The Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) has released its Public Policy Platform for 2020-2021, "Building a Greater Ohio".

Through advocacy, research, outreach, and education, GOPC strives to create a policy and political climate that allows communities to stabilize and thrive for statewide economic growth. It is imperative that state policymakers be well informed about the issues and opportunities facing Ohio. 

GOPC's 2020-2021 public policy agenda is based on objective data, not politics. It builds upon what exists, sees what could be, and creates solutions to enable sustainable growth; encourages pride in place; and fosters collaboration to "Build a Greater Ohio." 

The 2020-2021 Public Policy Agenda focuses on three priorities: 

• Investing in Brownfields. Ohio once was a leader in redeveloping blighted industrial properties, known as brownfields. Found in every county and community, and unusable in their current condition, brownfields discourage investment and create barriers to economic advancement. To enhance opportunities for job growth and strengthen quality of life throughout Ohio, the state must invest in brownfield redevelopment. 

• Innovating Mobility & Transportation. Ohio is a diverse state, requiring a range of transportation options. Yet, it continues to expect 20th-century infrastructure to meet the demands of a 21st-century economy. Ohio needs to invest in a range of transportation options to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people, goods, and services to better connect them to places through a diverse transportation network. 

• Empowering Ohio's Legacy Cities. Ohio's legacy cities have an important role in Ohio's future as communities of opportunity where people from diverse backgrounds will choose to live, work, invest, and thrive. Legacy cities in Ohio were the engines of the country's prosperity for decades. Despite population loss and economic shifts, today these older industrial communities are the home of millions of people and remain important contributors of new economic activity. Assisting Ohio's legacy cities transition to be prepared for new economic realities must be a partnership between local and state leaders, with local leaders making and executing revitalization plans that guide state investment and support. 

With our policy platform as a guide, GOPC will advocate for policies and initiatives with the Ohio General Assembly and the DeWine-Husted administration - related to these issues, as well as capital investment, budget and taxation, housing, and other areas that are central to GOPC's mission of improving Ohio's communities through smart growth strategies and research and fulfill the vision of a revitalized Ohio.

You can read our full policy platform, along with policy recommendations, on our website, www.greaterohio.org