James L. Mills, a Warren County financial services executive, is running for Ohio lieutenant governor on the Libertarian ticket in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election. Mills is running alongside gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick.
Mills said he entered politics because he grew frustrated with the two major parties. "I got tired of picking my poison, so I decided I wanted to be part of the antidote," Mills said in his questionnaire response to Surround Sound News.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Party: Libertarian
- Running mate: Don Kissick
- Residence: Warren County, Ohio
- Education: MBA, Xavier University; Bachelor's in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish, University of Cincinnati
- Professional designation: Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
- Occupation: CEO and co-founder, Ironvest Financial Partners
- Family: Married with two children
Experience and public service
Mills has spent most of his career in financial services, including roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions. He co-founded Ironvest Financial Partners, where he works with individuals, families and businesses on financial planning, retirement and employee-benefit strategies, according to his Libertarian Party candidate profile.
Earlier in his career, Mills served as an AmeriCorps member, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter. He said that experience shaped how he views service and the challenges facing people struggling financially.
Within the Libertarian Party of Ohio, Mills has served as vice chair and field development director. He currently chairs the Warren County Libertarian Party.
Mills has not held elected or appointed government office.
On the issues
Property taxes: Mills said the Kissick-Mills ticket supports completely eliminating property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms without defunding schools, police or fire services. He said the plan would begin with roughly a 25 percent reduction and continue phasing taxes out as replacement funding is identified. Mills said the ticket supports a ballot amendment to end property taxes and would prefer local consumption-based taxes as a replacement. He also called for a comprehensive review of state Lottery education dollars, the General Revenue Fund, corporate subsidies and administrative spending to identify waste before telling homeowners Ohio cannot afford relief.
Government transparency and ethics: Mills said he supports creating a publicly searchable database of state contracts, lobbying activity, major expenditures and meetings involving public officials. He called for strengthening Ohio's Sunshine Laws, limiting the use of nondisclosure agreements in public business and banning legislators from becoming lobbyists for five years after leaving office. He cited the House Bill 6 bribery scandal as evidence of what happens when government decisions operate behind closed doors.
Lieutenant governor's role: Mills said he and Kissick view the lieutenant governor as an active partner, not a ceremonial position. His responsibilities would focus on small-business growth, economic and community development, government transparency and connecting the administration with communities across Ohio. He said voters should judge his success by measurable results: fewer barriers for small businesses, greater transparency in state spending and stronger locally driven economic development.
Small business and economy: Mills said the ticket wants to simplify licensing and regulation for small businesses, gig workers, tradespeople and in-home childcare providers. He also called for building a more collaborative small-business ecosystem with incubators, venture capital studios and chambers of commerce.
Immigration: Mills said the ticket believes due process applies to everyone and that immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized. He said those in the country illegally should have a clear lawful path to citizenship and be required to show good-faith progress toward legal status, with deportation discussed only after repeated, proven noncompliance.
More information about the Kissick-Mills ticket is available at the campaign's policy platform page.
