Gov. John Kasich recently asked the Ohio General Assembly to convene his State of the State address Feb. 19 at a location outside the state’s capital.

It marks the second year that Kasich decided to conduct the event away from the traditional forum in Columbus. This year it will be held in Lima at the Veteran’s Memorial Civic and Convention Center. Last year, the governor made waves when he chose Stuebenville as the location.

The governor said he chose Lima this year to showcase Allen County, which has experienced a drop in the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent down from 10.8 percent in 2011.

As part of his State of the State, I’m sure Kasich will focus on the economy.

But there are a few other things I will be curious to hear from Kasich.

What will Kasich say about school funding? This seems to be a part of every governor’s speech, but so far has yet to alleviate Ohio’s reliance on property taxes. Will he roll out any specific proposals?

What about funding for local governments through the state’s Local Government Fund? Will the cuts put in place during his last budget remain?

Will Kasich decide to expand Medicaid coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and the state collect federal funding to help implement it?

Will the governor discuss a plan to lower the state’s income tax rate? That was an issue Kasich championed last year as he tied it to increasing state revenue from hydraulic fracturing, but the idea didn’t make it far through the Ohio General Assembly.

Last year, to the surprise of some, the governor talked about issues such as stepping up efforts to prevent abuse of prescription medications and to combat human trafficking.

What else might the governor have in store?

Congressional committees

First-term U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce, R-Russell Township, has been selected to serve on three subcommittees within the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

Joyce will sit on the Interior; the Labor, Health and Human Services; and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.

The congressman is currently the only Ohio Republican serving on the House Appropriations Committee.

He represents Ohio’s 14th Congressional District that consists of Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties, plus parts of Cuyahoga, Portage, Summit, Trumbull counties.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Cleveland, will serve as ranking member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition; Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture; along with the House Education and the Workforce Committee and its Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education; and the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection.

Fudge represents the 11th Congressional District that includes Euclid and Mayfield Heights, plus other eastern Cuyahoga County communities along with portions of Summit County including part of Akron.

Filed petitions

Scott J. Marn has filed petitions for Mentor Council at large Jan. 2 term; Ray Kirchner filed for Mentor Council at large Jan. 3 term; and Max Anderson Jr. filed for Madison Township trustee.

Picked up petitions

Recently taking out petitions with the Lake County Elections Board are Ted Andrzejewski for Eastlake mayor, and Bill Margalis for Wickliffe mayor.

Club meeting

The Bolton Republican Women’s Club will meet Monday at 6 p.m. at Lake County Republican Party headquarters in Painesville.

Fundies

n Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts his annual Mardi Gras Party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Holiday Inn Express LaMalfa Centre in Mentor. See Kip Molenaar.

n Concord Township Trustees Paul Malchesky and Christopher Galloway re-election fundraiser is 5 to 7 p.m. March 4 at Harry Buffalo in Painesville Township. See Malchesky, Galloway or Connie Luhta.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah