Although the Ohio Bicentennial Commission lost $22 million from its projected budget, the group still plans to help sponsor Tall Stacks and continue high-profile programs.

        “We won't be able to do everything we wanted to do, but we'll have signature events in every corner of the state and a television series on the history of Ohio and educational components,” said spokesman Fred Stratmann.

        “We will keep up the bell program and historical markers and other things.”

        The bell program, expected to bring national publicity, calls for miniature bronze Liberty Bell replicas to be cast in individual communities. Verdin, the Cincinnati bellmaking firm, will participate.

        Clearly, the bicentennial lost out to education in the $45 billion budget. Ohio lawmakers face a June 15 deadline imposed by the court to fix problems with school funding. State leaders set aside an additional $1.4 billion for education.

        The Bicentennial Commission will receive $8 million for events and programs and $3.5 million for administrative costs.

        The commission had hoped to receive $30 million for events and $8 million for administration.

        “Given the fiscal reality of the state, we think we're pretty lucky to get what we've got,” Mr. Stratmann said. “Sen. Richard Finan (Senate president) is probably our greatest champion. We have a small pie now, so we'll have smaller slices, but we hope to feed everybody.

        “We're still evaluating the specifics,” he added. “It's speculative at this point to say what will be eliminated.”

        Ohio's bicentennial starts March 1, 2003. Events will be held locally and regionally through October that year.

        Planners promise it will be one of the country's best 200th birthday bashes.

        “We want our bicentennial to not only inspire Ohioans but to reach beyond the state's borders to the rest of the country and the world,” said Stephen George, the bicentennial's executive director.

        Mr. Stratmann said the bicentennial will not decrease in popularity because of a decrease in budget.

        “It will touch every family in Ohio,” he said. “We lost some things like TV advertising, but we have a great brand name. We'll still sponsor Tall Ships on Lake Erie and Tall Stacks on the Ohio, but we won't be able to support them to the level we had planned.”

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