Somebody in Columbus has some ‘splainin to do when it comes to Ohio jobs, JobsOhio and the Kasich Administration’s real development record.
First, there’s this thorny issue of talking down the Ohio economy in order to benefit Gov. John Kasich’s candidate, Mitt Romney. Kasich and Co. know like most of the rest of us just how important Ohio’s auto industry is to our state economy. Yet he continues to tell anyone who will listen that the industry is down 500 jobs when asked about President Barack Obama’s auto rescue. We have shown that over 17,000 jobs have been created in Ohio’s auto industry since mid-2009 – when the rescue package was in full effect. The president’s policy was needed and it’s been effective.
Next there’s the issue of JobsOhio. The concept – privatizing much of the Ohio Dept. of Development’s activities – was rolled out in Kasich’s first months as governor to much fanfare. The Silicon Valley wunderkind who was brought in to make it all happen is already gone and the quasi-private corporation – JobsOhio – created by Kasich has been locked in a legal limbo since nearly day one of its creation. Yet, Kasich, ever the salesman, tells Ohioans that JobsOhio is turning the state into the land of milk and honey.
As we demonstrated this time last year, much of the JobsOhio record – as described by the governor – is dubious. What Columbus is currently calling jobs created or retained are often simply commitments from companies who may or may not ever follow through on what they tell the state. The latest case in point is Diebold, Inc.
[Read more…]Is JobsOhio gathering jobs or empty promises?
Somebody in Columbus has some ‘splainin to do when it comes to Ohio jobs, JobsOhio and the Kasich Administration’s real development record.
First, there’s this thorny issue of talking down the Ohio economy in order to benefit Gov. John Kasich’s candidate, Mitt Romney. Kasich and Co. know like most of the rest of us just how important Ohio’s auto industry is to our state economy. Yet he continues to tell anyone who will listen that the industry is down 500 jobs when asked about President Barack Obama’s auto rescue. We have shown that over 17,000 jobs have been created in Ohio’s auto industry since mid-2009 – when the rescue package was in full effect. The president’s policy was needed and it’s been effective.
Next there’s the issue of JobsOhio. The concept – privatizing much of the Ohio Dept. of Development’s activities – was rolled out in Kasich’s first months as governor to much fanfare. The Silicon Valley wunderkind who was brought in to make it all happen is already gone and the quasi-private corporation – JobsOhio – created by Kasich has been locked in a legal limbo since nearly day one of its creation. Yet, Kasich, ever the salesman, tells Ohioans that JobsOhio is turning the state into the land of milk and honey.
As we demonstrated this time last year, much of the JobsOhio record – as described by the governor – is dubious. What Columbus is currently calling jobs created or retained are often simply commitments from companies who may or may not ever follow through on what they tell the state. The latest case in point is Diebold, Inc.
[Read more…]