"Columbus grows while rest of Ohio shrinks" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Columbus grows while rest of Ohio shrinks
Sherri Williams
The Columbus Dispatch
July 10, 2008

...According to U.S. Census estimates to be released today, Cleveland lost 5,067 people from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007, more than any other city in the country.

That's almost the entire population of Groveport.

About 21/2 hours down I-71, the number is on the plus side, again: 4,779. Columbus had another year of steady growth.

It's the only major city in the state that gained population, except for Cincinnati. Officials there held a news conference yesterday to announce a gain of 826 people in the past year...

"New business declines in Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: New business declines in Ohio
Steve Wartenberg
The Columbus Dispatch
July 5, 2008

...Ohio ranked 47th in the U.S. in entrepreneurial activity in 2007, according to a recent study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The nonprofit organization based in Kansas City supports entrepreneurs.

Local business experts said the rating is a reflection of the state's poor economy but that central Ohio is doing better than the rest of the state.

"No question, we're the shining light in the state, although that isn't saying much," said Bill LaFayette, vice president of economic analysis at the Columbus Chamber...

"DHL to take back 23 aircraft from ABX Air" Business First of Columbus

Link: DHL to take back 23 aircraft from ABX Air
Business First of Columbus
June 27, 2008

ABX Air Inc. will lose 23 DC-9 aircraft as its primary customer, DHL Network Operations, reduces its business with the cargo airline.

According to a Thursday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, DHL notified ABX on June 20 that it would reduce the services ABX is providing by 23 aircraft by the end of 2008. That will affect 16 of ABX's scheduled air routes, the airline said.

Deutsche Post World Net announced in May that its DHL subsidiary planned to partner with UPS to handle its North American air shipments. ABX currently provides that service, along with Astar Air Cargo, which DHL partially owns.

Both operate from Wilmington's DHL Air Park, a privately owned airfield. The move will likely cost 6,100 jobs at the Wilmington operation...

"Group Tries To Save GM Jobs" WBNS-10TV

Link: Group Tries To Save GM Jobs
WBNS 10TV
June 26, 2008

While it may seem like a done deal, local leaders in the Dayton area hope to save some General Motors jobs at the Moraine plant.

GM Moraine Task force co-chair Judy Dodge is just one of dozens of people working to find a solution for devastating job loss in the Dayton area.

"Find out what we can do if we can't keep GM here what we can do with that plant," said Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge. "26-hundred jobs we can't possibly hope to lose in this region."

Wednesday was the first time this forty member task force has met, ONN's Lot Tan reported.

Dodge says they have specific goals.

"Retain GM here or redevelop the area," said Dodge. "If GM can retrofit that factory and put smaller cars especially with high gas mileage."

Around three weeks ago GM officials announced its plans to shut down the plant in Moraine forcing around 2,500 workers out of a job...

"Legislation would kill income tax in Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Legislation would kill income tax in Ohio
Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch
June 24, 2008

...While some see little logic in trying to wipe out state government's largest source of revenue — about 43 percent of it — Adams' effort isn't just some wild adventure by a freshman lawmaker and a band of conservative ideologues.

The bill's 18 Republican co-sponsors include Rep. Matthew J. Dolan of Novelty, the front-runner for speaker next year if the GOP keeps control of the House; Rep. William G. Batchelder of Medina, the Statehouse's most experienced lawmaker and Dolan's leadership rival; and Rep. Jay Hottinger of Newark, chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee.

The theme among supporters: Ohio's income tax puts it at a competitive disadvantage to some adjacent states and is a disincentive for small businesses to grow...

"Cincinnati ads tout downtown" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Cincinnati ads tout downtown
Keith T. Reed
The Columbus Dispatch
June 22, 2008

Downtown Cincinnati Inc. detailed its plan on Friday to spend $1 million over the next two years on a marketing campaign to get more people to live, dine and shop in the city's urban core.

The group plans newspaper, online, magazine and direct-mail advertisements aimed primarily at people who live within 20 minutes of downtown; "intowners," college-educated young professionals; and "uptowners," who are age 45 or older and are empty-nesters or have older children downtown.

Forty percent of people in those groups work downtown and 67 percent visit downtown for entertainment at least weekly, DCI said...

"Fed: Ohio economy hanging on" Business First of Columbus

Link: Fed: Ohio economy hanging on
Business First of Columbus
June 11, 2008

The Federal Reserve's Cleveland district bank Wednesday reported signs of economic stability in Ohio and some bordering states during April and May, even as other U.S. regions indicated their economies were softening.

In its biege book report, the Cleveland district, which encompasses Ohio, eastern Kentucky and western Pennsylvania, said it was one of five regions that characterized business in several sectors as steady or generally unchanged from recent months. The Cleveland district for several months has been reporting modest or sluggish economic growth.

Across the nation, three Fed district banks said economic activity in their areas was weakening while four district banks reported growth over the past six weeks had been modest but slow...

