Candidate Questionnaire – Brian Flick

Candidate Questionnaire

Ohio House of Representatives – 62nd District

Why are you seeking this office?  
I am running because I have served as an advocate for primarily working class and middle class families across the District, County, and State of Ohio for almost 15 1/2 years and have learned that the best way to effectuate positive change in this District for families and business alike is to have an elected official who advocates for opportunities to both bring new businesses into the District but also works to incentivize and reward the businesses that are already in this district.

What in your background or experiences qualifies you to understand the unique needs facing small businesses? 
I have represented dozens and dozens of small businesses primarily through reorganization in a bankruptcy.  This experience of working hand in hand with a small business owner to understand not only the challenges that business was facing but also work collaboratively to help that business reorganize and succeed.

In addition to representing small businesses, I am a partner in a law firm that employs less than 20 people.  I work first hand with our founding partner in dealing with all matters of operations including decisions related to the salaries and benefits we provide each and every employee.

What are your three most important policy priorities? What do you hope will be the impact of implementing these policies?
This is a very difficult question to answer because my opponent’s actions, especially when the legislature returns to session soon, may dictate a change in these priorities.

My three most important policy priorities are (1) protect of bodily autonomy, (2) healthcare and (3) continued economic development in this District and across Ohio.   It is my hope that if I am elected and the supermajority being broken in the Ohio House that I can work both within my party and across the aisle to make District 62 a place where families want to live, where a small business owner wants to look to set up shop, and where all of our businesses continue to grow and thrive.

In your opinion, what are the two most important challenges facing Clermont County and how do you propose to address them?
The two most important challenges to Clermont County are the continued attacks on bodily autonomy led by my opponent and the lack of transparency in how Clermont County is governed at every single level.

As to the second challenge, having a state representative who represents the values of the District, is constantly accessible, committed to be 100% transparent as to every donor, campaign contribution to be made, and willing to discuss every single issue with every single constituent will create a level of trust that I believe the voters and businesses of this district are looking for.

As to the first challenge, a lot of how that can be addressed will based upon the actions that are taken during the upcoming lame-duck session i.e. does my opponent’s total abortion ban become law.  I fully intend if elected to introduce, sponsor, or co-sponsor legislation on day one that will seek to reverse any existing abortion ban as well as legislation to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into the Ohio Constitution.  Abortion bans such as the six week ban currently in place and the total abortion ban with no exception and criminalization of healthcare decisions proposed by my opponent are an extreme danger not only to the families of the District but will have effects on economic development as both employers and employees will decide not to want to do business in Ohio. 

The business community in Clermont County is critical to our community’s long-term viability. How would you propose that you, as an elected official, work with the business community to ensure that fees, taxes, regulatory structures, tax incentives and service philosophy allow businesses to be successful?
The answer to that is relatively straightforward – my door is and always will be open to discuss economic and taxation issues.  Economic development and prosperity is not a partisan issue.  I will always commit to listening to all stakeholders to ensure the decisions I make as a legislator are informed decisions that are in the best interests of my District.

As a member of an elected body, how would you work with your colleagues to build relationships and build consensus for your ideas?
I intend to bring both the marketing and collaborative skill-sets that I use daily in my legal practice to the Statehouse. It is very important to me to stay in regular communication with all of my colleagues and look for opportunities to find common ground.