-
Login
-
Digital Edition
-
Print Edition
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« News Home
Gov. Kasich: ‘Get ready for an exciting time’
Tweet
ASSOCIATED PRESS
John Kasich, center, with his wife Karen, is congratulated by Justice Maureen O'Connor after bring sworn in as the new Governor of Ohio Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio.
Governor John Kasich
A look at new Ohio Gov. John Richard Kasich
AGE — 58; born May 13, 1952.
HOMETOWN — Grew up in McKees Rocks, Pa.; settled in Westerville, Ohio.
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio State University, 1974.
POLITICAL CAREER — Legislative aide, 1975-1978; Ohio state senator, 1979-1983; member of Congress, 1983-2000; candidate for U.S. president, 2000.
OTHER JOBS: Host of “From the Heartland” and substitute for “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News Channel, managing director at Lehman Brothers, lecturer, paid director for three public companies and one private company, 2000-2010.
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Republican.
FAMILY — Wife, Karen Waldbillig; twin daughters.
RELIGION — Christian.
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Gov. John Kasich offered a snapshot of his daily schedule as Ohio’s new chief executive: Pray, hug the family and get to work on Ohio’s economy.
“My only purpose, my only passion in all of this is to lift Ohio, to make us competitive again and to create jobs for our families,” Kasich told a capacity crowd in the historic Ohio Theatre, just across the street from the Statehouse on Monday, his first day as governor. “Because when our families have jobs, they have hope, they have dreams, and they have strength.”
He added later: “Get ready for an exciting time. Put on your seat belts. We’re going.”
More than 2,700 people were on hand for Kasich’s inaugural speech, in which he urged Ohioans to pray, look out to the needs of others and get excited about the future of their state.
He vowed to do the same.
“I am only a servant,” he said. “I report to the people. I do not report to special interests under any circumstances, and I want you all to understand something. I can never work to advance myself.”
The governor’s ceremonial inauguration capped two days of swearing-in ceremonies for five statewide candidates, solidifying a Republican sweep of Ohio government.
Secretary of State Jon Husted and Attorney General Mike DeWine took their oaths Sunday, and Auditor Dave Yost and Treasurer Josh Mandel did the same on Monday.
Kasich and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor took their actual oaths of office a few minutes after midnight in the Senate Chambers at the Statehouse, a few feet from the desk where he served as a state lawmaker more than three decades ago.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor administered the oaths, with Kasich using a family Bible given to him by friends after the deaths of his parents.
Kasich then led his cabinet selections in their oaths, signed some mandatory paperwork and gathered his new administration in the governor’s ceremonial office.
“Honesty, integrity, teamwork, serving the people of the state, improving their lives,” Kasich told his cabinet members. “We’ve got a big job ahead of us.”
His ceremonial inauguration took place at midday, with Kasich echoing many of the themes of his successful gubernatorial campaign — strengthening the state economy, promoting job creation and business growth, combating prescription drug abuse and rebuilding Ohio’s cities.
“Ohio has wide horizons,” he said. “We have unlimited opportunities. Ohio is an exciting place, and I have come to understand as a grown man what Ohio is all about. We are about common sense. ... We’re about helping our neighbors and loving God and building a better future for our children.”
Comments
They Nightmare begins! Four years is not that long.
Two years is an even shorter nightmare until we can replace Obama.
Lower taxes and smaller government is the platform John Kasich must deliver. I am supporting him 100%!
“We can no longer live in a society where the public employees are the haves and taxpayers who foot the bills are the have-nots.”
Scott Walker (R) - Governor of Wisconsin
Public employees already make less than those in the public sector. Kasick is a sham man. He will do nothing but help himself.
Hey non-union forever, Scott Walker is one of the haves living off the taxpayers, it's like your screen name, makes no scene.
John Kasich ran for governor as a fiscal conservative. He promised to cut government spending at every level. Unfortunately, this seems to be his plan for the rest of the government while those closest to him are going to get big pay raises on our dime.
