Strickland’s proposals could benefit the Valley

The governor proposed a major education initiative for some high school seniors.

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Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon)

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

COLUMBUS — Many of the proposals unveiled in Gov. Ted Strickland’s State of the State address could have a positive impact on the local area, state legislators from the Mahoning Valley say.

“This stimulus package will really help us,” said state Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry of Austintown, D-59th. “A lot of this looks tailor-made for the Mahoning Valley. I’m excited about it.”

Strickland, a Democrat formerly from Lisbon, proposed a $1.7 billion Build Ohio Jobs program during his Wednesday address to the General Assembly.

The program calls for the state to borrow that amount of money to create more than 80,000 “good-paying jobs” in Ohio, Strickland said.

The governor said the proposal lays the foundation for future economic prosperity by investing in the state’s economy, infrastructure, biomedicine, bioproducts, public works, downtown neighborhoods and brownfield remediation.

“This jobs program will directly benefit our region,” said state Sen. John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-33rd. “There’s no question we need to invest in our infrastructure and in advanced and renewable energies and revitalizing our downtowns.”

State Sen. Jason Wilson of Columbiana, D-30th, said he was excited to hear Strickland focus on jobs, what he calls the most important issue for the Mahoning Valley.

State Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, agreed, saying the economic stimulus package has potential to greatly impact the Valley, which has had more than its share of economic struggles.

“Bioproducts and biofuels are a great fit for our area,” she said.

Also, with a strong manufacturing work force, the Valley could help build the steel beams or turbines for wind energy, Cafaro said.

Strickland said wind, solar and clean coal are at the top of his list of advanced and renewable energy sources that could be developed in Ohio.

State Rep. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th, praised Strickland’s economic development pdackage. But Hagan said he expects Republicans, who control the Legislature, to “play partisan politics” and make it difficult for Strickland’s proposal to pass.

The focus of Strickland’s State of the State was more on rebuilding cities rather than surburbia, the focus of Republicans for years, Hagan said.

Also Wednesday, Strickland proposed a major education initiative to permit qualified high school seniors the option of spending their last year of high school taking courses at a state college or university for free.

Those qualified would graduate high school and start college as sophomores. Strickland said the program, called Seniors to Sophomores, could start as early as the fall semester.

“Just think of the effect on a family’s budget,” he said.

He also called for the establishment of a new Cabinet position: director of the Department of Education.

The existing structure of the State Board of Education and the state superintendent would remain in place in advisory and additional roles as determined by the director.

Strickland didn’t mention the cost for the Seniors to Sophomores program or which students would be eligible during his address.

After the speech, Eric Fingerhut, the state’s chancellor of higher education, said the requirements for the program would be worked out with the state Legislature.

He also couldn’t give a financial figure for the cost of the program.

“Conceptually, it’s a wonderful idea to prepare high school students for college,” said Ron Iarussi, the superintendent of the Columbiana village school district who attended the address at Wilson’s invitation.

“When I hear free, I have a few concerns,” Iarussi said. “... We get concerned about unfunded mandates. Sometimes good ideas are easy when you don’t have to pay for them.”

Iarussi also said he was hopeful Strickland would address the state’s long-standing school funding issue in Wednesday’s speech. Strickland said he would propose a school-funding plan next year that would be put on the ballot for voters to consider.

State Rep. Thomas Letson, of Warren, D-64th, had high praise for the Seniors to Sophomores proposal.

“It keeps money in people’s pockets and that’s incredibly important,” he said.

State Rep. Linda Bolon, of Columbiana, D-1st, said Strickland’s address was truly inspirational.

“The groundwork he laid out is incredible,” she said. “He has strong ideas, courage and conviction. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Gerberry called the speech “one of the most dynamic, bold initiatives of any State of the State address I’ve ever heard.”

State Rep. Kevin DeWine of Fairborn, the Ohio Republican Party’s vice chairman, wasn’t impressed with what he heard.

“Ohioans are looking for bold leadership from the governor and this speech was pedestrian at best,” DeWine said. “It was a missed opportunity. I hate to say it, but the state of our state is worse than it was when Gov. Strickland took office.”

skolnick@vindy.com