In 2017, a $1.5 trillion federal tax reform package was signed into law and the 132^nd Ohio General Assembly introduced more than 700 pieces of legislation.  In addition, numerous local initiatives were debated, including several crucial ballot measures that allowed the voters to help determine what the regional landscape will look like in the future.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) provides a unified voice for the Northeast Ohio business community and our policy priorities are driven directly by our members.  The role of the GCP Advocacy Team is to mobilize private sector leadership, expertise, and resources from businesses of all sizes to create attractive economic conditions that create jobs, grow investment, and improve the prosperity of our region. 

Last year, GCP enjoyed some significant victories and we take tremendous pride in serving as your voice. We look forward to continuing this important work with all our members going forward. 

Looking Back

Public Policy Agenda

GCP unveiled its 2017-18 public policy agenda at the start of 2017 after months of development with the organization’s board and staff leadership.  This new agenda reflected the recent affiliation with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and GCP by presenting a comprehensive set of public policy priorities on behalf of small, mid-market and large companies in Northeast Ohio.

Local

Cleveland Transformation Alliance

GCP supported advocacy efforts to remove the sunset provision for the Cleveland Transformation Alliance in state law.  The Alliance, which is led by Mayor Frank Jackson and comprised of representatives from the business, education and civic community, plays an important role in monitoring the success of the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools.  Removing the sunset provision, extends the authority granted by state law for the organization to serve as a “watch dog” for the quality of charter schools in the City of Cleveland.

Levies

The GCP proudly supported the Issue 59 (Port of Cleveland) and Issue 61 (Tri-C) ballot questions and opposed Issue 2, a deceptive measure that would have changed the way Ohio purchased prescription drugs.  Here is how each issue faired:

YES on Issue 59, Port of Cleveland

For more information on Issue 59 click here.

YES on Issue 61, Tri-C

For more information on Issue 61 click here.

NO on Issue 2, Drug Pricing

For video and more information on Issue 2 click here.

Petition Transparency

GCP members have expressed concerns over parts of the process in place for petitioners to place an issue on the local ballot.  Even well-intended ballot proposals and campaigns can severely limit the way businesses can strengthen and grow.  To help shine more transparency on Cleveland ballot issues that are brought forward, City Council passed, and the Mayor signed a proposal that would make it mandatory for circulators of petitions to file an itemized statement that provides more information on that individual’s petition circulation experience.

State

Business Courts

The Ohio Senate recently introduced legislation (SB 183) that would create a Joint Committee to study business courts in Ohio.  Our member, Keith Ashmus, offered GCP proponent testimony on the legislation; GCP is in favor of creating a Joint Committee to study business courts in Ohio because our members believe in the ability of specialized courts to better create predictable case law for the business community and increase efficient rulings within Ohio that can benefit all parties.  In fact, GCP supported recent action by the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to reconstitute the commercial docket.   

Computer Science Standards for Schools

GCP supported the passage of HB 170, legislation that would create academic content standards and model curriculum for computer science in Ohio schools.  The legislation compliments the organization’s education and workforce efforts to expose students early on to career pathways and develop a talent pipeline for in-demand jobs.

Cybersecurity

In October – cybersecurity awareness month – state legislation (SB 220) was introduced to incentivize data protection and provide a legal safe harbor to businesses that implement a specified cybersecurity program.  The bill sponsors and Ohio’s Attorney General recently unveiled the intent of the legislation at a Statehouse press conference.  GCP was represented at the event and formally extended our members’ support for the initiative.

Employer Rights

Marijuana remains classified as an illegal controlled substance under federal law.  Yet, medical marijuana technically became legal in Ohio on September 8, 2016.  As the rules and regulations are finalized, the program is to be operational no later than September 2018.  The GCP did not take a formal position on the state’s medical marijuana legislation.  Instead, our members sought to enhance employer rights and the GCP worked to secure protections included in the legislation that is now law.  Those protections, for example, state that employers can still establish and enforce drug testing, drug-free workplace, and zero-tolerance drug policies.  Our work continued in 2017 to ensure employers are properly protected as the Governor appointed a GCP/COSE board member to serve in an employer role on the Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee; the role represents employers’ views and interests as public input and proceedings continue.

Several separate state proposals were fortunately avoided that would have infringed on an employer’s hiring or human resources practices and/or breach the private property rights of businesses and property owners.

Intrastate Crowdfunding

Ohio House and Senate Committees received testimony from the Greater Cleveland Partnership regarding HB 10, legislation that would permit intrastate crowdfunding in Ohio.  HB 10 would allow Ohioans to invest in businesses through an online Ohio Invests Portal and building capacity and improving access to capital for businesses across the state is just one of the many important undertakings outlined by our members in the GCP Public Policy Agenda.  “The importance of continuing to make strides to maintain an economic environment conducive to startup entrepreneurship cannot be understated and the need for Ohio not to lose ground on strides made in other states is critical to our collective success,” said Marty McGann, Senior Vice President of GCP Government Advocacy.  The bill passed the Ohio House unanimously in June, the focus now shifts to the Ohio Senate. 

