what ideas can bring business back to ohio ? (Moraine: utilities, income)

[1watertiger]

any ideas/suggestions that will help retain or bring new business to ohio ? we know our labor costs are higher than the south and west. so why not lower all other costs such as utilities (especially fresh water), taxes (maybe abate or defer depending on company size), offer cheap land maybe brownfields given away. in other words, make the bottom-line of a companies cost cheaper to be here instead of N.C or arizona, etc.

[South Range Family]

Businesses look at the cost of doing business. Period.

Let's talk about jobs that are strictly in this Country for now.
They have already determined that employees are not an issue. Quality employees are willing to relocate for quality jobs. That means that they can build a factory in any armpit town with no qualified people, and still get a quality workforce to move there.

Utilities are usually provided by private companies that are willing to negotiate a price. If that utility is paying a huge tax, it can't negotiate as much.

Transportation and shipping costs are a major factor. Ohio is sitting in a pretty good location for that.

So what does that leave us with? Taxes. Plain and simple, companies locate where they can get the best tax breaks. There are more than just straight forward income taxes. States love to nickel & dime companies to death. Income tax, property tax, privilege tax, inventory tax, and a host of others.

My company stores parts in North Carolina and ships them to us overnight when we need them in Pittsburgh. Why? Because Pa. taxes the value of any parts that are in storage. It's cheaper to ship them when we need them.

The only thing a politician can do to bring business here is to lower corporate taxes. That in turn will lower the cost of doing business in Ohio.

That doesn't really help us in the global market, but it could at least help us compete with other States.

Big businesses are not the enemy that should be punished for success. They are our lifeline that should be rewarded for coming here.

[GeminiGal]

Business is going to do what is best for them - and you cannot fault them for that IMO. Incentives to relocate a company here are probably not that great tax wise. Then you have to look at the employee situation. Unfortunately, the perception is that the Northern & Midwestern states are bad and the South is good. Everyone wants to relocate South, so that's where businesses/companies will continue to go. Southern states offer better tax incentives for the company, are anti union, and quite frankly the COL for employees is better ... which means cheaper labor. People don't factor in that. We relocated up here with a pay increase. With DH's company, you get no raise if you relocate South and pay raises don't come as quick as you would think. Here in OH, they want to keep folks here, and offer pay incentives to stay. Now this is a large accounting firm that has to have locations all over the US, so employee retention is key in places no one desires to live. Bottom line its all about money with business, and labor costs are a huge factor. Company tax incentives means nothing if the overall savings of $ is not there for the business.

[Daytonnatian]

For Moraine:

Put an interchange at the river rd. bridge and connect river road to stroop.