CANDIDATES

Cy Richardson Hometown: Monroe Township Age: 63 Occupation: Retired public-school teacher and administrator in Clermont and Brown counties; farms land in Ohio and Kentucky Experience: Serves on the Ohio State Board of Education, representing 17 counties; former Monroe Township trustee; past president of the Bethel Lions Club Danny Bubp Hometown: West Union Age: 50 Occupation: Attorney Experience: Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; pro bono work for West Union schools on Ten Commandments case

Danny Bubp, a West Union attorney facing retired educator Cy Richardson for the Ohio House of Representatives seat here, believes that's why he'll win.

Bubp, who grew up in Sardinia, calls the 88th district a "good Christian community" that's against abortion and same-sex marriage and protective of its right to bear arms.

"That's the kind of district I want to serve in," said Bubp, 50.

Bubp represented the West Union School District in the Ten Commandments court battle, and during the Iraq war, the Marine Reserve colonel worked at U.S. Central Command.

But Richardson, 63, a retired schoolteacher and administrator and member of the state school board, believes residents here will vote on two issues - school improvements and tax restructuring.

"Corporations aren't paying their fair share of taxes, and that comes from a history of one-party rule in Columbus creating too many loopholes for these corporations," said Richardson, who lives on a farm in Monroe Township.

"Tax experts say Ohio's business taxes are among the least productive in the U.S. because many big businesses have figured out how to beat the system. The result is the tax burden is shifted to small businesses."

About Richardson's tax stance, Bubp says: "We already have problems in Ohio getting corporations to come here. Do you think increasing corporate taxes will hurt the state or help the state? Increasing the tax on corporations will chill the business atmosphere in Ohio."

Bubp says he would court businesses to come to Ohio.

"These corporations are having a tough enough time making it as it is with all the work going to Mexico where there's cheap labor," Bubp said. "Government needs to support industry, not place more burdens on them."

Richardson believes the tax loopholes are hurting Ohio's schools and universities.

"We need to get an educated populace," Richardson said. "And we got to figure some way to keep the young people in the state."

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com