Bike Election Guide 2018 FINAL
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VOTER INFORMATION November 6, 2018 General Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30AM until 7:30PM. How Bicyclists Guide to Voting is compiled: The Bike Miami Valley Regional Advocacy Committee has published the 3rd Voters Guide to provide a forum for candidates to discuss issues of walking, bicycling, and street or trail use. Bicycling is a legal form of transportation in Ohio and has the same rules and rights to the roads as any other vehicle. This Guide also highlights information that can help an everyday recreational bicyclists, a dedicated multi-modal user or a daily cycling commuter get insight to candidates’ political viewpoints, I BIKE, I WALK, opinions, and personal experiences with bicycling. Letters with four questions were sent to candidates in contested races within the Miami Valley area (counties that are I VOTE! represented in Bike Miami Valley’s regional membership base). Candidate responses have been printed to fit formatting. If a candidate did not respond, NO REPLY indicates the Election 2018 candidate either did not respond or did not meet the stated deadline. In each office, an asterisks (*) notes the incumbent candidates only in the first question, underneath how Bicyclists Guide to Voting many candidates a voter can select on the ballot. Bike Miami Valley does not endorse or support views of any candidate or political in Clark, Greene, Miami & party. Nor does Bike Miami Valley assume responsibility for the content of any Montgomery Counties candidate’s reply. takes that confusion and chaos would ensure that roads are repaired away. People aren’t fighting over the when needed, updated, and designed same space then. Defining space is for use and safety of various types of the reason research shows that vehicles, and it would provide people driving cars like protected resources for safety campaigns. bike lanes.” (Source:https://www.aarp.org/livab ANSWER 2: le-communities/) Warren Davidson – No reply Mission: To advocate, promote, and Vanessa Enoch – I definitely believe create opportunities for all forms of Would you support policies and that the trails are an economic asset. I bicycling in the Miami Valley. commitments in infrastructure would use the trails to attract more For more information, visit spending bills that promote this businesses to locate to the region. www.bikemiamivalley.org type of innovative roadway design? Trails are an asset to communities and Why or why not? can promote a healthier lifestyle and Bike Miami Valley, a 501(c)(3), does not environment. They can also be used to support or oppose any political party or QUESTION 4: spur investment in the region, because candidate. Why do you think people who care businesses can attract more employees. about bicycling and walking issues QUESTION 1: should vote for you? ANSWER 3: If you are elected, what is one thing Warren Davidson – No reply you will do for the city, region, or Ohio Governor/ Lieutenant Vanessa Enoch – Yes, many big cities state you’ll serve to ensure and Governor Candidates have already begun to promote provide the highest level of safety on Vote for 1 designated bike lanes. I would promote our public roads, while Mike DeWine/ John Husted – No reply bike lanes because it cuts down on the accommodating all users (youth, Richard Cordray/ Betty Sutton – No amount of pollution by cutting down on elderly, people on bikes, in cars, reply the number of cars on the street. public transit, and mobility Constance Gadell-Newton/ Brett challenged)? Joseph– No reply ANSWER 4: Warren Davidson – No reply QUESTION 2: U.S. Senate Ohio Candidates Vanessa Enoch – Because I believe in The Miami Valley region has the Vote for 1 promoting good health and protecting nation’s largest paved trail network. *Indicates incumbent the environment. I will be an advocate According to the 2017 Miami Valley Sherrod Brown* – No reply for the issues they care about. Regional Planning Commission trail Jim Renacci – No reply user survey, the trail network draws Philena Irene Farley – No reply 5th Ohio Senate Candidates and estimated 793,000 users Vote for 1 annually, and generates between U.S. House Ohio District 10 Paul Bradly – No reply $11.4 - $15.4 million in direct Candidates Stephen Huffman – No reply economic impact for the region Vote for 1 every year (source: *Indicates incumbent 40th Ohio House Candidates https://www.mvrpc.org) Mike Turner* – No reply Vote for 1 Theresa Gasper – No reply ANSWER 1: Do you see the Miami Valley Trails Phil Plummer – Public safety is my as an economic asset, and how can U.S. House Ohio District 8 strong point. I have been employed at you utilize the trail network as a Candidates the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office resource to promote the region? Vote for 1 for the past