Anyone who’s been following Ohio’s economic troubles is unlikely to be surprised by any of the recommendations in the report. Many of the ideas have been percolating for years. For instance: more regional collaboration, invest more in green technology, and market Ohio’s specialties to the world. Export more goods and strengthen our shrinking urban cores. Those are just some of the short to long term proposals.
But by putting all these ideas together, backed by data, the researchers from the Brookings Institution and Greater Ohio, an organization that supports smart growth, hope that lawmakers will make these ideas a reality.
Bruce Katz heads the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, and he told reporters in a conference call last week that he wants lawmakers to make tough decisions, like creating a commission to reduce the number of school districts.
KATZ: These are the kinds of tough choices we think Ohio needs to make on governance so you can begin to invest in what really matters as you begin to move toward this new economy.
Among those attending the unveiling will be Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher. With 2010 a crucial election year, including a race for governor, this report is clearly timed to try and influence the debate.