Tom Sawyer (D)
Senator
Senator Tom Sawyer represents the 28th Senate District covering Portage County and portions of Summit County. He began his career in public service in 1976 as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. After his tenure in the Ohio House, Senator Sawyer was elected Mayor of Akron in 1983. He then spent 16 years in the United States Congress. After a brief tenure on the State Board of Education, Senator Sawyer joined the Ohio Senate in 2007.
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Senator Snapshot
| Hometown: Akron |
| Party: Democrat |
| Elected Experience: State Senator since 2007; State School Board Member, 2006; U.S. Congressman, 1987-2002; Mayor of Akron, 1984-1986; State Representative, 1977-1983 |
| Current Term: Expires December 2012; Eligible to run for another four-year term |
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Senate Building 1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-7041 Email: SD28@senate.state.oh.us |
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Education (Ranking Minority Member) Energy and Public Utilities Finance Insurance, Commerce and Labor Legislative Service Commission State Controlling Board |
| Primary Sponsor | SB 85 | SB 86 | SB 93 | SB 155 | SB 219 | SB 220 | SB 221 | SB 225 |
| SB 229 | SB 230 | SB 239 | SB 251 | SB 266 | |||
| Primary Sponsor | SR 25 | SR 55 | SR 95 |
| 11.14.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Receives OESCA Leadership Award | |
Columbus - Senator Tom Sawyer was awarded the 2011 Outstanding Leadership for Community Service Award from the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA). The award recognizes community leaders who have rendered a service that has significantly benefited the educational service centers in their communities. | |
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| 09.27.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Gives Testimony on Public Records Legislation | |
| Columbus - Senator Tom Sawyer gave sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 221 in the Senate's Education Committee. Senate Bill 221 would remove the provision that prevents achievement assessments administered in Ohio schools for grades 3 - 8 from becoming public records. The provision was added to the recently enacted state biennium budget. | |
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| 09.19.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Introduces Bill for Alternative Redistricting Plan | |
| Columbus - State Senator Tom Sawyer introduced legislation (SB 225) calling for a more balanced approach to congressional redistricting that better maintains communities of interest and increases the number of competitive districts in Ohio. | |
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| 08.08.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Announces Funds for Wingfoot Lake and University of Akron | |
| Columbus - Senator Tom Sawyer is pleased to announce the State Controlling Board today approved the release of $175,000 to the Department of Natural Resources from the Trust for Public Land. The Funds will be used to purchase the final 20 acres at the Goodyear Wingfoot Lake property. | |
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| 06.28.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Responds to Final Budget Passage | |
| Columbus - Senator Tom Sawyer issued the following statement after voting "no" on the final version of the biennial state budget (HB 153) as reported by the Conference Committee. | |
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| 05.23.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Announces Development Grant for the City of Hudson | |
| Columbus- State Senator Tom Sawyer announced that the State Controlling Board approved the release of $710,000 in Roadwork Development grants to the city of Hudson for a project that will create a new road to connect Seasons Road with Route 8 near the Seasons Road Commerce Center. | |
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| 05.09.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Announces Innovation Loans for Local Businesses | |
| Columbus - Senator Tom Sawyer is pleased to announce the State Controlling Board today approved $3.5 million in Innovation Ohio Loans from the Ohio Department of Development for businesses in Tallmadge and Kent. | |
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| 04.06.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer’s Bill that Allows Inmate Students to Earn Diplomas Passes Ohio Senate | |
| Columbus - The Ohio Senate voted to approve Substitute Senate Bill 86. The bill, introduced by Senator Tom Sawyer, will create a unique, drop-out recovery community school in partnership with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) | |
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| 03.28.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Announces State Funds for Kent State | |
| Columbus- State Senator Tom Sawyer announced that the State Controlling Board approved the release of $390,000 for Kent State University to purchase three properties as a part of the Kent Gateway project. | |
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| 02.04.2011 | |
| Senator Sawyer Calls for Review of Open Enrollment Policies | |
| Columbus- State Senator Tom Sawyer is drafting legislation to call for a thorough review of Ohio's open enrollment policies in response to the case of Kelly Williams-Bolar. The Akron mother spent ten days in jail after being convicted on felony charges of tampering with records in order to send her children to the Copley-Fairlawn school district. | |
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