Job Creation Tax Credits

When Governor Kasich signed the state budget bill into law, it included an important provision that GCP championed to allow eligible employers applying for the Job Creation Tax Credit to count qualifying work from home employees in their job creation totals.  This creates benefits for the employer and employees by reducing costs, improving work/home life balance, and reducing traffic congestion.  The provision also ensures that the benefit of an employer expanding in or locating in the state still has an advantage for Ohio by specifying that the new employees must reside here.  This adds to the state’s tax base and creates new job opportunities for Ohioans. 

JobsOhio

GCP hosted John Minor, President and Chief Investment Officer of JobsOhio for a morning conversation with GCP members and a briefing with the Northeast Ohio state delegation.  Minor, along with JobsOhio’s senior director of strategy, sales and research Andrew Deye, discussed the organization’s niche focus on business development and growing efforts to address talent attraction for companies through tailored solutions.  Minor highlighted the organizations efforts to continuously boost Ohio’s brand and the competitive advantage the state – and its unique regions – have for companies that are looking to locate and grow here.  JobsOhio was created in 2011 as the private economic development entity to drive business growth in Ohio.  GCP was a vocal supporter of JobOhio’s creation and is a key player in the regional network of partners that work with the organization to drive business attraction, retention and expansion efforts in Northeast Ohio.

Microbusiness

Language our members supported was included in Ohio’s biennial budget creating a statutory definition of microbusiness in Ohio.  The provisions defined microbusiness as an independently owned and operated for-profit business entity, including any affiliates, located in Ohio and has fewer than twenty full-time employees.  The GCP welcomes the opportunity to continue to discuss additional steps that can be taken to address specific challenges for microbusinesses. 

State Tax Reform

Proposed modifications were averted that would have shifted the state tax burden to other businesses, including changes related to income, sales, severance, commercial activity tax (CAT), tobacco/vapor, and alcohol.  The 100% business tax deduction on the first $250,000 in business income remains in place, clarifying businesses that use a professional employer organization (PEO) are eligible for the business income tax deduction as originally intended.

Workers’ Compensation

Ohio’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation budget is to provide $6 million per year for a health and wellness program for workers at small employers (50 or fewer employees).  As outlined by our members in our 2017-2018 Public Policy Agenda, the GCP is in favor of expanding and improving safety education and training program assistance meant to reduce workers’ compensation costs for employers while helping injured workers return to their jobs more quickly.  Want to learn more about how you can participate in our workers' compensation rate reduction programs?  Click here for more information.

Workforce Development

GCP’s Advocacy and Education & Workforce teams hosted a workforce development panel with Ryan Burgess, Director of the Office of Workforce Transformation, and Senator Sandra Williams with more than 50 GCP member companies and organizations to discuss current state and federal policies impacting talent development in Ohio. Workforce development continues to be a major strategic priority for GCP and working in partnership with the public sector on solutions is critical.

State and Federal

Federal and Defense Assets

Northeast Ohio is home to key federal assets – like NASA Glenn Research Center and DFAS Cleveland – that have a significant economic impact on the region. Maximizing the value and opportunities for these assets continues to be a key priority for GCP since its work in 2005 to prevent the closing of DFAS Cleveland in a federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. As Ohio considers how to position itself for a future BRAC process, GCP has worked closely with and hosted the Ohio House of Representatives BRAC and Military Affairs Taskforce to deepen their understanding of the breadth of federal and defense assets in Northeast Ohio and their impact on the state.

GCP also worked closely with the federal Ohio delegation to advocate for core missions that NASA Glenn plays a lead role on behalf of the overall agency. GCP also worked to secured state funding in the state operating budget to support advocacy needs for Camp Ravenna – a defense asset in the eastern part of the region – to secure a missile defense opportunity that would bring major construction and high-quality jobs to the broader region.  Finally, GCP supported the Ohio Aerospace Institute proposal to create a Great Lakes Initiative, which was successful in receiving funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Federal Tax Reform

A $1.5 trillion tax bill was approved by Congress and signed by the President just before the holidays.  GCP members believe a thoughtful, balanced, and competitive tax environment is critical to the success of our economy and that any reforms made must be all-inclusive and benefit all sectors of the business community.  GCP leadership and staff worked closely with U.S. Senator Rob Portman, who served on the conference committee resolving difference between the House and Senate proposals.  Senator Portman was critical to preserving key economic development tools, like the New Market Tax Credit and Historic Tax Credit, which are crucial to advance economic development in Greater Cleveland.

