Opinion - Pulling them together

Pulling them together

That’s My Opinion

By Bob Robinson

Oct. 8, 2010

Reported on Fox News Thursday… one in five homeowners are in danger of losing their homes. That 20 percent is broken into three categories: so far behind that they aren’t likely to avoid foreclosure; behind but struggling to catch up – half will likely go under; and the balance owe up to 20 percent more than their property is worth…

Making payments on inflated properties is like using a teacup to bail out a rowboat with a two-foot hole in it.

More than 30 Democrats sent a letter to Pres. Obama asking him to support keeping the tax breaks for all income levels. He refused, so House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose to put our nation’s economic growth on hold while Dems went home to try to save their butts.

As a result, small business – the nation’s economic engine – continues to watch and wait rather than attempt any new projects or expansion. With tax hikes and Obamacare still looming on the horizon, caution and self-preservation rule.

Unemployment, while inching slightly down, still hovers just under double digits at 9.5 percent.

The county just renewed a CD at something like 0.46 percent interest. This elicited the comment that banks don’t need the money because they aren’t making loans.

And just for grins, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently noted that Mexican Drug Cartels are now moving their way into U.S. territories, bringing their drugs and carnage with them.

Nice recovery you got going there, Mr. President.

Things are so rosy that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is in danger of losing his seat in four weeks, along with a possible Senate takeover by the Republicans; and with 39 seats needed for a power change in the House, the pundits are giving Reps anywhere from 36 to 50 seats.

In Ohio the attack dogs are ramping up for a blowout three weeks of character assassination, which can sometimes translate into the need for supporters to watch their backs. I assume you heard about the Kasich supporter who had scalding coffee poured down his back at a Strickland rally?

It could get worse before it’s over, folks.

If you’re desperate for something positive, Ohio’s dismal unemployment rate is your best bet. For the first time in what seems like forever, it’s only 0.2 percent worse than the nation’s, at 9.7 percent. Take it for what it’s worth.

Out of 88 counties, five are at or below Ohio’s rate and 30 are at or below the national rate… including Darke County at 9.5 percent.

I spoke with Darke County EDD Mark Saluk a couple of weeks ago and I can’t remember when I’d seen so many smiles in a brief one-hour period. He talked about a number of opportunities for good news by year’s end, including both new and saved jobs.

He said that soon he hoped to be able to start talking specifics, like different types of industries throughout the county, potential projects, new contracts, new lines of production.

“We’re close,” he said. “We just need to pull the trigger.”

Saved jobs result from regular and continued contact with local businesses by the EDD and community leaders… an extraordinary effort has gone into this, folks!

Saluk was quick to point out that the credit is not his, but rather the complete support for the Partnering for Progress initiative, especially from the political entities of the two economic hubs in the county.

“Most of our businesses are in Greenville and Versailles,” Saluk said. “The fact that they are totally behind this bodes well for the future of the county.”

On Wednesday, one “trigger” was pulled. The Greenville Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC (TAME) announced an agreement with Continental Carbonic Products, Inc. for the supply of carbon dioxide (CO2) for a new 50,000-square-foot dry ice manufacturing facility.

Bottom line? Up to 70 new jobs once full production is reached. I heard from another reliable source that there are four or five more new “possibles” on the horizon.

One of the things I noted when I came to Darke County eight years ago was the lack of cooperation – even communication – among various groups supposedly working toward the same goals. This was especially apparent among the different political entities, primarily villages, the City of Greenville and the county.

Over the years, there had typically been dozens of efforts to bring in or save businesses, with almost as many roadblocks due to… well… you know those details as well as I do.

Then Saluk was appointed to lead the county’s economic development program. And something changed. A communication void turned into cooperation.

I applaud Greenville and Versailles for investing themselves fully in this effort, as well as the individuals, businesses and other political entities that have supported it.

But most of all I applaud Saluk for pulling them together.

That’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive a daily notification of his comments, opinions and reports, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.