District 40
Ryan Rebecca Taylor (D) |
Phil Plummer (R) |
Bio: Ryan Rebecca Taylor is a 3rd generation resident of the 40th district; as the oldest child in her family, leadership skills came early. She provided a voice for her younger sister, Megan, who had a disability, Mucopploysaccharidosis. Ryan and Megan were only 13 months apart, and at a young age Ryan learned to advocate for the safe and appropriate treatment of her sister. Based on her grandfather's recommendation, Ryan became a Rotary Exchange student in high school and lived in Finland for a year learning about different cultures and going to school. Rotary introduced Ryan to a global perspective. She graduated of Northmont High School and Wright State University with both her Rehabilitation undergraduate degree and Rehabilitation Counseling graduate degree. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Mental Health Counselor, faculty member at WSU and community mentor who has built a career dedicated to advocating for others. She has participated in Leadership Dayton; served on the board of Dayton Art Institute Associate Board and Habitat for Humanity, chosen as Dayton Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and volunteers for numerous local organizations. She and her husband raise their three children in Butler Township. |
Bio: I currently am the elected Sheriff of Montgomery County. I have been employed at the Sheriff's office for the past 30 years where I have protected served the citizens. I have an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. I have been married for twenty-nine years and I have three awesome children. I am an outdoors enthuses and I coach High School wrestling at Vandalia Butler HS. I serve on numerous committees throughout the county which include; Breast Wishes Foundation, Dayton Urban Young Life and the Montgomery County Police Athletic League. |
What legislation do you support regarding the cost and availability of healthcare? All Americans should have access to health care they need, when they need it, and it should be affordable. Our family has paid hundreds of dollars a month in prescription medication, has preexisting conditions, and understood the financial burden of health care, we need to protect people from insurance companies determining if citizens are denied coverage because of their preexisting health conditions. When people have access to healthcare they can take care of themselves better, have access to mental health treatment, and engage in preventative measures to make sure we can all be healthy productive citizens. |
What legislation do you support regarding the cost and availability of healthcare? The cost of health care is skyrocketing and has to be addressed. We need to look at the entire process and eliminate the middle men who drive the costs. We need more transparency on health care billing and it should be a more competitive process. We never know exactly what an elective surgery will cost someone until after the procedure. Therefore, you are unable to shop around and look for the best price. We are only given a bill after the procedure and never given an opportunity to negotiate prices. More transparency with the billing process will help drive down the costs. It will increase competition which will provide the consumer better options. |
How do you plan to address the opioid epidemic? I believe we need to have a comprehensive plan to address the addiction epidemic that includes evidence-based prevention and self-regulation programs, mental health counseling, and employment services that address the problem at its core. By implementing neighborhood-based programs to identify needs we can provide holistic supports for people battling addiction and their families. We cannot jail away the problem. We need to address the issue of addiction and get people back to a productive life. |
How do you plan to address the opioid epidemic? I have been fighting this epidemic for the past four years. We need to utilize a three prong approach to combating this epidemic. Those prongs are supply, demand, and prevention. We need to stop the supply coming into our country with increase law enforce presence. We need to do a better job of providing proper treatment for the addicts. We need to provide more prevention programs in our schools an communities to prevent the next generation from falling into this trap. |
What is your stance on gun ownership, including personal ownership, arming teachers in schools, and the sale of guns? I am from a family of hunters and recognize the current gun debate is not an issue of guns for sport, this is an issue of public safety. We can learn from other countries how to develop appropriate regulations for the safety of our communities including the elimination of gun show loopholes, the creation of universal background checks that include mental health screening and prevent people with violent backgrounds from obtaining guns. We need to eliminate bump stocks and assault weapons and focus on increasing safety training of all gun owners and those with a CCW permit. These changes would not limit the rights of responsible gun owners but could save the lives of many people. We need to support schools with increased school counselors and resources officers, peer supports, and access to mental healthcare so students have what they need both inside and outside of schools to be safe and learn. I see the impact of fear on my own children as they participate in active shooter drills that rattle them for days. We owe it to our children to consider what we can do to make them safer. I am proud to be a Moms Demand Action Candidate. |
What is your stance on gun ownership, including personal ownership, arming teachers in schools, and the sale of guns? I fully support the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Arming teachers is certainly a alternative, however, I prefer to have school districts hire School Resource Officers. Have trained police officers in schools who can prevent gun violence, instruct drug education courses, and work on truancy issues. |