Rep. Otterman, HB 315 supporter, leaving Ohio House for Summit Co. post

From RH Jones, December 1, 2007
Subject: A supporter of HB 315 is leaving House District 45

To State Rep. Joyce Beatty(D), Rep. George Distel(D), and all:

With the retirement of education friendly & a retired STRS member, State Rep. Bob Otterman, 45 District, it is hoped that Rep. George Distel will replace him with a similar education friendly/retired educator. The passage of House Bill 315 is too important for our state to have a non-educator replace him. To support education is to support business. Therefore, you active and retired educators may wish to contact Rep. George Distel, 99th District, and Rep. Joyce Beatty, 27th District, if you are a voting resident of those districts.

Rep. George Distel
495 Middle Rd.
Conneaut 44030
Tel. 440-599-8540
E-mail: district99@ohr.state.oh.us

Rep. Joyce Beatty
5300 Hamilton Ave., Suite 18C
Cincinnati, OH 45224
Statehouse tel. 614-466-5343
E-mail: district27@ohr.state.oh.us

The following was reported in the Akron Beacon Journal this morning, 12/01/07, on page B3:

State Rep. Otterman to give up seat

AKRON: State Rep. Robert J. Otterman is leaving his 45th House District seat to take a job in Summit County, Ohio House Leader Joyce Beatty said.

She said state Rep. George Distel, D-Conneaut, will chair a screening committee to recommend Otterman’s replacement. Since Otterman is a Democrat, the remaining 45 members of the House Caucus will be responsible for the choice.

Otterman is in his fourth term and is expected to give up his seat by the end of the year. He started his career in public service on Akron City Council, where he served for 29 years before he was elected to the House.

The 45th district includes parts of Akron and Barberton.

With certain members of the State House playing severe “hard ball” with the public school districts education issues, it is no wonder that Rep. Bob Otterman would want out and possibly even “burn out”. It is so difficult to get a home run with team members that do not play fairly. They have been pitching hard-heartedly against public school children and their teachers over Otterman’s four terms in office. It is time that we voted out of office the team that has opposed children and their teachers for these past several years.

Thank you Bob Otterman. You will be terribly missed by the children and their teachers that you have served so well over the past several years. Good luck in your new job.

The sincere opinion of,

Robert Hudson Jones, a voting resident of Ohio District 45