00:00:38>> OHIOANS ARE BEING TOSSED OFF
THE STATE'S WELFARE ROLLS
00:00:46BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MEETING
WORK REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE SET
00:00:48BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THERE'S SERIOUS CONCERN
00:00:50ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM,
AND THOSE WHO ARE NEXT TO BE
00:00:52KICKED OFF.
AND IN HIS STATE OF THE STATE
00:00:54SPEECH, THE GOVERNOR PROMISED A
STATEWIDE BROADBAND NETWORK THAT
00:00:57MOVES AT LIGHTSPEED.
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS
00:00:59ABOUT HOW IT'LL WORK.
ALL THIS WEEK IN "THE STATE OF
00:01:02OHIO."
IN THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
00:01:08YEAR, WELFARE REFORM HAS BECOME
A BIG ISSUE.
00:01:10REPUBLICAN NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY
BROUGHT IT UP IN A CAMPAIGN AD,
00:01:13SAYING THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA IS
GUTTING WELFARE REFORM.
00:01:16>> ON JULY 12, PRESIDENT OBAMA
QUIETLY ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO GOT
00:01:24WELFARE REFORM >> THAT GOT A
"PANTS ON FIRE" RATING FROM
00:01:29POLITIFACT, WHICH NOTED THAT THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN
00:01:32MAKING CHANGES IN FEDERAL
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY
00:01:34FAMILIES AT THE REQUEST OF
STATES THAT WANTED SOME
00:01:36FLEXIBILITY IN MEETING WORK
REQUIREMENTS INSTITUTED IN
00:01:40WELFARE REFORM PASSED IN 1996.
11 STATES, INCLUDING OHIO,
00:01:45FAILED TO MEET WORK
REQUIREMENTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS,
00:01:47AND IT'S ONE OF THREE THAT IS
FACING PENALTIES IF 50% OF THOSE
00:01:52WHO ARE ON CASH ASSISTANCE
AREN'T WORKING OR IN JOB
00:01:55TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR 30 HOURS A
WEEK FOR SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES,
00:01:59AND 55 HOURS A WEEK FOR TWO-
PARENT FAMILIES.
00:02:02THE STATE ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH
THAT 151,000 OHIOANS WERE
00:02:08RECEIVING CASH ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S DOWN FROM 230,000 IN
00:02:11MID-2010, WHEN THE CASELOAD
PEAKED, AND THAT'S ALSO THE
00:02:14LOWEST NUMBER SINCE WELFARE
REFORM WAS SIGNED 16 YEARS AGO.
00:02:17THE STATE JOB AND FAMILY
SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT
00:02:22DROP OF 79,000 COMES BECAUSE OF
OHIO'S IMPROVING ECONOMY, NEW
00:02:27STATE AND FEDERAL LIMITS ON HOW
LONG PEOPLE CAN GET CASH
00:02:30ASSISTANCE, AND THE STATE'S
CONTINUING CRACKDOWN ON THOSE
00:02:34WHO DON'T MEET FEDERAL WORK
REQUIREMENTS.
00:02:36BUT THOSE WHO WORK WITH
RECIPIENTS WHO ARE IN DANGER OF
00:02:39LOSING THAT ASSISTANCE IN THE
FUTURE ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT
00:02:41WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM IF
THEY DO.
00:02:43IN APRIL, I SAT DOWN WITH FOUR
EXPERTS TO TALK ABOUT HOW OR IF
00:02:48WELFARE REFORM IS WORKING.
MICHAEL COLBERT, DIRECTOR OF
00:02:51THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND
FAMILY SERVICES.
00:02:54JOEL POTTS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES
00:02:56DIRECTORS' ASSOCIATION, WHICH
WORKS WITH COUNTY OFFICES
00:02:59AROUND THE STATE.
PHIL COLE WITH THE OHIO
00:03:02ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY ACTION
AGENCIES, REPRESENTING 50
00:03:05OFFICES WORKING WITH LOW INCOME
OHIOANS.
