Posted February 28, 200520 yr Yep, not a missprint, there is actually a group that is working to benefit all of Ohio, not just the region they are in. Selling Ohio as bio haven By SHANNON PETTYPIECE Ohio appears to have the tools to compete with other emerging bioscience hot spots, according to a study recently completed by Columbus-based economic development group Omeris. The problem: No one knows it. continued below Omeris, an organization that helps to grow biotechnology businesses throughout the state of Ohio, hopes to change that. With the new study of Ohio’s biomedical strengths as ammunition, Omeris is going to begin spreading the word on Ohio. It’s starting by recruiting German bioscience companies. The group chose Germany because of personal ties to the country. Also, Dresden, Germany, is the sister city of Columbus. To entice German companies to move here, CatharinaMaulbecker-Armstrong, who is working with Omeris on recruiting international companies, said Omeris is offering companies a relocation package on a trial basis to get them to try Ohio. German companies doing business in the cardiology or cancer fields, in particular, would be steered toward Northeast Ohio because Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals of Cleveland excel in those areas. The incentive package includes six months of office and lab space in Cleveland at 11000 Cedar Ave., where several young bioscience companies are already located, as well as incubators in Columbus, Cincinnati and Athens, and a furnished apartment for $1,500 a month. That package will allow a company to send an employee over to see if Ohio is a good fit. Omeris recently sent 108 letters to bioscience companies in Dresden telling them about why they should open their operations in Ohio and got six responses — a good rate for a unsolicited mailer given that German companies are being recruited by nearly every state, Ms. Maulbecker-Armstrong said. “None of those companies know where Ohio is,” Ms. Maulbecker-Armstrong said in explaining why Ohio must reach out to international companies. “They can’t place it on the map.” But according to the new study by Omeris, the state has the tools to improve its worldwide reputation. The study found that one of the state’s biggest strengths is its workforce. Ohio has 733,000 workers in education and health care, more than other research centers like Massachusetts and North Carolina, and more than twice as many medical and clinical technicians than the national average. The average bioscience worker in Ohio is underpaid by as much as $10,000 a year compared to the national average, which is good news for companies. But relocating a bioscience company is not all about money — it is also about the assets the state has to offer, like hospitals, academic centers, and availability of investment capital, Ms. Maulbecker-Armstrong said. The Omeris study found that Ohio’s academic institutions spend 35% more on research than the national average and participate in 26% more clinical trials than the national average. Bioscience investments increased 1,400% from 1997 to 2003, although bioscience investments declined by 42% from $50 million in 2002 to $29 million in 2003. There are 161 higher education institutions in Ohio, more than any other state, and most residents live within 20 minutes of one of these colleges or universities, Omeris vice president John Lewis said. “Why aren’t we as popular as North Carolina?” Mr. Lewis asked. “Lets make people take notice of this state.”
May 10, 200520 yr It's good to see Ohio is leading the charge of something. Ohio leads charge on fuel cells Tuesday, May 10, 2005 John Funk Plain Dealer Reporter Fuel cells are headed out of the labs and into the marketplace. And making them will be profitable, say the organizers of an upcoming symposium in Cleveland. "This is an effort to give people a picture of how this market is emerging. The underlying theme is that we can create business opportunities," said Rodger McKain, chairman of the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition and president of SOFCo-EFS Holdings LLC, an Alliance-based fuel cell company created by McDermott Technology. ...
May 11, 200520 yr There are several technologies that we could be pursuing in addition to biotech. Fuel cells, MEMS, advanced materials, nanotech. We have a good toehold in all of those growing fields. Lets capitalize on them now.
May 11, 200520 yr Author Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate through microfabrication technology. While the electronics are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) process sequences (e.g., CMOS, Bipolar, or BICMOS processes), the micromechanical components are fabricated using compatible "micromachining" processes that selectively etch away parts of the silicon wafer or add new structural layers to form the mechanical and electromechanical devices. Advanced materials are just that, micro alloyed steels, ceramics, ect that are designed to specific applications that need specific material properties to achieve the desired results. For instance, I used to design oil pipelines in the gulf of mexico (well, the welds). The depths of the wells that could be used was dependent on the strength and ductility of the pipe that rises from the floor to the surface. So every project, the wheel was being re-invented.
