The republicans in the article explain that the Governor's proposed job package, would exceed the limit on bond indebtedness. They just announced a few days back that they were underwriting $600 million in bonds for the coke plant. Is this another damaging effect of the coke plant then?
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GOVERNOR TOURS PLANT HE LAUDED IN HIS SPEECH
Governor tours plant with company president Bruce Sohn.
By Tom Troy
Blade Politics Writer
The Toledo Blade
2/08/2008
Section B, Page 2
Gov. Ted Strickland yesterday toured a Perrysburg Township factory that makes solar-energy panels for worldwide consumption as part of a swing across the state.
Speaking to the media after the tour, the governor said he hopes the state legislature passes his $1.7 billion plan called Building Ohio Jobs, to stimulate the state's economy.
The borrowing package would create 80,000 new jobs by investing in renewable power, local water and sewer projects, transportation infrastructure, nonpetroleum production of plastics, the biomedical industry, redevelopment of "Main Street, Ohio," clean-up of polluted industrial sties, and preservation of farmland.
"I can't imagine anyone of either party opposing efforts to create jobs in Ohio, " Governor Strickland said. "At the same time, we will not only be creating jobs, we will be rebuilding our infrastructure."
Mr. Strickland cited First Solar's partnership with the U of Toledo in his State of the State speech Wednesday as an example of good news in Ohio's shaky economy.
"This company and companies like it are the kind of industry Ohio desperately needs," Mr. Strickland said, after touring the sprawling, spotlessly clean facility.
A spokesman said some of First Solar's biggest customers are in Germany because of the generous incentives for utilities to use sunlight to supply power to their electrical grids.
Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, who also took the tour, endorsed the infrastructure package, adding, "i wish we had the capacity [in Toledo] to do the same."
He took the occasion to urge the governor to establish a statewide center for alternative energy in Toledo.
He said First Solar's Perrysburg Township facility is one of three solar manufacturers in the Toledo area, and that two others are inquiring abou tlocating here.
State Sen. Mark Wagoner (R.,Ottawa Hills), and state Rep. Randy Gardner (R., Bowling Green) yesterday siad the jobs package has merit, but said they were concerned about going over a 5 percent limit on bonded indebtedness.
"The answer is I think it's likely," Mr. Gardner said. "I think we do want to work with the governor to do a jobs package."
Coke plant bonds sale by state jeapordizing Alternatives Energy and Jobs program
Comments ... #
What's the efficacy rates of all these jobs programs?
Like 98%, 15%, -30%?
I want to believe them, but the experience doesn't bode well.
Good question, I couldn't even guess at the answer. I do know that if Ohio applied all its industrial engineers, workers, and managers to making wind, solar, and hydro solutions to provide electricity, and electric or hydrogen vehicles,,, we would never see another lay off,, unless they find a way to run a car on beer cans or sumptin. :-) The real obstacle is First Energy and other utility companies strangle hold on use of the power grids, and their fake rate structures made to keep out competition. Our bill says we pay about 6 cents per KWH for our electricity, but then they are allowed by PUCO to tack on extra charges, big ones, that grow with your monthly usage. So you really pay closer to 12 cents per KWH.
If 12c per KWH appeared on our bills, any utility would be seeing competition I think. But they bought off PUKO like they bought off the bushmiester.
What I'm wondering about my post above, and I hope someone can help me understand it,,, is this:
Does Ohio have any possibility of financial liability in the issuance of the coke plant construction bonds?
I assumed so in my post, and now I wonder if that is so.
I looked at tafts first announcement for rail overpasses , it was in 2001, so no site was evident yet for the coke plant, then in 2003 two things happened, a bunch on new Ohio Coal laws appeared in the lawbooks, and Oregon and Toledo began and the state of Ohio began 5 more long years of withholding their dirty coke plant plans from residents,, and still won't reveal the owners. 7 millions pounds of SOx and NOx, and over a million pounds of CO2,, and a wonderful new sliding pollutant scale, they aren't held to any pollutant limits. Of course the laws make the state a partner in the coke plant. Kinda weird for a state that has to import 60% of its coal.
Maybe its all for Jesus. :-) I'm sure they aren't kicking money at each other in those tiny island nation bank accounts.
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