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Andy Black
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Andy Black (Republican Party) ran for election to the Hamilton County Commission in Ohio. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Black completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Andy Black was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received a bachelor's degree from Miami University in 2003 and a master's degree from Bellarmine University in 2008. Black's professional experience includes being a senior vice president.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Hamilton County, Ohio (2020)
General election
General election for Hamilton County Commission
Alicia Reece defeated Andy Black and Herman Najoli in the general election for Hamilton County Commission on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Alicia Reece (D) | 50.8 | 212,638 |
Andy Black (R)  | 44.7 | 187,263 | ||
 | Herman Najoli (Independent) | 4.5 | 18,843 | |
| Total votes: 418,744 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hamilton County Commission
Alicia Reece defeated Connie Pillich and Kelli Prather in the Democratic primary for Hamilton County Commission on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Alicia Reece | 47.0 | 33,992 |
 | Connie Pillich | 43.3 | 31,323 | |
 | Kelli Prather | 9.7 | 7,019 | |
| Total votes: 72,334 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hamilton County Commission
Andy Black advanced from the Republican primary for Hamilton County Commission on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Andy Black | 100.0 | 32,383 | |
| Total votes: 32,383 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Black's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Andy Black completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Black's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Andy Black was born and raised right here in Cincinnati. He grew up in a household where East Side met West Side, with his mother originating from Colerain and his father from Madeira. Yes, it is possible to bridge this Cincinnati divide. Andy was born in Delhi Township and raised in Mariemont where he attended their public schools through high school. He then packed up and moved to Oxford, where he attended Miami University. Here he played college football and earned his Bachelors in History. While working full time, he then continued his education by attending Bellarmine University where he completed and earned his MBA. Andy then launched himself into the private sector, serving for 15 years in the financial technology sector, primarily with Diebold-Nixdorf & NCR Corp. In this role he was responsible for managing a global account team with revenues in excess of $75,000,000. Currently, Andy serves as Vice President of a design-build firm specializing in commercial real estate opportunities for community based banks and credit unions. This role has prepared Andy to take on the complicated task of economic development and job creation in Hamilton County. Andy has been married to his wife Courtney for 15 years and they live with their two sons in Indian Hill.
- Communication & Cooperation: Right now, we don't have a culture of working together in this community. Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission should be working hand-in-hand, but instead all we see is a jockeying for power and influence. This comes down to a fundamental error in the outlook of our elected officials. We should never have an "us" versus "them" mentality, especially at the expense of the general public. I want to clear the pipelines of communication and establish a level of trust amongst our elected officials that puts the pride and ambitions of individual people aside in exchange for the prosperity and happiness of the citizens of our region.
- County Budget: The biggest priority for our County Commissioners is to maintain a budget that is balanced, focused on the right priorities, is positioned for long term success, and puts the lightest burden on the taxpayers as possible. Let me be clear - that is not how our Commission functions now. There is no doubt that our county has a number of high priority needs that puts a strain on our finances. However, raising taxes should be the last resort. And it should always be done by a vote of the people. I promise to stick to this philosophy of governing and provide creative solutions to the problems facing our community.
- Growth: I have a plan to get our county growing again so we don't fall further behind our peer counties across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. I believe we need to consider all options and find a solution once and for all that will free our county from the financial burden of Paul Brown Stadium. By doing so this will unlock our ability to fund critical infrastructure projects and continue to provide core services without another unnecessary tax increase. I also want to finally deliver on the promise made in 1996 to provide each homeowner in Hamilton County with an annual 30% property tax rollback, not the current 10-12% we've received in recent years.
Economic growth of Hamilton County is at the center of my campaign for Commissioner. At this moment, Hamilton County is in the midst of a financial crisis that has been exacerbated due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. In order for us to get our budget back on track and inspire growth, we need to fundamentally change how we look at our county finances. A big part of this is getting physical assets off the books, such as Paul Brown Stadium, so that we have the resources to invest in our own growth. To date, Hamilton County taxpayers have spent over $800MM to fund the development, construction, maintenance, operations and enhancements of Paul Brown Stadium. This is money that should have been used to address infrastructure issues that have plagued our county for decades, and funding critical services for our children and senior citizens. Paul Brown Stadium has stifled our ability to grow, and we need to put all options on the table, including looking to sell the stadium through a public-private partnership. I have done an immense amount of research on this topic, and it is clear that our county's woes all point back to the roadblock that is Paul Brown Stadium.
As a member of the Board of Commissioners that oversees the county budget, I believe it is critical we elect people that understand finance and the difference between wants and needs. Hamilton County is one of the largest county's in Ohio and is home to multiple Fortune 500 companies, which makes it unique and vitally important to the overall financial stability of the State of Ohio. Our Board of Commissioners must maintain clear and consistent communication with state leaders to ensure they create policies that help maintain our largest employers as well as attract entrepreneurs to our region. We must get our county growing again and consider all options to expand job opportunities for residents seeking employment.
I have many role models but personally there are two people to whom I continue to look to for guidance and advice on a regular basis: My parents. I admire the example they set for my brother and sister and me growing up as two working parents that never missed a game and always made time to help with homework. I admire them today for their patience and understanding as grandparents to our two young boys and the commitment they continue to have to one another after 48 years of marriage.
At its core a County Commissioner is like a member of a Board of Directors for a private sector organization and is responsible for creating a mission statement, ensuring financial stability and developing a growth strategy. Unlike the federal government that can simply print more money or the state government that can divert revenues, the county must (by law) carefully manage each revenue source to balance the budget on an annual basis. This requires thorough oversight and establishing fiscal procedures to ensure taxpayers are not routinely asked to vote for sales or property tax increases to meet the state mandate for a balanced budget.
I'm running for County Commissioner to give back to a county that has given me so much and to leave behind a legacy that make my wife, two young sons and extended family proud. I believe politics has become too toxic and many individuals seeks higher office for the wrong reasons. I see too many get elected and quickly forget they are first and foremost a public servant. My goal is to serve with honesty, integrity and demonstrate the morals & character we need more of in the public sector.
American Lion by Jon Meacham. I'm an avid reader of history and find the story of Andrew Jackson fascinating.
No, I believe having experience in the private sector is more important than a lengthy resume in politics. While I have served as a Council Representative and Vice-Mayor I believe my experience managing individuals and creating new opportunities in the private sector is more valuable in the role as County Commissioner. My primary focus as County Commissioner is to bring a balanced perspective and help lead our economic recovery to ensure Hamilton County is competitive with our peers around the Midwest.
I believe the ability to clear communicate and actively listen are helpful skills as County Commissioner, and I also believe my experience outside the public sector is desperately needed if we want to get our county growing. I've taken the time to invest in my education and earn an MBA while working full-time in order to further my knowledge of management, accounting and finance principles, and that investment has paid dividends in the private sector and will do the same in the public sector.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 10, 2020
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