Wednesday, March 1, 2000

Ohio House 31st District (Dem.)

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BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        A political upstart is challenging the incumbent for the Democratic nomination in the 31st District seat in the Ohio House.

        Theo Barnes, a business consultant who in 1999 lost a bid for Cincinnati City Council, is challenging Catherine L. Barrett. Ms. Barrett, the former Forest Park mayor, is seeking a second term.

        Ms. Barrett is focusing on experience, education and health-care issues. She notes she has held political office on the local level, as well as her Statehouse post. Her opponent has no elected government experience.

        Focusing on the issues of the primary race, she notes voters are asking about education and health care. She would like to ensure school districts get the money necessary to provide a quality education. And she is promoting programs geared toward the health of children, from helping to pay for nurses in all public schools to outreach health-care programs.

        “They are closing clinics in my district, and now we have hospitals closing,” Ms. Barrett said. “We must try and maintain health care for everybody, including the working poor,” she said.

        Education and job opportunities are the pressing issues, Mr. Barnes said. He would like to see vocational programs expanded in schools and adult education programs. And he would like to see opportunities extended to ex-convicts who are trying to re-enter the work force.

        “I want everybody to have a chance to work,” Mr. Barnes said.

        Jobs programs need to be expanded so people can get a second chance, he said.

        And schools need the money and resources to help prepare students for the work force, he said.

THE CANDIDATES
        Catherine L. Barrett

        Personal: 58, 5300 Hamilton Ave. No.910, College Hill. Self-employed financial consultant. She earned a bachelor's in business administration from the Union Institute. Family: Husband, Simon; two daughters, Donnetta and Cheryl; and a son, Darryl.

        Experience/qualifications: Ms.Served on Forest Park City Council from 1987-97, and was mayor from 1993-95. She was elected to the Ohio House in 1998. She also served on the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments from 1989-96.

        Theo Barnes

        Personal: 40, 2160 Rice St., Mount Auburn. Business consultant. Associate's in business administration from Ohio College in Cincinnati. He is single.

        Experience/qualifications: Managed youth football and women's softball teams, and has worked with mentally challenged and elderly people. He has worked as a business consultant and operated a small business. He lost a bid for Cincinnati City Council in 1999.

Back to Primary 2000 page

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Hamilton County
Cincinnati Public Schools levies
Deer Park, Mariemont, Madeira, Three Rivers schools
Hamilton Co. Commissioner (Dem.)
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Hamilton Co. safety, road issues
Ohio House 31st District (Dem.)
Ohio House 32nd District (Dem.)
Ohio House 32nd District (Rep.)
Ohio House 34th District (Rep.)
Ohio House 36th District (Rep.)
Ohio House 37th District (Rep.)
Clermont County
Clermont Co. commissioner (Rep.)
Clermont Co. issues
Milford school bond issue
Ohio House 72nd District (Rep.)
Butler County
Union or West Chester: Name the township
Butler Co. police, fire levies
Lakota, Talawanda schools
Monroe school district
Ohio House 60th District (Rep.)
U.S. House 8th District (Dem.)
Warren County
Mason, Kings, Little Miami schools
Warren Co. commissioner
Warren Co. fire levies
Ohio House 2nd District (Rep.)
U.S. House, 6th District (Rep.)