Policy Positions old | Daquan Neal For State Rep

POLICY POSITIONS

Ohio families are being crushed by rising costs while wages fail to keep up. Daquan is committed to fighting for:

Protection and restoration of remote-work options that benefit families and the environment

Ohio has moved backward on remote work. Recent mandates forcing state employees back into five-day, in-person workweeks were justified as productivity measures, but the data tells a different story. Remote work has proven to increase productivity, reduce burnout and turnover, and improve overall health and well-being—while also cutting transportation costs, childcare burdens, and environmental impact.
Where remote work is possible, it should be protected and expanded. I will champion policies that restore flexible work options across Ohio, because supporting families, improving quality of life, and reducing our environmental footprint should be priorities—not afterthoughts.

A four-day work week to improve quality of life

This is likely to be considered one of the most radical and difficult changes to implement, especially during these times when wages have remained stagnant, and the average Ohioan must work more than 40 hours and likely multiple jobs just to survive. But, when paired with my livable wage policy. We can create a future where the average adult is not spending over 50 percent of their waking hours working. Several countries have already done this with great success, including Belgium, Iceland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany. We have data showing that a 4-day workweek can work and lead to positive outcomes, such as increased productivity, lower staff turnover, better employee morale, and improved overall employee well-being, including lower stress levels and burnout. There is no reason as to why Ohio can not be a pioneer in the United states and i aim to lead the charge to giving our workforce that has increased its productivity by over 200 percent in the last 30 years with no comparative rise in wages, the much deserved break they need by introducinig legislation to allow Ohio to adopt an official 4- day work week. My goal is to increase the take-home pay of the average Ohio worker while reducing the number of hours they are forced to work to survive.
A four-day workweek may sound ambitious, especially at a time when wages have stagnated and many Ohioans are working more than 40 hours—or multiple jobs—just to get by. But paired with a livable wage, it gives us a real opportunity to restore balance to people’s lives. The average worker should not be spending more than half their waking hours just trying to survive.
Countries like Belgium, Iceland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany have already proven that a four-day workweek increases productivity, reduces burnout, lowers turnover, and improves overall well-being. Ohio’s workforce has increased productivity by more than 200% over the last 30 years without a comparable rise in wages. That’s not sustainable. I will introduce legislation to allow Ohio to adopt a four-day workweek—so workers can earn more, work less, and finally have time to live.
Paid work-commute policies
The paid work commute policy is a progressive policy that advocates for Ohio workers to be compensated for their travel time to and from work. Even if at a slightly lower rate, it is sensible, especially for workers with long commutes, to receive payment for the hours they dedicate to their place of employment. My legislation would call for a change in how we refer to work travel. Currently, travel to and from work is considered personal time and is ineligible for compensation, although contractors and other employees who must travel to multiple work sites are considered to have job-related travel and are eligible for employer payment. My legislation would change work commute travel to Job-related travel and make it eligible for employer payment. This also serves as an incentive for individuals living outside the Dayton area to commute and work within our communities, thereby stimulating the economy and promoting job and business growth.
Ohio workers give hours of their lives every week just getting to and from work, yet that time is treated as if it has no value. I support paid work-commute policies that compensate workers for their travel time—even at a reduced rate—because commuting is time dedicated to employment, not personal leisure.
Right now, only certain workers—like contractors traveling between job sites—are compensated for job-related travel. I will introduce legislation to reclassify work commutes as job-related travel, making them eligible for employer compensation. This policy would not only respect workers’ time, but also encourage more people to commute into Dayton for work, strengthening our local economy and supporting business growth.
Protection and restoration of remote-work options that benefit families and the environment
Governor DeWine signed an executive order mandating that all state employees return to in-person 5-day workweeks under the guise of increasing productivity and maximizing service, although we know the true motivation was the use of state-owned property. The benefits of work-from-home policies far outweigh the supposed cons, including increased productivity, lower burnout rates, lower employee turnover, improved employee overall health and well-being, significantly reduced environmental impacts, increased accessibility, and cost savings from reduced transportation and childcare costs. Work-from-home should be expanded where possible across Ohio, and we should embrace the positive impacts it offers Ohio workers. I will champion work-from-home policies and their expansion across the state.
Implementation of a free school lunch policy for our in-school children
Ohio currently has a free school lunch program, but it is only offered through the National School Lunch Program and the Community eligibility provision, which offers free or reduced-price lunches to families at or below 130 percent of the poverty level. We do not have a universal standard for feeding our school children. Imagine that. A pro-life state that prioritizes childcare does not have a universal childcare or universal school lunch policy. I am going to introduce legislation that mimics the Free School Meals for Kids program enacted by the Minnesota Legislature, providing one free breakfast and one free lunch to all public school children. This program is overwhelmingly popular in Minnesota, and I am confident that it will be warmly welcomed by Ohioans who care deeply about the well-being of our children.
Universal Free School Meals
Ohio offers free school lunches only through limited programs tied to income—but we do not have a universal standard for feeding our children. Think about that. A state that claims to value life and childcare still allows kids to go to school hungry based on their parents’ income.
I will introduce legislation modeled after Minnesota’s Free School Meals for Kids program to provide every public school student with one free breakfast and one free lunch—no paperwork, no stigma, no exceptions. This policy is overwhelmingly popular, improves student outcomes, and ensures every child has what they need to learn and thrive. Feeding our children should not be controversial—it should be the standard.
Bodily Autonomy for Ohio Women

