Dispatch:
In a survey that fuels Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s bragging rights and takes some away from Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Ohio fell three spots to No. 9 in Site Selection magazine’s list of top state business climates, while Texas moved from No. 3 to No. 1.
Texas was ranked high as a “pro-business, entrepreneurial, right-to-work state,” having an available work force and having no state income tax.
Survey respondents also liked the state’s regulatory environment and the fact that it “fights OSHA, EPA and other negative, useless regulations.”
I don't know about you, but I like things like OSHA, because it protects workers, and the EPA because it protects our environment and people! Personally, I don't want Ohio to be ranked better than Texas. Texas might lead the country on this list published in Site Selection, but there are some rankings Ohioans would not want to share with Texas.
Texas on the Brink, a report published in 2011, by the Texas Legislative Study Group, has some statistics that are alarming:
- Current Expenditures per Student - 38th [iv]
- Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Scores - 45th [x]
- Percent of Population 25 and Older with a High School Diploma - 50th [xi]
- High School Graduation Rate - 43rd [xii]
- Percent of Uninsured Children - 1st [iii]
- Percent of Children Living in Poverty – 4th [iv]
- Teenage Birth Rate 7th
- Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions 1st
- Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds
Released into Air 1st - Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water 1st
- Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing
Carcinogens Released into Air 1st - Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated 1st
- Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released
into Air 5th
When you compare Ohio with Texas, the differences are amazing ----
Statehealthfacts: Health Coverage
Uninsured Population--Ohio =1,475,900 ......Texas = 6,258,700
Uninsured Children-----Ohio = 216,200........ Texas = 1,303,000
In the area of teen birth rate, Statehealthfacts reports the following:
| Teen Birth Rate per 1,000 Population Ages 15-19, 2008 |
|---|
Ohio at 41% Texas at 63.4%
In number of occupational fatalities, 2010, Statehealthfacts notes:
Ohio at 156 Texas at 456
Do we really want to be ranked like Texas?
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* Have you heard? Josh Mandel, Republican Ohio Treasurer, is running for U.S. Senate. Unfortunately, Josh Mandel has yet to file his PFD (personal financial disclosure) with the Secretary of the U.S. Senate. It was due on May 15th, 2011. Yes, folks, Mandel is over 170 days late in filing the required paperwork. Even though his campaign said the PFD would be filed in October, it hasn't happened. But don't worry!!!
Josh Mandel doesn't have time to do his required paperwork because he has to party!!!! Mandel is too busy to do paperwork because he is flying all over the country attending parties to collect campaign funds!!!! Party! Party! Party! Whoo-hoo!
With just a brief search on Google, I present you with a very short list of past and upcoming fundraisers for Mandel.
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011: Honolulu, Hawaii
Monday, June 20, 2011: San Francisco, California
Tuesday, June 28, 2011: Salem, Ohio
Monday, August 8, 2011: Cincinnati, Ohio
Thursday, September 22, 2011: Washington, DC
Sunday, November 21st: Denver, Colorado
If Mandel is flying all over the country, exactly which of his overpaid, hand-picked, staff are doing his work?
Vote No on Issue 2.