May 12, 200520 yr There are several technologies that we could be pursuing in addition to biotech. Fuel cells, MEMS, advanced materials, nanotech. We have a good toehold in all of those growing fields. Lets capitalize on them now. Although often overlooked, the University of Dayton Research Institute is the number two university in the nation for materials research. http://www.udri.udayton.edu/NR/exeres/71DB6B59-BF2F-45E9-9D00-6BFE4FA7CA96.htm UDRI, which is nearing its 50th year as a self-supporting division of the University of Dayton, specializes in structures, fuels and energy, aerospace mechanics, information technology, materials and, in recent years, materials nanotechnology.
May 12, 200520 yr I am not the biggest Bob Taft fan in the world, but I will give credit where it is due. He seems to really be committed to fuel cells. Fuel cells are focus of experts, governor Ohio touted as location for new technology Thursday, May 12, 2005 John Funk Plain Dealer Reporter Gov. Bob Taft plans to set aside a quarter of the money raised by the $2 billion jobs bond issue on the November ballot for development and commercialization of fuel cells. In a speech Wednesday at the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition's fourth annual symposium at Cleveland State University, Taft said fully developed fuel-cell technology -- which produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen -- would help Ohio regain its leadership in automotive technology as car makers abandon conventional engines. ...
July 26, 200519 yr From Columbus Business First, 7/26/05: Number of mass layoffs increased in June The pace of mass layoffs accelerated in June, exceeding levels recorded in May and June 2004, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday. Ohio employers initiated 62 mass layoff events in June, according to the bureau, which led to 11,541 initial claims for unemployment compensation. The bureau reported 42 mass layoffs, accounting for 3,349 initial claims for unemployment, in May. Ohio employers cut 6,755 jobs in 61 mass layoffs in June 2004. Major layoffs in June included 84 jobs lost at SBC Communications Inc. in Brecksville and 125 at Irwin Industrial Tool Co. in Wilmington, according to documents filed with the state. The bureau defines a mass layoff as 50 or more jobs cut from a single location within 30 days. Nationwide, U.S. employers cut 120,463 jobs in 1,157 mass layoffs in June, up from 101,358 jobs in 986 mass layoffs in May. U.S. employers initiated 1,379 mass layoffs in June 2004, which led to 134,588 initial claims for unemployment. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/07/25/daily10.html?from_rss=1
July 27, 200519 yr From the 7/26/05 Dayton Business Journal: Ohio among tops in country for June layoffs Ohio recorded the second-highest number of layoffs in the nation for June, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Labor. Ohio had 11,541 layoffs in June, beat only by California with 24,652 and followed by Pennsylvania with 8,605 and New Jersey with 7,495. Ohio had the largest over-the-year increase in layoffs with an additional 4,786 lost jobs from January to June 2005, and it had the second largest number of layoffs for the period at 59,084. The Midwest was the only region to report an increase in layoffs over the year at 7,718. All other regions decreased the number of layoffs, and the West had the largest decline with a drip of 13,822. The Midwest also reported the highest number of layoffs in June at 38,985. The reason for the region's layoffs that month were transportation equipment manufacturing and transit and ground passenger transportation layoffs, 37 percent of the region's total layoffs. The manufacturing sector took the hardest hit at 55,820 layoffs for the month, accounting for 27 percent of layoffs. Transportation and warehousing accounted for 13 percent of June's lost jobs, mostly because of school and employee bus transportation. The school and employee bus transportation industry lost 12,952 jobs, and the elementary and secondary schools lost 8,950 jobs, together representing 18 percent of June's layoffs. http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/07/25/daily12.html?from_rss=1
July 27, 200519 yr wow the schools are in bad shape. huh? It says that manufacturing took the big hit, at 55,830 layoffs, @ 27%. Schools are at around 7% of the total.
