Sophia Tjotjos

Sophia Tjotjos earned a high school diploma from Lakewood High School, a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University in 1981, and a law degree from the Case Western Reserve School of Law in 1984.

Her career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m the proud mother of four, happy grandmother of two, a longtime attorney, a small business owner and a lifelong Westsider. I’ve built my career solving problems, advocating for others and helping families, businesses and non-profit organizations grow and navigate difficult decisions. My husband and I are Greek American. Hence, my last name pronounced "Judges" like in a courtroom. We raised our four children on the Westside, in the westside Greek church and in the Rocky River Public Schools. We instilled in our children the same values I grew up with - family and faith first, and always, hard work, integrity, kindness and caring for the people around you. Now that my kids are grown, I’m running for State Representative to give back to the community that helped shape our family, make sure they can afford to make their homes here, and preserve the values and quality of life that make the Westside such a special place to live.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Lower Property Taxes - Families, seniors, and homeowners should not be taxed out of the communities they helped build. Recent hikes of 32% in District 16 property values have placed an unfair, unexpected burden on Westside homeowners. Seniors are being priced out of their homes and young people can't afford to buy homes there. Ohio's property tax formula treats rising home values as the only indicator for a rate increase. I will work in Columbus to enact meaningful property valuation reform that brings relief, accountability, and fairness to Ohio homeowners, including considering, caps, freezes, and/ or circuit breakers, so the people who built this community and the next generation aren't taxed out of it.Fiscal Responsibility and Government Accountability - Ohioans deserve to know their hard-earned money is being spent responsibly. I believe in fiscal responsibility the way families practice it: pay for the essentials first, then make careful decisions about how the rest is spent. I support zero-based budgeting that requires state agencies to periodically justify their full budgets rather than simply building on last year’s spending. I’ll also fight fraud and waste to recover taxpayer dollars and make sure every dollar in the state budget is treated like what it is: money someone worked to earn.Prioritizing What Matters at Home - The quality of life we enjoy on the Westside didn’t happen by accident. Generations before us invested in good schools, police and first responders we can count on, beautiful parks and a Lake we’re proud to live beside. In Columbus, I’ll make sure the things that make our communities special are prioritized in the decisions we make and the dollars we spend. That means supporting our schools, police and emergency services, investing in our parks and protecting Lake Erie. As a lifelong boater, I know firsthand what the Lake means to our way of life, and I want the next generation to inherit the same quality of life we enjoy today

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. Education is personal to me. My mother taught in Cleveland Public Schools, and I raised my own four children through Rocky River Public Schools. I'm passionate about fixing Ohio's school funding formula so it's fair to District 16 and about making higher education and trades training affordable.

2. As a small business owner, I'm equally passionate about cutting red tape for Westside employers and fighting for a low-tax, low-regulation environment where local businesses can grow.

3. And, as data centers expand across Ohio, I believe that growth has to be managed responsibly, with real environmental safeguards, guaranteed rates so residents aren't left covering the cost, and full accountability of tax dollars.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough

Westlake City Council President and Former District 16 State Representative David Greenspan

Rocky River Mayor Pam Bobst

Rocky River Councilmen At-Large David Furry

Rocky River Ward 1 Councilman Thomas Hunt

Rocky River Ward 2 Councilman James Moran

Former District 16 State Representative, Former Cuyahoga County Council Member, and Current Ohio Central Committee Member Nan Baker

Former State Representative Jim Betts, Ohio

Former State Representative Jim Trakas. Ohio

Former Mayor, 1988-2024, Jerry Hruby, Brecksville, Ohio

U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, Ohio

Ohio Republican Party

Cuyahoga County Republican Party

Check my website for additional endorsements.

Thank you.