Debbie Phillips for State Representative

Background:

Debbie Phillips is a Democratic City Council Member in Athens, representing the 4th Ward. She is the Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, which oversees proposed developments, subdivisions, and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan in Athens. She resides on the East side of Athens with her husband Jim, and their two children Jeremiah (16) and Pauline (8).

Phillips is the Executive Director of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign. The Ohio Fair Schools Campaign organizes and advocates for high quality education opportunities for all Ohio children. Debbie Phillips is the Founding Director of the Campaign, which formed in 2003 to work toward a real solution to Ohio's school funding crisis.

Phillips serves on the Athens Regional Planning Commission and the General Policy Council of the Buckeye Hills Regional Development District. She is a member of the Near Eastside Neighborhood Association and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to her work with the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign, Phillips worked as Project Coordinator for the Community and School Connection of Rural Action. This project involved helping citizens participate in planning the use of state funds for building projects in their districts, community use of old school buildings, and involvement in school funding issues, which led to the spin-off of the Campaign.

Phillips is an experienced mediator, and previously served on the Board of the Athens Area Mediation Service (AAMS). While Chair of the AAMS Board, Phillips participated in the transition of that organization from an all-volunteer effort to hiring its first Director. She is trained as a mediator, and served as a volunteer mediator in domestic relations and small claims cases. She also provided training to area school children in conflict management and peer mediation.

Phillips also served as a member of the Board of the League of Women Voters of Athens County, and helped produce the Voter's Guide during her service. She is actively involved with the Near Eastside Neighborhood Association and the joint executive committees of the Neighborhood Associations.

Goals:

I believe that Ohio is at a turning point and with Governor Strickland in office we have a real chance to change the lives of Ohioans for the better.

In my job as the Ohio Fair School Campaign Executive Director I have taken numerous teachers and parents to testify on the budget hearings. I have been extremely disappointed in recent years at how poorly legislators have treated these concerned citizens.

This type of atmosphere is not right for Ohio or is it conductive for good government. I plan to be a legislator that fosters an open environment that encourages concerned citizens to be involved in the legislative process.

When elected I want to be a major part in helping to solve the school funding crisis in Ohio.

Issues:

Jobs for the region.

Increasing access to affordable health care.

Fixing Ohio's school funding crisis.

Grassroots Support:

This is a grassroots campaign. We have volunteers that almost daily are knocking on doors with me, stuffing envelopes and making phone calls.

The campaign could not happen without the hard work and countless hours of these volunteers working at the grassroots level.

DFA Values:

I have a track record working for working families in the state of Ohio. I circulated petitions to raise the minimum wage and guarantee Ohio workers paid sick days.

On city council in Athens I have worked hard to ensure that tax dollars are not wasted. I also believe that in Ohio we should close tax loopholes that do nothing to stimulate business and use those fundings to relive the burden on local tax payers for our schools.