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00:00:00Speaker
00:00:00Davidson, president and item.
00:00:03Members
00:00:03of the General Assembly.
00:00:06Lieutenant governor O'Connor,
00:00:06Chief
00:00:08Justice Moyer and members
00:00:08of the Supreme Court,
00:00:11the elected officials,
00:00:13cabinet members,
00:00:13friends and fellow citizens.
00:00:17Thanks for joining us today.
00:00:19It seems like every time
00:00:19I give
00:00:21one of these big speeches,
00:00:21we have a big snowstorm.
00:00:25But pretty soon
00:00:25the schoolchildren of Ohio
00:00:28will want me to
00:00:28give one of these every week
00:00:30so they get an extra day off.
00:00:36You know, 23 years ago,
00:00:38I joined this General Assembly
00:00:40as a member
00:00:40of the people's House.
00:00:43I recall fondly my colleagues
00:00:43who brought
00:00:46their distinct styles
00:00:46from every corner of Ohio
00:00:49and the lively,
00:00:49sometimes raucous debates
00:00:53on the issues of that time,
00:00:53many of which,
00:00:56I might add, are still
00:00:56very much with us today.
00:01:00It was quite an experience
00:01:02to work with the urban
00:01:02and suburban legislators,
00:01:05who were sometimes outwitted
00:01:05by the Cornstalk Brigade.
00:01:09We had legendary leaders
00:01:09such as Chuck Curtis,
00:01:12who led majority
00:01:12and minority caucuses, C.J.
00:01:16McLennan, a civil rights
00:01:16pioneer, and speaker
00:01:19Vern Rice,
00:01:19who spoke rarely but carried
00:01:23a big gavel.
00:01:26I felt then the sweep
00:01:26of history in this chamber,
00:01:30which has since regained
00:01:30its majesty and beauty
00:01:33under the
00:01:33leadership of Senator Finan
00:01:33and has maintained its decorum
00:01:37and dignity under the steady
00:01:37hand of Speaker Davidson.
00:01:41We are both of you.
00:01:43Our gratitude.
00:01:58Governor Jim Rhodes delivered
00:01:59the state of the state speech
00:01:59during my first year,
00:02:02and as I recall,
00:02:02the syntax was fractured,
00:02:05but the message
00:02:05was clear jobs and progress.
00:02:11I watched
00:02:11it all, as you do today
00:02:14from a seat in this chamber,
00:02:14wondering what the view
00:02:17looked like from the place
00:02:17where Lincoln stood.
00:02:20Well, I've got to confess,
00:02:23the view is pretty good
00:02:23from up here.
00:02:27It's a great honor to serve
00:02:27as Ohio's 67th governor,
00:02:31and to share with you
00:02:31the state of our state
00:02:34and our plans
00:02:34for the coming years.
00:02:37Let me begin
00:02:37by thanking each of you,
00:02:39and especially minority
00:02:39leaders, Jack Ford and Ben
00:02:43S.B., for the bipartisan hand
00:02:43of friendship.
00:02:46You have extended
00:02:47during the first days
00:02:47of our administration.
00:02:51I pledge to continue
00:02:51the strong partnership
00:02:54that we forged on behalf
00:02:54of the citizens of our state.
00:02:59One of the benefits
00:02:59of being governor
00:03:01is the mail I receive from
00:03:01schoolchildren around Ohio.
00:03:05They sometimes thanked
00:03:05me for things I wish I'd done.
00:03:09I've got to confess
00:03:09to one of my correspondents,
00:03:11Lewis Perez Lewis.
00:03:14I really can't take credit
00:03:14for building toys R Us
00:03:17and Kmart
00:03:17in your neighborhood.
00:03:22Another fourth grader
00:03:22at Durling Elementary
00:03:24in Lorain, Dexter
00:03:24Fields, is here with us today
00:03:28with his grandmother
00:03:28and two teachers.
00:03:30Dexter,
00:03:30thank you for joining us.
00:03:44Dexter wrote me
00:03:44have a nice time as governor
00:03:47and asked, did you know that
00:03:47this is a branch of power?
00:03:53Well, Dexter, I'm learning,
00:03:56but I'm also learning
00:03:56that we share power
00:03:58with the legislative
00:03:58and judicial branches
00:04:01who are present today
00:04:01in this chamber.