Click here for a recent piece submitted and posted to Cleveland.com on these topics by Joe Roman, President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.  View a recent correspondence from the Great Lakes Metro Chamber Coalition, which the GCP co-founded.

Water Quality

GCP advocated for the successful passage of SB 2—the legislature’s key water quality legislation. Lake Erie is one of Ohio’s greatest natural assets. The policy changes in SB 2 will help to strengthen the quality of the lake and connected waterways, which has a significant impact on a variety of industries in Ohio. GCP has played a lead role in advocacy efforts with the Port of Cleveland to ensure the Cuyahoga River is dredged appropriately and is a founder of, and current lead for, of the Great Lake Metro Chambers Coalition that advocates for federal water policies, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Events and Initiatives

COSE Day at the Capitol

Approximately fifty COSE/GCP members and staff made the trek to Columbus in April to take part in the annual COSE Day at the Capitol event.  The day gave small business owners and entrepreneurs an exclusive opportunity to connect with key decision-makers on topics that are of primary importance to the business community in Northeast Ohio.  The timing of last year’s event allowed our membership to share their experiences and meet directly with fourteen members of the legislature and their policy advisors during a key time in the legislative process.  Each moment allowed attendees to influence Ohio’s biennial budget deliberations and public policy issues – ranging from tax reform to workforce development – that will continue to be among the many initiatives in the limelight.  Senate President Larry Obhof and Representative Kirk Schuring were honored as winners of 2016 COSE/GCP Small Business Advocate of the Year Awards.  Additional featured speakers included:  Attorney General Mike DeWine, House Minority Leader Fred Strahorn, and a representative from the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation. 

Save the date:  COSE Day at the Capitol will be held on March 13, 2018.  Additional details to come.

DC Fly-In

The DC Fly-In provides GCP members with an opportunity to engage directly with Ohio’s congressional delegation and other federal public officials throughout a series of workshops and events over the course of two days in Washington D.C.  Local government partners from Northeast Ohio also had the opportunity to hear directly from agencies about federal resources that they can leverage for their communities.  In 2017, attendees heard from nearly two dozen elected officials, including Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Congressman Dave Joyce, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and Congressman Jim Renacci.  Attendees also heard from federal agency and White House staff on key policy developments and from major corporations on developing technology trends to follow.

GCP Political Action Committee

Aside from voting, you can contribute to Cleveland’s growth and momentum in many ways.  The Greater Cleveland Partnership Political Action Committee (GCP PAC) is an important advocacy tool in our efforts to ensure the collective voice of our members is heard in state and local government.  By contributing to the campaigns of officials who have demonstrated a desire to work with Northeast Ohio businesses for the good of the greater community, the GCP PAC helps advance policies and projects in line with the common goals of our members. 

In 2017, the GCP carried out a strategy to successfully reach our annual fundraising goal.  If you are interested in increasing the strength of our region’s voice even further, please consider contributing to the GCP PAC and be a part of our movement. 

GCP Public Officials Reception

The 54^th annual Public Officials Reception, presented by the Greater Cleveland Partnership, brought more than 500 of Northeast Ohio’s business and community leaders together with elected local, state, and federal officials at FirstEnergy Stadium.  Many thanks to our sponsors, members, and their guests for once again making this not-to-be-missed event a tremendous success.

National Small Business Association

Last year, our partners at the National Small Business Association (NSBA) held the 2017 Small Business Congress in Washington, D.C. where leaders from across the country discussed topics ranging from tax reform to alternative financing.  GCP board member Kevin Johnson of Glenwood Management Company served as chair and oversaw the successful event with a record number of attendees.

Small business leaders from across the country convened again in Washington, D.C. for the NSBA 2017 Washington Presentation.  Several GCP/COSE members took advantage of the opportunity to hear from and discuss challenges with policymakers, administration officials, and Congressional staff inside the Beltway.  In addition, NSBA honored five small business owners for the 2017 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award; two of the honorees (Mike Stanek, Deb Rutledge) were GCP/COSE board members who continually go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve the business environment in our region and beyond.  The Northeast Ohio delegation of small business leaders that took part in the conference, capped the week’s activity off by visiting with the Offices of Senator Rob Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown.

Ohio Business Competes

This year GCP became a member of Ohio Business Competes, a non-partisan coalition of businesses committed to achieving non-discrimination policies to add protections in housing and employment for the LGBTQ community statewide.  More than 200 businesses and organizations are a part of the coalition, including many GCP member companies.  The driving factor for participating is the economic case – Ohio cannot truly be competitive in attracting the best and brightest talent if basic civil rights are not available for all current and future employees.  Moving forward, GCP will monitor and evaluate support for state legislation that mirrors the goal of the coalition.

Looking Ahead 

At the end of 2017, GCP released its list of state capital bill priorities. As the legislature and Administration work to develop a final bill for passage in early 2017, GCP will play a critical role in advocacy efforts to support high impact economic and community development projects in Greater Cleveland.

