Columbian High School students got to hear first-hand from an elected leader about his views on taxes, the role of government and district boundaries Thursday.
State Sen. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, spoke to students in an Advanced Placement government class Thursday morning. He told students he doesn't just represent the district.
"I work for the state of Ohio," he said.
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PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE
State Sen. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, speaks to an Advanced Placement government class at Columbian High School Thursday morning.
Burke said entrepreneurship in the country is decreasing, and he thinks people believe it is tough to start a business. The free market will determine whether a business works, he said.
"The government is not good at picking winners and losers," he said.
Burke wished good luck to any student who wants to try to open a restaurant because of the fees and inspections involved.
"We have to hire people to stay in compliance with these (federal and state) regulations. ... It's a cumbersome environment to operate a business," he said.
Burke said Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati have too much influence. He said citizens in his district pay a lot of taxes, but he gets little out of it for the district.
"We have to fight," he said.
Teacher Leonard Donaldson said he thought the value of Burke's visit almost was immeasurable.
"I thought he was very good. ... (Students) get to see somebody who's part of the process," he said.