00:04:03The Constitution works best
00:04:03when each of us
00:04:07understands our own branch of
00:04:07power and its limitations.
00:04:11Dexter went on
00:04:11to sum up my job as governor.
00:04:15You have a responsibility,
00:04:15he wrote,
00:04:17and you have to do
00:04:17a lot of stuff.
00:04:21Yes, Dexter,
00:04:22we certainly have
00:04:22a lot of stuff to do.
00:04:26In my inaugural address,
00:04:28I promised to present
00:04:28an opportunity agenda
00:04:30to the legislature
00:04:30and the people of Ohio.
00:04:33Today, I want to set the
00:04:33cornerstones of that agenda,
00:04:38an agenda that,
00:04:38while ambitious,
00:04:40will stand as the foundation
00:04:40for the future
00:04:42we want to build for our state
00:04:44a future with opportunity
00:04:44for every child to get
00:04:48a good education
00:04:48and a safe, secure classroom
00:04:51opportunity for Ohioans
00:04:51to obtain good jobs
00:04:54at good wages,
00:04:56to keep more of their hard
00:04:56earned money
00:04:58and opportunity
00:04:58to improve the quality
00:05:00of their daily lives.
00:05:03Nothing
00:05:03will provide greater
00:05:03opportunity in life for Dexter
00:05:06Fields and his classmates
00:05:06than a good education.
00:05:21That's why we funded schools
00:05:21first in our budget.
00:05:24The sacrifices
00:05:24of state agencies
00:05:27and the hard work of you
00:05:27and the legislature
00:05:29have enabled us to commit
00:05:29an historic level
00:05:32of financial resources
00:05:32to education.
00:05:34Nearly $0.50 out
00:05:34of every dollar of new state
00:05:37spending in this budget
00:05:37will go to schools.
00:05:41We'll spend more than $13
00:05:41billion on primary
00:05:44and secondary education
00:05:44in the next two years.
00:05:48That's an all time record.
00:05:58Our budget will fully fund
00:06:00the second and third years
00:06:00of the four year phase
00:06:02in of the new school funding
00:06:02formula enacted in House Bill
00:06:06650 on a bipartisan basis,
00:06:09spending for basic aid,
00:06:09special education,
00:06:12vocational education
00:06:12and transportation
00:06:15will all increase
00:06:15more rapidly than inflation.
00:06:20State aid
00:06:21for all special vocational
00:06:21and gifted students
00:06:24will be funded on a per pupil
00:06:24basis to take into account
00:06:28the difference in property
00:06:28tax wealth
00:06:30among school districts
00:06:33and when combined
00:06:33with the current budget,
00:06:35state education
00:06:35spending will rise
00:06:38by more than 33%
00:06:38over a four year period.
00:06:41That's almost four times
00:06:41the rate of inflation.
00:06:53Just as important
00:06:54as operating funds,
00:06:54we must provide
00:06:57adequate school
00:06:57buildings for our children.
00:07:00This is a new responsibility
00:07:00the state has assumed during
00:07:03the current decade.
00:07:05Since 1991,
00:07:05the state has authorized
00:07:08more than $1.5 billion
00:07:08to help school
00:07:11districts replace
00:07:11and repair school buildings.
00:07:14As long as I'm governor,
00:07:14I will honor my pledge
00:07:18to propose
00:07:18at least $300 million
00:07:20per year in new
00:07:20spending for school buildings.
00:07:23But we
00:07:23can, and we must do more.
00:07:38Because our economy is strong
00:07:40and our spending
00:07:40under control, our surplus
00:07:43this year is expected to be
00:07:43at least $400 million.
00:07:47Today, I invite you to join me
00:07:47in committing to spend 100%
00:07:52of the state surplus funds
00:07:52at the end of this biennium
00:07:56for school buildings
00:07:56and technology.
00:08:08When combined with monies
00:08:08already approved
00:08:11in the current capital budget,
00:08:12school building and technology
00:08:12assistance would then exceed
00:08:16$1 billion over a two year
00:08:16period.
00:08:21But money alone
00:08:22will not improve education.
00:08:26New dollars
00:08:26will not produce results
00:08:28until every school is laser
00:08:28focused on improving
00:08:32the academic achievement
00:08:32of all students.
