ADVERTISEMENT

    Kasich Talks Jobs, Drug Abuse in State of the State Address

    Gov. John Kasich covered Ohio’s successes and future initiatives at the State of the State address Wednesday evening. The event was held at the Peoples Bank Theater in Marietta.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Economic growth, education and drug abuse were Kasich’s main talking points before handing out the night’s courage awards. Much of his speech reiterated a lot of what he has said on the campaign trail: he balanced the budget while simultaneously cutting taxes.

    “Our budget is sound,” Kasich said. “We’ve got two billion dollars in the bank; wages are growing faster than the national average.”

    Kasich said the key to further economic growth is solidifying “Ohio’s brand” by loosening regulations on businesses in order to attract more companies that will bring more jobs. He emphasized the importance of job training and education of young adults to be better prepared for the work force.

    Multiple times in the address he referred listeners to the webpage Ohio Means Jobs, mentioning that the site has over 170,000 job openings available for skilled workers.

    “We need to do a better job of connecting Ohioans at an early age with career opportunities,” Kasich said. “We need to prepare our students and job seekers of every age for these job openings and the careers they represent.”

    But one of the most emphasized topics of the night was the drug addiction epidemic currently ravaging Ohio. In a 2014 report from the Ohio Department of Health the state’s drug-related deaths are said to have seen a major increase from previous years.

    “With 502 fentanyl-related drug overdose deaths in Ohio in 2014, fentanyl was a significant contributor to a rise in drug overdose deaths,” the report said. “By comparison, in 2013 just 84 deaths involved fentanyl. Overall, drug overdose deaths in Ohio increased from 2,110 in 2013 to 2,482 in 2014.”

    Kasich addressed this issue as a “moral calling” and said it was the duty of not just law enforcement and physicians, but also the average Ohioan to take steps in eliminating drug abuse in their communities.

    “A big part of that strategy is the medical community, and with the help of doctors we’ve tightened the prescribing guidelines,” Kasich said. “We know Ohio’s pharmacies are key players.”

    Kasich did get some negative attention at the beginning of the night. A group of people under the name “Ohio Stands with PP” attended the address to protest. Kasich signed a bill in February defunding Planned Parenthood.

    “The secret is out: John Kasich is terrible for women’s health,” said Dawn Laguens, Vice President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in a statement on the group’s Facebook page. “He knows that his attacks on women’s health are unpopular — that’s why he never talks about them on the campaign trail. But as the Governor of Ohio, John Kasich has done everything within his power to ban access to safe, legal abortion and basic care at Planned Parenthood health centers.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    Now Hiring: Cool Jobs in Columbus – March 2024

    Are you someone who loves locally-owned businesses? Do you...

    Now Hiring: Cool Jobs in Columbus – February 2024

    Are you someone who loves locally-owned businesses? Do you...

    Now Hiring: Cool Jobs in Columbus 2024

    Are you someone who loves locally-owned businesses? Do you...

    Study: Quality of Life Improving in Ohio, But Still Behind Other States

    According to one measure of wellbeing, Ohio has improved in recent decades, but it lags most of the Midwest. Predictably, some parts of the state are doing better than others. And sadly, Black Ohioans continue to do worse as a group than most of their neighbors.

    The Land Tax VS Real Estate Tax Debate

    It’s a hot topic in the economics world: Would it be fairer and better public policy if we were to tax just the land on which buildings sit instead of the land and all the improvements as well?
    Lauren Sega
    Lauren Segahttps://columbusunderground.com
    Lauren Sega is the former Associate Editor for Columbus Underground and a current freelance writer for CU. She covers political issues on the local and state levels, as well as local food and restaurant news. She grew up near Cleveland, graduated from Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism, and loves running, traveling and hiking.
    ADVERTISEMENT