Good one.

"The state and local financing help is intended to retain employees and add 30 or more over the next two to three years"

Local financing??

Didn't the mayor just lay off 200 employees because he didn't have any money?

Wasn't the Third Frontier created under the Taft administration? Thanks Gov. Strickland for giving credit where credit is due. I only hear Taft's name as part of the problem. Let's turn Ohio around with slots at the racetracks, STRICKLAND'S FOURTH FRONTIER CASINO

"is moving into a soon-to-be renovated city-owned site"..... and WHO is paying for the renovation??

Casinos......best idea ever.

============
local and Ohio officials persuaded the company instead to move from its location off Gilchrist Road to downtown Akron.
============

And exactly how is this a benefit to the City (or the workers)?

Oh, that's right...

More people to fill Plusquellic's (unneeded waste of $13 million in taxpayer funds) parking garage.



============
The company... is moving into a soon-to-be renovated city-owned site off North Summit Street.
============

And what happens to the privately owned building off Gilchrist Road that Plusquellic & Co. talked APS into vacating?



============
The company's biggest claim to fame so far is the invention of a special polymer film that allowed the creation of large-screen liquid crystal display televisions.
============

Just in time for California to pass legislation that dictates:

"By 2011, television sets sold in California stories must use a third less power than they do now. That goes up to a 49 percent power savings by 2013"

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/11/20/how-will-californias-new-tv-energy-standards-affect-you/

Beta,

"Didn't the mayor just lay off 200 employees because he didn't have any money?"

The difference is that this financing creates money, not takes money. You can't pay safety forces if you don't have a commercial tax base.

Kudos to the negative whiners who us a positive story as a platform for their incessant complaining. I give credit for being adaptive if nothing else.

use

TOJ - I'd be curious to see the the tax income from keeping the company in the city versus the capital used to renovate their new space and help them hire more employees. Very curious to plot it out and see how long it will take to begin "creating money." It seems like the city basically just keeps betting on horses. Goodyear last year, now APS...just praying one of them begins making billions in taxable income and decides to stay in Akron after that happens....

And begins openings more job opportunities, that too.

Prepare for the 'dots' to be connected.

================
APS is investing $350,000 of its own in the new facilities.
================

Wait for it... wait for it...

================
APS received $349,644 in 2008 from Third Frontier
================

You knew it was coming, especially any project where Plusquellic is involved.

============
Harris said he was looking at moving APS into a new building in Ascot Industrial Park in northern-most Akron.

But Plusquellic persuaded the company to move downtown instead, where it is within walking distance of the university as well as downtown restaurants, he said. "That's not to be underestimated," he said.
============

Was the Mayor looking for some more 'drinking buddies'?

You guys are so idiotic. The university's effect is starting to really pick this city up and you spin it into some sort of conspiracy theory with the mayor.

The biomedical corridor is part of what will really help this city.

Check this out:http://www.bioinnovationinstitute.org/

"Our goal is to develop the No. 1 biomaterials and medicine program in the world within the next ten years, with:

* Nationally-ranked orthopaedic and wound care programs
* $150 million in annual academic and clinical research
* $50 million in annual commercialization investments
* Resulting in 2,400 new jobs"



Now lets all shake our heads "yes" and say it together.."POSITIVE THOUGHTS"...okay ready boys and girls....1...2...3...

These are some legitimate complaints about government support, incentives, and grants to keep business (despite the fact that they are whining in tone as pointed out by Jason). But what are we supposed to do when other states and other countries do the same or worse by luring our businesses away? Seems like we have to respond or lose them. Is it better to just let them go? This company would have been on its way to S. Carolina.

We need more stories like this. One High Tech job is worth 100 casino jobs.

@ DLR

Exactly. Ohio is just catching on to what other states have been doing to us for decades.

This is exactley what this state needs PERIOD...we have to think out-of-the-box, or more of the same will continue to happen, more companies, and jobs moving out of state, or worse, out of the country(especially with regards to Polymers).

We HAVE NO CHOICE but to reinvent ourselves and become a state that CAN compete, and be productive...or be forever known as the RUST BELT.

