Nick Gatz, Gov. John Kasich’s regional representative, right, confers with Larry E. Holdren of Peoples Bank on budget issues at the Chamber of Commerce meeting.

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POMEROY – Nick Gatz, Southeast Ohio Regional Liaison for Governor John Kasich, spoke on the governor’s proposed budget at Tuesday’s luncheon of the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce held at the Wild Horse Café in Pomeroy.

Gatz reported the financial condition of the state as improved, including the jobs’ scene, and that no drastic cuts are anticipated. He said the governor wants to “keep the foot on the gas and continue” toward a better economy.

The speaker talked about proposed school funding with selective amounts of state assistance contingent on need, infrastructure funding, and possible reduction in sales tax and other tax reductions to small businesses to stimulate growth. He gave the example of a state sales tax reduction as where currently the tax is 5 ½ cents on the dollar being reduced to five percent with the stipulation that the county would receive a guaranteed 10 percent growth in tax receipts.

Also included, said Gatz, is a proposal to “shifting taxes” so as to reduce the income tax paid.

The speaker also commented on Medicaid and ObamaCare and the anticipation of a lot more people qualifying for Medicaid, and Ohio’s position on the issue of reimbursement. Criteria on funding for Medicaid, he said, is one hundred percent for three years and then it goes to 90 percent.

As for schools, he said the budget proposal is for grant funding for innovative initiaties. He spoke on the report card system which requires students in a certain grade be able to read … stating that they need to “learn to read, and read to learn.”

Gatz was introduced by Luke Ortman, Meigs County Chamber of Commerce director.