"9,000 Jobs Could Be Lost In DHL Pullout" WBNS-10TV

Link: 9,000 Jobs Could Be Lost In DHL Pullout
WBNS-10TV
June 5, 2008

...Last week, when DHL announced its intention to hire United Parcel Service as its air-cargo carrier in the United States, ABX Air, which operates DHL's air-freight hub in Wilmington, said the move could result in the loss of about 6,000 jobs, ONN's Dan Weist reported.

That job-loss figure apparently didn't reflect projected cuts in related shipping operations in Clinton County, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher said Wednesday after a private Statehouse meeting with other state officials and key DHL executives.

"I think they're talking about eight to nine thousand jobs," Fisher said as he emerged from the hour-long discussion...

"GM closing Dayton-area assembly plant" Business First of Columbus

Link: GM closing Dayton-area assembly plant
Business First of Columbus
June 3, 2008

General Motors Corp. will close its Moraine assembly plant by 2010 or sooner, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced early Tuesday.

The move likely will cost at least 2,400 Dayton-area jobs and affect other companies in Ohio, home to about 130 suppliers to the Moraine plant.

Speaking at the company's annual shareholder's meeting in Delaware, Wagoner cited a consumer shift away from trucks and sport-utility vehicles because of high gas prices. GM (NYSE: GM) is closing three other plants in North America as a result and shifting much of its production toward cars and hybrid vehicles...

"Ohio launches task force as ABX job cuts loom" Business First of Columbus

Link: Ohio launches task force as ABX job cuts loom
Business First of Columbus
June 3, 2008

As Ohio risks losing thousands of jobs if express delivery provider DHL clinches a new shipping agreement with UPS, the state is forming a task force to keep the jobs - or cope with their loss should that happen.

The Ohio Department of Development on Tuesday said a regional task force has been formed less than a week after Germany's Deutsche Post World Net disclosed that its DHL Express U.S. subsidiary is trying to work out a deal with UPS to provide the courier's air shipment services in North America.

DHL's main North American sorting center is operated in Wilmington under a contract with cargo carrier ABX Air, which generates most of its revenue from work for DHL. Without a DHL-ABX accord, the state could see the direct loss of 8,200 jobs...

"Graduates Leaving Ohio" nbc4i.com

Link: Graduates Leaving Ohio
Associated Press
nbc4i.com
June 2, 2008

Ohio educators say more of this year's class of high-achieving high-school seniors are heading to colleges and universities out of state.

Jefferson Blackburn-Smith of Ohio State's undergraduate admissions office says all the state's public colleges are worried about the trend...

"Governor Reacts To Lost Jobs" WBNS-10TV

Link: Governor Reacts To Lost Jobs
Dan Weist
WBNS-10TV
June 4, 2008

The announcement that nearly 11-thousand jobs could disappear at two large Ohio employers, GM and ABX, has sent shockwaves through western Ohio and beyond.

Governor Strickland has felt that ripple and is discussing legal action, and he plans to meet with air park officials Wednesday.

"We here looking at every available option to us," Strickland told ONN's Dan Weist...

"Governor Says He'll Do Whatever Possible To Save 6,000 Jobs" nbc4i.com

Link: Governor Says He'll Do Whatever Possible To Save 6,000 Jobs
Associated Press
nbc4i.com
May 30, 2008

A spokesman for Governor Strickland says the governor is very concerned about reports that 6,000 jobs would be lost in Wilmington under a DHL plan.

Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey says the governor talked with a DHL representative and told the company that he will do everything possible to save the jobs...

"ABX Air may lose 6,000 Ohio jobs" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: ABX Air may lose 6,000 Ohio jobs
John Nolan
The Columbus Dispatch
May 30, 2008

DHL's plan to hire United Parcel Service as its air-cargo carrier in the United States would cause the loss of about 6,000 of ABX Air's 7,000 jobs at Wilmington as the operator of DHL's air freight hub there, ABX Air President John Graber said yesterday.

"It's a huge impact in Wilmington and the surrounding area," Graber said.

He and other ABX Air officials have been meeting with employees to share the bad news since DHL's announcement Wednesday. ABX Air will do all it can to try and find other outside work to lessen the impact but cannot save all those jobs, Graber said...

"Senate OKs stimulus package, capital bills" Business First of Columbus

Link: Senate OKs stimulus package, capital bills
Business First of Columbus
May 29, 2008

...The chamber late Wednesday passed House Bill 554 and House Joint Resolution 5. The package would place a $400 million bond issue before voters in November to renew state's $400 million Clean Ohio initiative, a key element of the jobs plan Strickland unveiled in February.

The $1.2 billion balance of the plan is funded from existing state revenue sources and will head to public works projects, a higher-education work-force program, advanced and renewable energy technologies, and historic preservation tax credits...

"A state of need" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: A state of need
Cartherine Candisky
The Columbus Dispatch
May 29, 2008

Amid the glut of negative economic statistics these days, this is perhaps the most stunning: More than 13 percent of Ohioans are now living in poverty, unable to afford adequate food, housing, clothes and other necessities.

That's the largest portion of the state's population considered poor under federal guidelines since 1964, when President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a "War on Poverty," thrusting the issue into the national spotlight.

Yesterday, Gov. Ted Strickland decided it was time to do something about it; he announced the creation of a state task force to combat poverty, hoping to renew attention to the plight of Ohio's poor...