Salaries are going WAY up in the Governor’s office.
Strickland’s Communications Director Keith Dailey, for example, made $89,003. While Kasich’s Scott Milburn is getting a bump to $120,000.
Press Secretary Amanda Wurst made $69,992. Rob Nichols will get $90,000.00.
But the big boost is for Chief of Staff.
Strickland’s Chief of Staff John Haseley made $122,990/year but Kasich’s incoming Chief of Staff Beth Hansen is going to receive $170,000. This is more money than every cabinet member but 3, more than the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, more than the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor, Speaker and Senate President!
And while John Keeling doesn’t appear to be on the list yet (it’s still very incomplete), Jai Chabria is.
For his long-time friend and the second half of his two man office at Lehman, John Kasich made up a brand new position: Special Assistant to the Governor. And a brand new salary as well: $145,000.
The Governor himself only makes $141,708!
Governor Strickland succeeded at doing everything the Republicans always promise to do. He cut government spending, lowered taxes and reduced the size of government. He paid for his own healthcare and he kept his staff salaries low. He led by example.
John Kasich is obviously taking a different path: paying his own staff big bucks – even making up new, high-paid positions for his friends – and fiscal conservatives should take note.
It’s definitely a new day and a new way in the Governor’s office. But I find it difficult to believe that this is the type of behavior people expected from the maverick John Kasich when he promised to bring fiscal responsibility to state government.
The 12 year nightmare of Taft and Ted is over. Time for a new way and a new day in Ohio.
Go Kasich!
I don't understand the math in Goverment. A person spends millions for a job that pays $141,708. Then when they leave office , they are a multi-millionaire. I've being working for 36 years and I still haven't made a million but these people in goverment making $141,708 a year will do it in 4 years. I just can't figure the math.
We have been warned by Kasich,he told us to put on our seat belts.It sounds like we are in for a bumpy ride.
hey union: for years the private sector laughed at our meger little lives, and our tiny little "crumbs" of a pension for years!!! the wall st. got rich, and you never bitched then!!! now, wall st. is a mess which we the tax payers bailed out, and you didnt bitch again, and now the public employees are targets of people like you so i think your barking up the wrong tree. you should be worried about this emperor comming in and paying his new staff of kiss asses much more than THEY were ever paid in this position before! and the insurance companies who WILL be in heir emperors back pocket!! remenber, I state again, YOU THINK ITS ALL GOOD??? WAIT UNTIL IT AFFECTS YOU!!!!!!
Yeah right; only time will tell!
I don't think "cuts" are the only thing that must happen. Cuts don't develop anything. If anything, they might help to stabilize something that is sinking. So sure, cuts, whatever.
But I'm sick and tired of people thinking cutting expenditures and taxes somehow saves the days.
Because in the end, you need to do something develop an economy, not just cut it. You need to make new businesses happen. You need to invest in education (not cut it) so that the people living in your state have the skills necessary to actually work at the freaking businesses you're supposed to be courting and/or developing into existence. You need to invest in mass transportation so that your people can get to and from these places of businesses to work them. You need to invest in infrastructure, in other words.
I don't see Gov. Kasich doing anything but cutting.
What you get at the end of a cut job is a hacked up tree that dies because it's had too much cut off and nothing developed.
Looking forward to a further hacked up state (and country) in the near future. Get used to it. It ain't changing anytime soon. At least not for the better.
What's up with that goofy picture? He looks like he's been on an all-nighter.
Closing the Turnpike and letting a Private company take it over! Hiring an energy man to run The Park and Recreation Dept. Guess there's goes the parks and its Natural Resource's. And last but not forgotten our Prison System. Which will let Government Incarcerate People,but not over see it . A private Company will for a profit! All of these refer to money being made off of the State and it's people of Ohio. Now I ask why Can the State do the same thing?