by Mark Luedtke

Created on: August 23, 2008

Does anybody else remember when Columbus was a small town that surrounded Ohio State? According to Wikipedia, in 1960 (before I was born I'm not that old), Cleveland was Ohio's largest city with a population of 876,050. Cincinnati was second with 502,550. Columbus was third, home to Ohio State and a few government offices, with a population of 471,316. Fast-forward, and Cleveland's 2007 estimated population was 438,042. Cincinnati's was 332,458. Columbus's was 747,755.

The combined populations of Cleveland and Cincinnati have dropped by 44% since 1960. Columbus's population has increased by 59% over the same period. Over the same period, Dayton's population dropped from 262,323 to 155,461, a 41% decrease. Columbus isn't growing because of a beautiful and strategic position on the Great Lakes or the Ohio River. Columbus isn't growing because of a beautiful and strategic location on the Great Miami River or I-75. The only thing Columbus offers that no other city in Ohio can compete with is Big Government.

Forbes magazine just listed America's 10 fastest dying cities. Cleveland was 5th, Dayton 6th, Youngstown 9th, and Canton 10th. Thanks for stating the obvious. Really. Because apparently Ohioans didn't get the memo that Ohio is being crushed under the burden of Big Government. Michigan is next worst. Detroit is the 2nd fastest dying city and Flint is the 8th. Yay Buckeyes. We're outpacing Michigan in the race to poverty and irrelevance.

In 1970, only 3 states had a lower tax burden than Ohio. Moreover, Ohio had no income tax. Ohio was the place to do business. Thanks to our low taxation and high economic freedom during the '70s, Ohio weathered a real energy crisis, economic crisis, and automobile industry crisis that makes today's exaggerated crises look like Nancy Pelosi throwing a hissy fit. Which is pretty accurate.

But in the '70s, Ohio adopted an income tax, Marx's onerous tax designed to punish productivity. As a result, the Tax Foundation reports that today Ohio has a top marginal rate of 6.555%. Ohio is the 7th most highly taxed state. Ohio ranks 46th in business tax climate. 45 other states are more inviting to businesses and the jobs they create than Ohio. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that because of Big Government, businesses and young professionals are fleeing Ohio to economically greener pastures, like Texas with its small government and zero income tax, like rats fleeing a sinking ship. The only place in Ohio not sinking is Columbus,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>