00:03:06AND JACK FRECH, DIRECTOR OF THE
ATHENS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF JOB
00:03:11AND FAMILY SERVICES, WHO JOINED
US THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF
00:03:14WOUB IN ATHENS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHO IS BEING
00:03:20REMOVED FROM THE WELFARE ROLE.
ARE THESE LONG TERM UNEMPLOYED
00:03:26PEOPLE?
ARE THEY PEOPLE WHO YOU FEEL ARE
00:03:29NOT USING THE SYSTEM AND NOT
DOING MORE OR TRYING HARDER?
00:03:33>> KAREN, KEEP IN MIND THE BULK
OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING
00:03:39CASH ASSISTANCE ARE NOT DUD E TO
SANCTIONS.
00:03:4864% ARE DUE TO INCOMING
VERIFICATION CHANGE.
00:03:55MAYBE THEY GOT A PART-TIME JOB
OR MAYBE THERE WAS A LEVEL OF
00:03:59LIFE STYLE CHANGE, OR SOME OTHER
REASON OTHER THAN SANCTIONING.
00:04:04WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD SANCTIONS.
>> BUT YOU ARE DOING THIS AND
00:04:10PEOPLE ARE BEING REMOVED BECAUSE
THEY ARE NOT MEETING THE WORK
00:04:14REQUIREMENTS.
>> THEY ARE BEING REMOVED FOR
00:04:18NOT COMPLYING WITH THE
REQUIREMENTS.
00:04:22WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT, THEY HAVE
A REQUIREMENT.
00:04:26WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO IN
FORCE THE JOB REQUIREMENTS.
00:04:32IF THERE IS A MESSAGE OUT THERE,
IT REALLY IS TO COMPLY SO WE CAN
00:04:37HELP THEM AND HELP THE SYSTEM.
>> ISN'T THAT EASY TO SAY?
00:04:43ISN'T THAT HARD TO DO IN SOME
PARTS OF THE STATE WHERE YOU
00:04:49HAVE DOUBLE DIGIT IMPLEMENT?
>> OF COURSE.
00:04:52THE MAJORITY OF CLIENTS THAT
CAME TO AGENCIES ACTUALLY HAD A
00:04:59JOB.
NOW MOST PEOPLE WE SEE ARE
00:05:05UNEMPLOYED.
THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND
00:05:07SOMETHING BUT THERE IS NOTHING
OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
00:05:11>> THAT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE
OUT IN ATHENS WHERE YOU ARE,
00:05:15JACK.
>> ONE OF THE MAJOR POINT
00:05:20MISSING IN THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION
IS WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR THESE
00:05:23PEOPLE LIVING ON PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE.
00:05:26WE TALK ABOUT THIS BENEFIT THAT
THEY HAVE AND I DO NOT THINK THE
00:05:31GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT $450 A MONTH.
00:05:38ANOTHER $500 IN FOOD STAMPS.
WE ARE SUPPORTING THESE FOLKS AT
00:05:44LESS THAN HALF THE POVERTY
LEVEL.
00:05:47WE ARE ASKING THEM TO DO 30
HOURS OF WORK WEEK FOR THAT.
00:05:52WITH THE AMOUNT OF INCOME THEY
HAVE COME TO THESE FOLKS CANNOT
00:05:56AFFORD RENT OR UTILITIES OR MEET
THEIR BASIC NEEDS.
00:06:01WE ARE LEANING SO HEAVILY ON
THIS RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY
00:06:06HAVE, BUT WE MAKE NO MENTION
ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE
00:06:11TO MAKE SURE THESE FOLKS HAVE
THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET IN THE
00:06:15FIRST PLACE.
SECONDLY, THEY HAVE THE MEANS TO
00:06:18GET TO WORK CAME BACK THAT IS
THE BIGGEST BARRIER THAT THESE
00:06:24FOLKS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW.
