POLITICS

John Kasich's European trip cost $41K

Jessie Balmert, jbalmert@enquirer.com

COLUMBUS - The price of selling European CEOs on doing business in Ohio: about $41,000.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks with the Enquirer editorial board on April 24, 2017.

Gov. John Kasich and two top officials spent about $41,000 on a weeklong trip to Munich and London this February, according to records filed by JobsOhio, which paid for the trip. JobsOhio, the state's privatized agency tasked with creating jobs, gets its money from profits on the state's sale of liquor. 

While in Europe, Kasich met with CEOs to attract jobs to Ohio. He was joined by JobsOhio President John Minor; Kasich's chief of staff, Beth Hansen; and Kasich spokesman Jim Lynch. Minor's expenses were not detailed on the report because he is not considered a government employee. 

That face-to-face contact with business leaders is important to attract new industry to the state, especially at a time when technology, automation and artificial intelligence are changing which jobs are available to Ohioans, Kasich spokeswoman Emmalee Kalmbach said. 

Still, many records are shielded from public view that could show the progress of JobsOhio's discussions with prospective employers.

The governor also attended the Munich Security Conference at the invitation of Republican Sen. John McCain. Kasich, who refused to vote for President Donald Trump, wrote in McCain's name instead in the 2016 presidential election.  

The largest expense was transportation, which totaled nearly $27,500, followed by $11,600 for lodging and about $1,900 for meals, according to a report filed with the Ohio Development Services Agency last week. 

Ohio troopers also went on the trip to protect Kasich. Their salaries, lodging and more were paid for directly by Ohio taxpayers, not by JobsOhio, as is typical when Kasich travels.

Correction: Because of an error in information shared by the state, a previous version of this story incorrectly listed the people whose travel cost $41,000. That sum does not include travel expenses by John Minor, JobsOhio's president.