Affordable, accessible housing

Ohio is in the middle of a housing crisis. Rising rents, mortgages, and property taxes are pushing families to the brink while development struggles to keep up with rising material costs, zoning barriers, and slow permitting. As State Representative, I will fight for increased state funding for District 39 through the biennial budget—prioritizing both renters and homeowners.
That funding would strengthen the Ohio Housing Trust Fund, which supports new construction, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and emergency repairs—especially for low-income families, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities. It’s also smart economics, generating $9.50 for every dollar invested. I will also expand the Welcome Home Ohio Program and support local organizations like Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, United Way of Greater Dayton, The Foodbank, and the YWCA.
Finally, I will push to repeal or amend House Bill 430, restoring basic protections against unchecked rent increases. Housing should be attainable—not a pipe dream for the next generation.

Universal health care

Health care should be a right, not a privilege. I support creating a statewide health care plan that uses existing federal funding from Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act to guarantee a universal standard of care for Ohioans. This plan would work alongside—or compete with—private insurance, offering coverage at a deeply reduced cost or completely free, depending on available revenue.

By leveraging federal legislation like the State-Based Universal Health Care Act, Ohio can apply for waivers that allow us to reallocate existing tax dollars—without creating new taxes. Working with our federal partners, we can build a 10-year plan to reach at least 95% coverage within five years, with a strong focus on preventive care. No one should be denied care or priced out so corporations can post record profits. Your life and your health are not for sale.

Protect and expand social safety nets

- Programs like TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and Social Security are lifelines for Ohio families. Without them, Ohio’s poverty rate would jump from about 10.5% to nearly 28%. Nearly one in four Ohioans relies on these programs, and it is our responsibility as leaders to protect them—not demonize the people who need them.
- I will stand firmly against attempts to weaken these programs under the guise of preventing waste, fraud, and abuse, when the real impact is cutting off support to those already struggling. I will also fight to expand funding for critical services like Head Start, which is operating on emergency funds and facing closure—putting tens of thousands of children at risk. Supporting families isn’t a handout; it’s an investment in Ohio’s future.

Policies that reduce wealth inequality

Wealth inequality is crushing working Ohioans, and it has been ignored for far too long. Right now, the top 1% in Ohio earns as much as the entire bottom 50% combined. While top earners average around $850,000 a year, the average Ohioan makes about $46,000—and that gap keeps growing under policies like Ohio’s flat tax.
This flat tax overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy, delivering nearly 96% of the gains to the top earners while offering little to nothing for everyone else—all at a cost of nearly $1 billion in lost state revenue. That is not fair, and it is not sustainable. As a State Representative, I will introduce legislation to repeal these harmful policies and replace them with a truly progressive tax system that ensures the wealthiest Ohioans pay their fair share—without placing the burden on working- and middle-class families.

Universal Free School Meals

Ohio offers free school lunches only through limited programs tied to income—but we do not have a universal standard for feeding our children. Think about that. A state that claims to value life and childcare still allows kids to go to school hungry based on their parents’ income.
I will introduce legislation modeled after Minnesota’s Free School Meals for Kids program to provide every public school student with one free breakfast and one free lunch—no paperwork, no stigma, no exceptions. This policy is overwhelmingly popular, improves student outcomes, and ensures every child has what they need to learn and thrive. Feeding our children should not be controversial—it should be the standard.

Fair, livable wages tied to inflation

- Why is it that working Ohioans still can’t afford to live in Ohio? Our state minimum wage is $11 an hour—better than the federal $7.25, but still nowhere near enough to keep up with inflation. Today, nearly 25% of Ohioans spend half or more of their income just on housing. Meanwhile, state assistance programs are effectively subsidizing corporations that refuse to pay livable wages.
- Ohioans are tired of being told we can’t afford to pay workers enough to survive. A business that can’t pay its employees a livable wage is not a sustainable business. I will work with economists and use tools like the MIT Living Wage Calculator to establish a statewide minimum wage tied to inflation—one that reflects the real cost of food, housing, childcare, health care, and transportation. Last year, Ohio’s minimum wage sat at poverty levels. That is unacceptable. We must restore the purchasing power of working Ohioans.

Paid work-commute policies

Ohio workers give hours of their lives every week just getting to and from work, yet that time is treated as if it has no value. I support paid work-commute policies that compensate workers for their travel time—even at a reduced rate—because commuting is time dedicated to employment, not personal leisure.
Right now, only certain workers—like contractors traveling between job sites—are compensated for job-related travel. I will introduce legislation to reclassify work commutes as job-related travel, making them eligible for employer compensation. This policy would not only respect workers’ time, but also encourage more people to commute into Dayton for work, strengthening our local economy and supporting business growth.

A four-day work week to improve quality of life

A four-day workweek may sound ambitious, especially at a time when wages have stagnated and many Ohioans are working more than 40 hours—or multiple jobs—just to get by. But paired with a livable wage, it gives us a real opportunity to restore balance to people’s lives. The average worker should not be spending more than half their waking hours just trying to survive.
Countries like Belgium, Iceland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany have already proven that a four-day workweek increases productivity, reduces burnout, lowers turnover, and improves overall well-being. Ohio’s workforce has increased productivity by more than 200% over the last 30 years without a comparable rise in wages. That’s not sustainable. I will introduce legislation to allow Ohio to adopt a four-day workweek—so workers can earn more, work less, and finally have time to live.