Given its large number of electoral votes, Ohio has always been an important state in presidential politics.
As the 2000 campaign comes to the forefront, it seems to be developing into an important swing state in determining who will be our next president. In keeping with its mandate to promote the open discussion of issues affecting businesses, Ohioans for Better Business (with SBN affiliation) would like to host a two-part forum in September that will provide the Republican and Democratic nominees for president separate opportunities to discuss issues of concern to business owners and to explain their plans for creating a strong pro-jobs environment in Ohio and the nation.
We spearheaded the creation of Ohioans for Better Business because of our experiences during the past 10 years as the largest chain of business-to-business publications in Ohio. In our business dealings throughout the state, an increasing number of business leaders voiced their interest in creating a forum to discuss taxes, health care, the environment, labor relations, campaign finance reform and other issues of importance.
I have aired many of these issues in my column, which reaches more than 300,000 readers — most of whom are presidents and owners of companies ranging in size from 20 to 500 employees. Few topics bring as much feedback as those that have a political focus to them, because politics can affect whether a business is successful or not.
A simple change in an environmental law can have a huge impact on business. An administrative ruling can mean the difference between a business surviving or failing. Too many times laws are enacted or changed without proper input from business owners and leaders. It’s time our representatives in Congress and the White House hear our side of the story.
In short, business owners care about what happens in Washington, which is why we created Ohioans for Better Business. We believe the work of the federal government clearly dictates the future of Ohio’s business climate, for better or worse. Ohioans for Better Business is dedicated to promoting the open discussion of issues impacting our business communities.
While more than just a business advocacy group, we will be supporting the advancement of federal, state and local legislation that will support successful Ohio businesses and make the climate here business-friendly.
Each of our two proposed forums will be by invitation only and include business owners and members of top management from companies throughout the state. This will be a great opportunity to talk to other owners who have similar concerns and to hear first-hand what our representatives are doing to improve the business climate. If you are interested in attending these events, please contact us.
We also want to encourage any feedback on issues you might have. It is very important that we hear from you about the issues that affect your day-to-day operations.
What can political leaders do to make your business more successful, generate more jobs and make the community a better place to live? Now is the time for your voice to be heard. We need your support. Many people don’t bother to get involved because they don’t feel they can make a difference. However, our goal is to create a unified voice for business owners and leaders and bring attention to the issues that affect them.
Synergy is where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Without you, we are missing a very important part. Fred Koury ([email protected]) is president and CEO of SBN.
