ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — Dr. Amy Acton, former Ohio Department of Health Director and Democratic candidate for governor, spoke at the Annual Belmont County Democrat Dinner on Thursday night, delivering a message of urgency, hope, and sweeping reform.
“I’m running for governor because I see that people are struggling,” Acton said during an interview with River News. “They’re doing everything they can to make ends meet, and it’s just not getting better… I refuse to look the other way while this state goes backwards on nearly every measure.”
Acton, a physician from Youngstown, reflected on her own difficult upbringing. She shared how a childhood marked by abuse, neglect, and homelessness shaped her understanding of public service.
“I was a frequent flyer in children’s services. At one point, I was homeless in the middle of winter,” she said. “I moved just a mile away but stayed in one school for the next six years, and my life changed dramatically. But I never forgot the kids I left behind.”
Acton criticized what she called a “broken” state government that’s failing to meet basic responsibilities.
“People want leaders who solve problems, not make them,” she said. “They’re exhausted by the vitriol and the hate. They don’t care what party you are — they just want things to work again.”
Asked about efforts in Ohio to abolish property taxes, Acton expressed concern over the long-term implications.
“Our property taxes are too high, and it’s hurting people and small businesses,” she acknowledged. “But they’re rising because the state is failing to fund local services. If you abolish property taxes without a real plan, you won’t have schools, police, or fire services.”
Instead, Acton called for comprehensive tax reform, pointing to historical examples from the 1970s when the state restructured its tax system to meet changing needs.
“We need a serious conversation about how to fairly and fully fund what Ohioans count on,” she said. “We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.”
Dr. Acton also addressed the ongoing crisis in rural health care, referencing the closure of East Ohio Regional Hospital twice in six years.
“There are places in this state where people drive over an hour just to deliver a baby or get a cavity filled,” she said. “Cuts to Medicaid are devastating rural hospitals, nursing homes, and disability services.”
Acton said other states, like Pennsylvania, have found innovative ways to regionalize administrative functions while preserving direct care. She pledged to bring similar creativity to Ohio’s health system if elected governor.
“We need a governor and attorney general willing to push back and protect what matters,” she said.
Acton strongly defended Ohio’s Medicaid expansion, originally enacted under Republican Governor John Kasich, a move she says was not just compassionate, but economically sound.
“It actually saves money to make sure people are insured,” she said. “When people go without insurance, we all pay more. Expanding Medicaid was smart policy.”
As her campaign ramps up, Acton says she’s witnessing growing support across party lines.
“We’re seeing record crowds. This moment doesn’t know party,” she said. “People are ready for public servants again — leaders who actually care, listen, and fix things.”
Dr. Acton’s visit to Belmont County marks one of many stops on what she says is a listening tour of the entire state.
Reporting by Karen Fatula, News Director, River News
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