COLUMBUS, Ohio – Governor John Kasich wants to take his State of the State Address back on the road.
This time, the governor is asking lawmakers to approve going to Medina in northeast Ohio, the hometown of retiring Ohio House Speaker Bill Batchelder.
The city is also in the backyard of Kasich’s presumed Democratic challenger, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.
The address is scheduled for Mon., Feb. 24, and Kasich has asked lawmakers to approve holding a joint session of the General Assembly at the Medina Performing Arts Center for the occasion.
“Medina is one of Ohio’s great communities and this is a great way to celebrate it. Medina is also the hometown of Speaker Batchelder and as he starts the last year of his term this is a way to recognize his distinguished 46-year career in public service,” Rob Nichols, Kasich’s press secretary said.
“Taking the General Assembly on the road for the Governor’s State of the State address has given us a fantastic opportunity to put our state’s many successes on display in communities across Ohio,” Senate President Keith Faber (R–Celina) said.
This would be the third time that Kasich has delivered a State of the State speech somewhere other than the Statehouse, where previous governors have given their addresses.
After his first address there in 2011, Kasich has delivered the address at Wells Academy, a public elementary school in Steubenville, and the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center in Lima.