First Fridays This Summer
As you probably know, the Knox Dems always have a table at Mount Vernon First Fridays. During the June First Friday, we were thrilled with the crowds that visited us — to sign the SB1 petition, to learn about Knox County Young Dems and the No Kings! Protest, and to sign petitions that will enable Kathy Tate (me) to run again for East Knox school board, and Mary Rugola-Dye to run for Mount Vernon school board.
Please note that the next First Friday will be a First Thursday, held on July 3. Detailed plans for our table on July 3 are still being sorted out, but it looks like the Young Dems will be a major presence. Please stop by! The table will be set up outside eZone on Main Street.
A Petition We WANT You to Sign
There is still a short amount of time to sign the SB1 petition if you have not already done so. SB1 was passed by the Ohio legislature and signed into law by Governor Dewine in March. It’s a terrible, destructive law that will hurt higher ed in this state in so many ways – by prohibiting the teaching of “controversial” subjects, ending collective bargaining by faculty, and putting restrictions on what disciplines can be taught. Our fear is that no one will want to go to college in Ohio anymore, higher education institutions will be forced to close, and we will lose a vital aspect of our economy. If enough signatures are gathered on the SB1 petition, an issue will appear on the ballot in November to repeal this awful bill.
Signed SB1 petitions need to be turned in to the organizers no later than June 22. The Knox County Democratic Party office in Mount Vernon (9 E Vine) will be open for final SB1 petition signatures Wednesday, June 18 and Saturday, June 21, 11 am – 3 pm (the last time to sign). Please stop by to sign. We need every signature we can get from registered voters in Knox County so that we help ensure a vote to repeal SB1 in November.
A Petition We DON’T Want You to Sign
There’s another petition floating around, too. Please don’t sign the petition seeking to abolish property taxes. There’s no question that some people (particularly senior citizens) are hurting because of high property taxes. But abolishing the taxes altogether poses different problems.
Our property taxes provide at least some of the funding that supports public schools, fire departments, the county sheriff, our libraries, parks, and a variety of services for the disabled, children, and senior citizens. None of these services can exist if property taxes are abolished without an alternate source of funding. The petition being circulated does not address other funding sources. It also makes the abolition of property taxes a constitutional amendment, which will be difficult to reverse. Think what troubles we’ll have if it is passed!
Let’s get our legislators focused instead on providing property tax relief for those who need it, and possibly inventing alternate sources of funding for at least some of the items that property taxes now pay for. Contact our state legislators now and challenge them to look into this, quickly! (Find your state rep’s name and phone number here.)
Ohio State Budget Bill
The Ohio Senate just passed a version of the budget bill, which differs somewhat from the bill passed by the Ohio House. The next step is for the two legislative bodies to iron out their differences and create a “final” proposed budget which will then be sent to Governor DeWine for his approval. At that time, Governor DeWine will be able to pick and choose items to eliminate (line-item vetoes).
Some of the more controversial items are: a tax cut for those making more than $100,000 a year, and the allocation of $600 million to fund a new Cleveland Browns stadium. Here’s an article that explains the status as of when this email was written, but the final budget version is very much in flux, with school funding in particular something to keep an eye on.
Follow this budget process in your preferred state-wide news source, or – as always – you can rely on Ohio activist Rachel Coyle to tell you what’s important. She’s now on Substack as well as Facebook.
Federal Budget Bill (The Very Badly Named “Big Beautiful Bill”)
So much is wrong with this bill, and the Senate wants to pass it before July 1. Call Senators Moreno and Husted to complain about these items in the current version of the bill:
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Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Medicare
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An astronomical increase in the deficit
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Tax cuts for the wealthy, paid for by cuts in services to the most vulnerable (see #1)
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A provision to block any funding to enforce contempt of court orders. This could enable the Trump administration to flout the rulings of judges without consequence.
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And there’s more. Here’s one article highlighting the worst stuff in the bill passed by the House.
Please call our Senators and complain about one or more of these items. Husted may be particularly worth calling, as he is vulnerable, to the extent that he is up for election in 2026. He will have to please a majority of all Ohioans to keep his seat, and if he hears from enough people in Trumpy Knox County, he might actually think twice before voting. (We want him to worry: “If this many in Knox don’t like this bill, am I doomed if I vote for it?”)
Wondering if your calls make a difference? Here’s some excellent information on why calls are so important.
Thank you so much for whatever you are doing — protesting on the Square, calling elected officials, signing (or not signing) petitions, or chatting with us in the office or at First Friday.
Sincerely,
Kathy Tate, Chair
Knox County Democratic Party