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COLUMBUS — Ted Strickland likes his job as governor, but he knows it's likely to get tougher in the wake of gloomy economic forecasts that could force him to make tough budget choices.

In a year-end interview, Strickland, the state's first Democratic governor in 16 years, all but ruled out one possible solution to any slump in state finances — a tax increase.

"In my judgment, if the economy falters, the last thing we should consider would be a tax increase," said Strickland. "I think the economy is fragile and a tax increase would be detrimental at a time of economic uncertainty."

The interview came shortly after he met with his Council of Economic Advisers, mostly economists from major private Ohio companies.

"The good news is that they're not forecasting a recession. But....they're forecasting very, very modest growth and what I'm doing is monitoring our budget situation," Strickland said while at the round table in his Statehouse office.

Strickland already has delayed budget plans to restore dental benefits to low-income adults and to raise Medicaid reimbursements to doctors and hospitals serving the poor.

He said he doesn't want to delay other Medicaid expansions, such as increased care for pregnant women. If necessary, he said he would consider other budget cutbacks to protect such benefits.

Strickland hailed passage of the two-year budget with just one dissenting vote as a major accomplishment of his first year. The budget included more money for health care and higher education, a tuition freeze and property tax relief for all senior citizens and property owners who are disabled.

The governor declined to predict when he would offer a proposal on the campaign pledge he is constantly asked about — reforming school funding.

"The people of Ohio, if I choose to seek re-election, will be able to judge whether or not I have kept faith in following through on my commitment," he said. "I am not walking, running or crawling away from this issue. I own it."

He said he continues to meet with stakeholders to develop a plan for both school funding reform and education reform in general.

"I've got some ideas in my head. I see no benefit in talking about them," he said. "I know human nature well enough to understand that if I were to lay out some possible scenarios or timetables or approaches that there would be so much attention focused on those matters that it would distract us (from) trying to deal with the issue."

A psychologist and United Methodist minister known for a low-key approach, Strickland became almost agitated when discussing continuing speculation that he might end up as the Democrats' candidate for vice president next year.

"...You can put this in bold type. I have no interest in being vice president," he said.

He's tired of being asked about it. "People ask me a question, and I give them a direct, candid answer and they say that I don't mean it," he said. "Well, if they're not going to accept my answer, then please stop asking me the question."

Ohio's importance in the presidential race prompts the speculation, he said.

"Howdy Dowdy could be the governor of Ohio and they would probably be talking about Howdy Dowdy being the vice presidential candidate," he said. "So I don't let this go to my head and say 'wow, you know, people want me to be vice president.'"

Not everything has gone Strickland's way. He struck an unhappy chord when discussing a recent clash with Barbara Sykes, Chairwoman of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Sykes, a Strickland appointee, refused to honor his request to delay final approval for a requirement that employers with four or more workers provide 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave if medically necessary. Strickland wanted to give businesses more time to voice concerns about the proposal.

"I don't know if it shows weakness," he said of his inability to persuade Sykes. "You know, I'm not a king but I believe in loyalty. I think it's important....I will obviously remember this incident."

Strickland, who takes Lipitor to keep his cholesterol in check, said he's in good shap and keeps active just being on a job that will take him to 77 or 78 of Ohio's 88 counties by the end of the year. He doesn't join his wife Frances, however, for her walk every morning.

"She usually gets up about 6:30 and when she comes back from her walk she wakes me up," he said.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDaily

News.com.

Gov. Ted Strickland's first year

Highlights

Passage of two-year state budget with just one dissenting vote

Health care expansion to serve more children, pregnant women and the disabled

Property tax cuts for all senior citizens and disabled property owners

Increased funding for higher education and a tuition freeze

Lowlights

Theft of backup state computer tape with sensitive personal information from more than one million individuals, companies and entities such as local governments.

Conviction of state employee Frankie Coleman, wife of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, on charges she falsified time sheets and received salary and benefits for hours she never worked at a state development job.

Failure to get subprime lenders to voluntarily enter compacts with the state to help Ohioans facing mortgage foreclosures.

Unfinished Business

Energy reform legislation — has passed Senate, now in House

School funding and education reform

Health care reform

Gov. Ted Strickland

Party: Democrat

Age: 66

Previous jobs: U.S. Representative, United Methodist minister, psychologist

Hometown: Duck Run, Ohio

Family: Wife, Frances