Hamilton County voters will have a choice between three candidates running for one open seat on the county commission. They include Democrat Meeka Owens, Republican Jonathan Pearson and write-in independent Carrie Davis.
County commissioners make up the general administrative body for county government. They hold authority for government taxing, budgeting, appropriating and purchasing; and they hold title to county property.
Learn more about the candidates below, presented in alphabetical order by last name. Candidates were given the same survey questions and word limit of no more than 300 words to respond to each question. All candidate responses have been lightly edited for grammar and style.
Click to jump to each candidate:
Carrie Davis
Campaign website: http://www.WriteInDavis.com
Party affiliation: independent, write-in
Biography (provided by the candidate)
Former Commissioner Todd Portune once said during a board meeting, “When Carrie Davis talks, we better listen.” He knew me to be radically honest, not beholden to anyone, and that I don’t open my mouth until I have the facts. I was honored by his words and to work with him on select projects over the years. Portune was the last politician I personally knew who listened to his constituents. He taught me to listen as much as I talk.
I have been the director of Greater Community Groups, Inc. since 2003. I was born and raised here, built a small business here, and raised my own family here. I earned degrees from Mt. St Joe’s and graduated Summa Cum Laude from UC.
I believe we all need to Pay Forward the Graces we've enjoyed in life through service to others. It is the core of my belief in service to the public.
What life or professional experiences make you qualified for this position?
I have been deemed by the courts an expert in administrative law due to the breadth of my experience and formal education. I have used that expertise to conduct legal research on governmental entities' compliance with state and federal law and to advance viable solutions for residents.
I served on two committees created by the governor to structure reforms and accountability and by the Ohio Supreme Court to their committee on family rights.
As state coordinator for a nonprofit, I won Ohioan of the Year from the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the "Extra Mile Award" from Scripps-Howard Broadcasting judged by Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children's Hospital, Kindervelt, and United Way.
I also won a scholarship from Mt. St. Joe's for "Academic Excellence and Community Promise." I have worked hard to deserve that honor.
I have fought for residents for three decades. I have brought multiple actions against government bodies for violating the residents’ rights. I am acquiring an Executive Order from the Governor requiring the return of $32m improperly taken from 160K Ohio families; established that the NFL and Bengals violated anti-trust laws to extort stadiums, and put a major school district into a very rare Corrective Action Plan for systemically violating IDEA for disabled students.
You can’t fix problems if you can’t name them.
When I wasn’t working, herding my kids, or researching some boring topic, I was volunteering: from PickUp Playgrounds to summer reading with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library or setting up holiday displays for community events. I have volunteered as boots on the ground to the CEO of a nonprofit.
I have always “fought the good fight” and got in plenty of “Good Trouble” to make life better and fairer for all of us.
I am very qualified for this position.
What concerns or themes are you hearing in conversations with people in Hamilton County? How do you specifically plan to address those issues?
AFFORDABILITY. Residents are struggling due to elected officials serving corporations over residents. Their ability to provide for their families, maintain their station in life, and prepare for their futures is precarious, at best. The economy is unpredictable and it impacts those who felt they had a strong-hold in the middle and upper-middle classes as well as those living paycheck-to-paycheck. It has eroded the confidence and security of every family in Hamilton County.
The county is abusing the public trust in how it wields its power to tax and spend.
Current elected officials are “buying what they want and begging what we need." Residents have to live within their budgets — and so should elected leadership.
The buck stops here, I will put forth a RESIDENTS FIRST Agenda. This agenda includes measures to address discretionary funding abuses that exceed $71m a year. (This is the hole we just keep digging.)
- Propose a RESIDENTS FIRST Moratorium on all tax levies requiring the approval of county commissioners
- Require a Balanced Budget rather than an Annual Appropriations report. Such budget would not allow counting levy monies that haven’t yet been approved. They are setting residents up for austerity measures by not doing it right the first time.
- Priorities. Legal duties, like the Children's Protective Services, will be funded prior to any discretionary funding. We will not put a business’ interests before the best interests of residents — and certainly not before vulnerable children.
- Eliminate all “corporate welfare” programs and require a review of all existing incentives for Public Good Performance. Terminate or limit welfare for the wealthy as permitted by law.
- Utilize CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] funds to meet needs of the community rather than frills, while our residents are addressing the financial stresses.
We must get our priorities straight. This is a start.
Property taxes are an area of significant concern for residents and county leadership. How would you propose offering property tax relief for residents?
