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Gubernatorial Candidate Wants To Borrow A Billion Bucks To Fight Opioid Crisis In Ohio

Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor
Jo Ingles
Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor

Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor next year, is pushing a plan to deal with opioids that some consider unusual, especially given her opposition to Medicaid expansion.

Mary Taylor fought against expanding Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act. Her boss, Gov. John Kasich, went around her and the legislature to put the plan in place anyway. And he says it's helped with the opioid crisis. Taylor now says as governor, she would propose a 10-year bond issue of up to $1 billion for new treatment facilities and medical research. And she says it also could help patients who don’t have health insurance.  Voters would have to approve the issue. And Taylor, whose two sons who have battled opioid abuse, also says she'd end Medicaid expansion.  Taylor faces Attorney General Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Jon Husted and former congressman Jim Renacci in the May primary for Governor.

Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.