For the third time as governor and the first time in his second term, Mike DeWine delivered his State of the State address this week.
On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the governors speech, which avoided the hot-button cultural issues.
Focus on the family
DeWine wants to eliminate the sales taxes on infant supplies like diapers, wipes and car seats. He wants to give parents a $2,500 tax credit for each child. He wants to give $5,000 scholarships to high school students in the top 5% of their class to attend an Ohio public university. He wants to allow more families to get vouchers to attend private schools, all the way up to $111,000 dollars a year for a family of four.
The governor also wants to increase investment to treat and prevent mental illness.
His plan would also increase police de-escalation training and pay for more police body cams. And he wants to spend money to prepare land for other parts of the state to secure their own Intel projects.
The speech got a good reception from pretty much everyone. Republican Senate President Matt Huffman endorsed Gov. DeWine's proposals like eliminating the sales tax on diapers.
House Minority Leader Allison Russo reminded everyone that because Democratic house members gave the speaker his job, they will be a force in the upcoming budget discussions.
Snollygoster of the week
JD Vance prevailed in the 2022 U.S. Senate Race, thanks largely to the endorsement he received from former President Donald Trump. Then Trump campaigned for Vance in his campaign against Democrat Tim Ryan endorsing him again, albeit with a few jabs.
Now, barely a month into office, Vance has returned the favor, endorsing Donald Trump for president in 2024. Vance says Trump’s policies were good for America and says he deserves a chance to govern again.
If you have a suggestion for our "Snollygoster of the Week" award, a question or a comment, send them to snollygoster@wosu.org.