"Municipal reform amendment shot down in Senate" Business First of Columbus

Link: Municipal reform amendment shot down in Senate
Matt Burns
Business First of Columbus
May 28, 2008

...The move marks another roadblock for the proposed commission, which would be asked to identify how local governments can operate more effectively and efficiently. The proposal calls for the Senate president, House speaker and governor to each make three appointments to the nine-member commission. It would be required to submit its findings to the legislature and governor by July 1, 2010...

"House OKs construction budget" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: House OKs construction budget
Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch
May 23, 2008

A tax deal to help boost the state's aviation industry, and specifically encourage NetJets Aviation to expand its Columbus operations, was added yesterday to the new $1.3 billion state construction budget before it passed the Ohio House.

The House approved a sales-tax exemption for flight simulator parts and aircraft maintenance materials. The move comes about two months after NetJets and its sister company, FlightSafety International, announced plans to expand operations at Port Columbus.

NetJets expects to create a major aviation hub, adding 800 jobs to the 2,000 currently employed there. FlightSafety plans to go from seven flight simulators to more than 20, adding 100 jobs and making central Ohio the world's largest flight- training operation...

"House OKs $15B to buy and fix up foreclosed properties" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: House OKs $15B to buy and fix up foreclosed properties
Julie Hirschfeld Davis
Associated Press
The Columbus Dispatch
May 8, 2008

The House has approved sending states $15 billion to buy and fix up foreclosed properties. The vote Thursday was 239-188 to approve the bill, which most Republicans opposed. It would provide loans and grants to areas hit hardest by the housing crisis.

Supporters say the legislation will prevent neighborhoods around foreclosed homes from sliding into blight.

The measure is separate from a broader housing package to provide $300 billion in refinanced mortgages for struggling homeowners. The House was expected to vote on that bill later Thursday...

"Influx of minorities keeps population from plunging" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Influx of minorities keeps population from plunging
Robert L. Smith
The Plain Dealer
The Columbus Dispatch
May 1, 2008

Thousands of people have said goodbye to Ohio in recent years but, fortunately for the state, reinforcements are arriving from afar and in surprising numbers.

A Plain Dealer analysis of new census data found that minority communities surged in size in Ohio this decade, helping to offset population losses and secure Ohio's position as America's seventh-largest state.

Most notably, the state's Asian community mushroomed by 32 percent between 2000 and 2007, exceeding the national growth rate, to reach 180,588 people. The Latino community grew by 30 percent during the same span, to 283,755, while the black community grew by about 4 percent, to 1.4 million...

"Ohio to get about $6 million in brownfield grants" WSYX ABC 6

Link: Ohio to get about $6 million in brownfield grants
WSYX ABC 6
April 8, 2008

Ohio, 12 cities and one county will share about $6 million that they can spend on expanding or reusing sites that have been contaminated by pollution or hazardous substances.

The award is part of nearly $19 million that the U.S. Environment Protection Agency is giving to the Great Lakes states...

"Jump start for Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Jump start for Ohio
By Mark Niquette and Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch
April 3, 2008

Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Republican legislative leaders shook hands yesterday on an agreement to spend $1.57 billion during the next five years to create thousands of jobs in Ohio...

...The new agreement calls for investing in many of the same things the governor had proposed, including local road, bridge and water projects; reuse of industrial land; and alternative-energy production, such as wind and solar power.

But the amounts are less than Strickland proposed in some cases, and the new plan adds funding for a tax credit to refurbish historic buildings and a program including internships to keep more college graduates in Ohio...

"Legislators get local wish list for capital projects" Business First of Columbus

Link: Legislators get local wish list for capital projects
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
March 31, 2008

...Topping the wish list is $5 million for improvements in a new development district at Port Columbus International Airport... The idea is to build on NetJets Inc.'s $200 million plan to expand its operations at Port Columbus...

...The other two big projects on the capital bill wish list are $3.5 million each for development of the Scioto Mile park project along the downtown riverfront and the Route 315 research and technology corridor near Ohio State University...

...Other area projects on the capital bill list are:

• $3 million to demolish the bridge over High Street that connects the Columbus City Center mall with the former Lazarus department store building.
• $3 million in support for design and construction of a research facility at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
• $2 million toward an expansion and building improvements at the Columbus Museum of Art.
• $1 million for building upgrades at COSI Columbus.
• $1 million for a conceptual plan for redevelopment of city-owned land between Main and Rich streets on the west side of the Scioto River.
• $750,000 for Franklin Park Conservatory's building program.
• $750,000 for building improvements at the Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Complex on Columbus' near east side.
• $250,000 for Columbus College of Art & Design's efforts to convert the former Byers auto showroom on East Broad Street into a fashion and industrial design center...

"Developer expands plans for Flats district in Cleveland" WSYX ABC 6

Link: Developer expands plans for Flats district in Cleveland
WSYX ABC 6
March 29, 2008

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland's planned residential, retail and entertainment development along the riverfront has more than doubled its price tag.

Officials say the price for the Flats district project will now cost 522 million dollars. About 147 million dollars of the cost is coming from public funds...

