XENIA — Beavercreek’s Brian Lampton and Kim McCarthy of Sugarcreek Township face off in this year’s open seat election to represent Ohio House District 73.
The seat, which will be vacated by term-limited Rep. Rick Perales, represents the northern and western sections of Greene County. District 73 includes the cities of Fairborn, Beavercreek and Bellbrook, the Village of Yellow Springs, as well as Bath, Beavercreek, Miami and Sugarcreek townships.
McCarthy, an accounting manager for a Dayton IT firm, immigrated to the United States from Australia in 1996. A Democrat, McCarthy said she offers an alternative to establishment politicians who do not address the needs and interests of people in the community.
“My decades of experience as an accountant and small business owner give me the skills to address issues surrounding the budget,” she answered in a questionnaire sent to candidates. “My years of community involvement have strengthened my compassion for the people living here, and have provided me the understanding necessary to fight for what they need.”
McCarthy said her first priority would be fighting corruption in the Ohio Statehouse.
“I’m the only candidate who has been open and communicative as to why I am running and what my priorities will be once elected,” she said. “The corruption plaguing our Statehouse is preventing the issues that actually matter to people from being addressed. One of these issues is the broken school funding formula that relies too heavily on property taxes. I will fight to fix this by reversing the revenue cuts of the past decade that have primarily benefited the ultra-wealthy and corporations.”
In addition to fighting state corruption, McCarthy said she would work to solve environmental issues at the local level.
“Another very important issue is the air pollution that Fairborn and Bath Township residents are currently suffering from due to the biodigester,” she said. “I have been and will continue to fight alongside them to clean up the facility and restore the residents’ quality of life by placing a moratorium on untested technology, and through funding the EPA adequately so they can better monitor these serious issues.”
Lampton, her Republican opponent, currently serves as the president of the Fairborn Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Greene County Board of Elections. Lampton said his experience in both the public and private sectors will allow him to get things accomplished.
“I’m confident my experiences will allow me to better navigate the processes and make effective changes. I have taken on leadership roles in just about every organization or committee I have served with,” he said in response to the candidate questionnaire.
Lampton is the owner and operator of Lampton/Engle & Associates Insurance, and has run his business for 30 years.
“The insurance business affords me very unique experiences that absolutely translates to being an effective elected official,” Lampton said. “The insurance business is a trust business. I take my fiduciary responsibilities very seriously and I have never had an infraction with the state or any of my companies.”
Lampton said his first priority once elected is job and workforce development, as well as improving the health care systems.
“We want to get Ohio fully opened for business, so we can visit family in nursing homes and completely open up our economy,” he said. “Before COVID there was a big focus on fostering job growth and creating opportunities for good, skilled workers. I’d like to expand upon that.”
Lampton said this development would focus on engineering programs and technical schools.
“Our career center is now offering new computer technical programs along with robotics and drone technology courses. They will also have an aircraft mechanical program,” he said. “These engineering skills are what our region’s employers tell us are needed to fill the positions available.”
