For Immediate Release
June 6, 2000

Contact: Denise Wible
Communications Director
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
614/228-4201

Ohio Chamber President Says Supreme Court Makes Ohio a Target

COLUMBUS -- Ohio Chamber of Commerce President Andrew Doehrel today responded to a Michigan Chamber of Commerce ad campaign aimed at getting Ohio businesses to relocate to Michigan. He said that while Ohio continues to do a good job in attracting new business -- with more than 1,100 new facilities last year -- our neighbor to the north is using its legal reforms to gain a competitive advantage. Specifically, Michigan targeted Ohio because the Ohio Supreme Court struck down civil justice reforms by a 4-3 margin in August of 1999.

"The competition for new business development has really intensified in recent years and states try to utilize every competitive advantage they can," Doehrel said. "Michigan has an advantage from recently enacting tort reform. This isn't unusual -- other states have made recruitment issues out of legislative initiatives, in this case, it's tort reform, but others have been workers' compensation reform, right-to-work laws or tax policy changes. There are many factors that businesses take into account when deciding to locate new facilities, and the legal climate for business is one of them.

"It's unfortunate Ohio has become a target for this sort of thing, but our activist Supreme Court, with its overturn of tort reform and its school funding ruling -- to name just two cases -- cast major clouds over significant state policies. It leads to nearby states capitalizing on Ohio's missteps," he continued.

"Businesses need predictability, and with our activist "gang of four" court majority we do not have it. Everyone in Ohio -- consumers and businesses alike -- pays the price."

Doehrel said that Michigan's aggressive approach has delivered measurable returns. According to Site Selection magazine, Michigan ranked first in new business development last year. Ohio was first in 1993-95, but slipped to third last year.

"People in Michigan should be happy that their Supreme Court has shown judicial restraint and that citizens and businesses are able to have a predictable legal climate," Doehrel concluded. "That kind of climate is important to growth, and unfortunately, our Supreme Court evaluation shows it does not exist here in Ohio."

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