August 13, 200519 yr Here are the 2nd quarter results from the 8/11/05 Dayton Business Journal: Ohio among top states for layoffs Ohio ranks eighth in the nation for number of layoffs for the second quarter 2005, according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday. Ohio reported 10,378 layoffs for the quarter. Illinois was tops with 27,990 layoffs, followed by California at 23,736, New Jersey at 16,069, Colorado at 14,766, Florida at 14,259, New York at 11,707 and Michigan at 11,587. Out of the top eight states for second-quarter layoffs, Ohio ranks fifth in highest population at 11.5 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Three states had more layoffs than Ohio but have smaller populations: Michigan, with a population of 10.1 million; New Jersey at 8.7 million; and Colorado at 4.6 million. http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/08/08/daily20.html?from_rss=1
August 24, 200519 yr From the AP, 8/20/05: PHOTO: A $120 million electric arc furnace operates at a Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corp. plant in Mingo Junction, Ohio. Most steel makers are seeing reduced demand for their product. Associated Press file U.S. steel industry falls on soft times Middletown's AK may report loss By Vicki Smith The Associated Press MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - U.S. steel mills have trimmed production but continue to slog through a quarter that many companies say will be the low point of the year and a dramatic drop from the third quarter of 2004, when the market hit what many now see as an artificial high. Six weeks into the third quarter, steel makers are struggling to balance lower prices and still-sluggish demand with the soaring costs of scrap and natural gas. ... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050820/BIZ/508200325/1001
September 7, 200519 yr From Columbus Business First, 8/29/05: Ohio preps for its close-up Group readies marketing push in bid for business Kevin Kemper Business First Ohio has been in the national limelight a lot in the past year for its politics: It was the key state in the hotly contested presidential election, the state's Bureau of Workers' Compensation has been plagued by an investment scandal, and Gov. Bob Taft was found guilty of ethics violations. For state economic development officials, that has overshadowed the overhaul of Ohio's tax system, a significant development they'd like to bring to the rest of the nation, if not the world. Delivering that message will be the job of the Ohio Business Development Coalition, a public-private economic development group that will roll out a campaign in the fall with the theme Ohio Means Business. The campaign will highlight the state's revised tax code that will be phased in over the next several years and will target top executives at industries the coalition thinks can drive Ohio's economy back onto the road to prosperity. If successful, the group's executive director says the state will begin to attract more investment and jobs. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/08/29/story3.html?from_rss=1
September 12, 200519 yr From the Dayton Business Journal, 9/5/05: Manufacturers look to benefit from tax change Springfield company could save $150,000 per year Tracy Kershaw-Staley DBJ Staff Reporter The changes to Ohio's tax code have been applauded by many manufacturers as the most sweeping tax reform in the state's history. Now local manufacturers are figuring out what the changes actually mean for their companies. For some, it translates into buying a new piece of equipment. For a few, larger projects such as building expansions are easier to afford. Still others are taking a wait-and-see approach... Full article at http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/09/05/story4.html?from_rss=1
September 28, 200519 yr From Columbus Business First, 9/23/05: Mass layoffs slow in August Mass layoffs fell off sharply in August in Ohio, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, although job losses remained above their levels from last year. Ohio employers initiated 26 mass layoffs in August, resulting in 2,881 initial claims for unemployment. They had 115 mass layoffs, leading to 25,306 initial claims for unemployment, in July. Ohio employers initiated 23 mass layoffs, leading to 1,822 initial claims for unemployment, in August 2004. The bureau defines a mass layoff as 50 or more jobs cut from a single location within 30 days. August mass layoffs included 174 jobs cut at Columbia Gas of Ohio in Marble Cliff, 115 at Richelieu Foods Inc. in Washington Court House and 162 at Nova Behavioral Health in Canton, according to documents filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio saw 87,271 initial claims for unemployment from large-scale layoffs in the first eight months of the year, making it No. 2 in the nation. Only California saw more initial claims. Nationwide, U.S. employers initiated 645 mass layoffs in August, leading to 67,582 initial claims for unemployment. They cut 244,216 jobs in 1,981 mass layoffs in July, and 69,033 jobs in 809 mass layoffs in July 2004. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/09/19/daily34.html?from_rss=1
