Gov. candidate Acton would act on algal blooms

SANDUSKY — Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic Party's nominee for Ohio governor, said she supports Gov. Mike DeWine's H2Ohio program and will pursue efforts to clean up Lake Erie if she's elected governor. Acton gave the Sandusky Register a 15-minute interview after a campaign event on May 21 at Cedar Point Center on the campus of BGSU Firelands. H2Ohio is DeWine's main effort to deal with harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and with clean water issues throughout Ohio. It has included restoring wetlands along the Lake Erie shore to serve as a natural filter for pollutants and working with farmers to decrease fertilizer runoff that feeds harmful algal blooms. What do candidates think? The Register has been attempting to find out how each of the major party candidates would approach Lake Erie issues if elected governor this fall. Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor, conducted a town hall meeting in early April at Lakeside Chautauqua, focusing on lake issues, and said he will work to continue efforts to make Lake Erie healthy. The Register asked Ramaswamy if he would continue wetlands restoration efforts. "In principle, it makes a lot of sense," said Ramaswamy, referring to wetlands restoration. He said he needs to study factors such as scale, size and type of wetlands. Acton said that when she served as Ohio's state health director in DeWine's administration, she was a partner when H2Ohio was created. In the last state budget, Ohio lawmakers cut H2Ohio by reducing DeWine's $270 million budget proposal to $165 million in the final biennial budget bill. The House initially proposed a deeper cut to $150 million, so Lake Erie advocates in the Sandusky area were able to restore some of the initial cuts. "I absolutely want to see that funding restored," Acton said. She said she will work to continue the restoration of Ohio wetlands. Acton also said she is concerned about harmful algal blooms, invasive species and other issues. Acton said "when" she becomes governor, she wants Ohio to have the largest integrated park system in the country. Ohio needs to do a better job of branding its nature experiences and showing how people can cross much of the state using trails and waterways. That could be a big driver for the economy, she said. Acton talks up platform During her speech last week, Acton vowed to support full funding for public schools, restore cuts to funding to public libraries and support other funding goals. The Register asked how she can do all that if she's likely going to have to work with an Ohio General Assembly with Republican majorities. Acton replied that she is used to working with officials in a bipartisan way. "I've never been partisan," she said. "I know how to work with everyone." She said that even as Republican lawmakers were criticizing her and DeWine during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the same officials were sending her flowers and cards and text messages. Acton said she also hopes Democrats will pick up enough seats in the Ohio House to end the supermajority, blocking lawmakers from overriding her vetoes and line-item vetoes and giving her leverage. "I do think we have a chance to break that supermajority. That would be amazing," she said. The Ohio House currently has 65 Republicans and 34 Democrats. It takes 60 votes to override a governor's veto.