We sat down with 1st time candidate for Hilliard City Council JT Ysseldyke last week.
At twenty-three JT may be the youngest candidate this cycle but that doesn’t mean he lacks meaningful experience in government service.
We ask about the candidate’s upbringing here in Hilliard and education through the public schools locally. JT then talks a bit about his experiences at Bowling Green (Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice - Minor Political Science) where a chance encounter and his choice to randomly take a test in a class he wasn’t in led to a position first as a legislative page intern and now as a full time legislative aide at the state house.
We talk through a typical workday for JT at the state house and his responsibilities in and around the work and committees of State Representative Brian Stewart (R-Ashville District 12)
Jordan asks how JT felt working behind the scenes on the failed August Constitutional Amendment that would have raised significant barriers to citizen led reforms and asks if he thinks Republicans have intentions to pursue the Amendment in similar form given the gerrymandered nature of the legislature.
Ohio Voters Reject Proposal to Make it Harder to Amend State Constitution - Voices of America
Jordan follows up by asking if JT feels he would be able to balance keeping his present and likely growing congressional aide job and a city council position. He cites others on a similar track and says he’s up for the challenge.
Kevin asks if there was any particular “thunder bolt” that put JT on this political path and he describes the feelings he had post 2016 election and his decision to join Turning Points USA at BG and develop his coursework along service oriented lines.
Tim asks about local mentors or inspirations (family friend Les Carrier and other local volunteer efforts) and Kevin follows on asking about State House level mentors for JT (he describes the relationship between himself and Representative Stewart among other legislators)
Jordan asks JT to define a couple of his campaign’s priorities among the “Save Hilliard” slate positions. JT’s response describes a desire to find a way for young buyers to find better housing options and to improve economic stability at the city level through choice and continued responsible use of financial mechanisms.
Given these modest goals and their existence already in the Community Plan Jordan asks JT to delineate the thinking behind running as a slate on polarizing language like “Save Hilliard” and how representations like colorful maps lacking published disclaimers and quick cutting Youtube videos might be seen as misleading for local campaigns where you’ll be working together, immediately afterward, on non-partisan citizen concerns and municipal issues once in office.
JT responds that his primary concern is that zoning would quickly follow certain plan implementations and that “pace of change” is what the videos and the campaign are trying to illustrate as particularly negative.
JT responds to the suggestion from our podcast with Les Carrier that the first order of business would be to repeal large portions of the existing Community Plan. He doesn’t think a “back to the drawing board” approach is required but he sees significant re-evaluation as necessary given what he felt was insufficient communication and resident involvement.
Jordan asks how JT feels communication might be improved from the city so that these perceived shortcomings could be avoided in the future and JT suggests more intense social media engagement with residents as a key part of his strategy.
The group discusses the city’s organizational chart and the lack of meaningful structure for city residents that the chart exists to serve. A blank space at the most crucial point.
Jordan asks JT if he sees a future in ward representation for Hilliard and JT responds in favor of growing local democracy and voter participation.
Tim asks a general question about political divisions extant and how people’s day-to-day conduct can be impacted by that broken discourse. He wants to know what JT thinks about that breakdown and what he would try to do to insulate Hilliard’s politics from the more explosive and theatrical elements.
Jordan migrates the conversation to the issue of taxes and TIF specifically - and further the perspective of people in JT’s age group about rising housing costs and inflated values in general. We all want more affordable housing but how does the responsible cycle get started and how does the city go about courting the right kind of development to make it happen?
Kevin ask generally about goals or aspirations JT might have for Hilliard City Council to take up if he’s successful in his run. JT highlights his hopes for more inter-connectivity between neighborhoods via trails and regional connectivity with enhanced investment in rail and is excited by the possibility of adding an AMTRAK station as part of a wider trend of transit prioritization.
We briefly get JT’s thoughts on the Darby Accord sections of the Community Plan and his thoughts on the nature of future development and what makes for a good developer generally.
Kevin asks JT about the future and family and what aspects of Hilliard he thinks make for a meaningful, unique home.
Tim wraps up with a question about the books that have been meaningful to JT and some that he’d recommend. (The Unwind Series by Neil Shusterman and the Killing…series by Bill O’Reilly)
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