Dayton
Daily News...
‘Belly up to the
bar,’ governor tells local government leaders
By Denise G. Callahan, Staff Writer
Monday, May 9, 2011
MASON — Gov. John Kasich visited a Warren County company Monday and
told leaders their governments and schools should be run like
successful businesses.
About 200 supporters gathered at the Rhinestahl aviation tool plant in
Mason to listen to the Republican governor talk about his proposed
state budget that he said closes the $8 billion deficit and cuts taxes.
State Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Clearcreek Twp., introduced Kasich, saying
Innovation Way, where the plant is located was an appropriate setting
for the man who she said “has set the state on a path toward recovery
and rejuvenation.”
“This governor and this team have done more for Ohio in the past four
months than the prior administration did in four years...,” she said.
“He is working hard every day and every night to return Ohio to
innovation and job creation.”
Kasich said an unpopular portion of the budget that would cut 7 percent
of the state aide that goes to nursing homes is misunderstood. He said
the nursing home industry is trying to “scare” senior citizens, but the
goal of the bill is not meant to be punitive.
“Ohio has spent more per person on nursing home care than all but five
states,” he said. “If our parents need to go into a nursing home, God
bless them. But nursing homes should not be the default option. What we
are promoting is more home care.”
One person asked the governor if the performance-based merit raises for
teachers will drive educators away from poorer school districts. Kasich
said no one can assume poorer children perform more poorly than
privileged ones. He said he has called on all teachers to help him
determine how to design a performance model that will be fair to all.
With the estate tax repeal that is scheduled for 2013 and other cuts to
the local levels of government, Mason Councilman Rich Cox questioned
the governor on how those jurisdictions can be expected to manage
without the revenue.
Kasich told him governments and schools should be run like a business.
“People that are not looking at times to make the hard decisions that
need to be made, because they want somebody cheering them,” he said.
“Make the decisions, belly up to the bar, that’s what you’re there for.”
Read it at Dayton Daily News
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