00:08:35To raise achievement levels,
00:08:35we must concentrate
00:08:38on four goals.
00:08:40First, ensure
00:08:41that every student learns
00:08:41how to read in three years.
00:08:45Students now in first grade
00:08:45will not advance from fourth
00:08:49the fifth unless they pass
00:08:49the Reading Proficiency Test.
00:08:53And since fewer
00:08:53than half of fourth graders
00:08:55passed the most recent test,
00:08:57we are facing an enormous
00:08:57challenge.
00:09:00I want to thank members
00:09:00of the Ohio House
00:09:03for unanimously passing House
00:09:03Bill one, our Ohio Reads
00:09:07initiative that is designed
00:09:07to address this challenge.
00:09:11My budget
00:09:11will contain $25 million
00:09:14in classroom and community
00:09:14reading grants
00:09:16to assist schools
00:09:16in training teachers
00:09:19and intervening early
00:09:19with students
00:09:21through tutoring, technology
00:09:21and extra time on task.
00:09:25And we're seeking to recruit
00:09:2520,000 volunteer tutors
00:09:29to work one on one to improve
00:09:29students reading skills.
00:09:33And I urge each of you
00:09:33to join me and become
00:09:36a reading tutor
00:09:36for a child in need.
00:09:40We will support our
00:09:40reading campaign in other ways
00:09:42as well,
00:09:43by providing funds
00:09:43to encourage teachers
00:09:46to become reading specialists.
00:09:48And since the Foundation
00:09:48for reading
00:09:50must be built
00:09:50before kindergarten,
00:09:52we'll train over 2000
00:09:52Head Start and other preschool
00:09:56teachers to teach
00:09:56pre-reading skills to children
00:09:59before they enter school.
00:10:03Excuse me.
00:10:04Second, we must hold schools
00:10:04accountable for results.
00:10:09This means rewarding schools
00:10:09that improve
00:10:11and intervening to assist
00:10:11schools that need help.
00:10:15It also means
00:10:15reconstituting schools
00:10:17which are not getting
00:10:17the job done
00:10:19and providing new options
00:10:19for parents
00:10:22whose children are
00:10:22trapped in failing schools.
00:10:37Our budget includes 10 million
00:10:37per year
00:10:39in incentive grants
00:10:39to reward schools that improve
00:10:43on proficiency test scores,
00:10:43attendance
00:10:45and graduation rates.
00:10:47You know,
00:10:48we hear too much about schools
00:10:48that are not educating kids.
00:10:52Isn't it
00:10:52time that we recognize schools
00:10:54that are doing a good job,
00:10:54that are getting better year
00:10:57after year?
00:10:58It's far.
00:11:07Our budget
00:11:07includes $25 million
00:11:07to provide assistance
00:11:10for school improvement,
00:11:12based on results from district
00:11:12report cards.
00:11:15These funds will support
00:11:15special intervention efforts
00:11:18for districts on academic
00:11:18watch and academic emergency,
00:11:22and to give more choices
00:11:23to parents of children
00:11:23in underperforming schools.
00:11:27I propose to expand
00:11:27the state's community school
00:11:30law to permit charter schools
00:11:32to be established
00:11:32in any district
00:11:33on academic emergency status.
00:11:44Third,
00:11:45we must significantly expand
00:11:45training opportunities
00:11:48for the
00:11:48professional development
00:11:48of teachers and principals.
00:11:52As a former teacher
00:11:53who has visited more
00:11:53than 150 schools across Ohio,
00:11:56I know that good teachers
00:11:56produce good students.
00:12:01We have thousands
00:12:01of courageous
00:12:03and talented teachers,
00:12:03but if we are to improve
00:12:06education
00:12:06for all our children,
00:12:08we must create a teacher corps
00:12:08that is second to none.
00:12:12Our budget provides
00:12:12funding for a governor's
00:12:14teacher in residence
00:12:14and more than $80 million
00:12:18for professional development
00:12:19of teachers
00:12:19and other school leaders.
00:12:22It will also create
00:12:22financial incentives
00:12:25for teachers to enhance
00:12:25their professional skills.
00:12:28We must assure that Ohio
00:12:28remains a leader in
00:12:31the number of national board
00:12:31certified teachers.