"Columbus' population up, a rarity in Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Columbus' population up, a rarity in Ohio
Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch
March 27, 2008

The Columbus and Cincinnati metro areas are gaining people, but the rest of the state's urban areas continue to shed population as Ohio's economic struggles persist.

Only 60 of the nation's 363 metropolitan areas lost population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, according to U.S. Census estimates released today.

But of those, 11 were in Ohio: Akron, Canton-Massillon, Cleveland-Elyria- Lorain, Dayton, Lima, Mansfield, Sandusky, Springfield, Steubenville-Weirton, W.Va., Toledo and Youngstown-Warren...

"A step toward streetcar money" The Enquirer

It's interesting to watch how a proposed streetcar system is also being evaluated down in Cincinnati in parallel to our own here in Columbus. Almost seems like a little sibling rivalry:

Link: A step toward streetcar money
Margaret A. McGurk
The Enquirer
March 11, 2008

Pro-streetcar City Council members won a victory Monday by approving preliminary steps to get federal money for service to Uptown.

Opponents at the same time raised the prospect of a referendum that could kill the city's streetcar plan.

While the votes cast Monday in the Finance Committee addressed small matters, they made it clear that battle lines are drawn. The committee's votes are significant, because it includes eight of the nine City Council members...

"Vote on streetcars delayed" The Enquirer

Link: Vote on streetcars delayed
Margaret A. Gurk
The Enquirer
March 24, 2008

City Council Finance Committee’s, which includes eight of nine council members, will wait another two weeks before voting on a proposal to build a system of streetcars in Cincinnati.

Council member Chris Bortz last week said he would submit a motion meant to give city officials the go-ahead to seek contributors for the $182 million project. But at today’s meeting, he did not bring up that motion, instead asking that council members take more time to work out their differences.

Most council members have declared themselves in favor of a streetcar system, but have split over when to build it...

"State clears Berkshire Hathaway municipal bond insurer" Business First of Columbus

Link: State clears Berkshire Hathaway municipal bond insurer
Matt Burns
Business First of Columbus
March 14, 2008

Regulators have cleared billionaire Warren Buffett's new municipal bond backer to operate in Ohio, the state Department of Insurance said Friday.

The department said it has granted a license to Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Corp. (NYSE: BRK-B), a subsidiary of Buffett's Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. which was formed in Dec. 2007.

The company will guarantee municipal bonds local and state governments use to finance a variety of public works projects. The company's presence in Ohio taps into a larger need sparked by the mortgage crisis and credit crunch, said Mary Jo Hudson, director of the Insurance Department. Few companies write insurance that covers public debt and some others recently have hit financial straits, she said...

"Ohio government earns B-minus on how well it runs" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ohio government earns B-minus on how well it runs
Jonathon Riskind
The Columbus Dispatch
March 8, 2008

...The Grading the States 2008 report unveiled this week is the "only 50-state assessment of its kind that evaluates and grades each state based on a range of areas, from budget and finance to roads and bridges," says a news release by Pew. "The report demonstrates the importance of state governments that work better and cost less, particularly in the wake of widespread budget deficits and a weakening national economy."

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland gets some credit for his "Turnaround Ohio" initiative, which Governing describes as showing that Strickland is willing to get "personally involved in improving the way information is used to manage" his state with a plan that "includes flexible performance agreements with his agency heads." The report's Ohio summary says the plan will "drive the state toward specific, measurable goals."...

"Ohio's first Ikea store on track for March 12 open" Business First of Columbus

Link: Ohio's first Ikea store on track for March 12 open
Business First of Columbus
March 7, 2008

...Ikea, the Swedish furniture chain made famous by its low-priced but modern home furnishings, offered a sneak peak of its sprawling, 344,000-square-foot store less than a week ahead of its March 12 grand opening at 9 a.m. The date couldn't come soon enough for some. The two-story location, at in the Cincinnati suburb of West Chester is the first in Ohio and has long been anticipated by fans who previously drove to Chicago or Pittsburgh to shop its wide aisles. It's expected to attract consumers around the state and from as far as Indianapolis and Louisville...

"Steel mill no longer considering Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Steel mill no longer considering Ohio
Paul Wilson and Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch
February 22, 2008

Ohio apparently has lost out on a $1 billion steel plant because of a lack of movement on Gov. Ted Strickland's electricity-regulation bill, which could affect power prices for years to come.

House Republican leaders denied that yesterday, saying that their deliberations over the past few months did not hurt Ohio's chances for the 500-employee mill. At the same time, they rolled out a plan to push electricity suppliers to use more next-generation technology.

A group of steel-industry investors, mostly from Europe, had been considering Ohio among several states for the plant. But without knowing how much electricity would cost to run the mill, the group moved on, a consultant working with the group said yesterday...

"State workers back to 8-to-5" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: State workers back to 8-to-5
Catherine Candisky and Alan Johnson
The Columbus Dispatch
February 22, 2008

...Under the new personnel policy, most state employees will work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with an hour for lunch, unless there is a job-related reason for a different schedule. The new rules take effect March 3 in at least one agency, and all state departments must comply by May 2.