thirty years. I have been *Indicates incumbent the elected Sheriff for the last ten years. QUESTION 3: ANSWER 1: We must do more public safety The AARP Livable Communities Warren Davidson* – No reply announcements and train people how website states that “The anxiety and Vanessa Enoch – As a to react when encountering a bicyclist. anger people may have about people Congresswoman, I believe the most on bicycles is because we have We have some of the best bicycle paths important role I can play in ensuring in the Country. We were streets designed for conflict. the safety on public roads is to support just recognized for these tremendous Everyone is nervous because no one and or introduce legislation that will assets. Our downtown community is a knows where they belong. The allocate funds for safety on roads. This presence of a protected bike lane bicyclist friendly community. We have new lanes created on our streets, become a vacation destination for all protecting these like minded people. however, we have not done one single outdoor enthusiast. I am definitely and People should be able to go outdoors community educational events to keep advocate for our trail system and I will and enjoy our trail system and feel safe our cyclists safe. I am an avid cyclist, I always support the program to the doing it. I am an avid runner and know the dangers of riding on our fullest extent. cyclists and I to enjoy these great roadways when the motoring public is Ryan Taylor – The Miami Valley trails assets we have in our community. I ill-informed about how to react to are an important economic asset for pledge to keep them well maintained cyclists. Education is the key to safety our region. We have so many bike and even expand them. I will also work and we must do a better job of doing focused events, including Miami Valley hard to implement any type of safety that. About ten years ago, I did a public Cycle Summit, Tour De Gem, and Bike measures possible to keep our active safety announcement about cyclist’s month with activities for everyone. citizens safe while working out or safety, we need more of that to protect These events along with the trail commuting on our trails. systems add to the quality of life for everyone. Unfortunately, we have lost several our community and are an asset in Ryan Taylor – At the state level, I great assets in our community. We are retention and attraction of talent to our would advocate for more opportunities region. At the statehouse, I would seek on the rebound and this is one asset for to help cities and counties design, to work with community organizations that I will protect. It is an economic plan, and develop multi-modal like Bike Miami Valley, Five Rivers driver in our region and we must keep projects. There are already Metro Park, Link, and Dayton Cycling it here. I will do that and I ask you for recommendations, best practices, and Club to expand on opportunities to your vote on November 6th. Please some unfunded mandates at the federal promote the region and its trail remember, PlummerforOhio. I will take and state level for multi-modal state system. care of you. projects to ensure safety on our public Ryan Taylor – I believe biking and roads. The difficulty, especially for local ANSWER 3: walking improves quality of life, governments, is in the planning, Phil Plummer – I would support this advances healthy bodies and minds, development, and funding of these type of infrastructure spending bill. As and adds to our economic vitality in projects; in addition, there is a I stated earlier, I am an avid cyclists Ohio. Most importantly, I am open to disconnect in individuals’ and I see the danger of sharing the listening to our community’s needs and understanding multi-modal open road with uninformed motorists. to work together with others to find ways we can improve the quality of life transportation and the economic Cycling does create a great deal of value to a community due to the for all. impact it provides. I look forward to economic impact they bring here. We working with local partners 41st Ohio House Candidates should utilize some of those new to demonstrate the economic and Vote for 1 health impacts that multi-modal dollars created by cycling and reinvest *Indicates incumbent transportation has on our community, back into infrastructure for the ANSWER 1: and finding ways that the State can protection of our cyclists. Jim Butler* – One of the biggest better support these efforts. Ryan Taylor – I would support smart threats to safety is driving while under designs for multi-modal transportation the influence of drugs or alcohol. This ANSWER 2: that makes transportation safe, term I introduced HB568, Sophie’s Phil Plummer – The paved trail effective, and efficient for all users Law, which will help law enforcement network is an tremendous asset in our including cyclists.