Vote No on Issue One

From April 2010

 

Hi,

 

 Here's a letter my wife wrote to the Columbus Dispatch.   She's right you know...   The so called "third frontier" is supposed to promote and finance innovative new companies.  Do the Cleveland Clinic and the Ohio State University sound like new companies?  And  if Third Frontier funds reward such companies, who is the government (using our tax dollars) to decide who the winners and losers should be?   Shouldn't it be the market place that rewards (or punishes) risk takers?   The promoters of this government power grab argue that taxes will not be raised because it is financed by the sale of bonds, but we all know that these must be paid back.  Know who pays it back?   Me and you.  Earlier this year the Columbus Dispatch reported on the number of jobs "created" by the program.   We did a little math.   If you divided the funds disbursed by the number of "created" jobs, it worked out to $139,000 per job!    Now if someone gave you $139,000 don' t you think you could create more than one job?    Read Kathy's letter.   See if you don't agree.  If so, vote no, and tell others to do the same. 

 

Best Wishes,

 

Bernie Iven

Dear Editor,

On May 4, Ohioans will have an opportunity to vote on Issue 1 which is to continue the Ohio Third Frontier program by offering $700,000,000 in general obligation bonds with the intent to fund research and development within the State of Ohio and, according to the Third Frontier website, “to create high-wage jobs, new growth companies, and globally competitive products.”

According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer  (http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2010/03/third_frontier_grants_for_2009.html), from 2002 through 2010, entities that have been awarded Third Frontier funds include Case Western Reserve ($10,000,000+), Kent State ($15,000,000+), Cleveland Clinic ($149,000,000+), Ohio State University ($162,000,000+), University of Akron ($16,000,000+) and the University of Cincinnati ($50,000,000+).

In addition to government intervention in the free market system and more debt to the state, why is this program granting millions of dollars to large institutions? And how is this program supporting new growth companies?

I urge thoughtful Ohioans to Vote NO on Issue 1.  Issue 1 means $700,000,000 more debt to the State of Ohio .  Issue 1 means supporting large institutions with tax-payer money. Issue 1 means more government intervention by allowing government to pick the winners and losers in the marketplace.  Issue 1 means big government.  Issue 1 means more government control and intervention.  

Take a stand. Vote ‘no’ to more government debt. Vote ‘no’ to tax-payer funded and government-favored entities.  Vote ‘no’ to big government.  Vote ‘No’ on Issue 1.

 

Kathy Iven

Columbus, OH