The change reverses a Downtown traffic-congestion relief plan worked out by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission with city, county and state government agencies in 1990. The agreement resulted in many government employees starting their workdays earlier or later, while others have condensed schedules, such as 10-hour, four-day workweeks.

The administration's directive is an effort to improve customer service by making sure that agencies are fully staffed during business hours. It's not uncommon for some state offices to be lightly staffed on Friday afternoons...

"Ohio Launches Collaborative Effort for Business Development" Ohio Business Development Coalition

Link: Ohio Launches Collaborative Effort for Business Development
Ohio Business Development Coalition
February 21, 2008

A new executive order signed by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland creates a more efficient and effective business regulation process for the state of Ohio. The “common sense” approach to a state regulatory process will help retain jobs and make Ohio a more attractive place to do business, according to the Ohio Business Development Coalition (OBDC), the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment.

The executive order requires agencies to review existing rules and processes, to consolidate regulations and to amend or remove rules that unnecessarily impede economic growth. Additionally, the executive order directs certain cabinet agencies to designate an existing staff member as an agency ombudsman who will act as a liaison between the agency and the businesses and organizations involved...

"Governor says steel mill loss sign state needs energy bill" WSYX ABC 6

Link: Governor says steel mill loss sign state needs energy bill
WSYX ABC 6
February 21, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Governor Strickland says the apparent loss of a proposed steel mill is a sign the state must pass an energy bill.

Strickland says the bill he proposed last year and the Senate has already passed has languished too long in the House.

He says the delay is costing Ohio jobs...

"Indian automaker, Ohio in talks" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Indian automaker, Ohio in talks
Paul Wilson
The Columbus Dispatch
February 20, 2008

Ohio is in talks with an automaker from India that wants to build tens of thousands of light trucks annually in the state starting next year.

Officials with the Ohio Department of Development said yesterday that they are having discussions with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., but they would not provide any other information, including whether plans include building a plant.

Mahindra is working with Global Vehicles USA, of Alpharetta, Ga., to distribute vehicles in the U.S....

"SuperValu shifting Xenia jobs out of state" Business First of Columbus:

Here's a little bit of residual fallout after the closing of the Sun Flower Market stores, including the one in the University District, this month:

Link: SuperValu shifting Xenia jobs out of state
Business First of Columbus
February 18, 2008

As SuperValu Inc. shuts its Sunflower Markets in Central Ohio this week, the company has confirmed it is also moving other jobs out of state from an Ohio distribution center.

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based SuperValu said an indeterminate number of jobs at its 200-employee distribution complex in Xenia will be consolidated at other shipping centers in Minnesota and Virginia this summer...

"Strickland calls for biz regulation overhaul" Business First of Columbus

Link: Strickland calls for biz regulation overhaul
Business First of Columbus
February 12, 2008

Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at easing businesses' regulatory hurdles - and making the state a better place to do business.

The order, which will remain in effect during Strickland's term as governor, outlines principles and standards that state agencies will be using to develop rules and regulations for businesses. The move comes a year after Strickland established a reform initiative along the same lines called Advantage Ohio...

"Clean Ohio Fund would get boost as part of Strickland's jobs plan" Business First of Columbus

If Governor Strickland's plan makes it though, it will mean good things for downtown revitalization's across the state. Between the continued funding of the successful Clean Ohio fund and the proposed funds for downtown revitalization efforts, I for one am encouraged by an apparent concern for the infrastrucutre and cities we already have as opposed to a focus on the easy path of short-term growth that is supplied by a suburban-centric approach:

Link: Clean Ohio Fund would get boost as part of Strickland's jobs plan
[account required]
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
February 8, 2008

...Since its inception, Clean Ohio has included four rounds of funding at $100 million a round, DeMora said. Some $50 million a round has gone to brownfields revitalization, with the rest divided among so-called green projects such as farmland preservation, recreational trails and greenspace projects that protect natural habitats and improve water quality...

...Strickland said his stimulus package would create more than 80,000 jobs and lay a foundation for prosperity in Ohio. Besides the Clean Ohio Fund, the package would include:

• $400 million to help communities with road, bridge, water and sewer projects.
• $250 million for development of Ohio's advanced and renewable energy economy, including wind, solar and clean-coal projects.
• $200 million to the biomedical industry.
• $200 million for redevelopment of downtowns in cities and villages.
• $150 million for the state's roads, rails and ports to support the logistics industry.

..."Without the Clean Ohio Fund," Katz said, "no developer could have taken that site and turned it into something like we're trying to do. It would have just stood there empty, dragging down the neighborhood." ...

"Bond plan may help salvage 'brownfields'" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Bond plan may help salvage 'brownfields'
Spencer Hunt
The Columbus Dispatch
February 8, 2008

A popular state program that pays for conservation and industrial-site cleanup projects could get a second life from Gov. Ted Strickland.

The governor's bond proposal, announced during his State of the State speech Wednesday, would spend $400 million on the Clean Ohio Fund, which is nearly depleted.

Voters first approved $400 million for it in 2000...

