What does Ohio need to make it thrive? (Columbus, Cleveland: insurance, college)

[5Lakes]

Become more pro-business and fix up the cities so that they are more appealing to professional types. The suburban mindset of Ohio has hurt it and made its cities unappealing as destinations for people.

Also, many people in Ohio have an inferiority complex and the state does not market its positives very well.

[PhillytoCincy]

Originally Posted by 5Lakes

Become more pro-business and fix up the cities so that they are more appealing to professional types. The suburban mindset of Ohio has hurt it and made its cities unappealing as destinations for people.

Also, many people in Ohio have an inferiority complex and the state does not market its positives very well.

Exactly, market it POSITIVES.

[RememberMee]

Chinese wages, 12 hrs work day, no environmental laws, no unions .... would attract businesses in droves.

[west5548]

Originally Posted by Beavercreek33

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Ohio already has it all. We just need to become more tax friendly to businesses. And when we do, look out. One of the best things is, Ohio can compete with anyone on any level, we just need the right government in place, and right now, we do not have that.

I'm sorry, but if given the choice for the same job, same pay and the choice was Ohio or North Carolina, I would choose North Carolina. You see more sun in a month than you do in a year in Ohio, short winters, close to a real beach, and it's cleaner in NC.

It's not the governments fault in Ohio, seriously who in their right mind wants to move here. I have gone down to Texas for work the last few months and the first thing out of anyone's mouth is "Ohio? Why would you want to live there? Winters that drag on forever, cold 3/4 of the year, and it's dirty." A VP got transferred to Columbus from down there and has no intentions of staying up here, she already hates it.

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

Seems to have so many positives (cept the weather! )

what does the state need to stop the people from leaving, attract more businesses, etc...

State government that understands that lower taxes, right to work, and fewer restrictions are what make businesses work.

Make the place more business-friendly and

Wait, good leadership at the state, big city, and county level would really help!!

[Joe 4520832257]

I'll add to the chorus here ...

Lower taxes and right-to-work. Both state and local taxes are not only too high, but also very convoluted. As someone else mentioned, there's lots of hyper-local variations between municipalities and every year there are another 50 "public" organizations begging for handouts in a new tax levy.

This might ruffle some feathers - but what Ohio really needs is for all the old Union worker types to either die off or retire to other states. These voters are going to overwhelmingly favor high tax, high spending, anti-business, protectionist economic policy at the state level. In other words, they vote for the exact opposite of what Ohio really needs.

Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that these are the people who are staying in Ohio. It's the skilled white collar labor that moving out of state at a faster rate.

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Originally Posted by Joe 4520832257

I'll add to the chorus here ...

Lower taxes and right-to-work. Both state and local taxes are not only too high, but also very convoluted. As someone else mentioned, there's lots of hyper-local variations between municipalities and every year there are another 50 "public" organizations begging for handouts in a new tax levy.

This might ruffle some feathers - but what Ohio really needs is for all the old Union worker types to either die off or retire to other states. These voters are going to overwhelmingly favor high tax, high spending, anti-business, protectionist economic policy at the state level. In other words, they vote for the exact opposite of what Ohio really needs.

Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that these are the people who are staying in Ohio. It's the skilled white collar labor that moving out of state at a faster rate.

I heard that a Cal. state legislator had recently introduced a business/worker/taxpayer friendly bill that does all those things, i.e. lower taxes, fewer regs, etc.
No doubt he'll be dead by morning.

Funny how they think that the disease they have will be cured by more of the disease. Not that funny, though.

[db108108]

Getting rid of unions would be wonderful. That way, we can get back all of those manufacturing jobs that have moved to China.

Right.

Ohio needs stronger cities. Cities are the economic engines of any place, yet Ohio's cities are dying at the expensive of its suburbs. If you look at the list of the top 20 cities of 2008, only 1 had a higher population in 2008 than 1970. There's something very, very wrong with that picture. Strong cities attract people and jobs.

[RememberMee]

Originally Posted by db108108

Getting rid of unions would be wonderful. That way, we can get back all of those manufacturing jobs that have moved to China.

Sure, slave mentality will get Ohioans a job together with Chinese wages. Something is majorly wrong with working fodder in America, combination of dumbness, slavishness and gutlessness, in two words, USA is f....d.

But, I guess this antiunion crap comes mostly from white color management types eager to manage sweatshops.

[rrtechno]

Unions have done some pretty stupid things over the course of time, BUT, they have also made living in this country much better than it was. We know of someone who works for a NON-union employer. Her mother was recently attacked at work by an intruder and knocked out. When she was found about 20 minutes later, she was still unconscious and rushed to the ER. This friend of ours was notified, went to her supervisor, explained the situation, and requested to leave to be with her mother. She was told she was not allowed to leave. Well, guess what, she left anyway. When she returned, she was reprimanded and a report placed in her file. Nearly all union contracts I know of allow for time off for illness and injury to family members. There would have been no repercussions for her actions in this instance.

Now, before anyone gets on me about unions protecting a worker who isn't performing, I know there are people who "milk the system" as much as they can, but if the employer is diligent about record keeping, and documents infractions, things will end up being handled justly.