Ohio's liquor operations will soon move to the recently created economic developed agency, JobsOhio, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The public-private partnership agency will pay the state $1.4 billion for control of the state's alcohol sales. Proceeds from the sale of liquor will pay for the agency's operating expenses and to spur business growth endeavors. The transfer of operations is the first of its kind in any state. If successful the plan may become a map for others states seeking new approaches to job creation, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Here are some facts and figures about the JobsOhio plan and liquor control agency statistics:
* The Ohio Liquor Control agency proceeds totaled $794 million in 2011, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
* Gov. John Kasich began revamping the Ohio Department of Development shortly after taking office. The governmental office will become known as the Ohio Development Services Agency. The agency's functions shifted from primarily managing grant funds to focusing on job creation. The JobsOhio agency created by Kasich has become the business courting and retention arm of the Ohio Department of Development, according to the agency website. Successful venture capitalist Mark Kvamme moved to Ohio to help lead the effort, taking only a $1 per year salary.
* The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Ohio Budget Director Tim Keen stated all residents will benefit from the plan to create jobs through agency operations paid for by liquor sales.
* An article published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports JobsOhio was designed to move at a faster pace than traditional governmental offices. The agency utilized a business approach to business startup loans, placing specific requirements on companies helped by the agency. Kvamme is in the process of developing a set of metrics to gauge agency efficiency and proper operations.
* Ohio will garner a 75 percent from liquor profits above the baseline three percent sales growth percentage from the previous year, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Consumers will not notice any changes as all licensing and sales processes will remain the same.
* The JobsOhio data center details Pegasus Industries move to Ross County in the southern region of the state, creating 40 jobs. The company will make a $125,000 investment to purchase equipment, machinery and for employee training. Pegasus Industries received a 35 percent six-year tax credit.
* A report published on the JobsOhio website describes the agency's work with both existing and struggling Ohio companies to create 50 new jobs and retain 1,702 positions in Franklin County. Both Abercrombie & Fitch and Pacer International were seeking to expand or relocate in the central Ohio area and together invested more than $36.5 million in the Columbus region.
* According to the JobsOhio website the new job creation agency worked with the FWT Company to bring 200 jobs to Defiance County. Ohio was competing against Texas for the company's expansion project and jobs the endeavor will create.
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