St. Rep. Mike Dovilla Appointed to Serve as Vice-Chairman of Ways and Means Committee

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COLUMBUS—Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today appointed State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) to serve as vice-chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

 

In addition to this appointment, Rep. Dovilla continues to serve on the Economic and Small Business Development Committee and the State Government and Elections Committee. He also serves on the Redistricting Subcommittee of the State Government and Elections Committee.

 

Rep. Dovilla represents the 18^th Ohio House District, which includes portions of Cuyahoga County.

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St. Rep. Dovilla Announces "Legislator for a Day" Reading Program

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Dovilla (R-Berea) has announced a partnership with local libraries on his “Become a Legislator for a Day” reading program. Children in grades one through six may participate in the program by visiting the Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls or Strongsville branches of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, picking up a bookmark and recording five books that they have read on the back of the bookmark. Once the books have been read and recorded, participants should return the bookmark to the library no later than Friday, April 8, 2011. The completed bookmark serves as an entry form for each child, who will have the opportunity to be randomly selected as a “Legislator for a Day.”

“I am pleased to be working with 18th District libraries to promote this exciting program for our children,” said Dovilla. “As we encourage young people to read, this initiative will also provide opportunities for them to learn more about Ohio government and the rich history of our great state.”

Each participating library branch will have one child selected to become a legislator for a day. Winners will receive a VIP tour of the Ohio Statehouse, which will include participating in a mock legislative hearing and lunch with State Representative Mike Dovilla.

GUEST COLUMN: "Serving Your Family’s Interests During This General Assembly" by St. Rep. Mike Dovilla

By State Rep. Mike Dovilla

As a U.S. Navy veteran and small business owner, I have long understood the role that commitment and hard work play in our society. With the 129th Ohio General Assembly underway, I am striving to bring these traits with me to Columbus as your state representative. With a dedication to making things better for our district and our state, I am prepared to make the tough decisions that will lay the foundation for future success.
However, this is no small task, and during these difficult economic times we have many challenges to overcome. I will be relying on your help and guidance as my legislative colleagues and I navigate these tough waters. Having met the lawmakers from around the state with whom I will be working over the next two years, I want you to know that I believe this state is in good hands. Your House of Representatives is composed of men and women with a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience that will certainly benefit this state.
Regardless of the obstacles we face, I am honored and humbled to be our community’s voice in Columbus. A resident of Berea, I know that the people of the 18th House District represent what is great about Ohio. We are a community that recognizes the importance of service to others and ensures that this is a great place to do business and raise a family.
At the statehouse, my goal is to make certain that our laws reflect this goal. It is important that we find ways of revitalizing our economy, and I recently was selected to serve on House committees that will give me an in-depth role in achieving that objective. I was appointed to the Economic and Small Business Development Committee, State Government and Elections Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and the Redistricting Subcommittee of the State Government Committee. I believe that my personal and professional experiences will aid me in making a real difference for Ohioans while serving on these committees.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving as your voice in state government, and I will do my best to make you proud and serve your family’s needs. Please feel free to contact me with any of your concerns by calling my office, sending an e-mail or writing to me. As I continue to make my way around the district, I would love for you to say hello and introduce yourself.
As someone who has been given so much from the people of this area, I feel extremely privileged to serve you. This opportunity means a great deal to me, and I’m thankful to be making a difference in our great state on your behalf.

State Rep. Mike Dovilla to Host Town Hall Meeting

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) today announced that he will be hosting his first town hall meeting for residents of the 18th State House District on Thursday, February 10, 2011. The topic of discussion will be the state budget.

The forum will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room B of the Strongsville Public Library, located at 18700 Westwood Drive, Strongsville, Ohio, 44136. All members of the public are invited and encouraged to participate.
“Our state is facing a serious budget crisis, and it is important for citizens to know about the challenges we are facing,” said Dovilla. “In just the first four weeks of my term, I have learned about some of the decisions made in the past two years that have led us to this situation. My constituents have the right to know as much as possible about Ohio’s fiscal condition, and I look forward to receiving their input as we work together to put our state back on the right track.”

OHD-18: Matt Patten Lied About Voting to Cut His Pay

...but don't take my word for it, check out this PolitiFact piece:

The pay cut was actually a Republican idea before Democrats seized it. Rep. Seth Morgan, a Dayton-area Republican, included the 5-percent pay cut bill idea as stand-alone measure in House Bill 210, which was introduced on June 9, 2009.

