Johnson opposed efforts to locate state offices outside of Columbus, defeating a bill in committee in 1998. Johnson declared of the defeat "the people of the state are the winners, not Toledo, not Marietta, not Columbus." In 1999, he obtained Senate passage of a resolution commending "Neighbors Day". As part of the debate, he sang the theme song to "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" on the Senate floor. That year he also sponsored legislation to declare the northern largemouth bass the official state fish. "The Columbus Dispatch" after his resignation referred to his "blunt, opinionated style."