As part of the GCP Strategic Plan, we also intend to develop a study of Greater Cleveland’s tax environment to benchmark current tax policy and its impact on growth and competitiveness. 

GCP is partnering with the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce to lead the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition – a national coalition of more than 30 chambers that advocate collectively on core policy priorities for the Great Lake region. We expect our impact to grow significantly in this space over the next year.

Work will begin in the second half of 2018 to develop GCP’s 2019-20 public policy agenda.  We look forward to working with you to identify and support the highest policy priorities that impact Northeast Ohio’s business community. 

Congressional redistricting reform, Ohio’s energy standards, and unemployment compensation reform are among the many issues that could be debated further on the horizon.  The future will undoubtedly offer opportunities and simultaneously present challenges, but we will be prepared to work with all our elected leaders to advocate for you on the issues that matter most for our region. 

Thank you for being a valued member of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.  Your participation allows us to make progress on policy issues that allow the business community to achieve success.  

In 1990, there were only a handful of ways a small business could reach and talk to its customers. Today, there are literally hundreds of thousands of platforms to do that.

The bad news, as Content Marketing Institute Founder Joe Pulizzi sees it, is this means there are hundreds of thousands of ways for a customer to ignore that message.

So, how does a small business owner cut through the noise, pick the right platform and deliver the right message in order to have an impact on the customer? That’s the question Pulizzi addressed on the final day of the Content Marketing World conference during a session developed specifically for small businesses and start-ups. Below is the action plan Pulizzi relayed that will help small enterprises get their content marketing programs going.

• RELATED: Read the Mind Your Business content marketing resource guide for more on how small businesses can win at content marketing 

Find Your Sweet Spot

What do you want to talk about? That seems like an easy question to answer, but it’s one you’ll have to give some thought to. Where does the knowledge/skill you possess intersect with the passion/pain points of your customer? Answer that, and you’ll know what subject you should be focusing on. Just make sure that the content you provide is interesting, helpful, valuable and consistent.

Pulizzi also suggested writing down the goals you have for your content marketing at this early stage. That will help make it real and give you something to shoot for. Keep in mind, too, that content marketing is a long-term strategy. That’s where “be consistent” comes into play; keep hammering away at your audience with useful content to help spread your brand message.

Content Tilt

Now that you’ve settled on a subject, you have to take it a step further and tilt your content. What does that mean? That means look at your sweet spot in a different way and find a niche that your business can own. “You can’t go niche enough,” Pulizzi said.

Build the Base

Your content needs to have a home base. You’re a good writer? Then your home base should be a written channel, like a blog. Is your brand message more suited to visuals? Then you should be thinking about video, Pulizzi said. He laid out a simple formula for discovering what your base should be: One content type + one main platform + consistent delivery+ a long period of time = the base.

Harvesting an Audience

All this hard work you’re putting into creating content won’t mean anything if you’re not talking to anyone. Pulizzi suggested entrepreneurs build this audience on the platforms they own, rather than focusing a lot on social media platforms. Why? Because at any given time, social platforms could change their algorithm and your message could be pushed out. You don’t own that channel so you have no recourse. Where do you have the most control of your message? That would be with your email subscribers. Your content efforts should prioritize getting emails from your audience so you can more easily direct your message to them.

Monetization

We all want to make money, right? Once you have your content program up and running, begin thinking about the monetization side. What do you want your subscribers to do? Are you looking to retain them? Do you want them to buy more of your products? Do you want them to be more loyal? Do you want to increase attendance at your events? Figure that out and then ensure your content is designed to achieve the monetization goal you’ve settled on.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership Political Action Committee (GCP PAC) is a non-partisan, member-driven endeavor committed to advancing the business community’s interests by building and reinforcing relationships and supporting candidates and current elected officials at the state and local levels of government. By contributing to the campaign efforts of those who will further advance our shared priorities, we provide you with a unique opportunity to advocate for initiatives and best practices that encourage economic growth and prosperity. The GCP PAC is a strong, unified voice for businesses of all sizes and industries in our region and aids businesses in educating key decision makers on the issues that are important to you. Our role is to provide our members with the means for concerted political action. And, the dollars contributed through GCP PAC are used to provide support for governmental leaders campaigning for election who share your interests.

So, how has advocacy and the GCP PAC supported you and your business lately?

• November election outcomes mirrored COSE’s/GCP’s position on four ballot issues.
• State budget approved with personal income tax cut and deduction without shifting the burden to businesses.
• Ensured entrepreneurs will not be penalized in the form of increased workers’ compensation rates, outstanding balances, or uncovered claims costs for assuming space that was previously inhabited by a completely separate business with negative claims experience.
• Opposed legislation that jeopardizes local hiring requirements.
• Secured needed reforms in Ohio’s charter school reform law.
• Governor Kasich signed S.B.1 to protect Lake Erie and Ohio’s water quality.
• Business, political leaders connected at the COSE Day at the Capitol and the GCP Public Officials Reception.

