Recently, some news was made regarding an article from Site Selection magazine stating Ohio enjoyed the #4 business environment in the country.
I know, I know. Stop laughing.
Despite losing 185,451 jobs in the past 12 months, we’re supposed to believe Ohio has the 4th best business environment.
Despite 82,000 completely leaving Ohio’s labor force in the past 12 months, we’re supposed to believe Ohio has the 4th best business environment.
Now, I’m not sure what data Site Selection magazine specifically uses, and neither do they since the data isn’t included in the article. But I’ve heard from some reliable sources that Ohio governors going back to the Voinovich Administration made Site Selection magazine’s rankings a priority and specifically worked to provide them data that would fit nicely into their criterion. And this blurb from the Cleveland Plain Dealer seems to infer the same:
Some question the rankings, wondering whether Ohio is simply more aggressive in gathering statistics on new and expanded businesses.
Last fall, Jeff Finkle, president of the International Economic Development Council, said recognition for landing new business can’t mask the fact that Ohio is losing more jobs than it is creating.
And Finkle is right. Rankings like these are all well and good. But results are something completely different.
Ohio is in the midst of a job crisis – a crisis clearly worse than what the country as a whole is facing.
Perhaps if the Governor would have taken a moment during his term to refocus his efforts on job creation rather than the minutia of magazines, Ohio wouldn’t be in this mess.
