Plan to boost Ohio job growth unveiled
> What do you think of the bipartisan plan?
Related:
> Strickland unveils plan to boost Ohio economy, create jobs
> Breakdown of stimulus package
> State leaders ready to work together
Thursday, April 03, 2008
COLUMBUS — The $1.57 billion economic stimulus package announced by Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Republican legislative leaders promises a better Ohio.
For a state often accused of being mired in the past, it envisions a new day with good jobs to keep college graduates closer to home, better roads and bridges so regions can prosper, and aggressive investments in industries that already are dominating the 21st century.
Extras
All told, the plan would create 57,000 jobs, Strickland said, mostly by targeting investments using money from bonds. A $400 million bond issue will be put before voters in November. The rest of the bond package — $570 million — does not require voter approval, while another $600 million would come from tobacco prevention and general revenue funds.
The legislature still needs to approve parts of the plan.
Economist Edward "Ned" Hill of Cleveland State University called the plan the "largest jobs-oriented package that the state of Ohio has put out in a quarter of a century."
Strickland, flanked by Senate President Bill Harris and House Speaker Jon Husted at the Statehouse on Wednesday, April 2, lauded the agreement as "another bipartisan victory for the people of Ohio."
It echoed near-unanimous agreement last year on a state budget that Strickland capped off by hugging Husted. This time the governor just shook hands as Husted and Harris jokingly moved out of hugging range.
With the economy stumbling, it was overdue, said Richard Stock, director of the Business Research Group at the University of Dayton.
"Prolonged posturing by the two sides on ideological grounds would have been the equivalent of Nero fiddling while Rome burns," said Stock.
The package replaces Strickland's proposed $1.7 billion jobs bond issue for the November ballot, a plan Husted and Harris opposed because it relied so heavily on borrowing.
Don W. McClure, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, Ohio division, took aim at one aspect of the compromise plan: It calls for using $230 million in tobacco prevention money.
"Our governor claims to want to turn around Ohio," McClure said in a press release. "One day very soon he is going to turn around and find that a new generation of Ohio kids is hooked on tobacco."
Comments
By RYAN From FLORIDA
April 11, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this
WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK THEY HAVE THE SOLUTION?? THE GOAL IS TO MAKE OHIO RICH$$$$$$ DUH!!!
By Lee
April 4, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
I think taking funding from the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation is an awful idea. The Master Settlment Agreement money was intended to be used for tobacco prevention and the foundation has done an amazing job decreasing smoking rates, which ultimatley saves the state through lower insucrance costs 40 years from now.
By FairTaxer
April 4, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
Passage of The Fair Tax Bill- HR 25/ S 1025 will create jobs in OH, and the whole country. It would eliminate Corporate, business to business taxes, and compliance costs that are currently hidden in both wholesale and retail prices. These are only a few of the benefits that would help our country. Demand that Congress pass the Fir Tax Act of 2007. To learn more about the FairTax, www.fairtax.org www.ohfairtax.org It is worth your time to learn how we can help ourselves as Ameican Taxpayers.
By joel
April 3, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
On our streets, there are men that prey on the weakness of others, hooking them on expensive drugs and enjoying the profit from these miserable souls. When we can, we lock these pusher men up for a long time. But Ohio does the same thing raising prices on Liquor and lawsuits against tobacco. Sometimes a hard working man can get a little solace in having a drink, and a smoke, and Ohio takes advantage of the resulted addictions, without the slightest hint of the recognizable hypocrisy.
By Curtis in Columbus
April 3, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this
Its nice to see so many other fiscall conservative Libertarian minded individuals voicing their objections to government theft (taxes). Once again they didn’t consider lowering taxes for individuals so they have more to spend or lower taxes for businesses to allow them to grow and expand. Both of these ideas create jobs without the inefficiencies of government bureacracy. Let capitalism and private enterprises do what they do and Ohio would be a better place for EVERYONE.
By Somebody
April 3, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
Those crippling high taxes were put in place by the GREAT REPUBLICAN BOB TAFT. Just wanted to point that out and remind people…
By truthdoctor
April 3, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
adopting the “FAIR TAX” and eliminating all corporate tax is the solution!
By lbj64
April 3, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
It would be nice if they would use the tobacco money to find a cure for lung cancer.
By mike brookey
April 3, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
Strickland will never create new jobs in Ohio by putting a $400,000,000 bond issue before the voters. We are over taxed now. Across the whole country: Ohio is ranked 6th for the HIGHEST personal income tax at 6.87% Ohio is ranked 3rd for the HIGHEST corporate income tax at 10.5% Ohio is NOT a ‘right to work state’ with a 6.6% unemployment rate. Duh! Look at other states that do not have these crippling taxes (Texas for one) and you will see a booming economy and at 4% or less unemployment.
By karon
April 3, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this
High speed trains and streetcars are the way to bring back the cities of Ohio. This will create thousands of new jobs. If Ohio and other states want to remain in a global market ecomony the Transportation issues must be addressed.
