MR. EDITOR:

It’s great that chipmaker Intel is coming to Ohio. We need high tech jobs that they will bring to the Columbus area. But some say the nearly $2 billion in incentives used to get Intel to commit to Ohio could be too much, as some of the money would be lost if it were to back out of its commitment. So let’s hope that really happens.

Meanwhile, we find out that Governor Mike DeWine owns Intel stock. He had to disclose if he had more than $1,000 in stock, but he won’t say how much he actually has. If he has a large stake in Intel, he could benefit greatly from a deal he brokered. It looks like a conflict of interest. DeWine shouldn’t try to shirk his responsibility to voters, and he should disclose exactly how much Intel stock he owns.

This is not the first time the governor has been questioned about suspicious actions. In the FirstEnergy House Bill 6 debacle, where our former Statehouse chief and others were indicted for accepting $60 million in bribes, DeWine appointed Sam Randazzo to lead PUCO, l utility watchdog of Ohio. Just prior to his appointment, Randazzo had received $4 million from FirstEnergy for consulting fees. Due to his connection to the vast system of corruption, his house was raided by the FBI and he resigned from PUCO, but he has not yet been charged with any wrongdoing.

DeWine refused to hand over the records relating to the $60 million bribery scam and is now being sued for producing the documents. What did he know of these bribes and when?

Pay attention to state policy. What happens in Columbus affects us more than all the noise and drama we see on the national news every day. Ask yourself why we’re in the bottom half of all states for education level, high school graduation rates, overall health, and immunization rates. The current administration and the gerrymandered Republican supermajority in the Statehouse have not helped Ohioans. Who looks out for the best interests of the people of Ohio? The people of Ohio deserve better leadership.

CATHERINE PHIFER

Warren