We’ve all read various stories this year pinning Ohio’s poor economic condition on the Strickland administration, from sources as diverse as the The Dispatch, The Plain Dealer, and the righty blogosphere. John Kasich is counting on that story for his bid to take Ted’s place, featuring a “Jobs Lost Under Ted Strickland” counter on his campaign homepage and supporting the Ohio GOP’s “Turnaround Ted” slam site (which lists economic problems the Right blames Strickland for).
Unfortunately for the Kasich, the Ohio GOP, and our state’s established media, however, the “Ted is bad for business” meme is total bunk.
On the heels of last week’s report that Ohio’s statewide unemployment has actually fallen over the past 3 months (buried by The Dispatch’s coverage) comes a report today that Ohio is the 4th Best Business Climate in the United States.
Again: if you’re looking to start or expand a business, Ohio is in the top 8% of places to do that in America.
This report comes form the independent Site Selection magazine, a mag for leaders of business and industry that highlights the best places to locate business in the United States.
The 4th place ranking is an improvement from last year’s 7th place showing for the Buckeye State, and gives the Strickland administration’s claims that they’re doing all they can to turn around Ohio real credence. Strickland lauded the improvement, saying “We are holding the line on taxes and reducing the size of state government to direct limited resources in way that help Ohioans attain the education and skills needed to land jobs.”
Clearly, this kind of story can only help the Strickland administration as it prepares for a tooth and nail battle with John “Abolish State Government” Kasich.* It also would help former Ohio Development Department Director Lee Fisher in his bid for the Ohio Senate. And yet…
Silence from Ohio’s mainstream media outlets. Someone needs to remind these folks (as they reminded us last fall) that change, for its own sake, offers no hope.