00:12:34The budget provides
00:12:34funding for 400 teachers
00:12:37per year to pursue
00:12:37national board certification,
00:12:41and increases by $2,500
00:12:43the annual pay of each
00:12:43teacher who become certified.
00:12:48Now, we've all seen
00:12:49dynamics schools
00:12:49led by dynamic principals,
00:12:53and to help more principals
00:12:55lead their schools
00:12:55towards academic excellence,
00:12:58we will fund a new principals
00:12:58Leadership Academy
00:13:03for our schools must be safe
00:13:03and drug free.
00:13:07Students can't learn
00:13:07and teachers can't teach.
00:13:10If violence and disruption
00:13:10rules the classroom,
00:13:14I want to thank members
00:13:14of the Senate
00:13:16for their prompt action
00:13:16on Senate Bill one
00:13:19that will create school safety
00:13:19zones and increase penalties
00:13:23for those who commit crimes on
00:13:23or near school
00:13:26property to keep schools
00:13:26drug free.
00:13:29Our budget will provide funds
00:13:29to help districts
00:13:32hire full time
00:13:32substance abuse coordinators
00:13:35for drug abuse prevention
00:13:35and education.
00:13:38And finally, we've set aside
00:13:38$20 million
00:13:42in each budget year
00:13:43for alternative schools
00:13:43in urban, suburban
00:13:46and rural districts.
00:13:56These schools
00:13:56will provide needed discipline
00:13:58for some students
00:13:58and will improve the classroom
00:14:01learning environment
00:14:01throughout the state.
00:14:04We simply cannot permit a
00:14:04handful of disruptive students
00:14:07to interfere with
00:14:07the education of all others.
00:14:19Before leaving
00:14:19the subject of education,
00:14:21let me state firmly my belief
00:14:21that every child can learn,
00:14:25no matter who they are
00:14:25or where they live.
00:14:29And to back up that belief,
00:14:31I want to introduce
00:14:31a remarkable teacher
00:14:33who is getting remarkable
00:14:33results.
00:14:36Cheryl Senko teaches
00:14:36at an inner city school
00:14:38in Cleveland,
00:14:39where almost all students
00:14:39come from families
00:14:42living at or below poverty
00:14:42level.
00:14:45Most students in the school
00:14:46are failing proficiency tests
00:14:46at all grade levels.
00:14:50But last year, in room 222,
00:14:50each one of Cheryl's students
00:14:55passed all five parts of
00:14:55the fourth grade proficiency.
00:15:39Cheryl is
00:15:39a certified Reading specialist
00:15:41and also a National Board
00:15:41certified teacher.
00:15:44She expects and demands
00:15:44excellence.
00:15:47She believes in teacher
00:15:47accountability,
00:15:49and she supports
00:15:49early intervention
00:15:51for non reading students.
00:15:53Cheryl deployed
00:15:53a classroom management plan
00:15:56based on assertive discipline
00:15:58and taught her students
00:15:59to develop
00:15:59a sense of responsibility
00:16:01by creating a program
00:16:01called the Seven Habits
00:16:04of Highly Effective Kids.
00:16:07She also implemented her own
00:16:07tutoring program,
00:16:10asking all students
00:16:10to come to school
00:16:12an hour early
00:16:12from January through March.
00:16:15It was voluntary,
00:16:15but the kids came.
00:16:18Cheryl,
00:16:18thank you for showing us
00:16:20what we must do
00:16:20in every classroom
00:16:22in Ohio and more importantly,
00:16:22that it can be done.
00:16:26Thank you.
00:16:43If we are to help Ohioans
00:16:43succeed in the next century,
00:16:47then we must make sure
00:16:47our higher education system
00:16:49is up to the task.
00:16:51As global competition
00:16:51intensifies,
00:16:54as new technologies
00:16:54emerge day after day, advanced
00:16:58education must be available
00:16:58to every Ohioan.
00:17:02Over the next two years,
00:17:03we will make higher education
00:17:05more accessible
00:17:05to Ohio students
00:17:07by making it more affordable
00:17:07for Ohio's families.
00:17:11Total funding
00:17:12will rise nearly twice
00:17:12the rate of inflation
00:17:15will increase
00:17:16and expand eligibility
00:17:16for Ohio instructional grants.