WE DO NOT REALLY WANT TO TALK
00:06:28ABOUT THE BARRIER OF WELFARE
REFORM IN THAT REGARD TO DEAL
00:06:32WITH THE BASIC ISSUE OF KEEPING
FAMILIES TOGETHER AND PROVIDING
00:06:37A BASIC LEVEL OF ASSISTANT.
>> ISN'T THE FACT THAT THEIR
00:06:44INCOME IS SO LOW, IT ISN'T THAT
A MOTIVATOR FOR THEM TO GO WORK?
00:06:48>> WHERE IS THE JOB GOING TO BE?
PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE
00:06:56REAL COST OF LIVING.
JACK'S GOT IT.
00:06:59WHEN THEY GET $450, THAT PAYS
FOR THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION
00:07:06BUT IT DOES NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING
ELSE.
00:07:08IT DOES NOT PAY TO LIVE.
YOU HAVE NO JOB AND THIS LEVEL
00:07:15OF MONEY THAT DOES NOT PAY FOR
ANYTHING.
00:07:19>> CASH ASSISTANCE ALONE IS NOT
THE ONLY BENEFIT.
00:07:23THEY GET CASH ASSISTANCE,
MEDICAID AND FOOD STAMPS,
00:07:28PROBABLY ON A LEVEL OF
SUBSIDIZED RENT.
00:07:32WHAT I AM SAYING IS, ONE, WE ARE
NOT SAYING THERE ARE JOBS OUT
00:07:38THERE.
WE ARE SAYING YOU HAVE TO DO A
00:07:41WORK ACTIVITY THAT INVOLVES YOU
LEAVING YOUR HOME.
00:07:45IN MOST CASES WE HAVE SUBSIDIZED
TRANSPORTATION OR SOME LEVEL OF
00:07:51COUNTY SUBSIDIZED
TRANSPORTATION.
00:07:53THEN YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND
LEARN A SKILL.
00:07:57IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE GOING
TO GET A PAID JOB BUT YOU ARE
00:08:01GETTING A CASH BENEFIT SO YOU
MIGHT BE DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE
00:08:06OR SOME LEVEL OF JOB PLACEMENT
EDUCATION.
00:08:10>> IS IS YOUR OBLIGATION HELP
PEOPLE GET THE TRAINING FOR THE
00:08:16JOBS THAT ARE OUT THERE?
ARE YOU DOING ENOUGH OF THAT?
00:08:20>> YOU NEVER DO ENOUGH.
POVERTY IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
00:08:26AS A GOVERNMENT THE WORST THING
WE CAN DO IS NOT SET WILL
00:08:30EXPECTATIONS.
30 HOURS IS PROBABLY FEWER HOURS
00:08:35THAN THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
WORK ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE
00:08:39WORKING FOR MINIMUM WAGE.
IN OHIO, WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR
00:08:45TIME LIMIT.
THREE YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO
00:08:48NOT HAVE A JOB OR RAISING YOUR
KIDS IN POVERTY.
00:08:52THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON THESE
INDIVIDUALS.
00:08:55FAMILIES ARE GOING TO NEED TO DO
SOMETHING TO BE IN BETTER
00:09:00POSITION TO CARE FOR THEIR KIDS.
AT THE END OF THAT THREE YEARS,
00:09:05MOST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE
GOING TO LOSE THEIR CASH
00:09:09ASSISTANCE.
$450 IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY.
00:09:14BEING ON WELFARE -- YOU DO NOT
GET THIS HUGE WINDFALL OF
00:09:20AVAILABLE CASH.
BUT THEY WILL LOSE ACCESS TO
00:09:23THAT $450 AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO
00:09:29GIVE THEM TRAINING, TO SAID THAT
REALISTIC EXPECTATION.
00:09:34THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT
EMPLOYERS TELL US IS NOT A
00:09:38TRAINED EMPLOYEE.
IT IS AN EMPLOYEE WHO COMES IN
00:09:42WITH A WORK ETHIC.
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE
00:09:47RELATIVELY EASY TO DO.
IN SOME OF WORK CASES, THAT IS
00:09:54AN EXPERIENCE FOR SOME FOLKS.
