The Yellow Springs resident said one of the biggest issues affecting rural residents of Ohio House District 71, was data centers, which she said brought up questions about water and air pollution and demanded a local voice in the Statehouse.

“I went to grade school in McConnellsville and Morgan County, pretty deep in Appalachian Country, but as I made my way around the district and got to know people, I realized how similar it was to the town that I grew up in,” Magaw, who also ran against Dean in 2024, said. “There had been very little development attention to any of this district, just as in my hometown. There are lots of new jobs created in Columbus and lots of incentives at the state level for things like data centers, but not much focus on long-term job creation for rural areas.”

Dean expressed similar skepticism about data centers and said even though he wants business and industry to succeed, he was interested in looking closer at tax breaks they have received in Ohio.

“I think people want to have a say about what they live next to and they’re concerned about if data centers are stealing water or making the land poor and why they’re receiving tax breaks when they aren’t,” Dean said. “Some use more water and some use less, but people have questions about that and they want to make sure their electric bill also isn’t going to go up. It seems like there’s a neverending take, take, take and they’re concerned about that.”

Dean and Magaw both struck a similar tone on the issue of fiscal responsibility regarding tax revenue, even though they differed on who bears said responsibility.

“There are township trustees carrying gravel in the back of their trucks to patch up holes,” Magaw said. “They are making do with very little funding at the same time the state has made changes in property taxes, such that levies are going to have to go back on the ballot again. The legislature did not do any favors for the rural areas with that package of property tax changes.”

Dean, who said he voted against the recent operating budget due to the money going to funding for a new Cleveland Browns stadium, defended the Ohio House’s property tax amendments and said they have not gone far enough, while calling for local municipalities and school districts to spend their money wisely.

“There are needs and there are wants,” he said. “I like splash pads, but if the roads to get to the splash pads suck, we need to do something about that. A main thing happening in school districts in Ohio and everywhere is a massive jump in administrative pay.

“I want to fund schools, but I want to fund teachers, not the massive increase in administrators.”

Magaw has put out a statement opposing Flock cameras, while Dean recently declared his intention to introduce the Ohio Freedom from Mass Surveillance Act, calling the cameras a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment.

The 71st Ohio House District covers the city of Xenia, Jamestown, Cedarville and Yellow Springs, as well as Clinton County and a portion of of Clark County.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.