John Glenn set to chair jobs, infrastructure issue

COLUMBUS -- Backers of the & quot;Jobs for Ohio & quot; issue that voters will decide this November have turned to an Ohio legend to lead their campaign.
The pro-issue campaign tapped John Glenn, former Democratic U.S. senator from Ohio and former astronaut, as its chairman Wednesday. The issue will be Issue 1 on the statewide ballot.
Glenn, 84, said he's pleased to lead an issue that he said he feels is important, particularly the borrowing of $500 million to pay for Republican Gov. Bob Taft's Third Frontier Project, which supporters say would jump-start high-tech jobs in the state.
Along with the funding for the Third Frontier, the proposed package includes allowing the state to borrow $1.35 billion for local road and water projects and a $150 million for industrial parks and other business-site development. The money would be borrowed through the sale of bonds.
The Legislature voted earlier this year to place the issue before voters this fall.
Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson said backers of the proposal would spend about $2 million to get Ohioans to support the measure.
There is opposition to the issue, though. The Ohio Roundtable, a Cleveland-area public policy group, said: & quot;Third Frontier is a step backward for Ohio and one more example of the failed leadership of Gov. Bob Taft. & quot; Voters go to the polls Nov. 8.