September 28, 200519 yr From the 9/25/05 PD: Companies tally new tax's cost Sunday, September 25, 2005 Roger Mezger Plain Dealer Reporter Ohio's method of taxing businesses changed July 1. As the first quarter under the new sys tem draws to a close, companies are calculat ing just what the switch means for them. "There are definitely going to be winners and losers," says David Reape, a member of the Ohio Society of Certi fied Public Accountants' tax policy committee and a CPA with Howard Wershbale & Co. in Beachwood. The winners include certain types of small companies and capital-intensive businesses, especially manufacturers. The Ohio Business Roundtable, made up of big-company chief executives, esti mates that some manufacturers will see their effective tax rates fall as much as 57 percent... To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4446 http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1127554828276461.xml&coll=2 From the 9/25/05 PD: New CAT plan gradually shifts school funding Sunday, September 25, 2005 As Ohio's new commercial activity tax gradually takes effect, an impor tant source of income for school districts and local governments will disappear: the tax on tangible personal property used in busi ness. Tangible personal property in cludes inventory, manufacturing machinery and equipment, and fur niture and fixtures. The tax on the value of those items brought in around $1.65 billion last year, the Ohio Department of Taxation estimates. About 70 percent went to school districts. Municipalities, townships and counties got the rest... http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1127554308276460.xml&coll=2
September 29, 200519 yr From Columbus Business First, 9/26/05: Can Ohio group get state to win in business attraction? Government likes to talk about becoming businesslike in its operations. Well, Ohio's economic development effort is getting a big dose of the corporate approach from the head of the Ohio Business Development Coalition. His lessons on how Ohio should rebuild its business-attraction machine can't come soon enough for a state beset by a protracted economic slump and dealing with an image sullied by Statehouse scandal. The coalition is a public-private venture that aims to get Ohio into CEOs' minds when the talk turns to corporate expansion and relocation. MORE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/09/26/editorial1.html
October 1, 200519 yr From the 9/28/05 PD: New tax includes plenty of loopholes Wednesday, September 28, 2005 Roger Mezger Plain Dealer Reporter Proponents of Ohio's new commercial activity tax on businesses see it as a good way of getting a wider range of companies to pay their fair share of taxes. But by the time the commercial activity tax became law this summer, lobbyists and legislators proved that there are more ways than one to skin a CAT. They managed to carve out 27 permanent and four temporary exemptions that benefit specific kinds of enterprises... To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4446 http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1127900085163700.xml&coll=2
October 6, 200519 yr From the 10/3/05 Dayton Business Journal: Steel production dips amid inventory correction Ohio steel makers saw their production slip in the second quarter while shipments also slowed from a year earlier, the Ohio Steel Council reported Monday. Still, the council report remained upbeat about the industry's performance, saying the 1.2 percent drop in production and 0.6 percent fall in shipments for the first half of the year represented modest declines from a 2004 that was the strongest year in four for the steel trade. ... http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/10/03/daily2.html
October 24, 200519 yr From the 10/23/05 PD: Opinion divided over value of new business tax to Ohio Sunday, October 23, 2005 Roger Mezger Plain Dealer Reporter Ohio's new system for taxing businesses is billed as a way to foster economic growth, increase capital investment and add tens of thousands of jobs. The commercial activity tax, which debuted in July and is being phased in over five years, is levied on a company's gross receipts. The CAT replaces the corporation franchise tax - an income tax on profits - and the tangible personal property tax on inventory, machinery and furniture. Exactly what the CAT can do for Ohio will become clear over the years. Right now, some of those familiar with the CAT have very different perspectives on what its impact could be... To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4446 http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1129973538144530.xml&coll=2
