So what does everyone say about the best place to do business? Here is a battle of the business rankings.
FDi - Toledo 1 - Most business friendly - Cities of the future
Forbes - Toledo 189 out of 190 - Best Places For Business And Careers
Inc. - Toledo 336 out of 393 (-2 from 06) - The Best Cities for Doing Business
http://www.inc.com/bestcities/best.html?size=0&year=2007
( http://www.inc.com/bestcities/index.html - article summary)
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/1/07bestplaces_Best-Places-For-Business...
http://www.gdi-solutions.com/news/pr_fdi_042307.htm
I am posting this not as a way to trash a good ranking, but let's get a sense of perspective here. Let's also not forget that the FDi results are very similar Site Selection Magazine's high ranking of Ohio cities with potential for investment.
http://www.sys-con.com/read/363536.htm
http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2007/mar/cover/
When I first heard this press release, I have to admit I was skeptical, and I thought this was one of those meaningless surveys that sometimes come around, sort of like paying to be on a municipal Who's Who list.
Then I started thinking: Heck - we ought to be considered business friendly, since we bend over backwards to give tax abatements to every business that sticks out its corporate hands and says "Gimme."
Well, hooray. At least we are number one in something besides collective misery.
http://historymike.blogspot.com/
Perhaps the ranking has more to do with potential than the situation at hand. Regardless, it's good PR for Toledo.
There is no doubt it is good PR and it seems to be potential but it does conflict with other rankings.
Check this out, Toledo's rankings for different categories over a period of several years:
*=increase
State City Year Ranking List
OH Toledo 2004 66 Most Balanced Economy and Growth
OH Toledo 2005 42* Most Balanced Economy and Growth
OH Toledo 2004 81 Best Places -- Medium
OH Toledo 2005 71 Best Places -- Medium
OH Toledo 2006 82 Best Places -- Medium
OH Toledo 2007 89 Best Places -- Medium
OH Toledo 2005 201 Best Places - Overall
OH Toledo 2006 334 Best Places - Overall
OH Toledo 2007 336 Best Places - Overall
OH Toledo 2004 275 Fastest, Most Sustained Growth
OH Toledo 2005 253* Fastest, Most Sustained Growth
http://www.inc.com/bestcities/best_search.html?city=Toledo&state=OH&year=
There is no question that as a region we appear very attractive to foreign firms looking to establish their North American Headquarters in our region ( see comment on Toledo Talk, same subject).
See for yourselves: dial up www.lakeeriewest.com.
lew
Even so, Chris, you have to admit we have a lot of resources here and a lot of potential. And to echo historymike's comment, our government is nothing but willing when it comes to tax breaks, and additionally we are in a great potential transportation hub. With our cost of living, this is a great environment for any company to start or move (relatively cheap labor, especially). Perhaps a little good PR isn't so bad.
There is tons of potential, no doubt about that. I mentioned this in the Jersey City thread.
http://swampbubbles.com/should_toledo_follow_jersey_city
The city still must deal with the Inc and Forbes rankings, which are not as rosey, and probably have higher readerships and much more influence domestically. This fact cannot be ignored. One very specialized magazine's high ranking does not mean local leadership has turned over a new stone. Regarding a potential solution, it is ironic you ask that. Just wait a couple of days. I have been working on something ;).
That's crap. As a Denison Grad, we don't stand for Carty's crap, because he makes us look bad. Truly, he makes us look bad. We are a proud institution with a proud legacy here in Toledo, bur Carty ruins for us all, because moron = carty. He is a disgrace to my college, before I attended law school here, and many of my brethren feel the same way (ladies too). Carty is a joke to the Denison Communinity, as he should be to the city. Wake up Toledo, this guy is an idiot.
So I think then that the question becomes, how do we turn our potential and this good PR into a positive result?