Andrew J. Ginther

(Chair: Finance & Economic Development; and Safety Committees)

Andrew J. Ginther joined Columbus City Council in January 2007, and is chair of the Public Safety and the Finance & Economic Development Committees. His top priorities are improving the quality of life in Columbus neighborhoods, job creation, economic development, and sustainable prosperity.

Ginther believes the best measure of our quality of life is the safety of our neighborhoods. Since day one, he has worked to ensure that Columbus Police Officers and Firefighters have the resources they need to serve and protect our city. Since he joined Council, Ginther has delivered on his pledge to protect Columbus families and businesses, championing budget amendments which advanced critical crime prevention strategies, including the Columbus Police Summer Strike Force, Community Crime Patrol, and Crime Stoppers. He has fought for additional funding for bulletproof vests, police vehicles, laptop computers and software that help Columbus Police work smarter and harder. Ginther also sponsored legislation to provide the Columbus Division of Fire with additional life-saving tools, including turnout gear, thermal imaging cameras and new fire engines, medics and ladder trucks. Ginther sponsored a budget amendment to purchase warning sirens to alert residents during severe weather events, and is an advocate for safety cameras in Columbus neighborhoods. He also drafted ground-breaking anti-scrap metal theft legislation that became the model for municipalities across the nation, and which provided the foundation for a new state law. Ginther changed the City Code to better address aggressive panhandling, improving neighborhood safety and creating a better environment for businesses and those who visit Columbus.

As Development Committee chair, Ginther has focused on creating jobs for Columbus workers and promoting sustainable prosperity. Ginther has supported incentive packages that have attracted thousands of jobs to Columbus, including 1,000 new jobs at Chase, netting $4.5 million in new revenue. He is also promoting joint economic development districts and revenue sharing programs that span multiple local governments, and which support Columbus’ long-term economic development strategies, including developing industry clusters and positioning Columbus as the logistics hub of the Midwest. Ginther also believes that responsible growth and environmental stewardship are necessary to sustain Columbus, and in keeping with this philosophy, Ginther sponsored legislation to advance the Big Darby Accord Master Plan, focusing development outside the sensitive watershed areas and opening the door for responsible development. Ginther is also especially committed to making Columbus attractive to the next generation of leaders, and keeping the best and brightest young professionals in Columbus. He is a staunch supporter of the City’s attract and retain initiative and is working to advance issues of importance to younger workers, including light rail and transportation.

Andrew Ginther has a long history of community service, believing that it is key to stronger neighborhoods. Prior to joining Columbus City Council, Ginther was elected to the Columbus Board of Education in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. He continues to serve as an advocate for Columbus City Schools and is the point person on Columbus City Council on education issues. Ginther is also a member of the SciTech Board, and is an honorary board member for Kids Voting.

Ginther studied peace and conflict resolution at the University of Ulster and Queen’s College in Northern Ireland while teaching at public schools in Belfast and Derry. He served in consecutive internships at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he taught non-violence and dispute resolution to school children in the most violent parts of the city. Ginther is the Coordinator of Community Relations for Triumph Communications, Inc. and previously served as a Legislative Aide in the Ohio Senate and as Coordinator of Violence Prevention for Strategies Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE).

A proud graduate of Columbus City Schools, Ginther holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He is a native of Columbus, and resides with his wife, Shannon, in Clintonville.