...Almost $18 million has gone to nine brownfield cleanups in Columbus...

Here are the sites around the downtown area that have received funding from this program to date:

View Larger Map

"Strickland calls for $1.7B jobs package, free year of college for some seniors" Business First of Columbus

Link: Strickland calls for $1.7B jobs package, free year of college for some seniors
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
February 6, 2008

Ohio Gov. Ted Srickland unveiled a $1.7 billion economic stimulus package Wednesday that he said will create more than 80,000 new jobs and lay a foundation for prosperity in the state.

The governor outlined his "Building Ohio Jobs" plan during his State of the State address at the Statehouse. The program would be funded by a state bond issue that would go to Ohio voters in November. It would invest in the development of advanced and renewable energy, infrastructure such as roads, rails and ports, the biomedical industry, alternatives to petroleum, downtown revitalization in cities and villages, brownfield reclamation and farmland and open spaces preservation...

"State's job cuts may mean only 500 layoffs, union says" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: State's job cuts may mean only 500 layoffs, union says
Alan Johnson and Catherine Candisky
The Columbus Dispatch
February 2, 2008

The projected loss of 2,700 state government jobs could result in fewer than 500 layoffs, said the head of Ohio's largest union of state workers.

Early retirements and attrition are expected to make more layoffs unnecessary...

..."I can safely say that as of noon today, we probably had that (layoff) figure down to not more than 500," Douglas said yesterday. "I think we're going to do even better."...

Brown: Feds Turning Back On Ohio's Decaying Water Infrastructure-Local Taxpayers Left Footing The Bill

To Assist Communities Across Ohio, Brown Announces Plan To Boost Federal Fudning For Water And Sewage Infrastructure

January 31, 2008

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today assailed the federal government’s neglect of Ohio’s aging infrastructure, which leaves local taxpayers to foot the bill. Counties throughout the state are suffering from failing water and sewer systems that are unable to accommodate new residential and economic development projects. Brown noted that federal funding for drinking water and sewer system improvements is at an all-time low, and he unveiled efforts to increase federal support to help modernize Ohio’s deteriorating water and sewer systems.

“The federal government has left Ohio communities with crumbling water systems that stifle economic growth and can be hazardous to public health,” Brown said. “It’s time for the government to step up, devote more resources, and work with state and local governments to maintain effective water treatment systems. Local residents shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for federal shortsightedness.”

Communities across Ohio are contending with dilapidated sewer systems that will require a significant investment to upgrade. Cities, towns, and suburbs in the state rely on sewer infrastructures that, in many cases, were built more than half-a-century ago and have seen only modest upgrades since. The more than10 million Ohioans who are served by public water too often deal with potentially hazardous contaminants in their drinking water and leaky and overflowing pipes that spew raw sewage into homes and local bodies of water. Seventy-seven percent of Ohio’s wastewater treatment and collection plants serve rural communities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that over the next 20 years there needs to be an investment of more than $22 billion in Ohio to address drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs.

A report this month by the EPA showed that 104 facilities in Ohio have serious sewage overflow problems. This amounts to a needed investment of $6.3 billion, an increase of more than half since the 2000 survey. The report calculated the immediate national need for wastewater improvements at more than $200 billion, with Ohio needing more than $10 billion invested in publicly-owned wastewater treatment.

Deteriorating infrastructure also threatens economic growth. Communities face the threat of government agencies placing moratoriums on future development until they upgrade their sewer system. Brown today warned that water and sewer structure problems will grow with time, raising the cost to remedy the structures and increasing the toll on economic development.

The environmental and public health hazards posed by aging sewer systems are also serious. Groundwater degradation has resulted as contaminants leak into the soil and waterways from failing treatment plants, pipes, and septic tanks. Pathogens and viruses are released into waterways, which hurts local wildlife and fisheries and threatens drinking water.

A 2002 EPA report on water infrastructure funding found that over a 20-year period, there is a nearly $9 billion per year spending gap on wastewater infrastructure needs. When comparing the most recent appropriation to 1987, the first year of the EPA’s Clean Water revolving loan fund, Ohio’s funding decreased by 84 percent. With communities struggling to deal with aging and deteriorating infrastructure, the need for federal funding is greater than ever.

In light of the drastic decline in federal funding for municipal water and sewage projects, Brown today announced his plan for addressing Ohio’s crippled water infrastructure:

