Governor Ted, who's major contribution to this state is to allow on line Keno, apparently isn't to blame for NCR leaving.... or is he?
Gov. Ted Strickland's time of escaping scrutiny over Ohio's mounting job losses might be coming to an end.
State Republicans started turning up the heat on the Democratic governor this week following announcements on consecutive days that General Motors will close one of its Ohio plants and that global technology company NCR Corp. is moving its headquarters from Dayton.
The focus on Strickland's handling of the state's economy in the three years he's been in office is sure to intensify now that the 2010 election is little more than a year away.
Former Ohio Congressman John Kasich kicked off his campaign for governor Monday and accused Strickland of doing little to stop the loss of jobs since he was elected in 2006.
Ohio GOP chairman Kevin DeWine echoed the criticism a day later, after NCR confirmed it is leaving for Georgia.
"Every week, it continues to get worse," DeWine said.
Ohio's unemployment rate has reached 10.2 percent, a 25-year high and well above the national rate.
Employment numbers in the state have been worsening for nearly a decade, with nearly 400,000 factory jobs lost since 2000. That's a big reason why Barack Obama's message of change resonated in the state and helped him win Ohio on his way to the White House.
Democrats largely blamed former President George W. Bush for the state's problems, while Strickland avoided any criticism.
Kasich made it clear this week that his campaign won't let that happen and that he plans on holding Strickland accountable.
"It's high time that this governor take personal responsibility for something," Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said. "The governor's response to date has been to blame Bob Taft, George Bush or anyone else he can think of for his own failures."
The governor, who is expected to run for a second term, dismissed the accusations lobbed at him.
"The least of my worries right now is who may get blamed for this," he said. "I'm concerned about the workers who are losing their jobs. I'm concerned about a community that will feel this loss."
He added that it's unfair to think his administration could do more to stop a company that is intent on moving or prevent auto plants from closing.
"It's unrealistic to blame Ohio for the problems of General Motors or Chrysler," he said Tuesday while touring a suburban Toledo company that produces machines that make glass for the auto and solar industries.
Strickland said state and Dayton officials had tried to reach out to NCR for months without getting a phone call returned.
"They were never willing to engage with us, to share with us what it was they wanted from Ohio or what it would take to keep them in Ohio," he said. "I think the decision had made been made."
First, something doesn't add up here.
Let's assume NCR was determined to leave. You at least allow negotiate with Ohio to sweeten your deal with Georgia.
Second, what exactly has the state of Ohio ever done for NCR?
Class?
Class?
See, this is the frustrating bitch I have with state and local politicians. They have no idea who their customer is. They live in a world where they believe their customers are the constituents who vote and kick money into their campaigns.
In reality, their customers are the entities who pay the tab for their spending.
Just how long would I be in business if I, as a tax preparer, operated as if the IRS were my client instead of the person actually paying the bill?
If I were Governor Ted, I guess I'd stand back and say "They were never willing to engage with us". What the hell is that?
I continue to be amazed with the arrogance of politicians who simply believe that businesses would be here simply because "We're (name your country, state, city)".
Governments have to compete just like all the companies in the private sector. It's a simple cost/benefit principle; what do we pay in taxes v. what do we receive in return in the form of services? Ohio has the built in disadvantage of climate but what exactly has the state done in the last 20 years, actually ever, to make themselves attractive to companies looking to relocate?
Now, the governor isn't to blame for a 120 year old company relocating unless he hasn't done anything during his time in office to make Ohio more attractive to businesses.
I don't think that blessing the state with Keno, the only thing he's done in office, qualifies.
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