Legislation aims at infrastructure

Legislation aims at infrastructure

WASHINGTON

As President Barack Obama prepares to give his much-anticipated jobs speech today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Avon, announced new jobs legislation that also would stimulate infrastructure improvements.

The National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2011 would provide loans and loan guarantees to infrastructure projects.

“Communities with modern infrastructure can more easily attract jobs and economic development,” Brown said. “Investing in infrastructure not only creates jobs for the workers who are building and repairing roads, bridges and sewer systems, but it also creates jobs at local manufacturers.”

Brown cited a statistic from the Federal Highway Administration, which states that for every $1 billion spent on highway and bridge construction, nearly 35,000 jobs are created.

Brown released a list of significant infrastructure projects in Ohio, which included upgrades to interchanges of Interstates 80 and 680 and state Routes 46 and 11.

Premium discounts

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation on Wednesday proposed an economic-development initiative that could discount a new Ohio employer’s premium by as much as 51 percent.

If approved by the BWC Board of Directors on Sept. 29, Grow Ohio could offer employers a 25 percent discount on their workers’ compensation premiums for two years.

New employers also may choose to participate in the Group Experience Rating Program, normally accessible to employers with one full policy year under their belt.

Employers have 30 days to choose the group option or the 25 percent discount will be applied.

The discounts will impact employers that reported payroll on or after July 1.

Move creates jobs

YOUNGSTOWN

DRS, LLC of Youngstown has announced that it will incorporate Kentucky-based Emerge IT Solutions LLC into its organization.

The integration allows DRS, an information technology consulting firm and cloud technology specialists, to extend its reach and create about seven jobs in the Mahoning Valley.

91 charged with Medicare fraud

WASHINGTON

A nationwide law- enforcement crackdown has charged 91 people — including doctors and other medical professionals — with participating in Medicare- fraud schemes involving $295 million in false billing.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that 70 people were charged in indictments unsealed Tuesday and Wednesday, and 21 others were charged earlier, beginning Aug. 24. Charges were filed in Baton Rouge, La.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Los Angeles and Miami.

Staff/wire reports