PRESS RELEASE – The below statement can be attributed to Ohio Chamber President & CEO following Gov. DeWine’s signing of the two-year state operating budget.
“On behalf of our over 8,000 members, we thank Gov. DeWine, the Ohio Senate, and the Ohio House of Representatives for passing a pro-growth state operating budget.
From housing incentives to childcare investments to post-secondary education and job training assistance, our state leaders are continuing to confront Ohio’s workforce challenges.
We especially commend the budget commitments to make Ohio a destination state to attract tourists and encourage relocation.
Through both equipping TourismOhio to market us as ‘The Heart of it All‘ and the forthcoming construction of the Brook Park domed stadium, Ohio will be able to attract year-round activity and capitalize on visitor spending.
By transitioning to a flat income tax of 2.75% and preserving critical economic development tools, our state will also continue to lure more major economic development opportunities.
Finally, we know work remains to be done surrounding the skyrocketing property tax burdens endured by Ohioans and the business community, and we encourage continued policy dialogue on how best to reform this tax system.
We look forward to building upon these efforts with the Ohio General Assembly and the DeWine Administration to keep our state a safe, vibrant and welcoming place to operate a business.”
The below statement can be attributed to Ohio Chamber President & CEO Steve Stivers following Gov. DeWine’s veto of a state budget item that would have abolished tax exemptions for new Ohio data centers.
“The Ohio Chamber is grateful to Gov. DeWine for listening to major stakeholders throughout Ohio’s business community and restoring the state’s sales tax exemption for data centers.
Our Research Foundation’s forthcoming study ‘Economic Impact of Data Centers in Ohio’ reports that Ohio now ranks fifth nationally by facility count with around 179 data centers, which together support 95,000 jobs and contributed $11.8 billion to state GDP and $1 billion in state and local taxes in 2024.
The Columbus area is now estimated to be the seventh largest data center metro globally, and industry investments across the state are positioning Ohio as a leader in the 21st century economy.
Governor DeWine recognizes this progress, and his actions to preserve this economic tool will bolster our momentum and continue Ohio’s digital renaissance.”