That bill went nowhere for months. Democrats latched onto the idea in October 2009 and inserted the 5-percent pay cut plan into a measure that delayed a 4.2 percent state income tax cut for all Ohioans.
The so-called freeze on the income tax cut provided $844 million the state needed to shore up its budget, which had a hole in it after legal wranglings halted a plan to raise revenue by allowing slot machines at Ohio's horse tracks.
Republicans saw the freeze as a tax increase, so the bill containing the freeze and the pay cut passed on a mostly partisan vote. Only two Republicans joined all 53 Democrats in voting for it. Later, the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate stripped the provision from the legislation, so it never actually became law.
So Patten and the other House Democrats did vote to cut their own pay, right? Not so fast, dear reader.
A section of the the Ohio Constitution actually prohibits members of the General Assembly from changing their own pay.
...
Patten and other House Democrats are making an issue out of a vote that purported to cut lawmakers’ pay by 5 percent.
They claim they cut their own pay in the measure which ultimately wasn't adopted.
However, even if the measure had been adopted, the Ohio Constitution would have prevented the pay from taking effect until the next General Assembly is seated.
So they actually didn't vote to cut their own pay. They cut the pay for members of the next legislature, which may or may not include them.
Therefore, we find this claim to be false.

OHD-18: Dovilla Endorsed by Plain Dealer

Release:

In its endorsement of U.S. Navy combat veteran and small business owner Mike Dovilla, The Plain Dealer on Sunday made a clear distinction between the independent-minded Dovilla, “a serious policy wonk,” and community organizer Matt Patten, “an affable but unremarkable first-term incumbent,” who has voted with his own party in the legislature 98.9 percent of the time. Dovilla has also been endorsed by U.S. Senator George Voinovich, Mayor Robert Blomquist of Olmsted Falls, Mayor Thomas Perciak of Strongsville, the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Northern Ohio Chapter, National Defense Committee, National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Ohio Restaurant Association, Ohio Right to Life, Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Veterans United, Republican Party of Cuyahoga County, and The Liberty Committee.



Plain Dealer Endorsements for the Ohio House of Representatives


By The Plain Dealer Editorial Board


Sunday, October 17, 2010


Ohio House District 18


MIKE DOVILLA


Age: 35


Experience: government affairs consultant, former U.S. Senate staff member, Navy reservist.


Party: Republican
Why him? This is the toughest call in the Cuyahoga County delegation. Affable but unremarkable first-term incumbent Matt Patten has stayed predictably close to the Democratic Party line. Dovilla is a serious policy wonk who wants to make state government more efficient and get more dollars into classrooms by cutting overhead. A former aide to Sen. George Voinovich, Dovilla would be a good addition to the House if he can channel some of his old boss's independence.

OHD18: Dovilla Receives Ohio Manufacturers’ Endorsement

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COLUMBUS – The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association Political Action Committee (OMA-PAC) has announced its endorsement of Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) in his candidacy for the 18th District Ohio House race for the upcoming November election.



“Our goal is to help elect the most qualified candidates to protect and grow Ohio manufacturing,” said OMA president Eric Burkland. “With today’s endorsement, we’ve taken an important step in accomplishing that goal. Mike Dovilla supports the issues that are important to Ohio manufacturers and their employees and understands that a strong manufacturing sector leads to a healthier economy, good jobs and improved quality of life for all Ohioans. We are pleased to support him.”


Candidate endorsements are made by the OMA-PAC board of directors based on a variety of information including public records and member support in the district.


“I am honored to be endorsed by The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. As a consultant to an Ohio-based U.S. Army Center of Excellence that partners closely with local metals manufacturers, I understand the importance of manufacturing to our state’s economy. We must work to restore a business-friendly climate to Ohio that allows these companies to grow and create jobs for Ohioans. When I am elected to the legislature, I will work closely with Ohio’s manufacturers to ensure they have an economic environment in which they can compete and succeed.”

