The state’s laws on economic development, jobs and business growth have been condensed into a 257-page book that’s being made available to local officials.
The 2015 Economic Development Manual is the first single publication to outline the state’s economic development laws and programs. Rick Platt is the president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority. He says with so many laws and so many non-lawyers involved in local economic development, he calls the manual “preventative medicine”.
“Instead of so many times we’re seeing things go awry and we see the Attorney General’s office have to get involved after the fact, I really think this is a manual that’s going to help folks to steer the course in the right direction before they ever go in the wrong one.”
Though 200 copies of the manual were printed, it’s expected that most local officials will download it off the Attorney General’s , where it will be updated as needed.