High priority current reports from the OMA about legislative, regulatory, judicial and political developments that affect Ohio manufacturers:

New Ohio Study Envisions Prosperity Fueled by Manufacturing Innovation

Last week the Brookings Institute, together with Ohio-based Greater Ohio Policy Center, released a study that was “designed to facilitate Ohio’s transition to our next economy.”  The report, "Restoring Prosperity: Transforming Ohio's Communities for the Next Economy," calls for an Ohio economic strategy that is “export-oriented, lower-carbon, and innovation-fueled.”

The findings are framed this way:  “Ohioans can decide whether to shy away from manufacturing after the loss of so many jobs, or to transform the state’s old manufacturing strengths, derived from its role in the auto supply chain, into new products, markets, and opportunities. They can decide to opt out of the national shift to a lower-carbon economy, or to be at the forefront of developing clean coal and renewable energy industries and jobs.”

The group calls for major renovation of the structure of government:  “The state has 3,800 local government jurisdictions, including 250 cities, 695 villages, and 1,308 townships. Ohioans have the ninth highest local tax burden in the U.S., compared to the 34th highest for state taxes. While the proliferation of local governments and the fragmentation of the state into tiny “little box” jurisdictions may satisfy residents’ desire for accessible government, it also creates a staggering array of costs, such as duplication of infrastructure, staffing, and services, and a race-to-the-bottom competition among multiple municipalities for desirable commercial, industrial, and residential tax base.”  03/04/2010

April 6 Airbus Supplier Summit for Interested Manufacturers

Ohio suppliers can learn more about working within the Airbus Americas supply chain at this April 6 event in Kettering.  Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer.  With an estimated $4 billion in direct Airbus procurement last year, Ohio ranks first in Airbus spending in the U.S.

Senator Sherrod Brown and Allan McArtor, Chairman of Airbus Americas, along with Airbus procurement executives and representatives from Airbus’s tier 1 and 2 suppliers will be available to explain the opportunities. 03/04/2010

Site Selection Ranks Ohio #1, Again

For the fourth year in a row, Ohio topped the list of Site Selection magazine’s state rankings for most capital investment projects.  Ohio was followed by Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Tennessee in the top five for 2009.

Facility projects counted in the rankings meet one or more of these criteria: capital investment of US$1 million or more, creation of 50 or more new jobs and/or new floor space of at least 20,000 square feet. 

Ohio had 381 qualifying projects, while Michigan had 374.  The score on Saturday, November 21, 2009, was Ohio State 21, Michigan 10.  03/05/2010

OMA Members Urged to Join OMA Groups Blogosphere

OMA Groups, a new OMA members-only service, uses (social-networking-like) technology to help members work together. The idea is that - by working across organizations and across disciplines -people can advance their organizations more rapidly and effectively than they can independently.

We created an OMA Group for people who manage workers’ comp.  Why?  Because of high member utilization of OMA workers’ comp services and perennial interest in workers’ compensation management and savings.

And, due to emerging opportunities for cost savings and information sharing around the new area of energy efficiency we created an OMA Group for those who manage and procure energy.

These are the first of many OMA-created Groups full of conversations to come. And you can create your own Groups.  Get started.  03/05/2010

OMA Members Invited to Participate in RSM McGladrey Annual Manufacturing Survey

OMA Connections Partner, RSM McGladrey, an accounting, tax and business consulting firm, invites OMA members to participate in its 5th annual Manufacturing and Wholesale Distribution National Survey, which serves to inform policy-making audiences about the economic status of industry. 

Findings from last year’s survey were presented to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, the Senate Finance Committee, the Joint Economic Committee and the Congressional Task Force on Manufacturing, among others.

The survey gathers data about current conditions, industry outlook, domestic and global growth strategies, operational effectiveness, cost management, risk management, and workforce.  Respondents will receive a confidential report that shows how they answered against the aggregated data.

Click here to begin your survey.  Responses are due by April 2, 2009.  03/04/2010

OMA Urges Action on U.S. EPA GHG Rule

The OMA, along with individual businesses and other groups, urged United States Senator Sherrod Brown to support a senate resolution that would halt U.S. EPA' s GHG rulemaking using the Clean Air Act.  A week ago an identical resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and has bipartisan support.  03/04/2010

Senate Extends WC Privatization Study After Just One Meeting

Following the initial meeting of the Senate-created Competitive Workers’ Compensation Task Force, members of the Ohio Senate last week voted to pass Senate Resolution 168 to extend the duration of study period from June until December.  The study process was created by the Ohio Senate late last year by SR 118.  Always a controversial issue, some question the procedural appropriateness of a study ordered by only half of the legislative branch. 

At the initial meeting of the Senate task force on February 17, members heard a presentation from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), an actuarial consulting group funded by the insurance industry.  The Task Force Chairman, Senator Tim Grendell announced the BWC has been invited to testify at the next meeting of the task force.  Also addressed in SR 118 was new authority for the Senate President to make additional appointments to the task force, a change intended to respond to concerns expressed by Ohio-based insurance companies that noted they were outnumbered on the task force by foreign-based insurance companies.  03/05/2010   

Legislative Oversight Council an Apparent Mess

News broke this week about an apparent mess at the legislative body called the Ohio Worker’s Compensation Council, which is supposed to be a professional entity overseeing legislation that affects the Ohio workers’ comp system.  The executive director fired all of the staff.  The ex-staff sued for wrongful discharge, religious discrimination, harassment and retaliation. 

The fired staff alleges harassment on religious grounds.  Here is an example of the allegations.

House Insurance Committee chairman, Rep. Dan Dodd (D-Licking Township) has been publicly quoted as being concerned about allegations of political meddling in the Workers’ Compensation Council.  He apparently has called for an investigation to determine whether staff reports on legislation had been improperly altered.  No specific allegations of this meddling have surfaced.

The council expenses are paid for by employer workers’ compensation premiums.  Private sector employers pay an assessment for the council of .0446% of premium.  The council is to receive about $1 million this year. 03/04/2010