Category: Ohio

Posts relating to Ohio

Libertarian Party of Montgomery County condemns Dayton anti-homeless ordinance

The Libertarian Party of Montgomery County condemns Dayton Code of Ordinances Sec. 137.2, “Preparing and distributing food in public place within central area of the city”, which has surfaced in the news following the arrest of a local man for violating its provisions.

Nearly a decade old, this ordinance is a blight on our community, restricting individual freedoms and hindering acts of charity. By mandating that individuals obtain a $50, one-use permit to prepare or distribute food, clothing, or toiletries in public spaces within the central area of the city, this ordinance imposes unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and financial burdens on those seeking to assist their fellow citizens in need.

While purportedly enforced under the guise of food safety, it is clear that the true intent of the law is to control and manage the visibility of poverty and homelessness in the downtown area. The recent arrest serves as a stark reminder of the detrimental impact of such heavy-handed regulations on our community.

Josh Umbaugh, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Montgomery County, Ohio, remarked on the situation, stating: “City ordinance 137.2 is incredibly disrespectful to the freedoms of Dayton citizens. It shouldn’t be illegal for a neighbor to help a neighbor. How ridiculous is that?!”

The Libertarian Party of Montgomery County calls for the immediate repeal of this unjust law. This ordinance’s regulation of charitable activities in downtown Dayton is a form of political theater aimed at masking our city’s social and economic challenges, rather than addressing them directly.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Libertarian Party of Montgomery County

[email protected]

Our question is, how does requiring a permit help the unhoused community members in Dayton?

It doesn’t. It’s simply just a fee handed to the government in hopes that they grant you “permission” to help your community members.

‘It’s just food’: Activists want Dayton to repeal ordinance requiring permit to distribute food downtown

A week earlier, Dayton police arrested a 25-year-old man at Courthouse Square after city officials said he continued to hand out food after he and others were warned by officers to stop because it violated city code.

Officers said they responded after receiving an anonymous complaint about the food distribution activities, according to body camera footage obtained by this newspaper. An officer in the body camera video says, “It’s all about just getting a permit, man — that’s all it is.”

https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/its-just-food-activists-want-dayton-to-repeal-ordinance-requiring-permit-to-distribute-food-downtown/RVSK26XVWBGTZFZPGANTLUZU2Q

https://archive.is/nYaPR

J.D. Vance Thinks U.S. Steel’s Shareholders Weren’t Adequately Warned of J.D. Vance’s Efforts To Block Sale

Where are the limits of federal power? Vance is positing a situation in which the government must grant implicit or explicit approval of every merger and acquisition involving an American company.

https://reason.com/2024/04/11/j-d-vance-thinks-u-s-steels-shareholders-werent-adequately-warned-of-j-d-vances-efforts-to-block-sale/

Dayton man arrested after giving food to homeless without a permit; Some say city law ‘criminalizes’ charity

It is against the law to prepare or distribute food, clothing or toiletries in a public place within the central area of the city without a city permit.

https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/dayton-man-arrested-after-giving-food-to-homeless-without-a-permit-some-say-city-law-criminalizes-charity/YDED2OW4KZCGZG6XU5FQ3JXIUE/

https://archive.is/nxtLd

Roommates Are Now Legal In Ohio

In a Jan. 30 decision, [Portage C]ounty court holds that the City of Kent’s restriction on the number of unrelated persons who may reside together to be unconstitutional.

With the series of decisions from 2006 to present, the Ohio courts are cementing an OH-PA-NJ property rights judicial axis based upon rights identified in state constitutions which, courts have held, go beyond those in the federal constitution.

Ohio SWAT Team Raids Wrong House, Seriously Injures Baby With Flashbang Grenade, Denies Responsibility

In a press release, the Elyria Police Department claimed that the flashbang grenades “were deployed outside of the residence.” … However, the above footage from the neighbor’s Ring camera shows an officer hurling the device into the home–with the noticeable presence of smoke.

“My baby was blood-red, gasping for air,” she said. “He could not breathe…”

https://redstate.com/jeffc/2024/01/12/ohio-swat-team-raids-wrong-house-seriously-injures-baby-with-flashbang-grenade-and-denies-responsibility-n2168653

Trumbull County grand jury declines charges in miscarriage case under national spotlight

Watts’ lawyer, Traci Timko, said in an Associated Press story in December that her client was sitting at St. Joseph Warren Hospital for eight hours awaiting treatment while officials there tried to decide how to treat the symptoms of her pregnancy under Ohio’s abortion laws.

https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/warren-news/trumbull-county-grand-jury-chooses-not-to-indict-woman-charged-after-miscarriage/

Would certifying Issue 2 destroy Ohio values?

Would certifying Issue 2 destroy Ohio values?  No, it would not.  In fact, one could conclude that with the passage of issue 2, Ohio would return to core American values of personal freedom and responsibility.

Building on the values of our nation’s founders shouldn’t scare the citizens and families of Ohio.  After all, the values taught within your family are up to you, and not through authoritarianism of your government.  The stigma of marijuana consumptions has changed immensely over the last few decades, and the choice to consume is completely personal.  The harms of marijuana prohibition have had an enormous impact on our society and destroyed families through mass incarceration of Americans, for many times, victimless crimes.

The war on drugs has been incredibly harmful to our community.  Although I suspect it’s called the “war on drugs” to convey the image of a evil drug dealer in a crime movie make no mistake, like any war, it has impacted, and continues to impact co-workers, neighbors, and family members.  It doesn’t sound so fun to support if it’s called “the war on your uncle and cousins.”

In the year 2022 there were 208,192 people arrested for marijuana possession according to the FBI’s crime data explorer.  The real numbers may be even higher, as not all agencies throughout the country report data to the FBI.

Many of us personally know how some of the existing marijuana possession laws can cause a life to spiral and ruin family structures.  Once someone’s record is stained by drug charges, the path to gaining employment and decent housing can become nearly impossible, thus thrusting many into the black market and shadows of our society and economy beginning a horribly viscous cycle.

While I believe that there are many other factors of the drug war, and criminal justice reforms need addressed,  I hope that those who are tasked with serving and protecting their neighbors can focus on harmful and violent crimes in our communities.   I understand that issue 2 is an important step in the right direction, making a simple step forward within the constraints of a ballot initiative.

I encourage everyone to vote yes on Issue 2 on Tuesday November 7th.  Let’s make a move against the recent onslaught against our rights and take a step towards returning to American values.  Let’s take one step towards the American ideals of personal privacy, liberty, and freedom.  Vote yes!

Sincerely,

Joshua A Umbaugh

Chair

Libertarian Party of Montgomery County Ohio

https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/arrest