New Ohio Gov. John Kasich may have reversed his decision to exclude the media – and by extension the public – from Monday’s official swearing in ceremony but the governor-elect seems to be creating an environment that encourages closed government.

Kasich originally said the media and the public would be excluded from the official swearing in that was set to be at his private residence and also placed significant restrictions on the press attending the ceremonial event later in Columbus.

This would have been the first time in more than two decades that the public has been closed out like this.

After a media storm of criticism from within and outside his party Kasich changed his mind and now will allow the ceremony to be public.

While this may sound like a minor issue we fear it could be indicative of much larger problems. Kasich has already shown a fondness for restricting press access and a disdain for promoting transparency.

Kasich has supported shielding salary and bonus information for those he appoints to a proposed semiprivate economic development board that will dole out state grants. He has also supported blocking release of applicants’ names to a website set up by his transition committee to recruit state workers, according to the Associated Press.

The governor-elect has to realize he isn’t on Wall Street anymore. The government is funded by and accountable to the citizens of Ohio.

That starts with access by the public and the press.