Governor Rehashes 2022 and Discusses 2023
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Gov. Mike DeWine ended his first term on a positive note as voters re-elected him for a second term and his second term sees companies poised to bring jobs to Ohio.
The governor took time to discuss his perspectives of the accomplishments Ohio has achieved during his first term and the challenges the state will encounter during his second term.
“You know I suppose 2022 is the year of Intel coming into Ohio but it’s so many other companies that are coming and expanding in Ohio,” DeWine said. “We’re creating more jobs everyday than frankly we have people to fill them. And that’s why our focus, or one of the reasons our focus is so much on education and so much on job training. You know all of this is really the key to the future of the state.”
DeWine is especially proud of the success, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library reading program, aimed at pre-school age children, is showing, as well as the results of the career centers that are teaching high-schoolers and young adults vocational trades.
Education and jobs are high on the priority list but DeWine listed mental health as the biggest challenge that needs to be confronted.
“We also have the mental health issue,” DeWine said. “And about two weeks ago we had, right here in the governor’s home, here in Columbus, we had I think about 15 school superintendents from all over the state of Ohio. And one of the things they told us is that they’re seeing more mental health problems with young people than they’ve ever seen before. They’re seeing more kindergarten kids and first-graders who have serious, serious behavior problems. So we have to focus on that.”
The Ohio legislature has cooperated with DeWine on funding mental health initiatives with the ultimate goal of establishing an efficient, mental health system.
The governor expressed his gratitude to the Ohio voters, who recently granted him more time to continue and expand the policies and initiatives that were started during his first term.
