NE Ohio Looks at Non-Poaching Concept

Like many other places with shrinking economic bases across the country, some of NE Ohio economic development leaders are talking about instituting a non-poaching policy to stave off efforts by communities trying to attract away each other's businesses. Click here to read about the local chatter.

Will it work? Hardly not. Why not? Because businesses don't like such policies since it reduces their leverage with communities when they're relocating. Also, development politics continue to error to the side of hungry communities trying to get their next meal...almost at any price, even losing their neighboring friends.

It's a war out there for businesses and jobs. It disgusts me at times, especially when communities overpay for businesses that end up creating greater costs than benefits to the community.

What might NEO economic developers consider instead? This is not rocket science, but here you go:

1. Adopt a coordinated regional business incentive policy that offers communities guidance on how much they should offer to entice deals. I said "guidance" by the way.

2. Create more tax-sharing districts in NEO allowing local communities to share the economic benefits of economic development projects. Elected officials must increase their willingness to move in this direction.

3. Finally, step up efforts to develop businesses and jobs through entrepreneurship and attraction of new businesses from outside the region. Note: the latter job is tough since NEO is not seen as a location of first choice. In fact, nor is Ohio. Just look at the outcome of the last Honda deal.