By Steve Tugend, Vice President of Government Relations
Early voting begins today for the May 4 primary election ballot. As you consider the issues, remember that the Columbus Chamber supports State Issues 1 and 2.
If adopted, State Issue 1 would renew the Ohio Third Frontier program by authorizing the state of Ohio to issue $700 million in bonds to support economic development initiatives. The Third Frontier was founded on the commitment to shape the future Ohio’s economy through a balanced portfolio of programs to support research and commercialization, entrepreneurial assistance, cluster development, and expansion of the talent pool. Created in 2002, the program’s 10-year initial life and a bipartisan commitment of $1.6 billion will expire in June 2012. The May ballot issue would extend that to June 2016.
This program is good for business and good for Ohio because it builds on the state's strengths in technology and innovation to create high-wage jobs, new growth companies, and globally competitive products.
The Chamber also supports State Issue 2, the proposal to change the address where a Columbus-area casino can be located. Because of the passage of State Issue 3 in November 2009, current law requires that a casino built in Columbus must be built in the city’s Arena District.
The Columbus Chamber opposed State Issue 3. Following its passage, we urged state and local lawmakers to work with Penn National Gaming for a solution that would ensure that a casino would not be located in the Arena District and also honor the will of Ohio’s electorate by finding an alternative location in the Columbus region that was suitable to host a casino.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the city of Columbus, Penn National Gaming, and Franklin Township had agreed to locate the Columbus-based casino on property that borders on the west side of Columbus. The property was formerly occupied by a Delphi factory.
The Chamber believes our community should be able to decide where a casino would be located. By changing the location to the Delphi site, a property that was shuttered due to the painful transition in the auto industry can now receive hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and be transformed into a business that will attract tourists from outside our region.
Experience Columbus, the Columbus Partnership and leaders including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Franklin County Commissioner John O'Grady also support Issue 2.
Early voting begins today for the May 4 primary election ballot. As you consider the issues, remember that the Columbus Chamber supports State Issues 1 and 2.
If adopted, State Issue 1 would renew the Ohio Third Frontier program by authorizing the state of Ohio to issue $700 million in bonds to support economic development initiatives. The Third Frontier was founded on the commitment to shape the future Ohio’s economy through a balanced portfolio of programs to support research and commercialization, entrepreneurial assistance, cluster development, and expansion of the talent pool. Created in 2002, the program’s 10-year initial life and a bipartisan commitment of $1.6 billion will expire in June 2012. The May ballot issue would extend that to June 2016.
This program is good for business and good for Ohio because it builds on the state's strengths in technology and innovation to create high-wage jobs, new growth companies, and globally competitive products.
The Chamber also supports State Issue 2, the proposal to change the address where a Columbus-area casino can be located. Because of the passage of State Issue 3 in November 2009, current law requires that a casino built in Columbus must be built in the city’s Arena District.
The Columbus Chamber opposed State Issue 3. Following its passage, we urged state and local lawmakers to work with Penn National Gaming for a solution that would ensure that a casino would not be located in the Arena District and also honor the will of Ohio’s electorate by finding an alternative location in the Columbus region that was suitable to host a casino.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the city of Columbus, Penn National Gaming, and Franklin Township had agreed to locate the Columbus-based casino on property that borders on the west side of Columbus. The property was formerly occupied by a Delphi factory.
The Chamber believes our community should be able to decide where a casino would be located. By changing the location to the Delphi site, a property that was shuttered due to the painful transition in the auto industry can now receive hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and be transformed into a business that will attract tourists from outside our region.
Experience Columbus, the Columbus Partnership and leaders including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Franklin County Commissioner John O'Grady also support Issue 2.
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