Michael J. Skindell
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Skindell is an American politician and member of the Democratic party
in Ohio. He is a practicing attorney
in Cleveland
, and represents the Twenty Third District of the Ohio Senate
. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from 2003 to 2010.
(now Walsh University) in North Canton, Ohio
with a B.A. in Business and Political Science in 1983. He received his J.D.
from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
in Cleveland in 1987. He is a practicing attorney with the firm of Friedman, Damiano and Smith in Cleveland, specializing in personal injury
and product liability
.
Skindell is a member of the Board of Single-Payer Action Network Ohio
, the Executive Committee of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, the Lakewood
Chamber of Commerce
, the Boards of Trustees of Barton Senior Center and Westerly Senior Apartments, and the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers.
He is a past president of the Lakewood Jaycees, and past Chairman of Lakewood Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development Block Grant. He is a former Assistant Attorney General of Ohio, and former member of Lakewood City Council. In 2004, he received the award for Ohio Environmental Council Public Servant of the Year.
After an unsuccessful run in the primary election in 1996, Skindell was first elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2002 taking the place of Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar
who retired after serving one term in the State House.
Skindell ran unopposed in 2004 for a second term, and won a third in 2006 with 77.26% of the vote over Republican
John Patrick Hildebrand. He won a fourth term in 2008 with 75.29% over Republican Mary Louise Kirk.
s prevented Skindell from seeking a fifth term in 2010. However, Senator Dale Miller
did not run for another term, and Skindell was one of four who sought the Democratic nomination to replace him. Skindell won the nomination over former Rep. Ron Mottl Jr.
, Parma Councilman Nicholas Celebrezze and John Harmon with 46.82% of the vote. He won the general election easily with 60.77% of the electorate.
Skindell was sworn into his first term as Senator on January 3, 2011. He was named to the Joint Committee of Agency Rule Review by Senate President Tom Niehaus
, and to the standing committees of Finance (as ranking member); Government Oversight and Reform; Judiciary-Civil Justice; and Ways and Means and Economic Development. He also is a member of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee; and the Clean Ohio Council. As of September 2011, he is no longer on the Judiciary commitee.
As ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Skindell is the top Senate Democrat in regards to budget legislation. While the recession
led some people to call for cuts in state spending, Skindell has been a supporter of protecting human services programs from funding loss.
Skindell served as the Senate Democrat for the budget conference committee
, where he expressed his caucus' positions on education, transportation, gambling and other key fiscal issues. He greatly opposed the final budget passed by the Ohio Senate
. He has stated that the budget is "balanced on the backs of the middle class".
Along with Dennis Murray, Skindell has filed a lawsuit against Ohio Governor John Kasich
's JobsOhio privatization
measure, which Skindell has called unconstitutional. The lawsuit aims at the problem that the govenor is unable to hold two positions, which would occur under JobsOhio.
Senator Skindell has also called unconstitutional a measure that would cut legislator's pay midterm. He has stated that doing so is against the Ohio Constitution
.
Skindell has also come out against the drafting by GTECH, a prominent gaming industrialist, of legislation that proposes the selling of the Ohio Lottery
. Skindell has stated that their drafting of the bill is not demonstrative of government transparency.
Skindell had introduced a measure that would put a moratorium
on fracking until a national study could be held, but the measure failed in the Republican Senate. He also has come out against new provisions that set forth to initiate the Great Lakes Compact
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in Ohio. He is a practicing attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and represents the Twenty Third District of the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
from 2003 to 2010.
Career
Skindell graduated from Walsh CollegeWalsh University
Walsh University is a private non-profit, 4-year, Roman Catholic university in North Canton, Ohio, USA. It was founded in 1960 by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, initially as a liberal arts college. Walsh College became Walsh University in 1993. The University offers more than 50 majors,...
(now Walsh University) in North Canton, Ohio
North Canton, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,369 people, 7,114 households, and 4,382 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,697.1 people per square mile . There were 7,506 housing units at an average density of 1,236.8 per square mile...
with a B.A. in Business and Political Science in 1983. He received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
The Cleveland–Marshall College of Law is the law school of Cleveland State University, located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897 which, in 1946, merged with the John Marshall School of Law, founded in 1916, to become Cleveland–Marshall...
in Cleveland in 1987. He is a practicing attorney with the firm of Friedman, Damiano and Smith in Cleveland, specializing in personal injury
Personal injury
Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
and product liability
Product liability
Product liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause...
.
