Strickland scolds agencies on eating out

A week before he unveils his first two-year budget, Gov. Ted Strickland today released a list of spending by 76 state agencies and commissions.

"It is troubling that such a large amount was spent over the last two years, even as we face such a difficult budget environment and our state faces such great needs in education, job creation and healthcare," Strickland said in a prepared statement.

Keith Dailey, Strickland's spokesman, said the governor has ordered an immediate, temporary freeze on meals and local seminars upon discovering nearly $4 million was spent during the past 20 months, half of it by eight departments.

Read Strickland's announcement here:

An Excel file detailing agency-by-agency spending is here:

A cheatsheet translating state departments is here: