Leadership

Saluting Ohio’s Small Manufacturers

This has been National Small Business Week, which recognizes the economic contributions and impact of small firms. See this snapshot of Ohio’s small business community.

As of 2020, the most recent year available, there were more than 13,000 Ohio manufacturing businesses with fewer than 500 employees — the federal definition of a small business. Small manufacturers comprise the vast majority of the OMA’s membership.

The OMA salutes Ohio’s small manufacturers — in every area of the industry — for making the Buckeye State the powerhouse of manufacturing! 5/4/2023

JobsOhio: Balance Needed to Grow Auto Sector

The New York Times recently ran a front-page story examining Ohio’s automotive sector and the state’s success in attracting investments related to electric vehicles. Read the Times’ story, which notes that Ohio is the No. 2 state for auto manufacturing and No. 1 for internal combustion engine production.

JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef writes that the state’s continued leadership in the industry “requires a delicate balance of support for traditional motors and systems,” while investing in workforce development “to sustain next-generation auto technologies and manufacturing.” 5/2/2023

U.S. Manufacturing Slowdown Continued in April

The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again in April, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline in activity. In this analysis, OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran writes that weakness in the sector continues to point to heightened risk of recession in the near term. Check out Plante Moran’s latest publication on leading through change in midmarket manufacturing. 5/3/2023

House Delays Action on 60% Voter-Approval Plan

The Ohio House failed to take action this week on a controversial plan to make it more difficult to amend the state constitution by increasing the voter-approval threshold to 60%, instead of a simple majority.

As Gongwer News Service reports, a House committee passed its version of the plan, but “questions remain whether there’s sufficient GOP support to be passed by the full House.”

It’s also uncertain whether House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) will bring up the measure for a vote before the deadline. For the proposed Aug. 8 election, in which Ohio voters would decide the plan’s fate, the deadline for legislative action is Wednesday, May 10. 5/4/2023

How Is Your County Spending State-Disbursed Funds?

In Fiscal Year 2022, Ohio’s state government disbursed nearly $42 billion in subsidies and capital funds to all 88 counties. See how your county spent these funds in this report compiled by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Or click on your county using this interactive map. 5/4/2023

Details of House-Passed Budget

The Ohio House has passed its version of the state’s two-year operating budget (House Bill 33) on a 78-19 vote.

Seventeen Republicans, including Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township) — who lost his bid for the speaker’s position to Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) earlier this year — voted against HB 33 after amendments were blocked during floor consideration.

As approved by the House, the measure would spend $88 billion in state dollars and another $104 billion in federal funds. (This document compares the House provisions to the governor’s.) Among other things, the House budget would:

• Reduce Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed $684 million in workforce investments. (The House did, however, restore the governor’s suggested $200 million for career-tech facility expansions, after previously proposing a 50% reduction.)
• Add new provisions to allow utilities to collect unlimited costs from customers for projects deemed to be “economic development” or “infrastructure.” (The OMA is opposed to this language. See related story.)
• Provide modest income tax relief on earnings between $26,050 and $92,150.
• Reduce the governor’s $2.5 billion for the All Ohio Future Fund — which would ensure ready-to-go economic development sites statewide — to just $500 million.
• Reduce the governor’s $150 million for innovation hubs to $25 million.

The budget now goes to the Senate, where it will be subject to further revision. One possible change could be new language to include a K-12 education restructuring plan that would ensure more focus on workforce, as spotlighted by Gongwer News Service. 4/26/2023

FTC Investigates ‘Made in the USA’ Claims

The Federal Trade Commission continues to pursue manufacturers and marketers when the FTC suspects misleading “Made in USA” claims, according to this insight from OMA Connections Partner Benesch. The firm writes: Just because a product is assembled in the U.S. does not make it “Made in USA” under the law. 4/26/2023

Quiz: U.S. Manufacturing Milestones

How well do you know the historic developments that shaped modern American manufacturing? Take IndustryWeek’s short quiz — ten questions that cover a few centuries of production. 4/24/2023

Ranking: Global EV Production by Manufacturer

Last year, global electric vehicle production surpassed 10 million cars, up from 6.7 million in 2021. Visual Capitalist has published this infographic showing China’s BYD Auto surpassed Tesla for most EV sales, with Volkswagen, GM, and Stellantis rounding out the top five.

The International Energy Agency has updated its Global EV Outlook report, showing 2022 EV sales in China were nearly six times higher than in the U.S. 4/24/2023

House Releases Revised State Budget Plan

Ohio lawmakers this week intensified their focus on the state’s two-year spending plan, as the House Finance Committee adopted its substitute budget bill (House Bill 33).

Among other provisions, the House budget would reduce Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed workforce investments by $260 million. The House changes include removal of the governor’s WorkFORCE Ohio program, which would assess Ohio’s critical educational and training needs to ensure a skilled workforce, as well as 50% reduction in the governor’s proposed $200 million for career-tech facility expansions.

This article from Hannah News Service captures the highlights of the House budget. This 587-page document compares the House provisions to those in the governor’s budget.

The House is expected to finalize its version of the operating budget next week. Following House approval, the budget will be considered by the Senate. 4/19/2023