How Big of a Third Frontier?

Partners in Advance Northeast Ohio believe that to grow our region's economy we need more innovative companies developing new products for growing global markets. Ohio's Third Frontier program has provided nearly $500 million over the last eight years to Northeast Ohio researchers and businesses trying to develop such products.

Republicans and Democrats in Columbus agree that the program has been successful and are preparing to encourage voters to approve another bond issue to support the program in May. But the question raging now is how big to make the bond issues. The Republican-controlled Senate has approved a $500 million bond issue. Gov. Strickland is pushing a more ambitious $950 million proposal and much of his "state of the state" speech was focused on the role innovation plays in creating jobs in Ohio.

Crain's Cleveland Business' Jay Miller covers the issue in a story here. This will be one of the most important decisions facing Ohio residents in 2010. You owe it to yourself to read up on the Third Frontier and take a position on how much Ohio should commit to this program.