Rep. Landsman: “The cost has gone up because they spent trillions of dollars on a tax cut for the super wealthy and cut health care by a trillion dollars.”
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Defend America Action is releasing a new report, first published by TiffinOhio.net, highlighting the devastating affordability crisis Donald Trump and Republicans have created for Ohio.
Defend America Action also hosted a press call this afternoon with Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01); State Senator Kent Smith; and State Representatives Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, Ashley Bryant Bailey, and Karen Brownlee to discuss Trump and Congressional Republicans’ affordability crisis and its consequences for Ohioans.
“The country has become incredibly expensive over the last 18 to 20 months. Ohio’s become incredibly expensive. The cost of almost everything has gone up,” said U.S. Representative Greg Landsman. “Because of Trump’s trade wars, clothing, food, all of those goods that we rely on, the cost has gone up because they spent trillions of dollars on a tax cut for the super wealthy and cut health care by a trillion dollars.”
“So much of the aggravation for those of us that are in public life is so many of these problems with affordability are self-inflicted wounds,” said State Senator Kent Smith. “Whether it’s tariffs that are impacting prices and hurting our ability to compete globally. Whether it’s the war in Iran, which is driving up gasoline prices. Whether it’s ridiculous utility decisions to constrain supply and grow demand, which of course will increase prices.”
“The number one thing that people are talking about is affordability,” said State Representative Beryl Brown Piccolantonio. “I was invited to come out and spent some time at a small business manufacturer, and they primarily export. Exporting activity supports about 210,000 jobs right here in Ohio. They talked about the unpredictability of the tariffs. For a business, predictability is one of the most important things, and the amount of those high tariffs are really difficult for them to navigate.”
“Trump promised to make life more affordable, and in Ohio and across the country, he has done the absolute opposite,” said State Representative Ashley Bryant Bailey. “For a family, that’s the grocery bill, the doctor’s bill, the electric bill, and the gas tank all hitting in one paycheck. These are the consequences of policy choices Donald Trump and the Republicans have made. You cannot cut people’s health care and food assistance, watch their household costs climb, and then tell them you’re making America more affordable.”
“Ohio used to be a place where you could move back because it’s an affordable place to raise a family. That’s no longer the case. The average age now of first-time homeownership in Ohio is 38 years old. Most people don’t wish to wait that long to have families, settle down, and put down roots,” said State Representative Karen Brownlee. “So we’ve got a long way to go to make Ohio affordable again for our young families.”
A recording of the press call is available here. Defend America Action’s new Ohio affordability report is available here.
# # #