Rep. Foley: JobsOhio Hoarding Cash While Job Creation Continues to Stagnate

The state jobs report released today showed that the number of unemployed Ohioans grew to 324,000 people, an increase of 1,000 from last month. The unemployment rate remained unchanged, while the state created 200 jobs. In response, State Rep. Mike Foley (D-Cleveland) released the following statement:

“Our state’s economic development entity is hoarding hundreds of millions of dollars while Ohio’s job growth rate continues to trail the national average. Gov. Kasich promised Ohioans a lot with the privatization of state economic development, but delivered no new results. JobsOhio looks more and more like a failing, fantasy playground of an unsuccessful businessman rather than an economic development powerhouse.”

According to limited data provided by the entity, since its inception JobsOhio has spent $22,219,000 on economic development—roughly 7.8% of the total liquor profits they've received.

Gov. Kasich’s $10 million pledge to the RNC on behalf of JobsOhio would be the largest single economic development investment to date—larger than the total of any single loan or grant program.