Former radio personality blasts Faber

LIMA - Tom Matthew is no stranger to political campaigns. The Wapakoneta resident has twice run for public office and twice come up short. On Wednesday, he took aim at his incumbent opponent in his latest bid for office.

Matthew, the Democratic candidate for the Ohio 12th Senate District seat, is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Keith Faber, of Celina.

"Keith Faber to the district is a disaster. For the past 16 years, Senator Faber and his colleagues have been a disaster for the district," Matthew said. "In our district all the good-paying jobs are gone. These Republicans and Senator Faber have done nothing. He's getting all this money from lobbyists. I don't get a penny."

Matthew, who has run in the past for Wapakoneta City Council and the Ohio 78th House seat, was joined in his criticism of Faber by another former candidate. Dennis Shreefer, former radio personality at WIMA-AM in Lima, and the Democratic candidate in 2006 for the Ohio 4th House District seat, joined Matthew in blasting what they called the "Faber Tax."

"We've got a hidden tax in this district. I track it directly to the incumbent and his colleagues in the Ohio Legislature," Shreefer said. "What is the Faber Tax? If you'll note in the last few years we've had double-digit increases in virtually all the prices, whether they're at the pump, your utilities, your insurance, your medical, your grocery stores. Everywhere you go you get double-digit increases because of Keith Faber's refusal to regulate anything."

Shreefer and Matthew said the "hidden tax," the increase in prices, is because of various deregulation policies and an unrestrained free-market policy.

"He has great sympathies for all of his massive contributors, whether it's insurance or real estate or wine and liquor or assorted lobbyist interest it goes on and on. The reason they will contribute to Mr. Faber and not Tom Matthew is because he is a reliable recipient of their money with reliable votes in their interest," Shreefer said. "I'm saying this is not in the interest of the average constituent of the 12th Senatorial District because what happens is nobody is paying any attention to their pricing. So they jack up these prices unconscionably and over the last year, two years, three years every year double-digit increases in everything."

Shreefer said Matthew will look out for the average constituent if elected.

"We've got a man now who I consider a man of the people," Shreefer said. "He's a humble guy, he's a spiritual guy, he's a hard-working guy."

"My opponent he's just for his interests only," Matthew said. "My interest is the people."