00:17:20And for the first time,
00:17:21students choosing
00:17:21to attend college year round
00:17:24can receive a grant
00:17:25for a fourth quarter
00:17:25or a third semester
00:17:29in order to encourage students
00:17:29to attend college
00:17:31and workers to go back
00:17:31and improve their skills.
00:17:34Our budget provides
00:17:34a $2,500 tax deduction
00:17:38in each of the first
00:17:38two years of college.
00:17:41This deduction will benefit
00:17:41an estimated 300,000 students
00:17:44and their families.
00:17:46And to keep Ohio's two year
00:17:46campuses affordable,
00:17:49well,
00:17:49more than double access grants
00:17:52to allow them to hold tuition
00:17:52increases below 3%
00:17:56and at many schools,
00:17:56even below 2%.
00:18:02Now, education
00:18:02and job training
00:18:04go hand in hand or in this day
00:18:04and age.
00:18:07Keyboard to keyboard.
00:18:09As our
00:18:10economy of the 21st century
00:18:10becomes more high tech
00:18:14and recreates itself
00:18:14before our very eyes,
00:18:18so too must state government
00:18:18recreate the way
00:18:21we approach workforce
00:18:21development and training.
00:18:24The fact is, finding skilled,
00:18:24well-trained workers
00:18:28is the number one economic
00:18:28challenge of our time.
00:18:32If we fail to meet
00:18:32this challenge, the good jobs
00:18:35will not stay in Ohio.
00:18:37And if the good jobs
00:18:37leave our children
00:18:39and our grandchildren
00:18:39will not be far behind.
00:18:43By merging the Departments
00:18:43of Human Services
00:18:45and Employment Services,
00:18:47we will create a seamless
00:18:47service delivery system
00:18:51dedicated to statewide
00:18:51workforce development.
00:18:54The new Department of Job
00:18:54and Family Services
00:18:57will create one stop shops
00:18:57to provide local job training.
00:19:01Enhancing our ability
00:19:01to meet the needs of workers
00:19:04seeking jobs and employers
00:19:04seeking qualified employees
00:19:09will.
00:19:10One such worker I want you to
00:19:10meet is Kimberly Brown.
00:19:14When Kimberly applied for job
00:19:14training in Dayton,
00:19:17she was a single mother
00:19:17of three,
00:19:19receiving public assistance.
00:19:21She had low math skills and
00:19:21lacked a high school diploma.
00:19:25After enrolling,
00:19:26she worked hard to improve her
00:19:26skills and earn her GED.
00:19:30Kimberly completed her
00:19:30training at Miami Valley
00:19:33Career Technology Center.
00:19:35She now works as a nurse
00:19:35and earns $17 an hour.
00:19:39Kimberly, your courage changed
00:19:39your life.
00:19:42Your skills and job training
00:19:42gave you the chance,
00:19:46and your commitment
00:19:47brought the success that you
00:19:47and your children now enjoy.
00:19:52You are an inspiration
00:19:52and a wonderful role model.
00:19:55Thank you for being.
00:20:17We need more students
00:20:17preparing for technology
00:20:20based careers in health,
00:20:20manufacturing, engineering,
00:20:24computer aided drafting,
00:20:24and information systems.
00:20:28Only 8000 students
00:20:28are now enrolled in tech Prep
00:20:31programs,
00:20:32which are designed
00:20:32jointly by high schools,
00:20:34two year colleges
00:20:34and employers to provide
00:20:37rigorous academic
00:20:37and job specific training.
00:20:41That's not enough.
00:20:43That's set a goal today
00:20:43of having 35,000 students
00:20:47enrolled in Tech
00:20:47Prep in four years.
00:20:50Our budget contains
00:20:50incentive funds to help meet
00:20:53this ambitious goal.
00:20:55And finally,
00:20:55to help Ohio employers
00:20:58prepare their workers
00:20:58for the new economy.
00:21:01I am proposing
00:21:02dramatic increases in money
00:21:02used for employee training.
00:21:06Industrial training
00:21:06grants will be increased
00:21:08by more than 40%
00:21:08over the biennium,
00:21:11and will more than triple
00:21:11funds
00:21:12available at two year colleges
00:21:14to help local businesses
00:21:14become more productive
00:21:17by upgrading the knowledge
00:21:17and skills of their workers.
