Governor to speak at GOP dinner in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Gov. John Kasich will keynote the Hamilton County Republican Party's Lincoln-Reagan Day dinner in Cincinnati

The first-term Republican governor who will face a re-election battle in 2014 speaks Monday evening downtown. Tickets started at $75 per person for the annual event.

It comes days after two top Ohio Republicans opposed Kasich on a major policy issue in the state budget.

Kasich's $63.2 billion, two-year spending plan would raise the tax that oil and gas companies pay on resources drawn from the earth. State Treasurer Josh Mandel says that could discourage Ohio oil and gas investment at a critical time. Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder predicted the tax hike won't pass.

Mandel also opposed Kasich's plan to expand Medicaid under the federal health care law.