He was the keynote speaker at the Clark County Republican Party’s 2019 Lincoln Day Dinner at the Simon Kenton Inn on Friday, April 5 that drew approximately 210 people.
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DeWine addressed issues from the controversial gas tax increase to filling jobs with more qualified workers and opportunities and educational support programs. His appearance came just a day after the Clark County Democratic Party featured U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown as its guest speaker.
The Governor’s speech started off addressing the state’s hottest issue: the gas tax hike. The extent of the problem even came as a surprise to him.
“I knew we were in trouble, but not as much as we were,” DeWine said. “There wasn’t a lot of warning for people.”
A structured deficit had been built over the years with the state borrowing money to the point it was maxed on its credit. Ohio now owes $4 billion, with $390 million in interest alone this year and won’t be paid off until 2052 according to DeWine.
The losses hit smaller townships and villages the most. The last gas tax hike was in 2005; meanwhile revenue has remained static, necessitating the increase.
“We’re investing in our state, in our workers, our kids our infrastructure in this great state of ours,” said DeWine.
A constant theme across the state is employers can’t find workers with the right skill set or other factors to fill jobs. He and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted are focused on helping everyone from young workers to those in mid-career and beyond in gaining new or updated skills.
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They propose creating 10,000 Nanodegrees or industry certifications where, for example, a factory worker could learn to repair robots by going to night school for three weeks. It also means more emphasis on career centers, technical and vocational schools and two-year colleges.
“We want to change the culture,” said DeWine. “There are a number of pathways besides college. My goal for every child is the same as for my grandkids - to do something they have a passion for, not that there’s just one pathway, whether it’s college or acquiring a skill or trade.”
DeWine said he also wants to start children in the right way. He said he often hears from teachers dealing with student problems including hunger, mental health and other things. He’s gone to the state general assembly to set aside money to help teachers deal with various problems that distract from their teaching.
“I think I spent my lifetime preparing for this job. We may not always get it right, but we’re working on things,” he said.
Clark County Republican Party Chairman Dan Harkins said the event’s 210 attendees was nearly triple from last year’s Lincoln Day Dinner and reflected a substantial interest in what’s going on politically in the area and state.
“It was an honor to host Gov. DeWine here,” said Harkins. “It solidified his support and to be prepared for the 2020 cycle.”
He added it was exciting to have both DeWine and Senator Brown here and shows both parties having marquee speakers shows the area could attract more attention nationally as it’s a swing county.
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