>> LET ME ASK JACK THE SAME
00:10:01THING.
>> IT STRIKES ME AS ODD THAT
00:10:04THESE GUYS TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
REALISTIC.
00:10:07ONLY ABOUT 15% OF PEOPLE ON
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GET SUBSIDIZED
00:10:13HOUSING.
ALL THE MONEY THAT WE SPENT ON
00:10:16MEDICAID GOES INTO THE POCKET
OF DOCTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
00:10:22AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ARE
STILL SITTING THERE WITH THAT
00:10:27$450 A MONTH FOR HOUSING,
UTILITIES, PERSONAL HYGIENE, ALL
00:10:34OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
PLUS, KEEP A CAR ON THE ROAD
00:10:40WITH CAR INSURANCE.
IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR
00:10:43THEM TO DO THAT.
WE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TY
00:10:53REALISTICALLY HAVE TO GO OUT AND
GET A JOB.
00:10:56THEY WANT TO PROVIDE A BETTER
LIVING FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
00:11:01WE ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE FACT THAT WE SET THE
00:11:05LEVEL AT $450 A MONTH.
IF THESE PEOPLE HAD ENOUGH
00:11:11MONEY TO PAY FOR UTILITIES AND
TRANSPORTATION -- TRANSPORTATION
00:11:16MAY BE AVAILABLE IN METROPOLITAN
AREAS, BUT IN RURAL AREAS THERE
00:11:21IS VIRTUALLY NO PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION TO COUNT ON.
00:11:26WE ARE BLAMING THEM, WE ARE
BLAMING THEM WHEN THEY CANNOT DO
00:11:30IT.
WE ARE OVERLOOKING THE FACT
00:11:34THAT THE STATE OF OHIO SETS
THESE LEVELS.
00:11:37THE OTHER TWO-THIRDS ENDS UP IN
COUNTY WELFARE ADMINISTRATION OR
00:11:47DAY CARE.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK -- WE
00:11:53KEEP HEARING THE STATE CANNOT
AFFORD A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
00:11:57THE STATE CANNOT AFFORD THE
SPENDING.
00:11:59LET ME ASK YOU.
ISN'T THERE THE GOAL OF GETTING
00:12:06THESE FOLKS TO WORK?
MAYBE THERE IS SOME OTHER
00:12:11SOLUTION THAN THE SIDE PUTTING
MORE MONEY INTO THE PROGRAM WHEN
00:12:14THE MONEY IS NOT AVAILABLE.
>> WE DO NOT GET STATE MONEY
00:12:20CAME BACK WE GET FEDERAL MONEY.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER SOLUTIONS.
00:12:26UNFORTUNATELY, THE CLOCK IS
TICKING.
00:12:29IT MAY BE TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT
THAT THREE-YEAR TIME FRAME AND
00:12:34MAKE IT FIVE YEARS.
>> FIVE YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO
00:12:38BE OUT OF WORK.
>> YOU DO NOT DEVELOP GOOD JOBS
00:12:43OVERNIGHT BEEN VERY ONE OF OUR
AGENCIES -- A PROGRAM A FEW
00:12:48MONTHS AGO WAS A HOSPITAL.
IT TOOK EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS
00:13:01FOR THE INITIAL DIGGING OF THE
GROUND.
00:13:05WE NEEDED A HOSPITAL.
WE NEED GOOD JOBS.
00:13:09WE SAW IT FIRST AS A JOB
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
00:13:13IT TAKES A LONG TIME.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
00:13:16YOU TRY TO FIND A JOB.
WE NEED TO WORK WITH THIS
00:13:21GOVERNOR AND TRY TO DEVELOP
THOSE THINGS.
00:13:24>> THIS IDEA OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
BEING REMOVED -- ARE THESE OTHER
00:13:29FACTORS BEING TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION?
00:13:32THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE
INSURANCE AND THE GAS TO PUT
00:13:36INTO IT.
>> WE ARE TAKING ALL OF THIS
00:13:41INTO CONSIDERATION.