=================
@UAE who posted:

The biomedical corridor is part of what will really help this city.
=================

Re-read the story and you will see that the owner was planning on expanding their operation into a new building in one of the City's northside business parks, but the Mayor thought it was better for HIM to have this non-medical business in Downtown.

Nothing that Plusquellic does fails to have his own political motivation at its roots.

Don't forget, Plusquellic was pouting and didn't bother to attend the groundbreaking for InfoCision Stadium because it was a University of Akron project instead of something he could claim as his own.

Let's not forget that:


The Ohio Third Frontier is a visionary initiative created in 2002 within (REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR BOB TAFT's) Department of Development to firmly establish the state as an innovation leader. With a 10-year initial life

@Overtaxed Voter: Do you even live in the city?

This company developed something that has $1 billion in sales but they just received a check for $50? They don't seem like good business people or maybe I don't understand what happened between them inventing something and the idea being sold.

The money spent here would be better spent on safety forces. The Mayor probably has his buddies doing the work here too. Akron taxpayers have gotten drilled again.

As ZKoala pointed out, no one from the Plusquellic administration has been able to show a return on the taxpayer's investment.

(Buried deep) in another article posted on Ohio.com in the past 24 hours, Akron's taxpayers are reminded that:

================
The city sold the six other buildings to Main Street Partners for $1 each.

The city had purchased the buildings for $3.55 million in the late 1990s.

the asbestos has already been removed from the other six buildings. That cost Akron about $800,000.

================

and

================
Akron sold the Landmark Building for $1.3 million. The city had purchased the office building for $2.9 million.
================

Let's see...

Plusquellic spent the following amounts of taxpayer dollars


$3,550,000 Six buildings at S.Main and Bowery
$800,000 Asbestos Removal at those 6 buildings
$2,900,000 Landmark Building
=========
$7,250,000

then sold these 7 buildings

$1,300,000 Landmark Building
$6 Six buildings at $1 each
===========
$1,300,006 Received

What's a little loss of nearly SIX MILLION DOLLAR worth of taxpayer funds when you are KING DON???

Now we read that the City (aren't we supposedly BROKE?) is going to invest ANOTHER $5 MILLION in taxpayer dollars in 'upscale lofts' and a 'ground floor restaurant' at the Landmark Building.

So what will taxpayers get for their $11 MILLION?

According to the article, $135k per year in new property taxes and $30k in income tax.

IF (capital letters) this is accurate and ongoing, it will only take SIXTY-SIX YEARS and NINE MONTHS for taxpayers to break even on ANOTHER EPISODE OF PLUSQUELLIC's DOWNTOWN FOLLIES!

http://www.ohio.com/news/70668182.html

WAKE UP AKRON!

@SquareWest...

Oh yes, I do!

And I vote in every election.

And I attend far more than my share of Akron City Council and Akron School Board meetings.

@ OT voter

I'll be the first to tell you that all government officials should have term limits. That said, you sound ridiculous. It's pretty obvious that your motives are driven purely by ideological passion. You need to take a step back and cool off a little. There are plenty of reason to be angry with your mayor, this certainly isn't one of them.

@ Ghetto Dweller

"They don't seem like good business people or maybe i dont understand what happened between them inventing something and the idea being sold. "

I'd go with not understanding. As in, you really don't understand anything that you quoted. You have no idea how far off you are.

@UAE...

Since you said "your" mayor, I'll assume that you are not a resident of Akron.

If Akron Polymer Systems wanted to relocate to a new building in Ascot Industrial Park in northern-most Akron (still inside the city limits), why does Mayor Don think he needs to stick his nose into their business and try to influence them into moving into downtown instead?

Could you explain to me then please how they only received $50 for an idea with $1 billion in sales?

Good figures Overtaxed Voter. With those math skills you would be over qualified to be the City finance director as to do that, you must only be able to do 'Don Math'. Don Math is:

(Tax Payer Money - Benefits to Don's Buddies) Car with magic radio Trips Fine Dining = No money for safety forces!

The plus signs did not show up!