October 28, 200519 yr From the 10/26/05 Cincinnati Business Courier: Ohio third in nation for layoffs Ohio employers initiated 24 mass layoffs in September, leading to 4,353 initial claimants for unemployment insurance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. In August, employers initiated 26 mass layoffs, leading to 2,881 unemployment claimants. Last September, Ohio saw 16 mass layoffs, leading to 1,352 claimants. The bureau defines a mass layoff as 50 or more jobs cut from a single location within 30 days. Ohio had the third-most layoffs in the country from January to September. Ohio had 91,624 layoffs for the period, preceded by California and Louisiana. Michigan was fourth. Louisiana's numbers were affected by Hurricane Katrina's impact on workers in the state. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2005/10/24/daily25.html?from_rss=1
October 31, 200519 yr From the 10/29/05 Enquirer: Print ads aim to attract jobs By Alexander Coolidge Enquirer staff writer State officials and business leaders are looking to attract potential employers to Ohio with a $1 million advertising campaign in financial publications. The Ohio Business Development Coalition is a nonprofit organization created to market the state to business investors. It ran the first of several ads aimed at attracting jobs with full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal on Friday and Monday. Created last fall, the nonprofit's budget so far consists mostly of $8.1 million provided by Ohio tax dollars. The ads will highlight recent legislation designed to make Ohio more business-friendly, such as replacing the corporation franchise tax with the commercial activity tax. Edward Burghard, executive director of the coalition and a marketing executive with Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co., said the law that took effect July 1 provided the state with a new tool to give potential employers a new reason to consider doing business in Ohio. "We're trying to open people's minds about Ohio," he said. Nearly 190 ads in the Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Fortune Small Business, Business Week, Fast Company, Money and Inc. will run through mid-January touting Ohio's virtues. MORE: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051029/BIZ01/510290353/1076/rss01
October 31, 200519 yr A tv ad? I think it's more professional to go into these businesses in person. But not economical (this is tax payer funds) or a good use of time - at this point. We've been stagnate in marketing Ohio for the longest and I'm glad to see the state market our company's and business in other large hubs. Now its up to the individual cities to market themselves accordingly with the help of the state.
October 31, 200519 yr I saw a full-page ad in the paper A tv ad? I think it's more professional to go into these businesses in person. Actually it would be an outrageous amount of money to go to every company in the nation individually.
November 4, 200519 yr From the AP, 11/4/05: Bill aimed to save auto jobs Delphi, other factories would more easily qualify for Ohio tax credits By James Hannah The Associated Press DAYTON, Ohio - Auto companies would qualify more easily for a tax break in exchange for retaining jobs under legislation announced Thursday. Republican lawmakers say they want to help troubled Delphi Corp. Delphi, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, has 13,000 workers in Ohio and plants in the Dayton, Warren, Columbus and Sandusky areas. The bill, announced by House Speaker Jon Husted, would lower the threshold for auto suppliers and manufacturers to qualify for Ohio's Job Retention Tax Credit program. Husted, R-Kettering, said Delphi plants and many others don't qualify under existing rules. Husted said the legislation would mean tax incentives of $25 million or more for some auto companies and more than $100 million for the entire Ohio auto industry if it took full advantage of the provisions. The speaker said the move is meant to send a message to Delphi and other auto companies that Ohio is serious about keeping jobs. MORE: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051104/BIZ01/511040366/1076/rss01
November 15, 200519 yr From the AP, 11/13/05: Businesses slow to register for new tax ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio - Fewer than one in four businesses have registered with the state to allow the collection of Ohio's new corporate tax, raising concerns ahead of a February deadline to start levying the tax. The Department of Taxation originally estimated up to 400,000 businesses would have to register by Tuesday and pay a small fee, which will be returned after their first filings. But only 69,442 businesses had completed the form as of last week despite months of publicity, seminars and mailings of 400,000 letters each in July and October... ON THE NET Taxation Department: http://tax.ohio.gov/ Ohio Manufacturers' Association: http://www.ohiomfg.com/ http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/13158793.htm From same: Highlights of state's new tax plan Associated Press Highlights of the state's new tax code, which replaced much of the former tax system beginning July 1: Source: AP Research http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/13158811.htm