• Brown is fighting for federal dollars for infrastructure improvements in the economic stimulus package. In a letter Brown led to U.S. Senate leadership, Brown and several colleagues wrote, “Widespread investment in much-needed infrastructure projects, such as the modernization of our wastewater systems, is critical. Many areas across the country still lack access to clean drinking water and proper wastewater treatment programs. An emphasis on these projects, especially in overlooked and underserved areas, is crucial for economic revitalization. The federal contribution to clean water programs has declined dramatically over the past several years. We must reverse this trend.”
• Brown called upon President Bush’s top budget official, Office of Management and Budget Director Jim Nussle, to increase funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund Program—the primary federal contribution to water quality projects— in the 2009 budget. The president’s budget is expected to be presented next week. As the Senate works on the 2009 budget, Brown pledged to push for an increase in funding for sewage projects.
• As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Brown is calling on the president to sign a farm bill that provides additional resources for rural water and wastewater infrastructure. The Senate farm bill would provide $135 million to reduce the backlog of applications for rural water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grants. Additionally, the farm bill would provide grants for financially distressed communities with a population of 2,500 or less for grants to conduct feasibility studies and technical assistance for water and wastewater facilities. It would also provide $20 million to fund a rural water and wastewater rider program that would provide technical assistance to help bring small public water systems into compliance with state and national environmental regulations.
• As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Brown announced he will cosponsor the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007 (S.1926), a bipartisan bill that would establish a new method through which the federal government can finance infrastructure projects more effectively with public and private capital. This legislation would establish the National Infrastructure Bank, which as an independent government entity, would evaluate and finance infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, mass transit, drinking water systems, and wastewater systems. Initially, the bank would be able to issue bonds up to $60 billion. Such investment in infrastructure would promote the public health and safety, set the stage for economic development, and lead to job creation in local communities.
• Brown also announced today that he will cosponsor the Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 (S. 836) which would increase investments in the nation’s wastewater systems. This legislation provides grants to those areas that need help the most to reduce raw sewage overflows. Brown announced support for the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 (H.R.720), which would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize appropriations for state water pollution control revolving funds. This is a $14 billion low interest loan program for wastewater infrastructure improvements. Both bills had passed the House and are currently pending in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

As part of Brown’s effort to improve local communities’ access to federal dollars, Brown recently hosted Federal Assistance Seminars in Piketon, St. Clairsville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Youngstown, and Toledo. These seminars are being offered on an ongoing basis to organizations, public officials, and other interested parties to strengthen local economies. For assistance applying for federal funding for infrastructure and other projects throughout Ohio, communities and organizations are encouraged to contact Brown’s office at www.brown.senate.gov or at 1-888-896-OHIO (6446).

"Ohio among 5 worst states for big layoffs" Business First of Columbus

Link: Ohio among 5 worst states for big layoffs
Business First of Columbus
January 24, 2008

The number of Ohio workers left without jobs by large-scale business cutbacks put the state among the five highest in the nation last year, the government's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday.

A bureau report for December showed dismissals of 50 or more workers increased 8 percent in December to 149 instances in Ohio from 137 in December 2006, but the number of workers filing for unemployment insurance benefits fell 5 percent to 14,909 in December. Despite the drop in filings in the final month of 2007, Ohio's unemployment insurance claims ranked fourth highest in the nation for the year at 83,429 - up 4 percent from 80,291 in 2006 but 26 percent below the 113,165 filings made in 2005...

"State budget might suffer massive cuts" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: State budget might suffer massive cuts
Mark Niquette
The Columbus Dispatch
January 23, 2008

The state could be facing massive budget cuts in the coming year and a half if gloomy new revenue forecasts based on a struggling state economy hold true.

State officials are projecting a budget shortfall by the end of June 2009 of between $733 million and nearly $1.9 billion, depending on how the economy performs...

...The $733 million estimate assumes a “low growth” economy, with a projected shortfall of $1.3 billion if there is zero growth and $1.9 billion if there is a recession, the administration said...

"State jobless rate jumps to 6 percent" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: State jobless rate jumps to 6 percent
The Columbus Dispatch
January 18, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's unemployment rate was 6.0 percent in December, up from 5.6 percent in November, the state said Friday.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in December was 361,000, up from 334,000 in November. The number of unemployed has increased by 27,000 in the past 12 months from 334,000. The December unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.6 percent in December 2006...

"Ikea Wants 344,000-SF Ohio Store by March 12" GlobeSt.com

Link: Ikea Wants 344,000-SF Ohio Store by March 12
Robb Carr
GlobeSt.com
January 14, 2008

WEST CHESTER, OH-Ikea plans to open its first Ohio store, a 344,000-sf facility, here by March 12. The new store will go up on 28 acres of a 56-acre parcel along I-75 at the southeastern corner of Allen and Muhlhauser roads, south of the Union Centre Boulevard exit.

The company already operates 33 of its massive furniture stores in the US, including four others in the Midwest, including two in the Chicago area, a store in Canton, MI and a store in Bloomington, MN. The store in this suburb of Cincinnati is now under construction, and should be complete by March, said store officials in a statement. The company plans to hire 400 employees for the new store.

A company spokesman tells GlobeSt.com that the Sweden-based firm has been trying to get into the Ohio market for some time. “We have been analyzing where to go, either Cleveland, Columbus or Cincinnati,” he says. “This is a very fast-growing area, and is accessible to all parts of the market. From West Chester, it’s a two-hour radius from Indianapolis; Louisville, KY; Dayton, OH; Columbus and Lexington, KY. We don’t open many stores a year, and we hoped to complete a large area presence.”...