THE PROPERTY TAX SHELL GAME. We can’t fix the problem until we name the problem.
Commissioners are “buying what they want and begging what WE need” via tax levies. They don’t have their priorities straight. They have it backwards.
Instead of the county taking care of our legal duties, we are spending the funding we do have on discretionary things instead of prioritizing the necessities. This mindset compounds the affordability crisis we currently have and shifts the burden onto residents.
This year, the county predicted a $26M short fall in the Children's Services Levy. They approved $36m in service cuts to abused children at the same time they quietly took $55.561m out of the Children's Services levy funds and purchased the Mercy facility used by at least 12 other departments. [Reporter's note: According to Hamilton County, No money from the Children’s Services Levy has been used for the purchase of Central Campus in Bond Hill. The debt related to the JFS portion of Central Campus is $55.2 million, and it is structured to be fully reimbursed with federal funding.] Our most vulnerable citizens — those we have the highest legal and moral duty to — were forced to make sacrifices because leadership chose to use money dedicated and restricted for them in order to do a consolidation that should have been paid from the taxes in our discretionary fund.
Then, the county creates a budget that has “zero” to protect children while they commit $350m for the Bengals stadium. (A highly questionable set of circumstances that are, at least, unethical and possibly illegal.)
We buy what we want; beg what we need. In times of dire economic hardship, we need to get our priorities straight, prioritize our bills, and stop milking the residents of every dime we can.
Truth in taxation. Integrity in evaluation. And, priorities in delivery. Certainly, no more shell games. This is done all the time - and the buck stops here.
Hamilton County experienced significant damage from flash flooding this summer, which was made worse by impervious surfaces like parking lots, garages and others that can’t absorb water. The Metropolitan Sewer District is considering a pilot program to charge property owners for the runoff they put into the sewer system. It would need county commissioner approval. Would you support the program? What other steps should the county take to mitigate future flooding problems?
The impervious surfaces program is well overdue — and nowhere near enough. The flooding problem originates in our outer suburbs doing damage there and wreaking havoc by the time it reaches the city. The entire flooding problem and possible solutions is getting mere lip service from the city and the county is silent when residents deserve tangible and timely response. A pilot project is not a solution. Here’s some real solutions:
- The county and city water conservation districts have rarely issued corrective action plans on property owners who are directing their waters onto other properties and the public right of way. The districts are absent from the conversation along with their powers and authority.
- Recent and current development by the government is going to increase our percentage of impervious surfaces dramatically and should be upgraded to the new standards.
- At this time, while federal dollars related to the Brent Spence Project are paying to separate the combined sewers in Covington, on the Ohio side we are using those dollars to make improvements to sewage treatment instead of using the funds toward actual long-term solutions.
- The runoff waters alone are being directed to the Mill Creek, perpetuating the problem, not solving the problem.
- We have between 2-3 tons of litter clogging our stormwater system and reducing capacity all across the county. Yet the commissioners are refusing to implement a fee imposed on out of county residents that would generate over $2.5m annually that could be used to clear the litter at zero costs to city or county residents, as well as, using the funds for environmental improvements, removing litter from our neighborhoods, and ridding the county of illegal dumping issues.
These are all solutions that will have an immediate result for residents and businesses that can be acted upon today – not in decades.
What criteria will you use to evaluate and vote on tax levies the commission is responsible for approving for public vote?
LEVIES are not supposed to be LEVERAGE.
Our levy process has three prominent problems:
- Levies are being used as leverage to free up discretionary funds for use by the county on pet projects by shifting the burden for mandated services from the county budget to the residents’ budget.
- Our current system of levy reviews is broken. It has not been an independent review of pros, cons, and needs for over a decade. It has become a rubber stamp for some elected officials and administrations’ directives. We have an “echo chamber” instead of a debate that serves the public’s interest. In the review for the Children’s Services Levy, there were no significant recommendations, no cost savings ideas, and no discussion whatsoever of the $55m transfer of monies into another fund. The Family Voice wasn’t even consulted. And, the special review by accountants excluded the $55m from their process and contributed little more than nice graphs.
- Residents First. There is no consideration or discussion regarding the impact on residents itemized.
Criteria should include:
What is the actual financial position of the county necessitating consideration of a levy?
What are the county’s priorities and goals?
What is the financial impact on, and the benefits for, residents?
Is this service discretionary or mandatory?
Is this a user-fee service?
Have we met our fiscal duties to the county residents consistent with law?
Are there truly no cost saving measures that can be employed, with specificity?
Levies are not supposed to be leverage to achieve an ulterior motive. Without a robust process, we are doing a disservice to the public.
Meeka Owens
Campaign website: www.votemeekaowens.com
Party affiliation: Democratic
Biography (provided by the candidate)
My name is Meeka Owens, and I am a three-term member of Cincinnati City Council running in the 2026 General Election for Hamilton County Commissioner. I am an organizer at heart. After my work on the ground in 2016, I walked away with a major takeaway: we need to engage in communities more authentically. This is the impetus of seeing myself in democracy.
WATCH: Meeka Owens' interview on Cincinnati Edition
What life or professional experiences make you qualified for this position?
As an activist, I have served as an Executive Board Member, Fundraiser, Steering Committee Member, and Mentor for great Cincinnati organizations like Women Helping Women, MUSE Women’s Choir, Make-A-Wish, UMADAOP, and Dress for Success. As a Trainer, Facilitator and Consultant, I designed and delivered learning topics to professional, community and High School groups centered on Professional Image and Development, Workplace Safety, Self Esteem and Empowerment. I have worked with organizations such as City Gospel Mission; Having The Courage To Change program, The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, Freestore FoodBank, and Cincinnati Public School; Western Hills High School AWAKE program. In 2013, I was nominated as a member of the YWCA “Rising Star Leadership Academy” and served on the Rising Star Advisory Committee. Before and after my time as an Elected Official, I have worked on local and national campaigns to elect top progressive candidates. In 2020, I co-founded the Greater Cincinnati Voter Collaborative to continue my commitment to civic engagement in Hamilton County. After my election to Cincinnati City Council in 2021, I was sworn in during January of 2022. Since then, I have proudly chaired the Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure committee, served on the Budget and Finance, and Equitable Growth and Housing Committees, and prioritized serving Cincinnati to the best of my ability. The legislative successes I am proudest of include investing $4 million in the Green Cincinnati Plan Renewal — fully funding the engagement without additional taxpayer dollars. My office declared gun violence a public health crisis, and led the charge on working with the administration to build a framework for Cincinnati’s approach to gun violence. We promoted and expanded Access to Counsel. I led the City’s first ever leveraged support process, ensuring that the City is funding nonprofits in an innovative and effective way. All the while, I chaired the Green Cincinnati Steering Committee to help us envision a more sustainable Cincinnati. I am running for Hamilton Commissioner because the work is larger than just the City of Cincinnati, and must expand to all 49 jurisdictions in our region.
What concerns or themes are you hearing in conversations with people in Hamilton County? How do you specifically plan to address those issues?
The concerns I hear most consistently across Hamilton County come back to a basic question: can people afford to build a good life here? Housing and the cost of living are at the top of that list. Families are worried about rising rents, property taxes, utilities, and whether they can afford to stay in the neighborhoods they call home. We also know that our affordable-housing system is under real pressure; Hamilton County’s own housing planning documents have identified a shortage of affordable units and an overburdened system for families facing eviction or homelessness. That’s why I’m focused on both housing stability and affordability. We’ve already demonstrated what county government can do through initiatives like Access to Counsel, which helps residents facing eviction, and I want to continue investing in tools that keep people housed, expand affordable housing, and connect families with assistance before they reach a crisis. I also hear concerns about safe neighborhoods and opportunities for young people. Public safety cannot just be about what happens after a crime occurs. It also means investing upstream, in youth programming, recreation, mental health, violence prevention, and human services, while making sure law enforcement has the resources it needs to respond effectively. I want every child in Hamilton County, regardless of their ZIP code, to have access to safe places, positive opportunities, quality education, and adults who are invested in their future. Infrastructure is another major concern, particularly flooding and sewer issues. For families who have repeatedly dealt with flooded basements or property damage, this isn’t an abstract infrastructure conversation; it affects their homes, their finances, and their quality of life. I will continue pushing for accountability, long-term infrastructure investment, and solutions that prioritize the communities experiencing these problems firsthand. Ultimately, what I hear is that people want the county government to make their everyday lives better. They want a government that listens, uses taxpayer dollars responsibly, delivers services effectively, and makes it possible for people to stay, work, raise their families, and thrive in Hamilton County. Those are the outcomes I’m focused on delivering.
Property taxes are an area of significant concern for residents and county leadership. How would you propose offering property tax relief for residents?