Interested in learning more about the GCP PAC?  Visit our website here or e-mail advocacy@cose.org.

Please note individuals, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships and sole proprietorships can legally make contributions to a PAC. Contributions must include itemized allocations by partners in partnerships or members of a LLC. Ohio law prohibits other corporate political contributions.

Your participation in the GCP PAC is completely voluntary. Donations are not tax-deductible and will be used for political purposes. An individual may contribute up to $12,532 annually to an Ohio Political Action Committee. You may choose not to participate without fear of reprisal. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount of your contribution or decision not to contribute.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership’s advocacy efforts are driven by our mission of mobilizing private sector leadership, expertise, and resources from businesses of all sizes to create attractive economic conditions that create jobs, grow investment, and improve the prosperity of our region. Our public policy priorities are driven by you and we work to provide a unified voice for the Northeast Ohio business community to our elected officials and regulators on key issues that are critical for business growth. In 2016, we enjoyed some significant victories for the business community locally and throughout Ohio.  We take great pride in serving as your voice and we look forward to continuing our shared work into the future. 

A Look Back

Local Issues

Minimum Wage & Part-Time Workers 

An initiative that proposed a Cleveland-only minimum wage increase was brought forward that would have phased in a $15 minimum wage (starting with $12 an hour in January 2018) while the rest of the state remained at $8.15.  In December, state legislation – Senate Bill 331 – passed that aimed to prohibit Cleveland and other political subdivisions from establishing minimum wage rates different from the rate required by state law.  Senate Bill 331 was signed by the Governor on December 19, 2016 and it will be effective 90 days from the Governor’s signature.  As a result of this work, petitioners announced they are suspending their effort and we are no longer facing this issue. 

A separate Cleveland-only part-time workers’ initiative that was in-line to appear on the November ballot was also eventually withdrawn by petitioners.  The state legislature and Governor chose to protect employers from similar measures in the future by approving a provision – also found in Senate Bill 331 – that grants a private employer the exclusive authority to govern matters concerning work hours, location of work, scheduling, and fringe benefits. 

GCP and our partners advocated for state intervention and opposed these misguided local ballot issues due to the bevy of job-threatening regulations the part-time workers’ issue would mandate on businesses and because the Cleveland-only minimum wage issue would place Cleveland at a disadvantage, hinder job creation, business growth, and the overall momentum the City of Cleveland is now experiencing.   

Cleveland Schools & Income Tax

Two issues backed by GCP — the Cleveland school levy renewal (Issue 108) and a 0.5 percent income tax increase (Issue 32) — won voter approval in November 2016 allowing the City to continue academic improvement and protect city services.

GCP formed a working group of members to examine the city budget and the need for the income tax proposal.  GCP ultimately supported the measure and member companies contributed over 95% of the funds needed to support the effort.  Our support of the initiative came after lengthy review and analysis; Issue 32 is designed to help improve many city services like trash collection, pothole patching, demolition of vacant homes, and allow for the hiring of more than 100 additional police and safety personnel, among others.  And, while we do not take tax increases lightly, our members became convinced that it will help to further energize Cleveland’s renaissance and offer multiple benefits to people who live and/or work in the city, as well as those who visit. 

The passage of Issue 108 will help to continue the work underway with the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools, without raising taxes. The levy, which generates about $77 million annually, was originally passed in 2012 and provides the needed resources to fund the Cleveland Plan, which includes reforms such as: growing the number of high-performing district schools in Cleveland, and closing and replacing failing schools; investing in high-leverage system reforms across all schools from preschool to college and career; and creating the Cleveland Transformation Alliance, a public-private partnership, to ensure accountability for all public schools in the city.

GCP has been a leading supporter of efforts to improve public education in Cleveland and played a key role in the creation of the Cleveland Plan, House Bill 525 that codified the plan in state law, and the passage of the initial 2012 operating levy. Within its four years of existence, the Cleveland Plan is yielding promising results.  Cleveland schools have made steady progress on increased test scores, student attendance and graduation rates. The renewal of the levy provides the needed momentum for further improvements that will ultimately lead to more students who are college and career ready.

Cuyahoga County Health & Human Services

In March 2016, Cuyahoga County voters approved an eight-year renewal of one of two health and human services levies. GCP’s board of directors endorsed Issue 23 because of its vital role in providing funding for those most in need in our community. The eight year renewal is longer than prior renewals, meaning the “no tax increase” rate of 4.8 mills is locked in for a longer period of time, and fewer campaigns are needed to maintain the services. The levy generates roughly $130 million annually.

