COLUMBUS - Gov. John Kasich is defending his decision to have this year's State of the State address in Steubenville -- and he said he hoped to take the annual speech on the road in years to come, too.
"You know what?" Kasich told reporters Friday, Jan. 20. "If this works, I'm not sure I'll ever do a State of the State from this building again. Let's go out and see Ohio."
The governor made the comment in response to a question about the potential cost for mileage and related expenses to transport lawmakers, other elected officials and Statehouse staff 150 miles from Columbus to eastern Ohio.
Kasich announced earlier this week that he would give his State of the State address to a joint session of the Ohio House and Senate on Feb. 7 at the Wells Academy, a top-ranked public school in Steubenville.
It is the first time in modern history that the annual address to state lawmakers will take place outside of Columbus.
"I think it's just a great thing to think that everybody's going to drive across Ohio and go and visit a place that has basically been ignored for 50 years," Kasich said Friday, adding, "So far, the reaction in Steubenville has been somersaults. ... It's so great to be able to give people a lift in a part of the state where they've been beaten down for generations."
Marc Kovac is the Dix Capital Bureau chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.
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