00:21:23But even if our workers
00:21:23are trained
00:21:25of higher runs,
00:21:25the risk of being left behind
00:21:28if we are not competitive
00:21:28in the global marketplace
00:21:32to improve our ability
00:21:32to attract
00:21:34and retain the good jobs
00:21:34of the 21st century.
00:21:38We must take several steps.
00:21:40First, Ohio
00:21:40needs a competitive market
00:21:44for electricity.
00:21:46This is a difficult issue,
00:21:47and I applaud the work
00:21:47that many of you
00:21:49have already done to date.
00:21:52But time is running out.
00:21:53Most of our neighbor states
00:21:53have acted
00:21:56and improved their ability
00:21:56to compete for our jobs.
00:22:01I know
00:22:01we can enact legislation
00:22:03to benefit both business
00:22:03and residential customers
00:22:06without harming schools.
00:22:08Let's work together
00:22:08and let's get it done now.
00:22:24Second, we must renew
00:22:24our tax credit for machinery
00:22:27and equipment and extend
00:22:27our enterprise zone law
00:22:30in a constant competition
00:22:30for jobs.
00:22:33Ohio cannot afford
00:22:33to unilaterally disarm
00:22:37without a strong
00:22:37incentive program.
00:22:39We would not have kept
00:22:39the Jeep plant in Toledo
00:22:42International Paper
00:22:42in Clermont County,
00:22:44or Aerostat
00:22:44Chemical in CO2 County.
00:22:47Most importantly,
00:22:47our incentive program
00:22:50is critical
00:22:50to keeping GM in Lordstown.
00:22:53This is the state's top job
00:22:53retention priority,
00:22:57and we must do everything
00:22:57necessary to keep Lordstown
00:23:00up and running.
00:23:10Next,
00:23:11let's
00:23:11build on Ohio's impressive
00:23:13network of technology
00:23:13resources.
00:23:16We are earmarking $5 million
00:23:16for Technology Action grants
00:23:19to support R&D projects,
00:23:19and $2 million
00:23:23for a new Edison Center
00:23:23for Information Technology.
00:23:28Fourth,
00:23:28we must be smarter in managing
00:23:31growth
00:23:31in every corner of Ohio.
00:23:34Ohio is a heartland state
00:23:34filled with diverse
00:23:37communities,
00:23:38and as we seek to balance
00:23:38the spread
00:23:41of metropolitan centers
00:23:42with the preservation
00:23:42of precious farmland,
00:23:45we must also work to rebuild
00:23:45the urban cores
00:23:49of our mother cities.
00:23:51That's why I will provide
00:23:51$10 million per year in urban
00:23:54redevelopment loans
00:23:54to clean up and reuse
00:23:58brownfields
00:23:58and other urban sites.
00:24:01And I've asked our development
00:24:01director, Lee Johnson,
00:24:04to help lead a newly created
00:24:06Urban revitalization
00:24:06task force composed
00:24:10of mayors and economic
00:24:10development experts.
00:24:13This group will develop
00:24:13an action agenda
00:24:15for rebuilding our urban cores
00:24:17that report back to me
00:24:17in one year
00:24:19and will submit legislation
00:24:19to you shortly thereafter.
00:24:25I've just shared
00:24:26with you our plans
00:24:26for improving education,
00:24:30training our workforce,
00:24:31and building a better climate
00:24:31for new jobs.
00:24:35Let me now turn to issues
00:24:35that directly affect
00:24:38the quality of our lives.
00:24:40No issue threatens
00:24:40Ohio's families more
00:24:43than substance abuse.
00:24:45You've heard me say how proud
00:24:45I am that my wife, hope
00:24:49Ohio's first lady will help
00:24:49lead our crusade
00:24:52against drug and alcohol
00:24:52abuse.
00:24:55Hope,
00:24:56thank you for your love
00:24:56and your support,
00:24:58and for your lifelong
00:24:58commitment
00:24:59to positive youth development.
00:25:25Sadly, substance
00:25:25abuse is often
00:25:28the greatest obstacle
00:25:28to happy, productive lives.
00:25:31While progress has been made
00:25:31in Ohio,
00:25:33much remains to be done.
00:25:35The devastation of alcohol
00:25:35and other.
00:25:37Drugs.
00:25:38Too often results
00:25:38in violence, illiteracy,
00:25:41teen pregnancy and crime.