Cuyahoga County Inclusion

GCP and the Commission on Economic Inclusion championed the passage of county legislation that will increase opportunities for small and minority-owned firms to do more work with the County. Specifically, the legislation allows for (1) exclusive contracting opportunities or “set asides” for small businesses; (2) aspirational goals for minority and female-owned business participation on County contracts; (3) criteria to waive performance bond requirements on projects of a certain size, and; (4) a business economic inclusion program as an incentive for contractors to engage more minority and female-owned firms on projects. County Council also passed a resolution that makes Cuyahoga County an endorser of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Community Benefit Agreements on major construction projects. GCP played a key role with the City of Cleveland and other core partners on the development of the MOU in 2013. Cuyahoga County is one of the newest partners to endorse this initiative.

State Legislation & Initiatives

Unemployment Compensation Reform

It is clear Ohio’s current unemployment system must be re-structured for it to be viable in future generations. In 2016, the GCP supported and helped secure legislation that allowed the state to pay federal debt a year ahead of schedule, saving Ohio job creators millions of dollars in 2017.  However, reforms still must be implemented that allow the unemployment fund to achieve a path toward solvency and the importance of this issue was highlighted by a GCP board member over the summer. 

While the legislature ended its 2016 “lame duck” session without a long-term fix of the state's unemployment compensation system as planned, some progress could have been made to that end.  The plan, which the legislature approved via Senate Bill 235, calls for an actuary be hired to analyze various long-term solvency proposals going forward. The legislation – endorsed by the Governor – also directs lawmakers, labor leaders, and business officials to negotiate a permanent agreement by April 1, 2017.

New Market Tax Credits

Having the tools to advance physical development in Northeast Ohio is critical. GCP played a lead role to secure a needed reform to Ohio’s New Market Tax Credit program to remove a restrictive real estate provision that limited the use of this tax credit. With this provision now gone, the state program will be in greater alignment with the federal and allow mixed-use development projects – a growing trend in development happening in Cleveland’s major business and technology corridors – to be eligible for the program. 

At the federal level, GCP supported Cleveland Development Advisors (CDA), a real estate and business development finance affiliate of GCP, on its winning application for a $60 million federal tax credit award. This is the largest federal NMTC award in Cleveland to-date, to spur economic growth in our region.  The prior NMTC allocations to CDA ($155 million) have spurred more than $796 million in investment in Cleveland and nearly 5,000 permanent jobs. 

2020 Tax Policy Study Commission

The Ohio 2020 Tax Policy Study Commission was created in the last state budget cycle. The commission is a bi-partisan group of state legislators charged with examining Ohio’s tax structure to determine any reforms that might be necessary in the next state budget that will strengthen Ohio’s economic competitiveness.  GCP consistently reiterated the perspective of small, mid-market and large employers as it relates to tax policy in Ohio before this panel, including through staff testimony.

Medical Marijuana Legalization

The legislature and Governor pre-empted a campaign to place the legalization of medicinal marijuana on the ballot by approving legislation that technically made Ohio the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana in September 2016. The legalization effort that was working to put their separate initiative – which was broader in scope – before voters this past November discontinued operations.  The entirety of the legalization plan that will go into effect is required to complete the regulatory process within 2 years and a GCP board member was appointed employer representative on Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee.  The good news for employers is specific protections GCP advocated for were included in the legislation that passed and were not addressed in the now defunct referendum proposal.  

State Capital Budget Bill

GCP was successful in advocacy efforts on the state’s 2016 capital bill that brought more than $23 million to Cuyahoga County for core community projects, more than half of which were for projects that GCP directly championed.  Of note is $3.5 million that was secured for the completion of the Public Square transformation project, which revitalized a key public space in our community. There is an appropriate role for state support on economic impact projects of significant magnitude. Another capital bill is expected in 2017/2018 and GCP will advocate for greater investment for transformational projects in our community.

Protecting the Great Lakes & Cuyahoga River

The Great Lakes is a major economic force, with the existence of more than 1.5 million jobs due to activities in the Great Lakes region. Lake Erie alone has an annual $10.7 billion economic impact and accounts for 30% of the tourism dollars that come to Ohio. The Cuyahoga River is an important international shipping channel in our region and critical to our local economy. The direct and indirect jobs generated from ArcelorMittal are estimated at over 14,000 with an annual payroll of $820 million. Thus, protecting the Great Lakes and the Cuyahoga River are important for ongoing job creation and economic development. GCP has long advocated with the Port of Cleveland for state and federal policies that protect the health and economic activity of our major water ways. In 2016, GCP continued efforts to advocate against open lake disposal of dredged materials in Lake Erie and to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appropriately dredged the Cuyahoga River so business activity was not disrupted.

