Kasich All Business in Run for Governor

The Republican candidate for governor, John Kasich, says he’s willing to support a proposed runway to serve NASA Plum Brook Station — but only if he’s convinced the plan makes sense.

Bill Springer, chief executive of the familyowned Industrial Nut Corp., brought up the runway as Kasich, 57, met with about 40 local businessmen in the company’s offices on Tiffin Avenue.

Kasich made no commitment to the project but said he’d listen.

“What you can’t do is you can’t go around the state promising everybody everything,” Kasich said after the meeting ended.

“This is clearly something that is going to have to be looked at,” Kasich said. “The business people here feel very strongly about it, and they have my attention.”

Kasich said he supports the Third Frontier program to help economic development.

Democrats have claimed Kasich favors eliminating it over a 10-year period. Kasich said he favors phasing out the state income tax, but said he won’t commit to a timetable.

“I never have. It’s what you can do responsibly,” he said. “I want to phase it out, but it isn’t going to get done in a day.”

Kasich said he opposes Gov. Ted Strickland’s plan to create a new passenger rail system connecting Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.

“I think that any of this money that they’re talking about for this train ought to be put into highways and bridges. It ought to be put into infrastructure. I think this train idea is a nonstarter,” he said.

As he met with the businessmen, Kasich said as a member of Congress who chaired the House Budget Committee, he helped write “the last balanced budget since we walked on the moon.”

He vowed to reduce red tape, cut taxes and make Ohio more business friendly.

“I’m doing this for one reason. I want this state to be great again,” he said.

He asked his audience, “Are people willing to have less taxes, based on the premise we will have less government?”

One businessman said Michiganspendsmuchmore money to promote tourism than Ohio does.

Kasich said it’s important to find a cost-effective way to lure tourists here.

“Is that the only way we can promote Ohio, to use tax dollars?” he asked. “The last state I want to look like is Michigan.”