OHD-18: Patten’s Patently False Smear Campaign Misfires Yet Again

Release:  Berea, OH—Community organizer Matt Patten’s patently false smear campaign on U.S. Navy veteran and small business owner Mike Dovilla continued unabated this week with ongoing charges of a “dangerous plan” to slash Ohio’s state budget by 40 percent. The latest piece of mail to reach residents in the 18th Ohio House District accused Dovilla of seeking to “slash funding to schools and force the layoffs of thousands of teachers.”
The fact is Mike Dovilla has no such plan to balance the state’s budget on the backs of Ohio’s educators, libraries or other children’s services.
“Matt Patten and his party bosses in Columbus are again engaging in unethical behavior, working feverishly to tie me to some mysterious plan I didn’t write and know nothing about,” said Dovilla. “If they would simply visit my website and read The Dovilla Plan to Get Ohio Working, they would see my actual blueprint to get our state back on the right track.”
“Renewing our commitment to world-class education is one of the key components of The Dovilla Plan,” continued Dovilla, a graduate of Berea High School who went on to earn degrees from Baldwin-Wallace College and American University. “I am proud of the many current and retired public school teachers – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – who support my candidacy for the legislature and will do everything in my power to ensure that our teachers, administrators, parents and students have the resources to compete in today’s increasingly global economy.”
A native of Berea and resident of his hometown for more than 23 years, Mike Dovilla is running for the legislature to Get Ohio Working by creating a business-friendly environment that will create jobs, promote economic development, and retain our state’s talented residents. The 18th District is composed of Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville.

OHD-18: Patten’s Patently False Smear Campaign Misses the Mark Again

Release:

Berea, OH — Community organizer Matt Patten’s patently false smear campaign on U.S. Navy veteran and small business owner Mike Dovilla continued this week with absurd charges of a “dangerous plan” to slash Ohio’s state budget by 40 percent and place public safety at risk.
The fact is Mike Dovilla has no such plan to balance the state’s budget on the backs of Ohio’s law enforcement and public safety officials. In fact, Dovilla has earned the endorsement of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for his support of police officers and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants for his responsible approach to addressing the state’s impending $8 billion budget deficit over the next biennium.
“I don’t know what plan Matt Patten is looking at,” said Dovilla. “But if he would go to my website and read The Dovilla Plan to Get Ohio Working, he would see that my plan does not call for a 40 percent cut in the state budget. Rather, it calls for these six points: (1) creating jobs for Ohioans; (2) improving economic development; (3) renewing our commitment to world-class education; (4) reforming state government to work for the people; (5) adopting a comprehensive energy policy; and (6) providing affordable and accessible health care. I would also note that although Matt Patten has been in Columbus for 21 months, he still doesn’t seem to have any plan to start putting Ohioans back to work or restore our state’s economy.”
A native of Berea and resident of his hometown for more than 23 years, Mike Dovilla is running for the legislature to Get Ohio Working by creating a business-friendly environment that will create jobs, promote economic development, and retain our state’s talented residents. The 18th District is composed of Berea, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville.

OHD-18: Dovilla Renews Call for Patten to Divest His Campaign of Tainted Money

Release:

Berea, OH—Democrat State Rep. Matt Patten has accepted campaign contributions from several Cuyahoga County officials who are under Federal investigation, stated Mike Dovilla, Republican candidate for the 18th Ohio House District. Specifically, Dovilla called upon Patten to relinquish these campaign contributions to charity.


“Cuyahoga County has fallen victim to rampant corruption and dishonest politics for far too long,” Dovilla said. “I again encourage Rep. Patten to reinvest this dirty money into charitable organizations that will benefit our community.”

Frank Russo, who was a financial contributor to Patten’s campaign, recently resigned from his position as Cuyahoga County Auditor and is expected to plead guilty bribery and obstruction charges. In 2008, Friends of Frank Russo donated $350 to Patten’s campaign.

Additionally, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, who is currently under investigation for his role in a number of corruption violations, donated $200 to Patten in 2008. Patten also accepted $100 from former sheriff Gerald McFaul, who plead guilty in June to two theft in office charges and a misdemeanor ethics violation.

“As my team and I have knocked on nearly 10,000 doors around our district, a common concern expressed by residents is the widespread corruption we are all witnessing in Cuyahoga County government, which has been dominated by one party for many years. Citizens are tired of dirty politics from ‘name-game’ politicians, who put their own self-interests before those of the people they are elected to serve. It is time for a fresh start.”