By Jim
April 3, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
Job creation is at best a byproduct of good business. Government at its best stays out of the way as much as possible in order to allow business to be good. A more level playing field with foreign competitors, a business-friendly environment, and a little more home-team survival instinct in the marketplace are all that we need.
By Hope
April 3, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Here’s what I think. They need to start figuring how to lower gas prices and since the cost of living has gone up, the pay has not; regardless if you’re in manufacturing or not. All of these plans tell me they’re looking at the problem but it’s not really going to fix everything. Creating jobs in place of manufacturing jobs that are gone would be beneficial. I don’t know one single person who’s worked in a factory or warehouse that will work in an office. It is what it is.
By painfultruth
April 3, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
You fools elected Strickland. Now, he’s picking your pocket. Got just what you deserve, you whiny liberals. Ohio is a poor example of progress.
By time for a change
April 3, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
Manufacturing jobs are dead!!!! Quit trying to bring them back with these bogus plans
By smarter ohioans
April 3, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
Hey ohio get a clue,
Get more educated and stop relying on Delphi and GM to line your pockets you lazy uneducated people
By Benny D
April 3, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
As others have previously written, Ohio is not a business friendly state. There are far too many people in this state who think that taxing the “big,” “rich,” and “greedy” corporations will solve all problems. If they knew anything at all about economics, they would know that that creates problems instead. To repeat others, two things MUST be done: 1) make this a right to work state, and 2) lower or, better yet, remove ALL corporate taxes. Then, and only then, will companies come here.
By Correction 4th in the nation
April 3, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
Ohio is a crap hole. It will die due to over taxation! Taxes are killing us. Look at what Mont. Cty. has… largest home forclosure rate in Ohio. You people kill me with your Human Svcs and Sinclair levy sh@t!
By bobw
April 3, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
If I was to go to my boss and tell him that I could create more income for the company if he would give me a bigger salary, he would simply ask, HOW? So that is my question to Ted. What jobs are you going to create? All I hear is typical politic rhetoric. They will get richer and that is about it.
By Richard
April 3, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
Always a new plan to spend more taxpayer money to solve a problem. It never works. Tax reduction brings in jobs. As I recall, we have the 5th highest income taxes in the country. That is not an inducement to bring industry and jobs to Ohio.
By Alan
April 3, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
Only lowering taxes coupled with making us a “business friendly” state will bring jobs back to Ohio. Probably the only way to prove to business that we are TRULY business friendly is to pass “right to work” legislation. With such legislation unions would actually have to bring value or the workers would not want them. Currently the trial lawyers and the unions have the dem’s in their hip pockets and know nothing will be done. Its time we said we will not let them ruin our state any longer.
By Hey painfultruth guy
April 3, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
No one wants to her about the clap or herpes you got from your wife….
By Chuck
April 3, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Government cannot create jobs in the private sector PERIOD.. What needs to be done as Ohio is one of the TOP tax states is to lower taxes to creat incentives for business to want to open new plants here in Ohio, thats what creates jobs PRIVATE MONEY not PUBLIC
By cletus
April 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
and herpes…
By nurse
April 3, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
Of course it will favor more token hiring. Hopefully, Ohio will join the growing list of states that is abolishing EEOC quotas. They were a miserable failure.
By Jim 5
April 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
Using the money from the tobacco settlement as a means to stimulate jobs growth? Fine, but why couldn’t Janet Reno and Bill Clinton been honest up front and just called it a tobacco tax? Oh wait, that would have required honesty.
By Concerned Taxpayer
April 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
When will gov’t realize that they can’t create jobs? The only thing gov’t can do is help create an environment that allows for the creation of jobs! i.e. less regulation, lower taxes, etc etc. It is such a shame to see the direction gov’t is driving ohio. I’m not sure if someone is asleep at the wheel or just that incompetant! Look at texas. Texas has florished in the wake of NAFTA. Why? Because they had smart gov’t officials who realized the only way to survive was to adapt not tax.
By cletus
April 3, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
I have crabs.
By Craig
April 3, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Sounds like the democrats are going to come after the tax payers for more money. take, take, take
By Dry Eyes
April 3, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
To Daniel, Is it racist when it doesn’t work in your favor?
By OHIO & TED SUCK
April 3, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
What a joke! Economy stumbling, Strickland flanked…. the only thing flanking Ted S. is his bf with the laptop in the back of his car. Ohio sucks! Ted S. sucks. You freaking liberals need to get a clue!
By daniel
April 3, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
is this going to be a racist kind of thing where you have to hire so many blacks over whites?? or will it be for the better quaified person????
By StevenB
April 3, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this
There is so such thing as the government generating revenue, they are taking and spending money we work hard to earn.
By Bocephus
April 3, 2008 7:14 AM | Link to this
It’s all smoke & mirrors…where’s the mention of cutting taxes and letting people keep THEIR money?! Private sector?! Big state government silliness.