Skindell is a member of the Board of Single-Payer Action Network Ohio
Single-Payer Action Network Ohio
The Single-Payer Action Network Ohio is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals in Ohio. Their stated purpose is to seek fundamental health care reform in Ohio and the United States so that every resident is guaranteed full and comprehensive coverage through universal health care...
, the Executive Committee of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, the Lakewood
Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland and Parma .Lakewood, one of Cleveland's...
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the Boards of Trustees of Barton Senior Center and Westerly Senior Apartments, and the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers.
He is a past president of the Lakewood Jaycees, and past Chairman of Lakewood Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development Block Grant. He is a former Assistant Attorney General of Ohio, and former member of Lakewood City Council. In 2004, he received the award for Ohio Environmental Council Public Servant of the Year.
After an unsuccessful run in the primary election in 1996, Skindell was first elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2002 taking the place of Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar
Mary Rose Oakar
Mary Rose Oakar is an American Democratic politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio, the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congress from that state....
who retired after serving one term in the State House.
Skindell ran unopposed in 2004 for a second term, and won a third in 2006 with 77.26% of the vote over Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
John Patrick Hildebrand. He won a fourth term in 2008 with 75.29% over Republican Mary Louise Kirk.
Ohio Senate
Term limitTerm limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s prevented Skindell from seeking a fifth term in 2010. However, Senator Dale Miller
Dale Miller
Dale Miller is a former Democratic member of the Cuyahoga County Council, serving since January 1, 2011. He served in the Ohio Senate from 2006 to 2010, and in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1997 to 2006...
did not run for another term, and Skindell was one of four who sought the Democratic nomination to replace him. Skindell won the nomination over former Rep. Ron Mottl Jr.
Ron Mottl Jr.
-References:**...
, Parma Councilman Nicholas Celebrezze and John Harmon with 46.82% of the vote. He won the general election easily with 60.77% of the electorate.
Skindell was sworn into his first term as Senator on January 3, 2011. He was named to the Joint Committee of Agency Rule Review by Senate President Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
, and to the standing committees of Finance (as ranking member); Government Oversight and Reform; Judiciary-Civil Justice; and Ways and Means and Economic Development. He also is a member of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee; and the Clean Ohio Council. As of September 2011, he is no longer on the Judiciary commitee.
Fiscal initiatives
As ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Skindell is the top Senate Democrat in regards to budget legislation. While the recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
led some people to call for cuts in state spending, Skindell has been a supporter of protecting human services programs from funding loss.
Skindell served as the Senate Democrat for the budget conference committee
Conference committee
A conference committee is a joint committee of a bicameral legislature, which is appointed by, and consists of, members of both chambers to resolve disagreements on a particular bill...
, where he expressed his caucus' positions on education, transportation, gambling and other key fiscal issues. He greatly opposed the final budget passed by the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
. He has stated that the budget is "balanced on the backs of the middle class".
Good government initiatives
Along with Dennis Murray, Skindell has filed a lawsuit against Ohio Governor John Kasich
John Kasich
John Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
's JobsOhio privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
measure, which Skindell has called unconstitutional. The lawsuit aims at the problem that the govenor is unable to hold two positions, which would occur under JobsOhio.
Senator Skindell has also called unconstitutional a measure that would cut legislator's pay midterm. He has stated that doing so is against the Ohio Constitution
Ohio Constitution
The Ohio Constitution is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. Ohio has had two constitutions since statehood was granted....
.
Skindell has also come out against the drafting by GTECH, a prominent gaming industrialist, of legislation that proposes the selling of the Ohio Lottery
Ohio Lottery
The Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. Its games include Pick 3 and Pick 4 , Rolling Cash 5, Ten-OH!, Keno, Classic Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets. The marketing slogan is "Take a chance on education. Odds are, you'll have fun!" In 1973, the creation of the...
. Skindell has stated that their drafting of the bill is not demonstrative of government transparency.
Environmental initiatives
Skindell had introduced a measure that would put a moratorium
Moratorium
Moratorium may refer to:*Moratorium *Moratorium *Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam*UN moratorium on the death penalty*2010 U.S. Deepwater Drilling Moratorium...
on fracking until a national study could be held, but the measure failed in the Republican Senate. He also has come out against new provisions that set forth to initiate the Great Lakes Compact
Great Lakes Compact
The Great Lakes--St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact is a legally binding interstate compact among the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The compact details how the states manage the use of the Great Lakes Basin's water...
.
External links
- The Ohio Senate: Senator Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood) official site
- Project Vote Smart profile
- Follow the Money