November 18, 200519 yr From Business First of Columbus, 11/14/05: Business coalition updates Web site The Ohio Business Development Coalition has unveiled a new Web site. The updated site is the next step in the Columbus-based organization's attempt to lure more jobs and investment to Ohio. The site, at www.ohiomeansbusiness.com, is meant to bring together the state's various business marketing efforts into one easily navigable site. Ohio Means Business is the group's marketing campaign theme. The organization last month began a print ad campaign carrying the theme. The Web site emphasizes the state's recently revised tax code, its access to markets across the U.S. and world, its education system and work force, and Fortune 500 companies that call Ohio home. It is intended to help economic development officials at all levels of state and local government synthesize their messages to out-of-state and foreign companies. The organization expects to add more links and information, such as available business sites and real estate, by early next year. The Ohio Business Development Coalition is a public-private partnership formed last year by the Ohio Department of Development and 37 Ohio corporations. The group is funded in part from an $8.1 million state grant. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/11/14/daily7.html?from_rss=1
November 24, 200519 yr From the 11/21/05 Akron Beacon Journal: Companies slow to adopt new tax Fewer than half of expected firms meet first deadline for commercial activity tax By Dave Scott Beacon Journal business writer There's a tax revolution taking place in Ohio, with the goal of creating a more business-friendly environment. But fewer than half the number of companies expected to sign up were on board by last week's deadline. Coming in is the CAT -- the commercial activity tax on gross receipts. On the way out are the franchise and tangible personal-property taxes. Companies in Ohio were to register by Wednesday, and the first returns are to be filed by Feb. 10. However, thousands of companies remain unregistered.... Dave Scott can be reached at 330-996-3577 or [email protected]. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/13199874.htm
November 25, 200519 yr From the 11/21/05 Cincinnati Business Courier: Move to shift auto industry into gear Gov. Bob Taft has launched the Ohio Automotive Revitalization Initiative in an effort to restore competitiveness to Ohio's auto industry and protect Ohio's 150,000 employees in the automotive assembly and parts business. The plan: * Encourages auto companies to make new strategic investments to retain Ohio jobs by supporting the creation of the Automotive Revitalization Tax Credit and other grants and loans. Governor Taft is endorsing the revitalization tax credit as proposed by House Speaker Jon Husted; * Strengthens Ohio's workforce and profitability by helping auto companies implement quality on-the-job training to enhance the skills of their workers; * Facilitates product innovation and ongoing cost savings through better processes throughout the and financial assistance; * Develops a formal process to facilitate permit efficiency and cooperative communication between the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio's automotive industry; and * Works with President George W. Bush's administration to address federal issues impacting Ohio's automotive industry. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2005/11/21/daily9.html?from_rss=1
December 7, 200519 yr Since this article was written, ODOD did approve the tax credits mentioned in the article on December 5. From the 12/3/05 Lorain Morning Journal: Lear project could bring 220 jobs By RICHARD PAYERCHIN, Sandusky Bureau Chief 12/03/2005 HURON -- A $13 million expansion could bring 220 jobs over the next three years to Lear Corp.'s plant in Huron, according to plans on file with the Ohio Department of Development. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority on Monday will meet to consider a tax credit for the Southfield, Mich.-based auto parts maker, according to the Ohio Department of Development. ... http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15686329&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=566374&rfi=8
December 9, 200519 yr From the 12/6/05 Dayton Daily News: Bill to help auto industry called flawed Policy group says action ill-advised By John Nolan Dayton Daily News DAYTON | — Legislation that Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted is promoting as a means to encourage Delphi Corp. and auto industry employers to invest in their plants and keep jobs in Ohio may be ill-advised, a policy research organization says. The proposed legislation would drain state tax revenue and could even subsidize automakers or auto parts suppliers that reduce their Ohio work forces, according to Policy Matters Ohio, a Cleveland-based research organization. The bill also could be taken advantage of by healthy auto industry companies without requiring additional commitments beyond factory improvements they had already planned to make, the organization said. "We believe this is a flawed bill that should not move forward in its current form," Zach Schiller, the organization's research director, wrote to members of the state House Economic Development and Environment Committee, where the legislation awaits its first hearing on Wednesday in Columbus. MORE: http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/1206delphibill.html
