Capping a groundbreaking year for economic development incentive compliance in Ohio, the Ohio Attorney General’s office released its 2013 report on incentives offered by the State of Ohio through the Ohio Development Services Agency. The annual report, which is required by Ohio Revised Code Section 125.112, is the fourth of its kind. This year’s report focuses on incentives with 2012 closeout dates. It identifies noncompliance with respect to 120 awards — approximately 45 percent of the awards reviewed.
The report underscores the increasing importance of accountability and transparency in economic development. This year has been packed with milestone events in incentive compliance, including forceful efforts by governmental entities to enforce compliance and unprecedented media scrutiny of incentives. If the ongoing litigation and political spats relating to the accountability and transparency of JobsOhio are any indications, these trends will intensify throughout 2014.