HE KNOWS WE HAVE GAS CARDS.
00:13:46WE HAVE BUS TOKENS.
IF YOU CONTACT YOUR COUNTY CASE
00:13:51WORKER AND YOU SAY I CANNOT GET
TO MY WORK SITE, THEY ARE GOING
00:13:56TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THEIR.
JOEL MENTIONED THE FACT WHAT YOU
00:14:02DO NOT WANT IS A POPULATION THAT
WILL BE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR
00:14:05A YEAR, SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS
AND NOT DO ANYTHING.
00:14:11HE WENT TO GET JOB READINESS OR
-- YOU WANT TO GET JOB READINESS
00:14:18OR SKILLS.
YOU HAVE MADE A PERSONAL
00:14:21DECISION THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO
DO 30 HOURS OF WORK
00:14:27PARTICIPATION.
THAT CAN BE COMMUNITY SERVICE.
00:14:32>> LET ME ASK JACK TO WEIGH IN
ON THAT.
00:14:36>> IT IS NOT TRUE THAT IF YOU
CALL ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE YOU
00:14:45WILL NOT GET WHAT YOU NEED.
IT IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU TO
00:14:54WORK 30 HOURS A WEEK FOR FOUR
WEEKS A MONTH.
00:15:01WE ARE ALSO OVERLOOKING THE FACT
THAT THE STATE OF OHIO TOOK $170
00:15:08MILLION OUT OF THE BUDGET THAT
THEY USED TO PAY FOR CAR REPAIR
00:15:13AND TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR SHORT-
TERM TRAINING PROGRAMS.
00:15:16HE SAYS THIS IS A CHOICE OF THE
CLIENT.
00:15:20THIS IS NOT A CHOICE TO GET
ONLY $450 A MONTH.
00:15:26THAT IS A CHOICE OF OHIO.
CUTTING FUNDS OUT OF THE COFFERS
00:15:32TO HELP PEOPLE FIND JOBS, THAT
WAS THE CHOICE OF THE STATE OF
00:15:36OHIO.
>> THAT SPEAKS TO THE BUDGET.
00:15:41WE DID NOT CUT THE CASH
ASSISTANCE ROLE AT ALL.
00:15:46WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PROGRAM,
THIS PROGRAM IS MUCH BIGGER THAN
00:15:53CASH ASSISTANCE.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT EATING THE
00:15:56FOOD BANKS, CHILD WELFARE,
ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTIES AND
00:16:02CASEWORKERS AND ADMINISTRATOR
COSTS.
00:16:04>> WHERE IS THE JACK GETTING
THIS THAT THEY HAVE CUT THE
00:16:09BENEFITS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
AVAILABLE FOR CAR REPAIRS?
00:16:12>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
MICHAEL KNOWS THE CUTS IN
00:16:18FUNDING TO THE COUNTY RESULTED
IN THEM CUTTING SERVICES.
00:16:24I DID NOT SAY YOU CUT CASH
ASSISTANT.
00:16:28OBVIOUSLY THAT IS ALREADY SO
LOW.
00:16:31>> WE MADE UP FOR IT IN OTHER
LINES.
00:16:34WE GAVE YOU --
>> WE ARE GETTING INTO AREAS --
00:16:40>> WE GAVE COUNTY'S $100 MILLION
OF FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE MONEY
00:16:45BETWEEN DIFFERENT LINES SAID
THEY WOULD RESTORE THESE CUTS.
00:16:49>> THEY DID NOT RESTORE THE
CUTS.
00:16:51HAVING $170 MILLION LESS IS NOT
RESTORING THE CUTS.
00:16:59WE HAD CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
OUR AGENCY LAID OFF 50 PEOPLE IN
00:17:09THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE CUT REAL SERVICES.
00:17:13COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE
HAD TO DO THAT.
00:17:15THOSE ARE THE DECISIONS MADE AT
THE STATE LEVEL.
00:17:20NONE OF THOSE THINGS HELP PEOPLE
LIVING ON $450 A MONTH OUT THERE
00:17:26GET TO A WORK SITE OR THE JOB
TRAINING THEY NEED.
