Regula reflects on congressional career

Though Ohio is currently facing tough times, its future has lots of promise, according to Congressman Ralph Regula.

“I said a couple years ago that Ohio was the bridge to everywhere,” he said in an address to the Akron Press Club Friday. “Ohio has so much going for it.”

Regula's talk comes at the end of his 18-term position as Representative of the 16th district, including Stark and Portage counties. As he finishes his storied career of placing “constituents first,” the state is taking on some of the biggest challenges in its history, including its role in the automobile industry bailout.

“Ohio is an enormously important state in the auto industry,” he said. Though there may not be as many cars actually constructed in Ohio, the state is home to many auto parts manufacturers. A collapse of the industry would be “a real blow” to the state.

To reroute this possible grim future, Ohio needs to capitalize new strong points: the parks, medical and education fronts.

“We're not going to be the steel capital of the world as we once were,” he said.

“When somebody is thinking about where to relocate, they look at recreation, medical facilities, education and quality of life. We use those resources to benefit our community.”

Regula, who was instrumental in the growth of state parks, said Ohio should continue to focus on and advertise the parklands. During his time as head of an interior committee, Regula earmarked money for parks, playing an important part in establishing the Ohio and Erie Canalway and Cuyahoga Valley Park. He allowed language that let state parks leverage programs for fees for maintenance and repairs.

An often-overlooked asset of the state's geography is the availability of fresh water through Lake Erie, he said.

Beyond a commitment to the parks, Regula said Ohio should continue to build its medical facilities. Ohio has the potential to become the "medical capital of the United States," he said.

"Ohio's facilities are always near the top of the list," said Regula. Places like Columbus Children's Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic are "such a well-kept secret." One doctor he met had moved from California to be a part of the quality facilities in Ohio, he said.

"Like SUMMA and Akron General," he said. "We need to put money into them to make their facilities even better."

Regula envisioned a plan for hospitals that expands their services even further, building a "medical mart" where almost any equipment or medical inquiry could be answered and all "the latest devices could be found in one location."

The most important point of the three is in reworking Ohio's educational system, Regula said.

"That is so important to their future," Regula said, "so vitally important to the future of our nation. If I were president, my first appointment would be a secretary of education. We have to have a quality education all the way from preschool to graduation if we're going to compete in the world of tomorrow."

During Regula's career, he was instrumental in the creation of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Stark State College. Though standardized educational points are important, the people who apply them are more influential to the quality of education, he said.

"It's so important that we focus on education, and that means focusing on our teachers," he said.

"Quality teachers are the key to success in the classroom. It grieves me that the national dropout rate is 30 percent. We as a nation can not afford that if we want to retain a standard of living."

As far as paying for those educational changes, though, Regula said it is up to the press to relate to the public the importance of supporting their schools.

"Basically, we've lost funding," he said. "Historically, we've relied on property taxes."

An Ohio State Supreme Court ruling has found that form of property taxation to support education to be unconstitutional, but has not provided an alternate plan.

"There are no magic bullets for this one," he said. "I think probably we need to educate the public."

In terms of other politics, Regula hopes others coming after his 36-year career will be able to downplay the role of money in campaigning, especially in light of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's scandal.

"That's a sad commentary," he said. "I'm really concerned about the role of money in political life now. Money has become such a significant force."

Politicians need to remember their responsibility is to "constituents first," he said.

"That's our job. Our role is to represent people. It's my job to represent people to Congress," he said. "Sometimes those in the party lose sight of that. We have to get a little more sensitive to the things that benefit people.

"Ultimately, it all depends on good leadership," he said.

Leadership that will have to continue on without him as the 84-year-old Ohio native retires and goes back to the things he did before his time in Congress: teaching and working on his farm.

His constant travel back and forth from Washington, where he has effected so much growth for Ohio, to his farm, where he will continue to encourage growth, has come to an end.