(Tax Payer Money - Benefits to Don's Buddies) PLUS Car with magic radio PLUS Trips PLUS Fine Dining = No money for safety forces!

No, I live in Akron. But I'm here for school, so I'm indifferent to most of this.

And to answer your question? I don't know why the mayor did it. And neither do you. At this point, you are simply speculating. It doesn't seem outrageous to me. Rather than have the jobs take off to the city limits, bring them back where they should be.

You have to remember OTV, most successful cities have their most powerful businesses located downtown. Akron hasn't been a successful city in a few decades a number of reasons, but a lack of technological industry and a downtown presence has been on top of that list for a while.

Forget the Mayor. If you don't like him, good. But take this as a little outside advice, the mayor made the right decision here. Quit insinuating that these owners of APS are committing foul play. They are professors at one of the best polymer colleges in the country who seem to care about this city. Don't make enemies out of allies.

Representatives of we the Government of this Representative Republic awarding Akron Polymer Systems a city owned, tax exempt, site and supports using nonunion workers willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life.
This defiance of demands of Natural Law: what Mother Nature, God, or Whatever Power decreed to be the reality of the real world, God, democracy, capitalism, the US Constitution, and free, fair, and affordable commerce.
Demanding every corporation, farmer, business, outsourcer sweatshop, and nonprofit, tax-exempt, organization and Church; markets the cost; in the wholesale and retail price of his or her product and service; Of every workers, consumers, and taxpayers living (including pension and health care); enabling parents to love, nurse, nurture, discipline, protect, and provide for every child (job) they conceive; and fund schools, infrastructure, national security, government services, and etc.; with money derived from wages or independent business profit.
This defiance of realities demands enables Akron Polymer Systems Owner and/or Stockholders (money marketers) to market more stock dividends (money) quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of Akron Polymer Systems product and service.
This is needed to measure and maintain the strength and growth of this UNAFFORDABLE economy and distribute wealth into Akron Polymer Systems owners and/or Stockholders portfolios!

Holy cow, Loren is about to drive me insane.

yea, Loren is the King of the run-on-sentence...not sure most humans could say all that in one breath w/o looking like a smurf!

================
UAE posted:

You have to remember OTV, most successful cities have their most powerful businesses located downtown.
================

I guess that means you must know better than Mayor Don who committed SIGNIFICANT amounts of taxpayer dollars in the past few years to move First Energy, InfoCision, and Sterling Jewelers out to their new West Akron / White Pond Drive campuses INSTEAD of downtown.

LOL. I don't know what to tell you, OTV. Didn't I say that there are many other reasons to be angry with your mayor?

To be honest, I will vote against the mayor the next time he runs for reelection, regardless of who it is he runs against. It isn't fair that he can sit in office for years and gain connections throughout the city. He has a huge advantage over any challengers.

Think of it this way-- the more tech jobs that come into this city-- the higher the chances that more registered republicans move into the city.

Right now Akron is composed mainly of minorities and liberals. Until we get more middle class to upper class people in this city(and hence, kick the don out of office), you my friend, are going to be one unhappy person. LOL

LOL. I don't know what to tell you, OTV. Didn't I say that there are many other reasons to be angry with your mayor?

To be honest, I will vote against the mayor the next time he runs for reelection, regardless of who it is he runs against. It isn't fair that he can sit in office for years and gain connections throughout the city. He has a huge advantage over any challengers.

Think of it this way-- the more tech jobs that come into this city-- the higher the chances that more registered republicans move into the city.

Right now Akron is composed mainly of minorities and liberals. Until we get more middle class to upper class people in this city(and hence kick the don out office), you my friend, are going to be one unhappy person. LOL

UAEngineering
Highland Square, OH
Posted 08:53 PM, 11/21/2009
"Right now Akron is composed mainly of minorities and liberals. Until we get more middle class to upper class people in this city........."
Let's take a poll. Which is more disgusting and damaging socially, racism or elitism?

Oh boy, UAE, I'm all for inovation and technology and even entrepreneurship, however I find your philosophy extremely ironic and hypocritical and this is why.