Workers’ Compensation Subrogation

Effective August 31, 2016, a state fund employer could have a workers' compensation claim (when based on a motor vehicle accident involving a third party) be paid from the surplus fund account in the state insurance fund rather than charged to the employer's experience.  In short, this new policy is due to legislation GCP supported – House Bill 207 – that became law and added language to Ohio Revised Code that states the criteria for a workers’ compensation claim to be charged to the surplus fund and not impact the employer’s experience.  Click here to learn more and read the GCP’s written testimony in support of HB 207. 

Small Claims Disputes

On May 11, 2016 the GCP submitted testimony before the Ohio Senate Civil Justice Committee in support of small claims courts legislation, House Bill 387.  In the past, a small claims division had jurisdiction in civil actions for the recovery of taxes and money only, for amounts not exceeding $3,000, not including interest and cost.  Our members were encouraged by efforts to double the maximum dollar amount to $6,000 for all sizes of business and, with the ultimate approval of House Bill 387, this act became effective on September 28, 2016.  Adjusting the maximum level small claims courts have jurisdiction over will allow for additional business owners to participate in a process that was not available to them in years past.  It will help them: contain legal costs, save time and effort that could be better spent managing their businesses, and utilize a more informal, expeditious, and inexpensive means to pursue claims for smaller sums of money through the small claims division.

Small Business Regulatory Toolkit

In 2016, the launch of a new electronic toolkit that is designed to help Ohio’s small businesses navigate regulatory issues and other matters was unveiled.  The new business asset - available at www.governor.ohio.gov/csitoolkit - is part of Ohio’s Common Sense Initiative (CSI), which was created in 2011 to help create a more jobs-friendly regulatory climate in Ohio.  Two GCP members serve on the CSI Small Business Advisory Council and the concept of the toolkit was conceived by business members of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), the small business division of the GCP.

DC Fly-In

The DC Fly-In provides GCP members with an opportunity to engage directly with Ohio’s congressional delegation and other federal public officials throughout a series of workshops and events over the course of two days in Washington D.C. Local government partners from Northeast Ohio also have the opportunity to hear directly from agencies about federal resources that they can leverage for their communities. In 2016, attendees heard from nearly two dozen elected officials, including Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Congressman Dave Joyce, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and Congressman Jim Renacci. Attendees also heard from federal agency and White House staff on key policy developments and from major corporations on developing technology trends to follow.

COSE Day at the Capitol

COSE Day at the Capitol provides our members with the unique opportunity to meet with policymakers in the Statehouse and discuss ways in which we can work together to enhance the business climate in Ohio.  This annual event provides direct access to key stakeholders and allows for an exchange of ideas and policy priorities.  In 2016, COSE Day afforded attendees the chance to lobby legislators on the issues that impact the workplace, ranging from health care to energy policies.  In addition, Ohio Senate President Keith Faber and State Representative Barbara Sears were presented Small Business Advocate of the Year awards for their successful efforts to support small businesses in Ohio.

GCP Public Officials Reception

The 53rd annual Public Officials Reception, presented by the Greater Cleveland Partnership, brought more than 500 of Northeast Ohio’s business and community leaders together with elected local, state, and federal officials at Windows on the River.  The event kicked off with a pre-reception conversation with Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof and Ohio House of Representatives Speaker Cliff Rosenberger moderated by GCP President and CEO Joe Roman. The discussion focused on legislative priorities for the coming session.  Many thanks to our sponsors, members, and their guests for once again making this not-to-be-missed event a tremendous success.

Republican National Convention

After years of revitalization and careful preparation, Cleveland truly shined brightly at the Republican National Convention as state delegates, visitors, and media from all over the world raved about our city and the individuals and organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors who made the experience possible. GCP’s leadership played an important role in bringing the Convention to Cleveland and led efforts to accelerate the progress on key community projects, like Public Square. GCP hosted a reception for the Great Lakes Metro Chamber Coalition, a group co-founded by GCP and that includes more than 30 chambers of commerce that collectively work to leverage the economic force of the 12 states and two Canadian provinces that comprise the Great Lakes region.   Click here for a snapshot of some of the positive Convention media coverage that praised Cleveland.

Greater Cleveland Partnership Political Action Committee (GCP PAC)

Aside from voting, you can contribute to Cleveland’s growth and momentum going forward in many ways.  The Greater Cleveland Partnership Political Action Committee (GCP PAC) is an important advocacy tool in our efforts to ensure the collective voice of our members is heard in state and local government.  By contributing to the campaigns of officials who have demonstrated a desire to work with Northeast Ohio businesses for the good of the greater community, the GCP PAC helps advance policies and projects in line with the common goals of our members. 

In 2016, the GCP carried out a strategy to double the dollar amount raised for GCP PAC from the previous year.  If you are interested in increasing the strength of our region’s voice even further, please consider making a contribution to the GCP PAC and be a part of our movement.  Your contribution helps maximize the impact we have and ensures elected officials understand the policy priorities that are important to our members and helps drive investment in our region.

