Ohio Raises Funds by Issuing Bonds, Keeping Favorable Tax Climate Intact

Sticking with its commitment to eliminate a burdensome tax system, Ohio recently announced that it is coming to market with as much as $280 million in tax-exempt bonds due in 2013 as part of the state’s first plan to ease near-term costs by delaying principal payments on existing debt. Ohio has an AA+ rating from S&P, the second highest, and Moody’s Aa2 and Fitch’s AA, each the third highest.

Underscoring Ohio’s favorable tax climate, other states are raising taxes and fees, cutting services and issuing debt to help balance budgets after the steepest decline in tax receipts on record, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. States have dealt with or still face a total budget gap of $193 billion this fiscal year, the center said. This week’s largest municipal borrower, Illinois, plans to sell $3.5 billion in taxable notes to cover pension contributions due this year.

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Ohio Cities Rank Among Best in Country for Employment Opportunities

According to a new study by MSN.com, two Ohio cities – Mansfield and Springfield – are among the best cities in the country for employment opportunities. Springfield city leaders say with the unemployment rate dropping, they see new jobs being created, developing new employment opportunities for Ohioans.

Right now in Springfield, 300 construction workers are building a $300 million Springfield Regional Medical Facility. Springfield Economic Developer Tom Franzen says it will employ 3,000 people when it's completed in two years. Click here to read the complete story.

Renier Construction Celebrates 30 Years of Thriving Business in Ohio

Bill Heifner, president of Renier Construction Corporation in Columbus, Ohio, founded the company in 1980 as a one-man operation, specializing in industrial and commercial construction. Today, Renier's long list of clients includes Germain Motor Company, Ross Laboratories and Dayton Freight Lines. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Bill about what has led to the company’s steady growth and overall success.

Bill attributed much of his company’s success to Ohio’s transportation infrastructure, providing Renier with superior market access. Heifner said, “Forward thinking by local and state leaders several decades ago laid the foundation for a transportation infrastructure that has Ohio well positioned for growth and efficiency.”

He also spoke with me about the Ohio Promise, which is that you can achieve professional success within the context of a fulfilling life.  Bill believes that Ohio offers a fulfilling, meaningful lifestyle with robust cultural and entertainment options, extensive green space and sports, and excellent schools and universities. Coupled with a business environment that is open and welcoming to newcomers and emerging leaders, Bill says, Ohio delivers on its promise.

Click here to read my complete interview with Bill.

Ohio Hospitals Use Advanced New Technology to Improve Surgical Outcomes

Physicians at Grant Medical Center and Riverside Methodist Hospital, part of OhioHealth, a not-for-profit family of hospitals in Columbus, Ohio, are using robotic surgery as an alternative to both open-incision surgery and laparoscopy procedures.

Robotic surgery, the newest and most advanced technology for minimally invasive surgery, helps patients achieve faster recovery, experience minimal pain and avoid complex, open incisions. This latest development underscores the fact that Ohio’s medical institutions are leaders in applying new technology to improve patient outcomes. In fact, robotic surgery is the most effective, least invasive surgical option available today.

OhioHealth’s surgeons perform the robotic operations from a console, while viewing a 3-D image of the affected area of the patient's body. The physicians use a patient-side robotic cart with four arms to perform the procedures. The surgeon's fingers grasp the master controls below the display, and the system translates the physician's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.

Click here to read more about OhioHealth’s use of new technology for surgical procedures.

Cincinnati Leads the Nation in Green Building Innovations

With Cincinnati leading the pack, Ohio is emerging as a leader in the green building movement. Changing demographics and lifestyles are making green choices more popular, and the success of projects in Cincinnati shows that the future of building in Ohio is about making it green, building sustainable and competitive industries in the region.

Chad Edwards is 2010 president-elect of the US Green Building Council Cincinnati Regional Chapter and an architect with Emersion DESIGN in Cincinnati, whose office is certified LEED Platinum, the highest green rating available. He says Ohio's green business expansion started in 2004 with initiatives to build new schools to LEED standards. In fact, Ohio was one of the first states to mandate LEED construction for schools. As a result of Ohio’s leadership in the area, Ohio now has more LEED certified schools than California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico and Florida combined.

Click here to learn more about Cincinnati’s green building boom.