December 9, 200519 yr From Business First of Columbus, 12/5/05: Ohio files briefs to defend tax breaks Ohio's Attorney General filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court Monday to defend Ohio's system of tax incentives for businesses. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a tax credit in 2004, finding the credit interfered with Congress' right to regulate interstate commerce. Attorney General Jim Petro said the credit benefits companies that locate in Ohio, but does not hamper companies that locate in other states. "The commerce clause of the Constitution prohibits economic barriers, not welcome mats," Petro said in a press release. The tax credit was awarded to DaimlerChrysler AG in 1998 to build a Jeep plant near Toledo. The appeals court's decision is on hold while the Supreme Court hears the case. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/12/05/daily7.html?from_rss=1
December 9, 200519 yr From the 12/6/05 Toledo Blade: Petro tells court tax incentives are 'welcome mats' Justices to rule on constitutionality of DaimlerChrysler deal in Toledo By MICHAEL McGOUGH BLADE WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court was told yesterday that Ohio did not violate the Constitution's Commerce Clause when it provided a tax incentive to induce DaimlerChrysler AG to construct a Jeep assembly plant in Toledo. "The Commerce Clause of the Constitution prohibits economic barriers, not welcome mats," Attorney General Jim Petro said in a brief filed with the court. The brief asked the justices to overturn a ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the state's manufacturing Investment Tax Credit unconstitutionally favored companies that make investments in the state. "Far from protectionism, Ohio's tax credit is freely available to all who invest in Ohio," the brief added. "Moreover, it does not seek to impose a burden on those who elect to place their facilities elsewhere, but merely provides a benefit for those who build in our state." The credit, which reduces liability under the corporate franchise tax, was one component of a $280 million incentive package provided by the city, state, and two school districts in 1998 in exchange for DaimlerChrysler's $1.2 billion investment. The plant, which employs about 3,800, opened in 2001. MORE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051206/NEWS02/512060395/-1/NEWS
December 17, 200519 yr From Business First of Columbus, 12/12/05: Grocers promise a CAT fight Trade group preparing constitutional challenge to new tax Kathy Showalter Business First Not a penny of Ohio's controversial commercial activity tax has been collected, yet the new levy appears headed for a court challenge. A trade group representing 560 Ohio grocers, wholesalers and suppliers said its members are so irate over the tax that the group plans to challenge the tax on grounds it may be an unconstitutional levy on food. The Ohio Grocers Association expects to file a lawsuit in January, said Jason Wetzel, vice president of the Columbus group's government relations. He declined to disclose details of the expected challenge, including what law firm the trade group will use in the suit... © 2005 American City Business Journals Inc. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/12/12/story5.html?from_rss=1
December 21, 200519 yr From the 12/16/05 Dayton Business Journal: Fuel Cell technology developing Yvonne Teems DBJ Staff Reporter The Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition met this week to talk about the advancement of fuel cell technology in the state. The Edison Materials Technology Center in Kettering hosted the quarterly board meeting where members of the trade association, made up of 75 organizations, discussed up-and-coming fuel cell applications, public awareness of the technology and state financial support. ... http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/12/12/daily33.html
December 28, 200519 yr http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/12/26/daily5.html LATEST NEWS Business First of Columbus - 10:44 AM EST Wednesday Ohio in Top 10 for federal spending Although it is the nation's seventh-largest state by population, Ohio was the eighth-largest recipient of federal spending. For more info, click link
December 30, 200519 yr http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/12/26/daily27.html LATEST NEWS Business First of Columbus - 2:20 PM EST Friday Study: Ohio low in economic competitiveness An annual study of economic competitiveness ranks Ohio 42nd among states, up one spot from a year ago. For more info, click link. The Beacon Hill Institute's state and metropolitan area competitiveness reports dating to 2001 are available at www.beaconhill.org/CompetitivenessHomePage.html.