00:25:44I've already noted
00:25:44our commitment
00:25:46to help schools hire substance
00:25:46abuse coordinators.
00:25:49In addition, we're
00:25:49providing half $1 million
00:25:52for development of local drug
00:25:52free community coalitions
00:25:56involving businesses,
00:25:56civic groups
00:25:59and the faith community.
00:26:01And we're adding 1.5 million
00:26:01for treatment, alternatives
00:26:04to street crime to refer
00:26:04offenders to community based
00:26:08drug abuse treatment programs.
00:26:14Thank you for your.
00:26:19We will
00:26:19also create more drug courts
00:26:22to help nonviolent offenders
00:26:22break the pattern of repeat
00:26:26criminal conduct.
00:26:29Whatever we can do
00:26:30to combat drug abuse
00:26:30and keep our streets safer.
00:26:33We'll make a difference
00:26:33in the lives of all Ohioans,
00:26:36especially our senior
00:26:36citizens.
00:26:39Our senior population
00:26:39is the fastest growing segment
00:26:42of our society.
00:26:44We know that most seniors
00:26:46who face the problem
00:26:46of failing health
00:26:48want to remain independent
00:26:48and in their own homes.
00:26:52Therefore, we will increase
00:26:52funding for passport,
00:26:56allowing more than 24,000
00:26:56older Ohioans to receive
00:26:59home care and support services
00:26:59in the next two years.
00:27:03We'll also expand
00:27:03the homestead exemption
00:27:05by raising
00:27:05the income cap by 10%
00:27:08and indexing it
00:27:08to the cost of inflation.
00:27:12And let's recognize
00:27:12the sacrifices made
00:27:14by family members
00:27:14who are caring
00:27:16for elderly relatives,
00:27:16especially those
00:27:19who are afflicted
00:27:19with Alzheimer's disease.
00:27:22Sam Morris
00:27:22is one such family member.
00:27:25His wife, Jane, was diagnosed
00:27:25with Alzheimer's
00:27:2820 years ago.
00:27:30For the next ten years,
00:27:30Sam looked after her
00:27:33in their Worthington home.
00:27:35He took Jane on trips
00:27:35and out to eat,
00:27:38and kept their lives
00:27:39as normal as possible
00:27:39for as long as possible.
00:27:43As Jane's condition worsened,
00:27:45Sam brought her to Willowbrook
00:27:45Christian Nursing Home,
00:27:47where he now spends
00:27:47part of every day
00:27:50combing her hair
00:27:50and caring for her.
00:27:54What I'm doing for Jane,
00:27:54Sam says,
00:27:56is what ought to be done for
00:27:56any person in her condition
00:28:00to provide compassionate,
00:28:00loving care at all times.
00:28:04Sam says,
00:28:04you don't give up regardless.
00:28:08As a volunteer for
00:28:08the Alzheimer's Association.
00:28:11Sam is now helping other
00:28:11families facing this disease.
00:28:15He's quick to serve his family
00:28:15and fellow citizens,
00:28:19but he is just as quick
00:28:19to recognize that,
00:28:22in his words, as a caregiver,
00:28:22you can't do it all.
00:28:26You've
00:28:26got to take care of yourself.
00:28:29Sam, we want to help you.
00:28:31And thousands of Ohio
00:28:31caregivers do just that.
00:28:35So we are expanding
00:28:35our Alzheimer's
00:28:36respite care program
00:28:38to assist an additional 2400
00:28:38caregivers.
00:28:42Sam, thanks for being with us
00:28:42and for inspiring us.
00:28:46We really appreciate.
00:29:06It. It's
00:29:08time to refocus
00:29:08our entire health care system
00:29:11on the quality of care
00:29:11provided to patients.
00:29:14My patient protection plan
00:29:16already
00:29:16introduced in the house
00:29:18includes fast track insurance
00:29:18appeals, a health insurance
00:29:21hotline, expanded access
00:29:21to women's health services,
00:29:26and holds health
00:29:26insurers accountable
00:29:28for medical decisions
00:29:28that cause harm to a patient.
00:29:32These proposals
00:29:32have raised concerns,
00:29:34but I am confident
00:29:34we can reach common ground
00:29:37because what's at stake
00:29:37is no less
00:29:40than the health and well-being
00:29:40of Ohio citizens.
