The State of Ohio is a weekly news program spotlighting the latest happenings at the Statehouse, in the Governor’s office, at the Ohio Supreme Court and throughout the Buckeye State. Award-winning host Karen Kasler presents viewers with unique analysis and thoughtful perspective on important issues of statewide interest through interviews with political leaders, newsmakers, experts and Ohio citizens. The State of Ohio is the only TV show to bring to Ohioans the latest news about taxes, voting, education and other critical matters from where it all happens -- Capitol Square.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Topics: Politics
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It’s unusual for a killer facing execution in a manner of weeks to speak with a reporter about his crime and his sentence. But Jason Getsy chose to do just that, speaking on the record and on tape with Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles. The director of Ohio's $12 billion Medicaid program says he’s leaving at the end of August. John Corlett, who has held the job since December 2007, says he wants to go back to his family and home in Cleveland. The state budget is two weeks old, but critics aren’t done blasting it, including state auditor Mary Taylor.

The proposal to balance the state budget through $933 million generated by electronic slot machines at Ohio’s racetracks is moving ahead, though several groups have announced they’ll fight to stop it. One group calling itself LetOhioVote.org has already filed suit in the Ohio Supreme Court, saying the governor and state lawmakers don’t have the legal authority to simply order this gambling expansion on their own and that voters must decide. State Senator Bill Seitz, a Republican of Cincinnati and a longtime supporter of expanded gambling and the horse racing industry supports talks about his concerns about this lawsuit with David Hansen, the former president of the Buckeye Institute and one of the committee members of LetOhioVote.org.

The State Fair started under foul weather this week, but there are high expectations that the bad economy will lure in more visitors than usual. Fair manager Virgil Strickler explains how he hopes to lure more visitors to spend their precious dollars at the state fairgrounds.

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