Mayor Coleman working with State Senators Stivers and Miller to advance Law Allowing “Clean Columbus Fund”

Bill would allow cities to rehabilitate contaminated industrial sites

press release
(Columbus)  Following up on a plan announced in his State of the City Address, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, State Senator Steve Stivers and State Senator Ray Miller are advancing a plan to the Ohio General Assembly allowing cities to create a new kind of Capital Fund that would be used for brownfield revitalization.  Ohio Revised Code, §133.52 would allow the City to create the Clean Columbus Fund for the issuance of public obligation bonds for environmental conservation and revitalization purposes.

“Over the past 200 years, our city was blessed with a strong manufacturing sector, but, as factories closed down, they left behind contaminated land depressing neighborhoods and making it harder to bring in new businesses and investment,” said Mayor Coleman.  “We are grateful to our legislative partners for working with us on a plan that will help all Ohio’s cities clean up brownfields, create new job sites or housing, and bring new hope to urban neighborhoods.”

If passed, the City intends to inaugurate the Clean Columbus Fund as part of the 2008 Voted Bicentennial Bond Package.  The Clean Columbus Fund would be modeled after the Clean Ohio fund, and would be used to leverage private investment from business partners to redevelop blighted sites into productive new development.

"The Clean Ohio Fund has been a successful tool to preserve green space and farmland, improve outdoor recreation, and revitalize blighted neighborhoods by cleaning up and redeveloping polluted properties,” said Senator Stivers.  “However, because the Fund is very limited, and can only support one or two projects per region, cities need the ability to create local funds that can help communities across Ohio to reclaim more properties and speed up revitalization and economic development."

The new bill is also co-sponsored by State Senators David Goodman, Robert Spada, Lance Mason and Mark Wagoner

“I am excited to work with Mayor Coleman, the city of Columbus and Senator Steve Stivers to notably improve our city,” said Senator Miller.  “The Clean Columbus Fund will spur job growth, allow for further green spaces in our community and protect our environment.”

Although the Ohio Constitution allows cities to use bond money for such projects, there is currently no language in the Ohio Revised Code to establish these specific funds.

"We have seen in a number of neighborhoods how the Clean Ohio program has benefited Columbus by helping to turn depressed tracts of land into useful, productive parcels that add to the city's tax base," said Kevin L. Boyce, Finance Chair for Columbus City Council. "I look forward to maximizing Columbus' economic power to improve our community."

Since 2000, the City of Columbus is using Clean Ohio Funds at five former industrial sites in urban neighborhoods to leverage significant new development:

• A.C. Humko:  a Harrison West site that had a long history of industrial use, including oil refining, metal forging and other industrial uses. The site has been cleaned and completely rebuilt as a neighborhood with 234 new homes.
  • Clean Ohio Investment:  $3 million
• Gowdy Field:  a former landfill has been transformed into a modern business center and the home of the $20 million dollar new Headquarters for Central Ohio’s Time Warner, creating 200 new jobs and retaining 400 jobs.
  • Clean Ohio Investment:  $3 million
• Jeffrey Place: The former site of the Jeffrey Manufacturing (Mining?) Company, a once-thriving mining equipment company established in the 1800s, is being transformed into a large mixed use development that includes an innovative “green” housing development.
  • Clean Ohio Investment:  $3 million
• Techneglas: This former industrial site was most recently the home of Techneglas, which closed its doors in 2004.  The site is being cleaned and  renovated into a   development that  will create 1 million square feet of industrial, commercial and retail space.  The project will leverage over $20 million in private development and accommodate up to 1,500 jobs.
  • Clean Ohio Investment:  $3 million
• Columbus Coated Fabrics: This   former industrial site will  be tuned into a residential neighborhood of 500 homes, in a project that will leverage $45 million in private investment. 
  • Clean Ohio Investment:  $3 million

"Income tax drops 4.2% for Ohioans" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Income tax drops 4.2% for Ohioans
Alan Johnson
The Columbus Dispatch
January 1, 2007

The new year brings good news for individual Ohio taxpayers and those on military pensions, but tidings for businesses are mixed.

As of today, the state income-tax withholding rate for individuals dropped 4.2 percent. The Ohio Department of Taxation says that means Ohioans will get to keep $350 million instead of turning it over to the state...

...On the business side, 2008 is the last year for one of the state's most detested taxes, on tangible personal property, which has been in place since 1846. The state has been phasing out the tax on property such as machinery, equipment and inventory for several years. It will be reduced to 6.25 percent this year and eliminated thereafter, making Ohio one of 10 states with no tax on tangible personal property.

"The hope is that eliminating this tax will encourage investment in Ohio," said Ohio Tax Commissioner Rich Levin...

"Redevelopment expert likes making deals in Ohio" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Redevelopment expert likes making deals in Ohio
M.R. Kropko
The Columbus Dispatch
December 9, 2007

...The 58-year-old founder, president and managing partner of Industrial Realty Group LLC in Downey, Calif., doesn't mind the cold when redevelopment opportunities are hot.

"Ohio is our most active state," he said. "Right now, we're doing a lot of deals here. I'm in Ohio more than I'm in L.A., so it's becoming my home lately. Ohio has had a lot of companies close plants, and that's really the clay we mold things out of."...

"Downtown Cleveland becoming technology mecca" cleveland.com

This wouldn't be a bad idea for our own Warehouse District:

Link: