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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Kasich: ‘Dayton is going to be great again’
By Christopher Magan and Margo Rutledge Kissell Staff Writers
UPDATED AT 1:34 P.M.: In his first State of the State address Republican Gov. John Kasich went city by city, noting Ohio’s assets including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he said there were untold research and other opportunities.
He called for an “enterprise zone” outside the base’s gates. “Dayton is going to be great again,” Kasich said.
Kasich outlined the state’s economic woes. He said the state’s “best and brightest” were going other places to realize their dreams. Ohio is “under siege” by other states and countries that are luring away the state’s jobs and “job creators.
We cannot afford to let that continue,” Kasich said. The state needs to be innovative to control costs and attract jobs for the future. We are putting a budget together to transform our state,” he said. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. We are going to transform this state.”
The governor thanked the legislature for passage of JobsOhio, a public-private partnership aimed at reenergizing the state’s economic development efforts that he called one of his most important initiatives.
“We’ve got to have people who can talk the talk,” he said.
Kasich said he wants to get the state back to a “growth agenda.” He foreshadowed his budget to be released next week, saying it will include “restructuring” of government to provide better services at a lower cost. The governor highlighted proposals coming to reform nursing home care, prison sentencing, mental health and Medicaid and schools.
“More dollars in the classroom will instead of bureaucracy will improve our schools,” Kasich said. “We are going to have a significant reform agenda.”
Kasich spoke passionately about education. He said he will screen the documentary “Waiting for Superman,” which is critical of the U.S. troubled education system in Columbus. “It will get you angry, it will get you frustrated, it will make you cry and get you to stand up for our kids when you have an opportunity,” Kasich said. “We better commit ourselves to this and get this fixed.”
Kasich said he was committed to battling prescription drug addiction in the state. “The cavalry has arrived,” he said. “The legislature will not let you stand alone.”
This is the first time in recent memory that an Ohio governor’s State of the State speech has been targeted by accompanying protests. Kasich has supported a host of bold ideas for fixing the state’s economy — including restricting union bargaining rights for 350,000 police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses and other public sector workers. When he mentioned his support for Senate Bill 5 Kasich was booed by people in the chamber.
Democrats and labor groups are rallying outside the Statehouse throughout Kasich’s speech which started at noon. Hundreds of opponents of a collective bargaining bill marched down the sidewalks toward a Statehouse lawn an hour before the speech, with some chanting “kill the bill” and wearing firefighter and police uniforms.
Earlier, about 30 members of tea party groups gathered nearby to show support for the legislation and for Kasich and lawmakers who support it. Tuesday marked the fourth week of protests surrounding the bill, due to come before a House committee later in the day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
UPDATED with protesters chanting during Gov. Kasich speech - International fire fighters president rouses Statehouse protesters
Harold A. Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, roused an already fired-up crowd of union members and supporters at a Statehouse rally Tuesday, calling on them to keep up the fight against Senate Bill 5, legislation to restrict public employee collective bargaining.
“They want to take away your right to provide safety in your community away,” Schaitberger told a crowd estimated at 2,400 on the west Statehouse lawn. The crowd was not as large at the 8,500 who turned out last week to protest the bill, but was vocal, chanting “kill the bill.”
The crowd inside and outside the Statehouse later was estimated at 3,200.
They rallied just before Republican Gov. John Kasich, a supporter of Senate Bill 5, started his state-of-the-state speech.
Hundreds of protesters were in the Statehouse Atrium and Rotunda as Kasich spoke and chanted “kill the bill” and “shame on you.”
Firefighters - active and retired - from across the state were a big part of the crowd outside.
Dave Wright, a Dayton firefighter, said he expects the bill, which already passed the Senate, to also pass the House and then be signed by Kasich. Opponents will mount a campaign to put it on the ballot, Wright said.
“We’re going to let the people decide,” he said.
Earlier, supporters of the bill held a press conference outside the Statehouse.
Backers of bill to restrict collective bargaining speak out
Andrew Staroska, 20, a Sinclair Community College student from Miami County, joined supporters of Senate Bill 5, legislation to restrict public employee collective bargaining, at a Tuesday Statehouse press conference.
“It’s a good middle ground,” said Staroska, of Springcreek Township, who said his relatives are union members.
The event was organized by FreedomWorks, the Washington, D.C.-based limited government advocacy group chaired by former U.S. Rep. Dick Armey of Texas.
The bill is especially important to members of his generation who need to get government spending under control to have a better future, said Staroska.
Current efforts haven’t worked, he said.
“It’s like trying to put a band-aid over an amputated wound,” said Staroba.
Adriana Inman and Doug Dragoo, both members of the Fairfield Tea Party in Butler County, also were among the more than 40 Senate Bill 5 supporters at the press conference.
The press conference came before Tuesday’s State of the State speech at noon by Republican Gov. John Kasich and before an 11 a.m. rally scheduled by opponents of Senate Bill 5.
