Strickland will focus on jobs, education in speech

Gov. Ted Strickland will talk about job creation and education in his fourth State of the State address in Columbus at noon Tuesday.

Strickland’s proposals for job creation will likely include the Third Frontier, a program that helps create high-tech jobs. Strickland has been urging lawmakers to put a renewal for the program on the May ballot.

He is also expected to talk about education and the changes in funding. In last year’s address, Strickland proposed to extend the tuition freeze to schools in the University System of Ohio. Education funding was later reduced and tuition increased in order to balance the state’s budget.

Kathleen Chandler, representative for the 68th House District, speculated Strickland would also discuss stimulus money and prison reform. Chandler isn’t sure what she will hear tomorrow because the governor’s office hasn’t given anything to the legislature.

“Sometimes they would print out and put something on our desks,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t.”

However, Chandler said she thinks Strickland will mention some of his accomplishments from the past three years.

Strickland announced he is running for re-election earlier this month. A Dayton Daily News/Ohio Newspaper Poll released Sunday showed Strickland trailing Republican challenger John Kasich, 51-45 percent.

Contact public affairs reporter Nicole Stempak at [email protected].