00:17:29>> WE HAVE THE SAME $1.2 BILLION
PROGRAM WE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS
00:17:35YEAR, THE SAME --
>> COSTS HAVE INCREASED DURING
00:17:39THAT TIME.
>> THEY HAVE BUT UNDERSTAND THIS
00:17:43IS A MATCHED PROGRAM SO WE HAVE
TO COME UP WITH $400 MILLION.
00:17:50WE HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THE COST
THEM THAT EVERYTHING IS FEEDING
00:17:54OFF OF ONE FUNDING STREAM.
>> I WANT TO GET TO THIS ISSUE
00:17:59OF PERSONAL CHOICE.
THIS IS A PERSONAL CHOICE AT
00:18:03SOME POINT THAT MANY OF THESE
FOLKS HAVE MADE.
00:18:07IS THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE?
IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE THINKING?
00:18:11>> THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR.
100% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE
00:18:19ARE REQUIRED TO WORK.
WE ARE MEASURED ON AT LEAST 50%
00:18:24MUST BE WORKING AT LEAST 30
HOURS BUT THEY ALL MUST BE DOING
00:18:29SOMETHING.
>> YOU THINK IT IS A PERSONAL
00:18:32CHOICE --
>> NOT A PERSONAL CHOICE.
00:18:35IT IS A COMPLIANCE ISSUE.
IF YOU WANT CASH ASSISTANCE, YOU
00:18:40MUST WORK AS A CONDITION.
WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
00:18:45FIND ASSIGNMENTS AND IT GOES
OVER A WIDE GAMUT.
00:18:50WHEN IT COMES TO THE SANCTION,
IF A PERSON IS ASSIGNED TO WORK,
00:18:55THEY HAVE THREE CHOICES.
THEY CAN DO THE ASSIGNMENT, ASK
00:19:00TO HAVE THEIR CASE CLOSED, OR WE
HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A
00:19:04SANCTION.
IT IS A CHOICE.
00:19:08>> IS IT A CHOICE?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
00:19:13IF IT IS A CHOICE, PEOPLE HAVE
GIVEN UP.
00:19:16THAT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE
DIRECTOR OR THE STATE OF OHIO.
00:19:23IT IS JUST THE WAY THE RULES ARE
SET UP.
00:19:25>> AND ANOTHER BIT OF GOOD
NEWS/BAD NEWS FROM THE JOB AND
00:19:29FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS BEEN
00:19:32DROPPING FOR A YEAR, AND IS NOW
AT 7.
00:19:342%, MORE THAN A FULL PERCENTAGE
POINT BELOW THE NATIONAL
00:19:37AVERAGE.
BUT BECAUSE FEDERAL
00:19:40UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE TIED
TO STATE JOBLESS RATES, THE FEDS
00:19:42ARE CUTTING BACK THE MONEY THEY
SEND TO OHIO.
00:19:45THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF WEEKS OF
BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO JOBLESS
00:19:50OHIOANS WILL DROP FROM 73 WEEKS
TO 63 WEEKS.
00:19:52AND STARTING NEXT YEAR,
UNEMPLOYED OHIOANS CAN GET ONLY
00:19:57THE REGULAR 26 WEEKS OF
BENEFITS.
00:19:58IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE
GOVERNOR JOHN KASICH DELIVERED
00:20:03HIS STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH IN
STEUBENVILLE IN FEBRUARY.
00:20:04AND THE BIGGEST NEWS OUT OF THE
SPEECH FOR SOME PEOPLE WAS THIS.
00:20:07>> I'M ANNOUNCING TODAY WE'RE
GOING TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF
00:20:13OARNET, FROM 10 GIGABYTES PER
SECOND TO 100 GIGABYTES PER
00:20:18SECOND, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT'S NOT "BACK TO THE FUTURE"
00:20:21WITH GIGABYTES.
I MEAN, THIS REALLY MEANS
00:20:22SOMETHING.
