STEUBENVILLE - With the backdrop of a small city manufacturing firm, Gov. Ted Strickland said his support of the middle class and its workers sets him apart from Republican opponent John Kasich.
Strickland made a campaign stop Monday at Voto Sales Co., a 72-year-old firm that has been employee owned since 1981. Its president, Janie Mayle, told the governor the firm soon will be expanding in its location on Third Street off Ohio 7, with its offices moving up to the ground floor, freeing up space for more manufacturing work downstairs.
Voto fabricates, sells and distributes various expendable items to heavy industry, ranging from wire rope to cleats for backhoes, sprockets and more.
Article Photos
Photo by Paul Giannamore
Gov. Ted Strickland visits Voto Manufacturing in Steubenville Monday morning, taking his Republican opponent, John Kasich, to task for
supporting big business instead of the middle class with his votes and support for NAFTA, most-favored nation trade status for China and other actions. Voto President Janie Mayle, right, tells Strickland that, despite the decline in the local steel industry, her firm will be expanding in its current location in the near future.
Strickland commended Voto for growing amid a recession as a testament to its management and workers.
"We need political leadership that understands the needs of average, working middle-class folks," Strickland said.
Strickland said Kasich, through his support of the North American Free Trade Agreement, most-favored nation status for China, attempts to abolish trade adjustment support for displaced workers and more, show he is out of touch with workers and their needs. Strickland touched his theme that Kasich became a managing director for Lehman Brothers after leaving Congress, putting him at the company that led to the fall of the American economy.
Strickland also said Kasich's concept of eliminating Ohio's income tax will not work and would cut funding for libraries, police departments and more.
"This state would become an economic basket case if John Kasich were to get his way," Strickland said.
Strickland noted that trade policies, including a recent ruling protecting American pipe manufacturers from dumping by the Chinese, led to the $650 million project under way to build a new steel mill near Youngstown, V&M Star Steel. He noted he had testified about the impact of dumping on Ohio mills and manufacturers. Strickland said U.S. Steel plans to announce another $600 million investment in steel facilities at Lorain and Northwestern Ohio.
Strickland also said the growth of the Marcellus Shale drilling in Ohio is contributing to growth. He said Ohio is in a good position to capitalize, and steel suppliers to the industry will recover.
Strickland said he believes Ohio is ready to deal with any environmental impact from the shale drilling.
"Part of the readiness involves willingness and commitment. As long as I am governor, we're going to be very aggressive in pursuing those kinds of regulatory matters that will lead to the exploration and production of this wonderful natural resource," he said. "We simply cannot allow Ohio not to be a vital part of the exploration and production of natural gas in this region."
He said while the Marcellus work won't lead to jobs next week for local steelworkers who have lost their jobs, he said work must continue to make sure existing trade laws are enforced, and NAFTA and most-favored nation status for China should be revisited. He said the rebuilding of roads and bridges also put people to work and noted the state has committed to $2 billion in construction this year and $2 billion next year on roads, part of it resulting from the federal stimulus plan.
"The hole was very deep. This recession was not caused by Ohio or our workers but by Wall Street greed. If you think the conditions and the decisions that led us to this recession were the right decisions, maybe you ought to embrace John Kasich. But if you are upset with Wall Street, with Wall Street greed and think it was Wall Street decisions that led us to this recession, then we don't want to go back to John Kasich," Strickland said.
He toured the Voto facility and was also to visit a candy manufacturer in Zanesville during his campaign stops on Monday.