Elizabeth Richards
Candidate for District 2,
Ohio House of Representatives
Elizabeth strongly believes, “Nothing is more worthy than fighting for the rights and welfare of others.”
This idea is central to all of the topics near and dear to Elizabeth. Fighting to make our communities, cities, and state a better place for everyone, is at the heart of the policy changes that Elizabeth wants to enact.
Here is a list of the top 15 topics Elizabeth hopes to enact change in when she is elected as Representative of District 2 for the Ohio House of Representatives.
All Topics
Parents can’t rejoin the workforce if Child Care is so expensive that it costs as much as they make. Child Care needs to be more affordable and easier for families to access.
Affordable Child Care
Housing shortages, disparity in building versus buying. Renting feels like a trap we’ll never get out of and buying a house feels nearly impossible for the younger generations. So let’s talk about it!
Affordable Housing
Free Breakfast and Lunch for K-12, Funding Public Schools, Early Education, Technical & Trade Schools, Additional Educational Courses through Local Libraries, and Professional Development for Adults.
Children & Schools
Why is it that violent crimes against women and children have such a high rate at which they are not reported, or prosecuted, or both? DV Victims deserve our support and our aide in order to help them, their children, and their pets get out of a bad situation before it turns deadly. An expansion of support and aide services.
Domestic Violence Survivors
Behavioral, Dental, Mental, & Vision Care, are Health Care too. A discussion to move towards treating the whole person not just 1 system of the body or just the symptoms. A plan to offer Universal Health Care for all Ohio Residents.
Universal Health Care
Ideas about how to help our Elders & Senior Citizens stay in their homes, with their families for longer like expanding programs that pay for family members to care for their elderly &/or disabled loved ones.
Elder Care
Free English As A Second Language courses. “Bilingual Guides” to help immigrants become a part of their new communities and navigate the area so they can grow roots. Designation of Official Safe Spaces where one cannot be arrested or detained like Churches, Hospitals, & Schools from any police agency or police adjacent agency. Expansion of the Foreign Exchange Student Program.
Immigrants & Immigration
Protection so Queer kids can make their own decisions about their bodies, their futures, and who they want to be. Expansion of Safe Places to turn to for help when unsafe situations arise. Legal Name Change & Gender Designation Changes to Birth Certificates, Equal Marriage Protections, Non-Discrimination Policies & More.
LGBTQIA+ Rights
Ohio’s Minimum Wage is $10.70/hr. NO ONE should be making LESS than what is deemed Below the Federal Poverty Line. If the average household or family consists of 3 people in Ohio, 1 income only generates $22,256 per year (gross). The Poverty Guideline is $26,650 per year. A Family of 3 would be $4,394, in the hole. This is unacceptable. Not everyone can afford to have a 2 income household.
Living Wages
No New Parent or Soon-to-be-Parent should ever have to worry about becoming homeless, hungry, or without medical care during their pregnancy, post-partum, or for their newborn. Creating a State-Wide Mandatory allowance for Parental Leave time of at least 16 weeks for both parents, with at least 60% of their regular pay guaranteed to them while on leave.
Paid Parental Leave
The government makes sure that our cars are road worthy, why can’t we hold the government accountable to making the roads car worthy? Currently, only 36% of Tax Generated Revenue goes to Education, Public Safety, and/or Roads. Revenue to repair or replace our crumbling infrastructure should not be a 1 out of 3 OPTION. Roads should have a dedicated fund of their own from these monies.
Pot-Holes Project
How Living-Wages, a Grocery Prize Freeze, Utility Price Freeze, and State Sponsored or Supported Food Banks, along with Affordable Child Care, Affordable Health Care, Expansion of Free Reproductive Health Care, and a Free College Program for all In-State Residents could help lift underserved Ohioans out of a Poverty.
Poverty Crisis
We’ve discussed it before but it hasn’t passed into legislation. Let’s end the seemingly endless cycle of taxation upon something that you already own, starting with your home. How many times do you have to buy your home in taxes before it’s officially free and clear?
Property Tax Relief
No Veteran should ever be homeless, hungry, or without medical care. Expansion of State Aide for Veterans as a way to help lower and ultimately end Veteran Suicide. Expand and build more programs that help Ohio’s Veterans transition to Civilian life. Instead of cutting staff to Ohio’s VA Homes and VA programs, build more and fully fund and staff them!
Veteran Affairs
Our Bodies, Our Choices: More than just a discussion about abortion rights and Reproductive Health Care Freedoms. A massive discussion of all things equal rights and protections for women, including tackling the wage gap, breaking the glass ceiling, and ending the “Pink” Tax.