Governor says change is coming and Ohio must be prepared

SANDUSKY — Invoking the transformative genius of Milan native Thomas Edison, Gov. John Kasich Tuesday proposed new initiatives to help Ohioans cope with rapid technological change.And the governor said he's pleased to be near Lake Erie."For the people of a city that's about to celebrate 200 years of history with their bicentennial in 2018, I hope this joint session, and events surrounding our visit here, will go down as one more historic event for Sandusky, to be remembered for years to come," he said.Speaking at the Sandusky State Theatre, Kasich proposed creating a new government post, chief innovation officer, to lead a new Ohio Institute of Technology. And he didn't stop there."I'm announcing tonight that I am creating a new task force comprised of leaders from a variety of businesses and industries that will work with leading education thinkers to look into the future and try to anticipate what we might lose and what we might gain," he said.The governor also stressed the state's efforts to combat opiate drug addiction. And he said he wants to continue to push to eliminate Ohio's income tax.The governor has broken with decades of state tradition in his annual State of the State speech, taking his annual signature speech on the road to cities such as Steubenville and Lima. He spoke Tuesday night standing behind a podium onstage at the Sandusky State Theatre with an enormous Ohio flag as his backdrop.The governor's State of the State speech is delivered to a joint session of the Ohio Senate and House. Legislative leaders formally convened a session of the Ohio General Assembly in the Sandusky State Theatre. The lawmakers adjourned minutes after the governor finished speaking.The governor laced his speech with several local references.He mentioned that as a boy, his family vacationed in Vermilion. He touted the "new, state-of-the-art" Borgers plant in Norwalk that he said will provide more than 230 jobs. He praised NASA Plum Brook Station as a premiere research center and worked in a reference to "thrill of Sandusky's famous roller coasters." He departed from the written text of his speech to mention that he went over to Cedar Point to look at the roller coasters. He discussed visiting various places in Sandusky, including the Boys & Girls Club and "the place where I had some great fish," referring to the New Sandusky Fish Company eatery in downtown Sandusky.The governor said that big changes are ahead because of technology, mentioning that Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers "launched entirely new industries." Driverless vehicles are coming soon, he noted, taking away jobs from people who drive for a living. Drones will deliver hot pizzas to our homes. He said that's why Ohio needs his proposed chief innovation officer and new task force."Who knows, maybe the General Assembly will be replaced by robots" he quipped, departing from his prepared text. Perhaps the governor, too, he added.The governor offered a couple of suggestions for education. He wants teachers who are getting re-licensed to spend a few days in the business workforce. He also said he favors putting business people on school boards as nonvoting members.As in his past speeches, the governor continued to push for further cuts in the state income tax.And he defended his successful push to expand Medicaid."The expansion of Medicaid has brought health care to 700,000 people, one-quarter who have chronic illness and one-third who are struggling with mental illness or drug addiction. Expanding Medicaid has freed up significant resources in our communities to help more people," he said.He vowed to keep fighting to make sure that people who are mentally ill or addicted to drugs can obtain care.The governor spent much of his time discussing Ohio's drug addiction epidemic. He got a standing ovation when he praised the Highway Patrol's success in seizing large amounts of illegal drugs. He reminded the audience that only days ago, he announced new limits for prescribing opiate painkillers — a seven day supply for adults, five days for young people.The governor said he is asking for $20 million of new Third Frontier funding to research ways to deal with painkillers and addiction.Kasich said he's worried about partisanship in the country."I am very concerned with how divided our country has become. One reason is that people increasingly only consume news and information that reinforces their own views." Liberals and conservatives both consume their own news sources when they should be talking to each other, he said. He called for people to find common ground in local challenges, such as drug addiction, and hunger. Solving problems can help bring people together, the governor suggested.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.Gov. John Kasich gives the State of the State Address on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.The audience fills the Sandusky State Theatre during the State of the State Address given by Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.Gov. John Kasich gives the State of the State Address on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.Audience members listen to the State of the State Address given by Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.Gov. John Kasich speaks during the State of the State Address on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.Audience members fill the balcony at the Sandusky State Theatre on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, during the State of the State Address.Gov. John Kasich waves to the audience as he walks onto the stage before giving the State of the State Address on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.Gov. John Kasich addresses the audience during the State of the State on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.The marquee at the Sandusky State Theatre lights up while Gov. John Kasich is in Sandusky on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.Gov. John Kasich shakes the hand of a member of the audience after the State of the State Address at the Sandusky State Theatre on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.Clifford Rosenberger, speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, and Larry Obhof, president of the Ohio Senate, sit on the stage while Gov. John Kasich gives the State of the State Address at the Sandusky State Theatre on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.Gov. John Kasich gives the State of the State Address on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at the Sandusky State Theatre.Audience members fill the balcony at the Sandusky State Theatre on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, during the State of the State Address.