Kevin Cronin, Ohio Attorney

10/01/2024

I encourage you to support Issue 55, the arts levy. You will find it at the bottom of your ballot, but look for it and vote yes. Arts and culture is what makes Cuyahoga County a vibrant and appealing place to live, study, raise a family and grow a business. Issue 55 is about more than artists, it’s about building a thriving community.

You may not notice, but the arts are a big part of our local economy. The arts are about businesses and jobs, contributing more than $530 million to the regional economy, with thousands of good-paying jobs. These are jobs that add joy and improve our quality of life, bring in tourism and attract people to our area. It’s why Playhouse Square, is an Ohio dynamo, attracting 650,000 out-of-town guests to our region in 2019.

The arts are part of tens of thousands of events and programs in Cuyahoga neighborhoods, presenting millions of cultural experiences for residents and visitors. Half of all events are presented free to the public. The arts can help unite us a community, encouraging residents to explore new areas and celebrate different cultural experiences.

Finally, the arts impact education, improving educational outcomes and offer important life experiences for young people.

Vote YES for Issue 55 in Cuyahoga County. It may be last on the ballot, but rank higher when you count our return on investment. For more, visit:

Small InvestmentBig Returns Cuyahoga County’s arts & culture scene is second to none.See how we got here. Public Funding for Our Nonprofit Arts + Culture Benefits Everyone Cuyahoga County voters made the right choice when they voted to fund our arts and culture organizations through a small tax on...

09/24/2024

Take a look at the ant-gerrymandering advertisement. Vote yes on issue 1 in November, take back control of the legislative maps. Politicians can't be trusted, last time, their maps were rejected by the Courts seven times for violating fairness and failing to meet constitutional requirements. VOTES YES on Issue 1 in November.

Then chip in to bring fair maps to Ohio!

09/07/2024

09/06/2024

Lisa Forbes is a highly rated Appeals Court Judge and Ohioans would help themselves out by elevating her to the Ohio Supreme Court. A graduate from Cornell and Case Law with highest honors, she was a lawyer in private practice on complex cases for over 25 years. However, as a lawyer working with families and kids in Juvenile Court, I am tremendously impressed and pleased to understand her work on the board of the Centers for Families and Children. She’s more balanced than a typical business lawyer, just what the Supreme Court needs. She’s also been endorsed by the newspapers and highly ranked by peer lawyer groups. She deserves Ohioans support.
While electing someone new is exciting, Ohioans should also support and re-elect current Ohio Supreme Court Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart. They have served with honor. Donelly and Stewart, along with the retired Republican Chief Justice O’Connor, fought for fair elections against the hopelessly conflicted, gerrymandering legislature. Electing these three, Donnelly, Stewart and Forbes, will place the Ohio Supreme Court in position to ensure a fair election process and bring a breath of fresh air to the Ohio Supreme Court.

07/01/2024

This is the view of the Capitol Atrium in Columbus, OH on Monday as a crowd supports the Citizens Not Politicians campaign in the delivery of more than 731,000 signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office to support the anti-gerrymandering measure for the November ballot. Former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor reflected on all the hard work, “You stood in the rain. You braved the cold. You juggled your job and family responsibilities. You did what needed to be done for the future of Ohio.”

06/29/2024

Norfolk and Southern non-cooperation in the East Palestine, Ohio train investigation. Surprised? The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board called Norfolk Southern’s conduct during the board’s investigation of the 2023 train derailment “unconscionable.” Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB chair, said at the close of the eight-hour session that Norfolk Southern “demonstrated complete disregard” for the rules and regulations put in place to protect the integrity of the investigation. She described the company’s behavior at various times as unprecedented, reprehensive, unethical and inappropriate. We would never get this bad if Ohio had a Constitutional amendment protecting clean air, clean water and a healthy environment. Ohioans need a constitutional amendment to protect our health and safety.

06/22/2024

Justice Roberts, writing for the 8-1 majority for supporting restrictions on firearm possession by one facing a domestic violence protection order: “Since the founding, our nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms.” Ohio, pass a "red flags" protection order. The law would allow a person with personal knowledge to testify in Court that an individual has access to a gun and is a threat to self or others. Court could remove gun and refer for social services, mental health assistance. People think the focus is a shooter at a school or movie theater, but the biggest protection is against su***de. Su***de is rising, particularly teen su***de. Governor DeWine, help end these gun dangers.

04/25/2024

Former Cleveland Judge and Cuyahoga Council President stepped down from her work for Judge4yourself.org, which hosts a series of interviews and recommendations from various Bar Associations for less well-known judge seats. She was accused of being partisan against Trump, with Republicans alleging she could not be balanced. Among Connally's comments were "any Black person who attends a Trump rally deserved to be “kicked in the a--." I can certainly think of worse things. Republican attorney John Mitchell, who co-chaired the group with Connally commented, “Our personal political views do not impact the work of the coalition ... Judge Connally was an important contributor to the coalition’s mission, and I never saw her express any bias towards any candidate, regardless of political party affiliation.” A lot of nothing, lawyers arguing, imagine that.

04/18/2024

Make a day of it, visit us on Saturday, 12-4pm, at the Cozad Bates House and learn vital Ohio history, then enjoy restaurants and shops along Mayfield Rd. in Little Italy or any of the other great museums offered at University Circle. What a day!

The Cozad-Bates House is the only pre-Civil War home remaining in University Circle. A new interpretive center will open in 2021 to highlight this area’s history as center of anti-slavery activism and honor those seeking freedom through indoor exhibits an

01/25/2024

The relatively obscure area of law, known as "home rule," is the balance of the power of state legislature to enact laws under the Ohio Constitution and local government power to enact laws of local concern, also under the Ohio Constitution. The Ohio Senate voted Wednesday to override the Governor's veto. The override will prohibit local governments from enacting to***co policies stronger than those of the state and establishes that the state is the regulator, not cities. This pre-emption of local laws blocks Columbus’ local ordinance that prohibits the sale of flavored to***co within its borders. Off to Court to solve this one. Will Courts accept that cities and counties deserve stronger home rule authority to protect their residents? If Courts defer to the state, it seems like voting Judges out of office or an Ohio Constitutional amendment vote are the next steps.

01/24/2024

A watch dog group reports that the two coal plants in Ohio and Indiana that continue to be subsidized by Ohio ratepayers under Ohio’s House Bill 6 were at one point losing between $150,000 to $175,000 a day, according to recently revealed emails from utility officials. (Checks and Balances Project)

01/04/2024

During the holidays, it's easy to lose track of things, so I want to praise the local news for criticizing the state legislature for undermining local power and "Home Rule."(PD 12/29) "Home Rule" is the Ohio Constitution authority to enact laws given DIRECTLY to LOCAL government for issues that affect LOCAL government. Normally, laws are written by the state legislature and apply throughout the state, but for home rule cities and counties like ours, they are supposed to be able act to protect their residents ... EXCEPT it doesn't always work that way. City of Columbus wants to enact modest gun limits for safe streets - courts say no, that's the Legislature's job. Cleveland trying to limit flavored to***co sold to kids? Again, no. Local covid prevention measures? No, again. Ohio residents need to consider and enact a more powerful "home Rule" standard in the Ohio Constitution, to allow Cleveland, Columbus and other cities and counties the power to enact strong, local health and safety laws. Yes, Ohioans need to go back to the Constitution for additional reform. if the Legislature and Courts don't consider solutions, the state-wide ballot initiative is the only citizen option.

When state legislators take office in Columbus, they swear to uphold, not undermine, the Ohio Constitution, one of whose pillars is city and village home rule. That means that the Senate, which may soon vote on Gov. DeWine's July veto of state pre-emption of local to***co sales regulation, should up...