Why are local taxpayers being asked for $22,500 for Grow! Highland County?

In November 2010, fresh off another round of spending cuts, Highland County commissioners Gary Heaton, Tom Horst and Shane Wilkin entertained a group of people who were championing small business economic development in Highland County.

Among those in attendance at that commissioners' meeting were former Highland County Chamber of Commerce President Katy Farber and former Highland County Enterprise Initiative Facilitator Sid Raisch.

The Highland County Enterprise Initiative, also known as Grow! Highland County, is based on the Sirolli Institute Enterprise Facilitation (www.sirolli.com) program, and was implemented three years ago through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Technical Assistance Grant.

Commissioners were told at that time that the program was free. (The taxpayer-funded grant, notwithstanding.)

Fast-forward a few years, and Grow! Highland County was back before the Highland County Board of Commissioners last week on Aug. 7.

Representatives from the organization requested $10,000 from local taxpayers during last Wednesday's meeting of Commissioners Jeremy Shaffer, Tom Horst and Shane Wilkin.

The long and the short of it is this: County taxpayers, city of Hillsboro taxpayers, and village taxpayers in Greenfield, Leesburg and Lynchburg (and, yes, I realize there are some overlapping tax burdens, here) are being asked to come up with $22,500 of the $60,000 necessary in order to keep the program going.

That may be the grandest of all bargains, and then again, maybe it's not.

However, had the Grow! Highland County delegation sought $10,000 from the county commissioners in 2010, odds are very good that the answer would have been in the negative. (In fact, from around 2008-12, there was a standing joke among the commissioners that "No one even bothers to ask for money because they know the answer will be no.")

Now, for a bit of economic history. Three or four years ago, the three counties (Highland, Clinton and Pike) making up what is now the state's 91st House District had among the highest unemployment rates in the state of Ohio. What's changed?

Aside from a youthful state representative who some fancy as House speaker material, not a helluva lot.

Highland, Clinton and Pike counties still average double-digit unemployment, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which taxpayers pay to track such statistics.

For all those politicians who campaigned on promises of "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs," they've been a little short on delivery. (Of course, they're still cashing their own taxpayer-funded checks every week or two. They are real good at spending your money.) 

Be that as it may, Grow! Highland County seems to have a pretty good track record, at least according to its supporters.

But as I said here last week, that's kind of difficult to tell. After all, its services were billed as "free and confidential" back in November 2010.

Should Grow! Highland County begin accepting tax dollars from the village taxpayers, the city of Hillsboro taxpayers, and county taxpayers, will it risk jeopardizing the confidentiality of its services?

Moreover, is it now or will it become subject to a government audit? It seems to be moving in the direction of a quasi-government entity. Maybe it will be a local version of Jobs Ohio?

The fact that Southern State Community College serves as the fiscal agent for the organization, coupled with the reported commitment of tax dollars from Greenfield and Leesburg suggests that it could be subject to certain public records regulations.

Commissioners were told last week that the program has helped local individuals create 79.5 full-time jobs with $1 million contributed to the local economy.

Since the specific details are still (supposedly) confidential, we'll accept those numbers. This brings yet another question. If, indeed, Grow! Highland County customers have contributed $1 million to the local economy, shouldn't there be some considerations for user fees?

Why ask the already-strapped county and municipal budgets to fork over more of your tax dollars? Why not let those who are using – and reportedly profiting – from these services, pay for the services?

The enterprise initiative is based on the Sirolli Institute Enterprise Facilitation (www.sirolli.com). Much of this supportive information is available online and in print – at a minimal cost.

Should county commissioners opt to appropriate $10,000 of taxpayers' money to the program, they can expect to answer all of these questions – as well as future questions, should additional tax dollars be requested.

As I said in the beginning, this may be the grandest of all bargains. Then again, maybe it's not.

As always, let's follow the money. (And we will.)

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press, the only locally owned, independent newspaper in Highland County.