The passage of a $1.7 T federal spending omnibus bill at the close of the 117th Congress recently gave signs of continued life for federally directed spending (aka earmarks).  The omnibus legislation passed the U.S. Senate with overwhelming support and contained funding for a wide range of federal government agencies.  The federal spending omnibus also […]

As the calendar turns to January bringing in 2023, it also signals the start of the 135th General Assembly. Like previous beginnings Ohio’s legislature holds firmly in Republican control. This past November both the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate increased their majorities continuing a decades long trend of the state’s swing towards conservative candidates.

An economic downturn coming in 2023 driven by rising interest rates and rising costs will increase the importance of compliance with existing economic development incentive agreements—creating a critical 2023 corporate site location trend. As the table below from Columbus, Ohio-based economic development incentive reports, Work from Home (WFH) also has had a major impact on

Corporate site location is the process by which companies decide how to expand, consolidate or close locations.  Understanding corporate site location trends are an important tool for companies, communities and policymakers to recognize in the hopes of encouraging the creation of high-wage jobs and capital investment.  Unfortunately, 2023 starts with an economic slowdown driven by

Montrose clients had a strong year in 2022 as industrial development continued to grow, state and federal funding flowed, and lobbying clients blossomed. Montrose highlights for 2022 include: Corporate Site Location and Project Financing. Economic Development Advisors. Economic Development Planning. Federal Budget Earmarks. Government Procurement.  Land Use and Local Economic Development Incentives. Ohio General Assembly. 

Conservative Ohio House of Representative member Derek Merrin was elected by the Ohio House Republican Caucus. Merrin is a Toledo area veteran legislator who surprised many Statehouse pundits with his victory of State Representatives Jason Stephens and Phil Plummer.  Representative Merrin was re-elected to his last term in the Ohio House of Representatives; thus, his

Spending money was not the only focus of the Ohio General Assembly Lame duck legislative session. Several policy changes were enacted that impact the operation of state authorized economic development programs.  Low Income Housing and State Historic Preservation Tax Credits. Ohio House Bill 45 was amended to not permit the state of Ohio Historic Preservation

In recognition of the critical role the arts play in Ohio’s economic development, the Ohio General Assembly in House Bill 45 created the ARPA Arts Grant Program and provided $50 M for the program which will be operated by the Ohio Department of Development.  Funding for the grant program will be centered on performing arts,

Early in the morning of December 15, 2022, the Ohio General Assembly as a last gasp for the Lame Duck Session passed a billion dollar plus COVID Relief Spending bill. This measure was required to allocate funding from the federal government given to the state of Ohio from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). ARPA