Strickland’s running mate explains her role

By MARC KOVAC

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

Gov. Ted Strickland’s running mate in the November general election said Tuesday she likely would not head any major cabinet-level state agencies.

Yvette McGee Brown told an audience in Columbus that she instead would focus her attention on inner-city issues, working to increase educational, housing and job opportunities in urban areas.

“If the voters elect us in November, Ohio’s cities will be at the center of my service as lieutenant governor,” she said. “I will be on call for our mayors and local government officials. I will work with the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and other voices that are passionate about our cities. I will be at the ready to bring together Ohio cabinet members and state government officials to apply the best of our collective efforts to the challenges of our cities.”

She added, “For the next four years, the cities will be my focus.”

Brown offered the comments during her first major public policy speech of the campaign since being chosen by Strickland as his running mate. She would replace incumbent Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, who is facing Republican Rob Portman in the general election.

Republican challenger John Kasich’s campaign responded to Brown’s speech with criticism of Strickland for not doing enough during his first four years in office to help Ohio cities.

“Not until Ted Strickland feared needing their votes did he give urban Ohioans a second thought,” Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said in a released statement. “Having grown up in a chicken shack on Duck Run, he has all but ignored our cities’ economies and their workers. It’s a disgraceful record whose pain for urban Ohioans can’t be swept under the rug with a bunch of pretty speeches.”

Brown spoke Tuesday at the historic Lincoln Theatre, a recently restored facility that has long served the city’s African-American community. She focused her comments on urban policy issues and priorities, including:

Creating a new Leadership Center for African-American Male Achievement to focus on encouraging more black males to attend and graduate from college.

Dedicating $25 million in licensing fees from the state’s new casinos for an internship and co-op program to create more employment opportunities in urban areas.

Brown also confirmed that she would not follow in the footsteps of Fisher and other lieutenant governors who served as director of the Ohio Department of Development.