>> WHILE THAT MAY NOT HAVE
00:20:27MEANT MUCH TO MANY OHIOANS, IT'S
BEEN RECEIVED NATIONALLY AS A
00:20:30PROPOSAL WITH LOTS OF POTENTIAL
AND VERY LITTLE DOWNSIDE.
00:20:31AND IT'S THE MOST EXCITING
THING THAT'S HAPPENED AT THE
00:20:34OHIO ACADEMIC RESOURCES NETWORK,
OR OARNET, IN YEARS.
00:20:37EARLIER THIS YEAR, I SPOKE WITH
JOHN CONLEY, THE CHIEF OF P-20
00:20:42EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AT THE
OHIO BOARD OF REGENTS, ABOUT
00:20:45THE PLANS TO EXPAND THE SPEED
OF OARNET.
00:20:47HE WAS POSITIVELY GIDDY OVER
THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE
00:20:50STATE'S BROADBAND NETWORK.
>> WE ARE TAKING THE CURRENT
00:20:57INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH WE HAVE
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A LONG-TERM
00:21:04LEASE ON AND WHAT WE ARE DOING
IS INCREASING IT TO 100
00:21:14GIGABYTE.
IF YOU THINK OF A FOUR-LANE
00:21:17HIGHWAY, IF WE TOOK THAT ROAD
AND ADDED 10 STORIES TO THAT
00:21:22ROAD, THAT IS THE CAPACITY WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT AND INCREASED
00:21:27THE SPEED TO 200 MILES PER HOUR.
>> PUNK-KUT SHAH IS THE
00:21:31EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OARNET,
AND HE SAID THIS IS AS HISTORIC
00:21:33AS THE FIRST MOMENT A DOZEN
YEARS AGO WHEN THE DISCUSSION
00:21:35WAS ABOUT A 1 GIG NETWORK.
>> I CONSIDER THIS THE SAME
00:21:42MOMENT WE HAD IN 2000 IF WE MADE
THIS INVESTMENT NOW WHEN THE
00:21:48TECHNOLOGY IS STILL LEADING
EDGE, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE
00:21:51WORKING THESE CARS BEING
MANUFACTURED AS WE SPEAK WE OF
00:21:55THE PIONEERS IN MAKING
TECHNOLOGY COME TO OUR CAMPUSES.
00:22:00THIS IS SETTING OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE 10 YEARS AHEAD.
00:22:05WHY NOW?
BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY HAS JUST
00:22:09BEGUN AND WE CAN PUT IT INTO
PRODUCTION AND WORK WITH THE
00:22:13VENDORS TO CREATE SOMETHING
BIGGER AND BETTER.
00:22:16>> THE STATE AND ITS PRIVATE
PARTNERS ARE INVESTING $10
00:22:19MILLION TO UPGRADE OARNET.
AND CONLEY SAID THE LINES THAT
00:22:20CONNECT 90 OF OHIO'S PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE COLLEGES AND
00:22:22UNIVERSITIES, ALL THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN OHIO AND MANY LOCAL
00:22:25GOVERNMENTS WILL GO FROM
CRUISING SPEED INTO HYPERDRIVE.
00:22:28>> 300,000 X-RAYS, IF YOU TAKE
THOSE IMAGES AND TRANSFER THEM
00:22:39ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY.
IT IS 50 TIMES FASTER THAN THE
00:22:44SMARTPHONE WE USE.
I KEEP COMING BACK TO TRY TO PUT
00:22:47THIS DOWN TO A LAYMAN'S TERMS.
IF YOU THINK OF IT AS A FIRE
00:22:54HOSE.
THINK OF HOW MUCH WATER YOU
00:22:57COULD BE PUSHING.
TRULY INCREDIBLE SPEEDS.
00:23:01>> HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO
DOWNLOAD A MOVIE?
00:23:04>> IT WOULD BE MILLISECOND'S.
>> AND CONLEY SAID THE PRACTICAL
00:23:10APPLICATIONS FOR THIS UPGRADE
ARE WIDE RANGING.
