COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman focused on education and workforce development during his State of the City Address Wednesday night at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
In an effort to improve the lot of residents who have not “fully shared in Columbus’ prosperity,” Coleman announced $6.5 million investments in early education and job placement and other initiatives aimed toward helping the homeless and improving the city’s housing stock, according to a release from Coleman’s office.
“Columbus is a great city,” he said. “We become an even greater city when we seize the opportunity and share our success with all our residents.
During the speech he introduced Early Start Columbus, a $5 million investment in quality preschool education and FastPath, a $1.5 million career readiness partnership with Columbus State Community College.
“We don’t have a problem creating jobs. We have a problem filling jobs,” Coleman said.
Earlier in the day he announced the appointment of former teach and Columbus Education Association head Rhonda Johnson as the city’s first education director, essentially City Hall’s unofficial seat on the Board of Education.
The mayor’s office said the speech focused on reaching “the unemployed, underemployed, undereducated, homeless” and others.
Among the initiatives he announced was a $1.1 million investment in the Community Shelter Board; an $11 million expenditure from in capital funds for Housing Works, an effort to housing around employment centers such as downtown; an expansion of Restoration Academy, which provides job and academic training and physical conditioning to rehabilitated felons in hopes that they can find long-term employment.
He unveiled a $2.5 billion, 30-year plan to convert blighted land into parks via an initiative called Blueprint Columbus. The project would divert rainwater from storm sewers toward rain gardens and surface water filters, creating green space in neighborhoods and dealing with the problem of sanitary sewer overflow. Coleman claims the project will create jobs, train workers, strengthen neighborhoods and protect our environment.
He vowed to continue his campaign to attract a national political convention the city in 2016.