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Kasich says Ohio going 'more on offense' for jobs

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, center right, speaks at a JobsOhio board meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, in Cincinnati. Kasich and board members met with new agreements and legislation in place for funding and operation of the Republican’s JobsOhio initiative aimed at stimulating economic development. Left to right are, Pamela Springer, E. Gordon Gee, C. Martin Harris, Gary R. Heminger, James C. Boland, Gov. John Kasich, Mark Kvamme, Bob McDonald, Larry Kidd, and Steven A. Davis. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, center, arrives at a JobsOhio board meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, in Cincinnati. Kasich and board members met with new agreements and legislation in place for funding and operation of the Republican’s JobsOhio initiative aimed at stimulating economic development. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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By DAN SEWELL, The Associated Press Updated 5:46 PM Wednesday, February 1, 2012

CINCINNATI — Gov. John Kasich said Wednesday that Ohio's new private job-creation agency will operate as openly as possible without giving up competitively sensitive details.

Kasich spoke to reporters after addressing a JobsOhio board meeting in Cincinnati. Kasich opened the meeting by announcing plans by a Denver-based energy company for three new natural gas processing-related plants in eastern Ohio. The governor said besides the construction work, the plants in Monroe and Harrison counties will employ 50 to 100 people and represent about a half-billion-dollar investment by MarkWest.

JobsOhio is a Kasich initiative he says will help the state move more quickly and aggressively in courting business investment in the state. Board members include private business leaders such as consumer products giant Procter & Gamble Co.'s CEO Bob McDonald and restaurant chain Bob Evans Farms' CEO Steven Davis.

Some Democratic legislators have questioned how the public will know what kind of return on investment the state is getting from incentives handed out by the nonprofit agency.

"It's going to be connected to 'Are we creating more jobs?'" Kasich responded, saying making some confidential business information public would provide trade secrets to competitors. He said the agency will make overall reports, as opposed to details on individual company deals.

"You're going to have an annual report, you're going to have an audit. ... I mean, it's going to be as transparent as we can possibly make it without revealing information that might force companies to make a decision to go somewhere else. ... We intend to be as transparent as we possibly can and still have Ohio win."

Kasich said the MarkWest plans for new plants, which the company expects to be operating in 2013, shows companies are confident about investing in Ohio.

He said the state is ready to go "more on offense" in economic development as JobsOhio moves ahead. The agency expects to submit a strategic plan draft March 1.

The Republican governor last week announced agreement between the state and budget and commerce departments to provide profits from Ohio's liquor business to JobsOhio for its operations in a 25-year deal worth $1.4 billion.

Kasich, in his second year of office, will give a Feb. 7 State of the State message in Steubenville, Ohio.

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Contact the reporter at http://www.twitter.com/dansewell

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February 01, 2012 10:39 PM EST

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