00:23:11FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, CONSIDER
THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY.
00:23:13>> THINK ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION
OF DATA AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING
00:23:20NOW BECAUSE THESE LARGE DATA
SETS ARE SO BIG THEY ARE
00:23:24LITERALLY TAKING EXTERNAL HARD
DRIVES, PUTTING IT IN A FEDEX
00:23:29BOX AND HAVING TO SHIP IT WITH
PRIVATE INDUSTRIES, WHATEVER IT
00:23:35MAY BE.
THIS WILL ENABLE THEM TO
00:23:38TRANSMIT INFORMATION MUCH FASTER
AND MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
00:23:41>> 8.5 MILLION ELECTRONIC
MEDICAL RECORDS CAN BE
00:23:47TRANSMITTED IN ONE MINUTE.
AND IMAGES AND SIMULATIONS THAT
00:23:50HAVE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DATA
CAN BE MOVED BACK AND FORTH
00:23:51QUICKLY AND EASILY, WHICH CAN
HELP SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL
00:23:54RESEARCHERS SHARE MATERIAL AND
COMPLEX IMAGES.
00:23:55FOR INSTANCE, THE NETWORK
OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF
00:23:59ALLOWING DOCTORS TO PRACTICE
PROCEDURES AND SURGERY ON
00:24:03VIRTUAL PATIENTS IN 3D, WHICH IS
ESSENTIAL FOR PHYSICIANS WORKING
00:24:07IN AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE NO
ACCESS TO CADAVERS.
00:24:10THERE HAS BEEN ATTENTION GIVEN
TO THE FACT THAT INTERNET GIANTS
00:24:24STARTED AROUND COLLEGES BECAUSE
OF THEIR ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED
00:24:28DATA NETWORKS.
>> IT WILL CREATE AN ECONOMIC
00:24:39ENGINE FOR OHIO.
IT IS NOT JUST A SINGLE STRAND.
00:24:46WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE
FOOTPRINT.
00:24:50THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE TEST BED.
<NO VIDEO><VIDEO OK>:;
00:25:01SHAH WAS EVEN MORE OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF OHIO
00:25:02BECOMING A HIGH-TECH POWERHOUSE
AT THE NATIONAL AND EVEN
00:25:04INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
>> CAN MOVE AN APPLICATION FROM
00:25:08HERE TO THERE IS TAKEN OFF THE
TABLE.
00:25:12ABSOLUTELY.
ALONG WITH THE INNOVATION CENTER
00:25:15THAT WE HOPE TO CREATE VERY
SHORTLY.
00:25:19WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE PUBLIC-
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
00:25:24INNOVATION CENTER WHICH WILL
MAKE THE BRIDGE WITH THE PRIVATE
00:25:28SECTOR ON THE PRODUCTS THEY NEED
AND ALSO LOOK AT
00:25:32COMMERCIALIZATION.
>> WE HAD REPORTED BACK IN
00:25:36FEBRUARY THAT THE FIRST PHASE,
CONNECTING CLEVELAND, COLUMBUS,
00:25:38CINCINNATI, DAYTON AND TOLEDO,
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UP AND
00:25:41RUNNING IN JUNE.
THAT'S NOW SET FOR EARLY FALL.
00:25:44AND THE STATE HAS ADDED WOOSTER
TO THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH
00:25:48INCLUDES AKRON, ATHENS AND
YOUNGSTOWN.
00:25:49AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK.
FOR MY COLLEAGUES AT OHIO PUBLIC
00:25:52RADIO AND TELEVISION, THANKS FOR
WATCHING.
00:25:53IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS,
MAKE COMMENTS, OR WATCH THIS
00:25:56WEEK'S SHOW OR EARLIER EPISODES,
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
00:25:58STATENEWS.ORG.
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK US OUT ON
00:26:01FACEBOOK.
AND PLEASE JOIN US AGAIN NEXT
00:26:03TIME FOR "THE STATE OF OHIO."
CAPTIONED BY THE
00:26:07NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE
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Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions