20120213-NEWS--1-NAT-CCI-CL_-- 2/10/2012 4:55 PM Page 1 $2.00/FEBRUARY 13 - 19, 2012 INSIDE Leaders fear stalled cleanup cash A new tune in battle over admissions taxes loans made by the Clean Ohio fund Local officials worry over state’s new criteria for brownfield fund help make these properties attractive Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson to a new or expanding business that introduces a new plan to tax the By JAY MILLER may govern access to its dollars in Agency. would pass up a purchase if the city’s music venues, where club
[email protected] the future. Cities use Clean Ohio money to company had to bear the cost of owners have been trying to ease The program is on hold until the test for and remove hazardous waste cleaning up a property, as required the tax burdens they face. PAGE 3 The Clean Ohio Fund, a state Kasich administration parcels out at what are called brownfields. Espe- under environmental laws. ALSO: loan and grant program created to responsibility for the state’s economic cially in older cities, it’s a critical Gov. John Kasich and his economic Meet Team NEO’s point help cities clean up environmentally development programs between phase in bring in new businesses to development team announced last man for the oil and gas contaminated properties, is stuck the new JobsOhio economic devel- a community. month that they have begun to lay boom. in limbo in Columbus. And that is opment nonprofit and the remains Brownfields are older factories, out the division of duties between PAGE 3 causing anxiety among local offi- of the former Ohio Department of gas stations, dry cleaners and any- JobsOhio and the new development cials who hope to tap into the fund Development that is evolving into where chemicals may have washed but are worried about the rules that the state Development Services into the soil.