OHIO ENTERPRISE ZONE Study finds disparity among school districts

Lower-income districts were more likely to join the program, the study found.
THE VINDICATOR
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- More job creation and private investment associated with Ohio's Enterprise Zone program have occurred in high-income school districts around the state than in low-income districts, a new study says.
The enterprise-zone program, which state lawmakers could consider to renew in the next few years, allows local governments to define zones where businesses may locate or expand and receive long-term, property-tax abatements. Businesses must guarantee that a certain number of jobs are created to receive the tax incentives under the program.
& quot;This study finds that lower-income [school] districts are slightly more likely to participate in the program, but higher-income [school] districts reap most of the jobs and investment associated with the program, & quot; said the study, released by Policy Matters Ohio, a Cleveland-based research organization.
The study controlled for population and other factors and used public school districts as the geographic unit for analysis.
Statistics
Controlling for race and levels of urbanization, the study found that a & quot;low-income & quot; Ohio school district, with an average household income of $21,910 annually is expected to have 14.98 new enterprise zone-related jobs and $658,466 in related property investments for every 1,000 residents.
That compares with a so-called & quot;high-income & quot; school district, with an average household income of $65,340 annually, which is expected to have 28.20 new enterprise-zone related jobs and $1.774 million in associated property investment per 1,000 residents, the study said.
Researchers examined Ohio Department of Development data compiled through local economic development directors, tax incentive review councils and the National Center for Education Statistics to compile the study.
The study was funded by the Ohio Urban University Program.
The state has between 355 and 360 active enterprise zones in use.