Mark Shanahan from Governors Office - Event Date: Mar 28 2008

Today: Mark Shanahan from Governors Office Speaks about the Govenors $1.7B Jobs Package named 'Building Ohio Jobs"

The State of Ohio wants to issuing $1.7 Billion in bonds. But is this a jobs package?

For example $250 million in the advanced and renewable energy economy, including solar, wind and clean coal. This doesn't create a massive amount of jobs. Its a good idea, but aren't we issuing the bonds to save on future energy costs?

$150 million for infrastructure is a good idea, but whats a seamless network of roads, rails, and ports? Aren't we already investing in roads, rails and ports without this extra expense. If not, are we letting these thing run down? How did we appropriate funds in the past?

Ok, $100 million for what? The bioproducts industry? Last time I counted, it didn't take many farmers to work vast crops. Workers needed to run an automated plant isn't an auto industry jobs replacement program.

Great idea, spend $200 million in the biomedical industry. Not a jobs project, and were are we going to get employees for this industry? We better open up immigration like Bill Gates wants.

Gotta love $200 million to re-establish the Main Street Middletown and other Ohio Main streets. But again, not a big jobs project. $200 million isn't much for all the Main Streets in Ohio. (We could spend that in Middletown alone)

$400 million to the Clean Ohio fund. This is just an donation to a fund we already have in place. Its not a long term jobs project.

FOUND IT This $400 million is a JOBS Project!
The Ohio Public Works Commission to help our local partners with road, bridge, water and sewer projects. These are projects that spur growth in our cities and towns and Ohio as a whole. Oh, yea, this is going to put alot of people back to work.

So, my opinion is lets spend $400 Million for a Jobs project.
The other money should stand on its own merit. Love to have it broken out by category and let us vote like a line item veto. I'm sure we all could trim that $1.7B.