Paul Kurtz, Running for District 55 at the Ohio Statehouse

Listen to Paul Kurtz talk about his campaign.

I grew up in a trailer park near Sandusky Bay. My mother taught music; my father was a county police officer. When my mother became ill, medical debt nearly bankrupted our family.

After college, I worked two jobs to cover student loans and rent, eventually working my way up into business leadership at a publicly traded company. I also spent six years on the Kids In Need Foundation board, helping provide free school supplies to students and teachers across the country.

I’m running because I’ve seen how bad policy and corporate greed hurt families who do everything right, and I decided to turn my frustration with politics into action. Raising two daughters in Springboro made Ohio’s future personal, but my concern extends beyond my own children to every Ohio child and family.

My wife left teaching because of childcare costs. Plenty of families here are making similar choices. Health insurance premiums, property taxes, and energy bills keep climbing, and with the economy uncertain, many people are working more hours or multiple jobs and still can’t get ahead.

Working families built this state, and they deserve leaders focused on them. That’s why I’m running on three priorities: Lower our bills. Protect our healthcare. Fund our schools.

That means property tax reform; affordable, dependable childcare; protecting Medicaid; fighting medical debt; lowering prescription costs; and fully funding public schools so they rely less on local property taxes.

These initiatives benefit all Ohioans and support the families who keep our communities running. Paying for them starts with examining our existing state budget and redirecting spending toward working families. We can also fix a tax system in which working families pay a larger share of their income in taxes than those at the very top. And we can strengthen consumer protections to fight price gouging and stop powerful corporations from using their market dominance to drive up costs for families.

My business experience taught me servant leadership: showing up, listening, and taking responsibility for results. It means working with people I may not always agree with to deliver for the people I serve. That’s the leadership I’ll bring to Warren County and Loveland.

Whether you’re an independent, a Republican, or a Democrat, you deserve someone in Columbus who works for you.

Vote early or on November 3, and let’s deliver practical solutions and build a stronger future for all Ohioans.

Paul Kurtz lives in Springboro and is the Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 55.