I thought all republicans was for smaller government and less interference. I have no problem with entrepreneurs starting a business, as long as it's with their own risk and money. When they use tax breaks and tax payers money, then I have a problem with it. Republicans are against government involvement, until, they want money, then they are all for it.

If this NEW company does make it are they going to return the money they got or will they simply satisfy the greed of the share holders and pad their own pockets with the money? It definately doesn't sound like a profitable venture yet, unless you want to count that $50.00 check.

Large corporations have been pulling this for years. It's really tax payers, paying for someone to start a business and they get rich, move on and leave the tax payers behind. Better explanation, corporate extortion, either give us what we want or we will move somewhere else and pressure that community.

Listen, I consider myself more Liberal than 90% of Akronites, but you're calling my statements "socially damaging"? What are you, five?

And how is it racist to point out that a majority of this city is minorities? That's a fact...

Elitism? How on earth was anything I said remotely elitist? I'm a poor college student who made a joke about the correlation between upper class citizens and their political views. That doesn't make ME elitist.

UAE, I have to also agree with Bob61. You mentioned in your comment more republicans would move into the city. I thought republicans were for less government, less entitlement? Your comment about liberals and minorities are wrong, racist,elitist, and ignorant.

This country was built off of the backs of ALL thepeople you mentioned, the liberals (union), middle class which the unions created, and minorities. Therefore stay in college a few more years and MAYBE you'll catch up with the real people and the real world. Maybe you will even lose you elitist,I me first entitlement attitude.

@ Todd65

I did my best to decipher what you apparently consider English. I think both Bob and yourself read WAY to far into my comments. I was half kidding with Overtaxed Voter. The fact is he is a minority in this city. He's white and apparently conservative.

I'm no conservative, and I would certainly never associate myself with that train wreck of a political party. So get off my back already. It's like the second you mention either of the parties all the trolls come out.

I don't want to argue politics with you fools. You can keep going back and forth while the rich keep getting richer and we're all getting screwed.

Ok, UA, let's work with what we have on the table. We'll ignore your fondness for calling names, because no, I'm not 5. Instead we'll work with YOUR statement that I referenced. It actually preceded your claimed "joke", though admittedly only by a set of parentheses.
"Right now Akron is composed mainly of minorities and liberals. Until we get more middle class to upper class people in this city(and hence kick the don out office), you my friend, are going to be one unhappy person. LOL"
Your statement implies that minorities(we'll eliminate liberals since you admit it was just filler and bait)are not able to climb into any higher "class", as you see fit to judge them. It was before your "joke", and not a part of it, and I'm not even sure you knew exactly what it is you wrote. But there's a reason you phrased it as you did.
Maybe it's time to lay off everyone else's views and opinions, and take a look at some of your own. But you can still go ahead and tell me that some of your best friends are minorities.

this thread reminds me of the saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same." OTV hates the mayor. UAE, is a bater, that does this for his personal amusment, in my opinion. ya know i've traveled the world, an people always act in their own best intrest, no matter what. did mayor don help AES get into downtown to look good or the help the city? Yes, on both counts. #1. someone needs to move into all those empty offices downtown. #2 Anything that makes "The Don" look good "is good". #3. does ANY of this effect you or I? not in the least.

@UAE, Apparently you get the point, so the english is really not all that important. For someone with your avatar, it shouldn't be that complicated to decipher what Bob and I were saying. LOL.
You stated, you were half kidding with Overtaxed Voter, what was the other half? You are the one that wrote you're comment, not bob or I. Anyone with any reading comprehension could decipher what you were saying and felt. Maybe if you don't like someone else's response to your comments, you should proof read what you write before you post it.

The_Original_Beta - Yes it does, but the city has to have the money first to inject it. Does your attention span have such a low threshhold that you've forgotten that the mayor just testified that he didn't have any money?

If he has the money to inject into this, then he lied about not having the money to keep his employees employed.

Frankly, after the smackdown you received in the editorial section the other day, I didn't expect you to surface again again for a while.

Okay everyone. You were offended by my comments.

I guess I should be more careful about what I say, but I won't.