00:29:43And I urge you
00:29:44to pass our patient protection
00:29:44plan as soon as possible.
00:29:59Further,
00:30:00we must increase
00:30:00access to medical care.
00:30:03That's why I proposed
00:30:03three new tax deductions
00:30:06to make medical care
00:30:06more affordable
00:30:09to help uninsured Ohioans
00:30:09purchase coverage.
00:30:12To encourage all Ohioans to
00:30:12buy long term care insurance,
00:30:16and to allow a state
00:30:16tax deduction
00:30:18for excessive medical
00:30:18expenses, as is now permitted
00:30:21under federal law.
00:30:24We will also expand health
00:30:26coverage to the children
00:30:26of our state's working poor,
00:30:29those and families
00:30:30making up to 200%
00:30:30of the federal poverty level.
00:30:34This will allow
00:30:34an additional 27,000 children
00:30:37to receive medical care,
00:30:39and will enable more families
00:30:39to move off the welfare rolls
00:30:42and onto payrolls
00:30:42without depriving their kids
00:30:45of health care coverage.
00:30:58We need to do everything
00:30:58possible
00:30:59to keep our kids healthy,
00:31:01and that means keeping them
00:31:01away from tobacco.
00:31:05Thanks to the efforts
00:31:05of Attorney General
00:31:07Betty Montgomery,
00:31:08our state will receive
00:31:08a substantial amount of money
00:31:11over a period of years
00:31:11from the tobacco settlement.
00:31:14But questions remain.
00:31:16When will we get it?
00:31:17How will we use it?
00:31:19And will
00:31:19the federal government
00:31:20lay claim to a share of
00:31:20the payments awarded to states
00:31:24next week?
00:31:25We'll ask the controlling
00:31:25board
00:31:26to establish a separate fund
00:31:28to receive monies
00:31:28from the tobacco settlement,
00:31:31and to determine how
00:31:31those funds should be spent.
00:31:34I will work
00:31:34with legislative leaders
00:31:37to appoint a bipartisan
00:31:37task force
00:31:39made up of legislators,
00:31:39the attorney general
00:31:42and members
00:31:42of my administration.
00:31:44And I'll ask that task force
00:31:44to report back to us within
00:31:4760 days.
00:31:49I will urge its members
00:31:49to make their first priority.
00:31:52The goal of reducing
00:31:52the number of underage smokers
00:31:56in Ohio.
00:32:06It's tragic that 30 for
00:32:0835% of our high school
00:32:08students smoke that each year.
00:32:11In Ohio, 65,000 kids under 18
00:32:11become daily smokers,
00:32:16and that nearly 20,000
00:32:16people die each year in Ohio
00:32:19from smoking related illness.
00:32:22And you need to know
00:32:24that I stand firm
00:32:25in my commitment to vigorously
00:32:25oppose any attempt
00:32:29by the federal government
00:32:30to take our tobacco settlement
00:32:30dollars.
00:32:33Mr. president
00:32:33and members of Congress,
00:32:35keep your hands off of Ohio's
00:32:35money.
00:32:55As Dexter
00:32:55Fields might have predicted,
00:32:57we're going to do
00:32:57a lot of stuff.
00:33:00The stuff I've talked about
00:33:00today is a framework
00:33:04for an aggressive
00:33:04opportunity agenda,
00:33:06which will improve education
00:33:06and training, expand economic
00:33:10well-being, help families
00:33:10become more self-sufficient,
00:33:13and enhance
00:33:13Ohio's quality of life.
00:33:17You've heard me
00:33:17say how proud I am to continue
00:33:20the tradition
00:33:20of public service
00:33:21that began over 160 years ago,
00:33:21when my great great
00:33:25grandfather
00:33:25settled in Cincinnati.
00:33:27I am grateful
00:33:27for the opportunity to serve
00:33:30as governor.
00:33:31We live in a great state and
00:33:31we can make it even better.
00:33:36So I ask you, the members
00:33:36of the General Assembly,
00:33:39to join me in making the most
00:33:39of our historic opportunity.
00:33:44As I said on Inauguration Day,
00:33:47let us secure the future
00:33:47for ourselves today
00:33:52and for our children tomorrow.
00:33:54Thank you
00:33:54and may God bless you all.
00:33:57Thank you very much.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions