Press Releases

For Immediate Release
August 16, 2005

Contact: Julie Wagner Feasel
Director of Communications
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
614-228-4201
jfeasel@ohiochamber.com

Ohio Chamber of Commerce Supports Jobs for Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH – On August 10, 2005, the Board of Directors of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce voted to support the Jobs for Ohio ballot initiative that stems from Ohio House Joint Resolution 2 (HJR 2) that was passed by Ohio’s House and Senate on August 2 and 3 respectively. If passed in November, this issue will provide money to support Ohio’s physical infrastructure, redevelop industrial sites and fund important research and development grants.

“The Board of Directors of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce sees the Jobs for Ohio initiative as being an important piece of the economic development puzzle,” said Andrew E. Doehrel, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “The Ohio Chamber’s Benchmarking Ohio’s Economic Competitiveness study shows that Ohio ranks third in the nation in the way of physical infrastructure and this initiative will help preserve and improve our state’s roads, bridges, sewers and water lines. Conversely, the study shows that Ohio needs to expand its support for entrepreneurship and innovation which is exactly what this initiative will do.”

The Jobs for Ohio bond package will provide the following:
• $500 million in bonds issued over seven years for research and development grants;
• $1.35 billion in public works bonds issued over 10 years for local infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, sewers and water lines; and
• $150 million in bonds issued over seven years to redevelop industrial sites, turning them into “shovel ready” sites

This bond issue is not a tax increase, nor will it require a tax increase in the future.
“The Board believes that Jobs for Ohio is necessary to keep Ohio competitive with other states and to improve Ohio’s economic climate,” Doehrel continued.

Founded in 1893, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce is Ohio's largest statewide business advocacy group. The Chamber works to promote and protect the interests of its members - large and small - while building a more favorable Ohio business climate.

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