12/17/2025
On Monday, Vivek Ramaswamy, the presumptive GOP nominee for Governor of Ohio, met with county board leaders Erin Simmons—a Seneca County Board of DD-Seneca County Opportunity Center board member and mom of six, three of whom are eligible for services, and Michelle Gifford–a person with developmental disabilities who made history as the first person receiving services from Pickaway County Developmental Disabilities to be appointed as a county board member, for an advocacy conversation about the future of Ohio’s developmental disabilities system.
Ohio’s county board system was founded by families, and it remains led by families—alongside people with developmental disabilities themselves—who serve in governing roles across the state. As candidates consider their plans for state government, it is essential that they understand not just the mechanics of funding, but the real human consequences of getting these decisions wrong.
We had a substantive discussion about the challenges facing our system, including efforts to reform property taxes and the possibility of a ballot initiative next November that could eliminate them altogether. Because county board property tax dollars play such a major role in funding DD waiver services for 45,000 individuals in Ohio, not to mention services and supports for more than 70,000 people who don’t use a waiver, these conversations cannot be theoretical. They require careful consideration and a clear understanding of the risks to people with developmental disabilities and their families if foundational funding structures are disrupted.
We are grateful to Vivek Ramaswamy and his campaign advisors for taking the time to meet with us and engage in a thoughtful, respectful conversation about the future of this system.
This meeting is part of a broader, nonpartisan effort to ensure that major candidates for governor understand the importance and necessity of Ohio’s county board system. We will continue these conversations across the political spectrum, including with the current presumptive Democratic nominee, Dr. Amy Acton, because this work is about stewardship, stability, and long-term sustainability—not politics.
Across all of our advocacy, we are intentional about putting people with developmental disabilities and their family members front and center—not as symbols, but as our system’s leaders. Their perspective matters most because they are the ones who live with the consequences of these decisions. We're honored to stand alongside Michelle, Erin, and countless others like them in support of people with disabilities and their families in Ohio, and remain committed to continue uplifting their voices as we forge a bright future for our state’s DD service delivery system!