Property taxes are one of the concerns I hear most frequently from residents, particularly seniors, longtime homeowners, and families who have seen the value of their homes increase dramatically without seeing the same increase in their income. I think we have to approach property tax relief in two ways: use every tool available to us locally, and advocate for structural reform at the state level. First, Ohio has given counties additional authority to provide property tax relief, and I believe we should closely examine how we can use those tools responsibly in Hamilton County. That includes additional relief for homeowners who qualify for the Homestead Exemption and evaluating the county’s ability to provide broader reductions under state law. Any proposal needs to be evaluated alongside its fiscal impact, because relief should not come at the expense of essential services residents depend on. Second, we need to make sure people are actually receiving the relief for which they already qualify. That means working with the Auditor and other county offices to improve outreach and make programs like the Homestead Exemption easier to understand and access. But counties cannot solve this problem alone. Ohio’s property tax system is largely governed by state law, so I will continue advocating with the General Assembly for reforms that provide meaningful relief, particularly for seniors on fixed incomes and longtime homeowners who are being priced out of the communities they helped build. Finally, we have to look at our own decisions. Every levy and every request for additional taxpayer dollars deserves careful scrutiny. I believe in funding the services that make Hamilton County strong, but we also have a responsibility to recognize that homeowners have limits. My goal is straightforward: people should not lose the ability to stay in their homes simply because the value of the property around them has increased. It is important that we, in conjunction with the Tax Levy Review Committee, do a rigorous review of all the levies at one time.
Hamilton County experienced significant damage from flash flooding this summer, which was made worse by impervious surfaces like parking lots, garages and others that can’t absorb water. The Metropolitan Sewer District is considering a pilot program to charge property owners for the runoff they put into the sewer system. It would need county commissioner approval. Would you support the program? What other steps should the county take to mitigate future flooding problems?
Yes, I would be open to supporting the pilot, provided that we structure it in a way that actually reduces stormwater runoff and gives property owners a meaningful opportunity to be part of the solution. The flooding we experienced this summer made clear that we have to think differently about how we manage stormwater. When we have acres of parking lots, garages, rooftops, and other impervious surfaces, that water has nowhere to go except into our streets, neighborhoods, and sewer system. What I like about the proposed pilot is that it connects responsibility to impact. MSD has identified approximately 500 large non-residential properties that contribute significant runoff, and the proposal would create incentives for those property owners to reduce that runoff before paying the full charge. That said, I don't want this to simply become another fee. The goal should be changing behavior and preventing flooding. If a property owner installs permeable pavement, rain gardens, bioswales, additional trees, detention infrastructure, or takes other meaningful steps to keep water out of the sewer system, there should be real financial credit for doing that.
Hamilton County and MSD need to continue investing in the sewer infrastructure itself, identify the neighborhoods and infrastructure most vulnerable to flash flooding, and prioritize improvements based on that risk. We also need to incorporate green infrastructure into our own county facilities and projects and work with municipalities, businesses, and property owners to expand natural stormwater management throughout the county. Finally, we need accountability. If we approve a pilot, I want clear benchmarks: How much runoff are we keeping out of the system? Are we reducing flooding? Are property owners actually making improvements? And what is the impact on ratepayers? This summer showed us that these extreme rainfall events can have devastating consequences for families and businesses. We can't control how much rain falls, but we can make smarter decisions about where that water goes and how prepared our infrastructure is to handle it.
What criteria will you use to evaluate and vote on tax levies the commission is responsible for approving for public vote?
I take the responsibility of placing a levy before voters very seriously, particularly at a time when so many homeowners are concerned about rising property taxes. The first question is need: Is this funding necessary to provide an essential service or address a clearly demonstrated community need? I want to see the data behind that request and understand what happens to residents if the levy does not move forward. As an elected official, I look at outcomes and accountability. If it is a renewal, I want to know how the existing dollars have been spent, what outcomes have been achieved, and whether the organization has been a responsible steward of public money. Hamilton County's levy policies have long emphasized that levy dollars should be used for the purposes presented to taxpayers and that funded programs should be monitored. And, we cannot consider each levy in isolation. We have to understand the cumulative burden on homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes and working families whose incomes may not be increasing at the same rate as their property values. Across all of our levies, I want to know whether we have exhausted other options. Are there state or federal dollars available? Can we leverage private or philanthropic funding? Are there efficiencies, partnerships, or other revenue sources that could reduce what we are asking property owners to pay?
