“This is a local government state. Those of us working in Columbus, we need to be good partners, particularly the governor. We’re not going to be able to do everything that local government wants us to do but frankly, we’re going to work with them,” DeWine said.
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In his first state budget proposal, DeWine said he’ll increase state spending on children’s services and plow more resources into expanding local drug task forces.
“We are 50th out of 50 states in how much money we provide to our local children’s services. We’re dead last. And this is at a time where half of kids in foster care are there because one or both parents are drug addicts,” he said.
He stopped short of pledging to restore state funding that was slashed by the Kasich administration to help balance the state budget. “I understand that local governments have really been hit,” he said.
DeWine will be sworn into office shortly after midnight on Jan. 14 at his Greene County home. Later in the day he will be sworn in during a ceremony at the statehouse.
DeWine, 72, has been in public office for nearly 42 years, including Greene County prosecutor, lieutenant governor, Congress, U.S. Senate and attorney general. DeWine said he has learned from successes and failures in each job.
“I’m ready to go,” he said.
The last Ohio governor from the Miami Valley was Democrat James M. Cox.
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