Menu

by Amy Beth Graves

For the second time in three years, Ohio voters went to the polls to decide whether to support public funding of high-tech research and job initiatives, commonly known as the Third Frontier issue.

Three years ago, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation opposed the measure because it seemed to exclude agriculture as a legitimate force in the future of Ohio's economy. OFBF also felt the state needed to get its financial house in order to give existing and new industries a better chance to succeed. The issue in 2002 failed by a two-point margin and was defeated in 66 of Ohio's 70 predominantly rural counties.

This time around, the Third Frontier initiative had Farm Bureau's support and passed with 54 percent in favor and 46 percent opposed, according to unofficial election results.

Mark Rickel, a spokesman for Gov. Bob Taft, told The Columbus Dispatch that the administration thought Farm Bureau's opposition and the lack of a grass-roots campaign were reasons why Third Frontier failed the first time.

"You can't have an effective grass-roots campaign without the endorsement of the Farm Bureau," he said in a Nov. 3 story.

The Third Frontier measure was part of Issue 1, a $2 billion bond initiative to fund infrastructure and high-tech development. Of that funding, $1.35 billion will go to local government infrastructure improvement programs, $150 million for "shovel-ready" industrial development sites and $500 million for high-tech and job creation efforts.

Farm Bureau's board voted to support Issue 1, also known as "Jobs for Ohio," after concluding that the measure would encourage overall economic development and carry out sound public policy that would benefit Ohio farmers, families, businesses and rural Ohio. The board noted that agriculture was now considered an important factor in the Third Frontier initiative and that since 2003, lawmakers have addressed business climate issues such as slowing state budget growth, reforming an outdated tax code and adopting civil justice reforms.

"Issue 1 was a better proposal. The state explained and sold it better, plus it included money for local infrastructure," said Rocky Black, OFBF's director of legislative affairs. "The view from the voters was that this package was needed and now was the time to pass it."

Voters, however, didn't have the same attitude about the need for four amendments to the state constitution. They rejected Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5, which would have reformed the state's political process. Reform Ohio Now, a coalition consisting mainly of Democrats and labor unions, were behind the effort.

Voters were considering the amendments at a time when state government has been in turmoil. A few months ago, Gov. Bob Taft became the first Ohio governor to be convicted of a crime while in office, and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is embroiled in a multi-million dollar investment scandal.

"It looks like voters were able to look past the scandals and figure out that some of the issues were overreaching. They were smart enough to know that while the system needs improvement, these weren't the right tools to do that," Black said.

Farm Bureau had opposed Issue 4, which sought to create more competitive legislative districts through an appointed five-member panel, which would have redrawn Ohio's congressional and General Assembly districts every 10 years. OFBF felt politics probably would not stay out of the redistricting process.

Farm Bureau also came out against Issue 5, which called for an appointed nine-member board to oversee Ohio's elections instead of the secretary of state. OFBF's position was that the board would wind up with a "blank check" to spend tax money.

Farm Bureau took no position on Issue 3, which would have reduced the amount of campaign contribution limits for most political action committees (PACs) to $2,500 from $10,000.

Issue 2, which would have allowed more people to vote by absentee ballot because they would not have to state a reason for casting an absentee ballot, had OFBF's support. Black noted that just last month, lawmakers passed legislation that makes it easier for Ohio residents to vote by absentee ballot or provisional ballot.