December 30, 200519 yr From the 12/30/05 Dayton Daily News: Ohio seeks to help auto industry Proposes break on electric rates for automakers, suppliers like GM, Delphi By Laura A. Bischoff Dayton Daily News COLUMBUS | Automakers and parts suppliers such as General Motors and Delphi may get a break on their enormous electric bills next year in the hopes of lending a helping hand to the ailing industry in Ohio. Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, a former GM dealer, said Senate Republicans are preparing legislation to give a tax credit to auto industry members toward the kilowatt hour tax, which is paid on electricity use. The kilowatt hour tax, started in 2001, brings in about $540 million a year to the state. The largest electricity users — about 170 hospitals, universities and manufacturers — pay a special rate and account for about $54 million of the revenue generated by the tax, according to the state Department of Taxation. The department estimated the proposed tax break would save large auto manufacturers and suppliers about $8 million a year. MORE: http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/1230taxes.html
December 31, 200519 yr No question we need to save jobs in Ohio and the auto industry is no less deserving of assistance than any other in Ohio. But why aren't we helping out rail-related industries in Ohio... Columbus Steel Castings, Griffin Wheel, Timken Roller Bearing... with the same kind of tax breaks, etc ? One reason the auto industry is suffering is that they didn't stay ahead of the market. True, they have tried to come up with new designs and better performing vehicles. But they have done so in response to their competition: reactive instead of pro-active. If they truly wanted to survive and thrive, they would be thinking beyond the "car keys" into other products, such as the manufacture of railroad equipment. But even there, they are behind foreign firms like Alstom, Bombardier, Kawasaki and others. When this country begins making it's move toward re-developing our rail systems for high speed passenger and freight rail, they will (with some exceptions) have to buy their equipment overseas. Governor Taft has good intentions, but his effort is too narrow in scope. I think he believes this will somehow restore the auto industry to what it once was. Instead, he should be doing something to re-invent the transportation industry as a whole.
January 1, 200619 yr exactly, esp since lorain ford assembly just closed down. taft totally blew it there. i would not give ford anything from the state. time to focus on other areas of the transportation industry.
January 3, 200619 yr ^ Nice spin by that article! But, per capita, Ohio is 37th: Ohio lags in federal funding State is ranked No. 37 in per capita funds, but is No. 7 in population By Stephen Dyer and David Knox Beacon Journal staff writers Thirty-six states received more federal money per capita than Ohio in 2004, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. For more info, click link Stephen Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3523 or [email protected]. Beacon Journal staff writer David Knox contributed to this article. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/13499096.htm
January 3, 200619 yr Ha! Two newspapers with totally different takes on the same numbers from the same federal agency! Thanks for posting that grasscat.
January 5, 200619 yr Ohio works to lure Toyota plant Thursday, January 5, 2006 Mark Niquette and Jim Siegel THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio, which has struggled to attract new jobs in recent years, is making a bid to land a proposed Toyota engine plant and other possible projects by the automaker. Gov. Bob Taft and Lt. Gov. Bruce E. Johnson said officials are talking up potential sites for an engine plant in southwestern Ohio in addition to pushing tax breaks and other incentives to keep and attract automotive jobs. The state has identified three potential industrial sites -- in Clinton, Fayette and Preble counties, according to an Oct. 19 letter from Taft to Seiichi Sudo, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America. Any of those locations would provide ample skilled labor and offer excellent access to suppliers Toyota has developed in the northern Kentucky region, Taft wrote. Full story at: http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/05/3223112.html
January 5, 200619 yr This would be huge news. All the jobs at Toyota factories make big money......well you start out around $20 an hour anyway.
January 5, 200619 yr Another article from the Cincy Post.... Ohio wooing Toyota for plant By Andrew Welsh-Huggins Associated Press Gov. Bob Taft said Wednesday the state is aggressively pursuing possible Toyota engine and assembly plants for Ohio. The governor has already offered Toyota a free site and annual grants of $2 million for 15 years to build in Ohio. The state is looking at potential sites for plants and promoting its updated tax system as an advantage for locating in the state, Taft said. Possible sites include areas in Clinton, Fayette and Preble counties, according to an Oct. 19 letter Taft sent to Seiichi Sudo, president and chief executive officer of Kentucky-based Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America. Full story at: http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/NEWS01/601050357
January 5, 200619 yr um, err, hey taft there is a huge empty ford assembly plant up north that was vacated by ford a couple weeks ago available. you know the one you make zero effort to save? whats that? oh yeah i know i know ne ohio can go hang.
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