A Brief Look Ahead

The next few years will bring a number of changes to the political landscape at the local, state, and federal levels (for the GCP’s comprehensive analysis of the 2016 General Election results and what it all could mean for Northeast Ohio businesses click here).  The future will undoubtedly offer opportunities and simultaneously present challenges, but we will be prepared to work with all our elected leaders to advocate for you on the issues that matter most for our region. 

In January, GCP will release its board-approved 2017-18 Public Policy Agenda. This document will serve as a road map for the top public policy issues that you have identified as important to you and your business. It provides a comprehensive framework to ensure we are focused on core business needs, such as smart, balanced tax reform and regulations, while responding to the critical community needs that are important for economic growth – education, workforce development, and public infrastructure and transportation priorities. 

Our members’ support of our advocacy work comes in many ways.  Whether you are an active member of our Government Affairs Council, attended the GCP Public Officials Reception, or you volunteered your time in other ways we thank you for your extraordinary engagement in advocacy.  Your participation allows us to make progress on the policy issues that are vital to helping foster an environment that allows the business community to achieve success.  

Happy New Year!  Your support is important and is always appreciated.

The problem with networking is that it’s called networking, which doesn’t sound like a fun thing for humans to do. It does sound like a fun thing for computer equipment to do.

The other thing is that everyone’s always doing it and everyone’s supposed to be doing it, which is another reason I always hated it. I don’t want to do what everyone else is doing. It’s been beaten to death.

So, I stopped calling it networking and started calling it kibbitzing, which is both more accurate and more species-appropriate. Kibbitzing is what old Jewish men do at the schvitz or the deli, usually about something unimportant. Kibbitzing often precedes kvetching, which literally translates to “straining” but is used to describe complaining, usually about your significant other or your good-for-nothing son-in-law.

• RELATED: Check out COSE's Events Page to find the next opportunity to put your kibbitzing skills to work.

Gamify your networking

The other problem with networking is that it sometimes feels really contrived. I know it’s totally necessary, but I never got over the feeling that everyone there would rather be somewhere else.  

So, after changing its name, I started treating it like a game to make it more appealing. I’d go to kibbitzing events and dare myself to walk up to perfect strangers and introduce myself and at the end of the night I’d count the number of business cards I had and see if I beat my personal record for random walk-ups. Then, I’d play this other game where I’d see how long I could go before there was an awkward silence, or before I started talking about myself or my business.

I went an hour once. It was a proud moment.

Then, I started paying attention to people who did it better than me and then I took notes. I work with one of those people right now. He’s fantastic. He’s a ninja. I went to a lunch with him a few months ago and it totally upped my game. After that lunch, I went back to the office and wrote this down (for purposes of this post, I’m going to call him Jon Fishman. His name is not Jon Fishman, but the drummer of my favorite band is).

Listed below are the seven successful tactics Jon Fishman uses when he is in a networki … er … kibbitzing … situation.

• Jon Fishman fills up almost all his meals and social beverages (breakfast and lunch, coffee and beer, sometimes dinner) with meet-ups with clients, potential clients and contacts. I’ll tell you this: he’s absolutely killing it at the firm.
  
• Jon Fishman studies up on the other guy before the meeting, then comments during the lunch on things he already knows about that guy.

• He also studies up on the restaurant he’s going to. I can’t tell if that’s because he’s a foodie or because he’s trying to be prepared for the meeting. I think it’s both. Jon loves to eat good food. That doesn’t hurt.

• He waits until the end of the meeting to discuss business, if he has business to discuss.

• When he’s finished with his meeting, he does a recap where he tells the other guy what he (Jon) is going to do for him when he gets back to the office (like make an introduction, or send him an article). Magically, this prompts the other guy to do the same thing. I’m sure that helps both of them better remember those things too.

• (Incidentally, prior to the meeting, he had already asked himself this question: What can I do for this guy that will help him? If he couldn’t come up with an answer, and sometimes even if he does, Jon asks the other guy what he can do to help him.)

• When Jon gets back to the office, he then does exactly what he told the other person he was going to do. He makes it his first priority. He doesn’t wait, or return calls, or return emails. He knocks it out. He also uses this as an opportunity to send a thank you or follow-up email to the other person and comment on how much he enjoyed the jovial little kibbitz they just had.
 
Good stuff, Jon Fishman. Way to kill it.
 
And that’s how kibbitzing helped me to stop loathing my next networking event.

Alex Gertsburg is a litigator, corporate lawyer, and head of the Gertsburg Law Firm, a seven-lawyer, full-service business law firm with offices in Cleveland and Chagrin Falls. He is also the founder of CoverMySix, the audit that keeps businesses out of court by repairing the six legal areas most likely to put them into it.  For more information, go to www.gertsburglaw.com and www.covermysix.com.