At the core of my opinions on levies, I consider the long-term sustainability of the request. I don't want to solve a short-term budget problem by creating a long-term obligation without understanding how we will sustain it. I strongly believe in the services many of our levies support. At the same time, supporting those services and protecting taxpayers are not mutually exclusive responsibilities. My job as a commissioner would be to scrutinize every request, make sure the need and the numbers are justified, and then give Hamilton County voters clear and transparent information so they can ultimately make that decision at the ballot box.
Jonathan Pearson
Campaign website: hamiltoncountyrepublicanparty.org
Party affiliation: Republican
Biography (provided by the candidate)
Happily Married for 33 years, 5 children, 7 grandchildren. Active Catholic in my parish of Saint Cecilia. Lived in Hamilton County since 1984, self-employed since 1992.
WATCH: Jonathan Pearson's interview on Cincinnati Edition
What life or professional experiences make you qualified for this position?
Owner of Pearson’s Turf & Landscaping (Pearson’s Home/Turf) since 1992. My company maintains multimillion dollar properties; landscaping, maintenance, repair and reconstruction (plumbing, electrical, carpentry) of structures.
My prior work was golf course maintenance which specialized in chemical and water use with cost analysis assessments to verify effective cost to quality of course management of hundreds of acres of turf.
Previous job working for a private owner in Indian Hill as property manager, I was the site foreman for a multi-million subdivision constructed on their 175 acres. Oversaw the construction of multiple homes, roads and infrastructure including drainage, sewer, electric, gas and communication installation.
What concerns or themes are you hearing in conversations with people in Hamilton County? How do you specifically plan to address those issues?
Property taxes, sewers, stadiums and safety are the dominant issues I hear about. Taxes and MSD are answered in the following questions.
Stadiums; we put a lot of tax dollars into the stadiums. I am not a person that believes we should fund stadiums the way we do. The Reds and the Bengals have money, and the owners are wealthy enough to add considerably to the cost of the stadiums.
Safety: Police and fire are the two main concerns that affect every citizen. My goal is simple: make sure the monies allocated to these areas actually get there and is used the most effective way necessary. This allows monies for proper equipment and communication needs. More importantly, the hiring of more personnel as necessary.
Property taxes are an area of significant concern for residents and county leadership. How would you propose offering property tax relief for residents?
Property taxes and rent cost, both of which have been complaints told to me more than any singular issue. As commissioner, I will work on the state to have it law that private homes and property are taxed on no more than the purchase price for as long as the owner lives in that house. Also, work for a law that states no private home/property can be taken due to unpaid property tax. As commissioner, I would have limited authority to change current tax structure which has severely impacted rent and property taxes. However, maintaining a well-studied budget could limit or stop the need for additional monies. Honoring tax rollbacks, cutting unnecessary or wasteful budget items; all these go a long way to addressing these issues within the confines of the office. This type of fiscal responsibility helps lower budgets and therefore can help reduce taxes and rent. Finally, keeping the public informed with the most transparent means possible.
Hamilton County experienced significant damage from flash flooding this summer, which was made worse by impervious surfaces like parking lots, garages and others that can’t absorb water. The Metropolitan Sewer District is considering a pilot program to charge property owners for the runoff they put into the sewer system. It would need county commissioner approval. Would you support the program? What other steps should the county take to mitigate future flooding problems?
Metro sewer upgrade project: Keeping management on task is the first priority. Confirming all projects are necessary. Confirming that the various projects within the larger project are both on or below cost and on time. Also keeping the public regularly informed of progress, being completely transparent. I would like to see MSD have developers build excellent runoff systems, rather than charging upfront. Developers might build lesser systems to keep cost down when an upfront cost is mandated. I would not be for the pilot program, property owners sewer and water cost have tripled over the last several years.
What criteria will you use to evaluate and vote on tax levies the commission is responsible for approving for public vote?
Tax levies: I feel that Hamilton County residents pay too much in taxes now. So, I have a simple formula for evaluating tax levies: Does the recipient actually need the money? Does it add quality value to Hamilton County? Does it come at a modest cost that limits the monetary hit to residents? Is it redundant to any other city, township, county or state tax laws or levies? Is it the right time to consider any new taxes? I believe that there are very few reasons to raise taxes. Promotion of business growth and new business can go a long way to bringing in monies which encourages lowering taxes.
Contact: I am old school, you have questions, just call me: 513-562-0611. Email me; pearsonfortransparency@gmail.com