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State Issue 1, the Jobs for Ohio ballot issue, seeks Ohio voter approval for a $2 billion bond program. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation supports Issue 1 and spoke to Ohio Lt. Governor Bruce Johnson about the importance of passing State Issue 1 for Ohio’s future.

Q. What is State Issue 1?

State Issue 1 provides funds to improve Ohio’s ability to create and compete for jobs now and in the future. State Issue 1 renews Ohio’s critical local road and bridge building program, provides grants for communities to prepare "job ready sites" and helps fund research that will develop and commercialize new products and bring them to market. State Issue 1 will encourage economic development in the state, provide a supportive environment for the agriculture industry and promote sound public policy that will benefit Ohio farmers, families, businesses and rural Ohio as a whole.

Q. Let’s look at the first part of Issue 1 – the funding for local infrastructure improvements. How does this part of Issue 1 benefit Ohioans, particularly those in rural Ohio?

Two-thirds, or $1.35 billion, of the funds from Issue 1 will be used by local governments for projects that preserve essential infrastructure, ensure public health and safety and create jobs – including local road, bridge, water supply and storm and sanitary sewer improvements. These are the roads and bridges that we all use to get to work, transport equipment and travel on to visit our friends and family.

Since its initial approval by voters nearly 20 years ago, these funds have supported more than 10,000 projects in each of Ohio’s 88 counties and created tens of thousands of jobs. And, because the funding comes from the state, there is less financial burden for local governments. This is particularly important to rural communities where there are fewer highways and more local road miles to maintain.

Q. How will the research and development funding component of the issue, known by some as the Third Frontier project, affect Ohio’s agriculture community?

As your members know, agriculture plays a key role in Ohio’s future economy, contributing to the research and development of such elements as nutritional products, pharmaceuticals, polymers and alternative fuel sources. In fact, state technology grants already are allowing the Ohio State University to research methods by which products such as lubricants and adhesives can be created from raw materials grown in Ohio. State Issue 1 will provide $500 million in bond funding to expand the Third Frontier program to continue these types of grants to help develop new products and bring them to market.

Q. Does State Issue 1 raise taxes?

No. State Issue 1 does not increase taxes. Funds for repayment of Issue 1 bonds are already incorporated into Ohio’s future budgets, and programs made possible through passage of the issue will generate new revenues for state and local governments, generating new sources of revenue in the future.

Q. In addition to the support of the Ohio Farm Bureau, who supports State Issue 1?

Issue 1 has wide support from legislators from both political parties, township trustees, mayors and county commissioners. In addition, chambers of commerce, state and independent universities and numerous business and labor organizations support State Issue 1 because of the local improvements and jobs it will create.

For more information about State Issue 1, visit the campaign online at www.jobsforohio2005.com .