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Focus on Ohio |
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There is some dispute over where and what the word “Ohio” came from and means. Some believe it comes from the Seneca Indian word “Ohi:yo” and means “beautiful river”. Some believe it comes from the Iroquois and means “large creek” . Then there is the camp that believes it is from the Tuscarora tribe and means “great”. Whichever you believe, the reality is, the state is all three. Ohio is part of the Great Lakes region and is considered to be part of the Midwest. It has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads in North America. At the time of European contact, the territory was occupied by the Shawnee, Iroquois, Miami and Wyandotte Indians. The Indians used it for hunting and, most importantly, beaver trapping. They grew corn, sunflowers and beans. In the 18th century, the French set up trading posts to control the fur trade in the region. After the French and Indian War and subsequent Treaty of Paris, the French ceded control of Ohio and other land to Great Britain. Then after the American Revolution, Britain ceded all claims to it with the Treaty of Paris. Ohio became the 17th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803. In 1953, it was discovered that Congress had never passed a formal resolution admitting it as a state so on August, 7, 1953, it was retroactively declared the 17th state. The state now has just under 11,500,000 and has the highest population density of any state not on the Eastern Seaboard. It is the 7th largest state by population and the 34th by total area. Columbus is the capital and Cleveland is the largest city with a population of just over 2 million with Cincinnati just around 100,000 less. Geographically, the state features mostly plains with the exception of the Great Black Swamp in the northwest portion. There are a few areas of rugged hills and forests in the east. This part of the state is also distinctly underprivileged in Ohio’s overall economy due to its legacy of coal mining and the distinctive regional dialect. Less than 13% of Ohioans live there. As to the climate, the summers are hot and humid and the winters are cool to downright cold. Severe weather is not uncommon including severe lake effect snowstorms as the state is along the Snowbelt. Even earthquakes have occurred although they are considered rare. The economy is very diverse and Ohio’s location is an asset for economic growth and expansion. Its well developed highways provide links to the Northeast and to the Midwest and much cargo and business traffic passes through its borders every day. The state is within a one day drive to over 50% of North America’s population and 70% of North America’s manufacturing capacity. Lake Erie allows for numerous seaports. It has a large manufacturing base including tires, machines, rubber products, steel, processed foods, tools and other goods. Agriculturally, the state is first in the production of Swiss cheese, 2nd in eggs, and in the top ten for corn, soybeans, grapes, hogs and floriculture. Large employers are Procter and Gamble, Smuckers, Jeep, Honda and GM. It is home to 28 Fortune 500 companies, which ranks 5th nationally. Ohio is the site of the invention of the airplane, thanks to the Wright brothers, and in part due to that, it is home to many aerospace, defense and NASA parts and systems suppliers. There is also a small commercial sector on Lake Erie fishing for yellow perch. Tourism is a big part of the economy with the states many historical attractions, varying landscapes and recreational opportunities. The state has over 2500 lakes and 43,000 miles of river landscapes. It also has its share of “medical” tourism due to several flagship hospitals in the northeast. Its Amish country is also a tourist attraction. If Ohio were a nation, its economy would be 17th in the world in GDP behind the Netherlands and above Belgium. Politically, the state is traditionally Democratic. The current governor is a Democrat. The state’s diverse demographics cause many to believe the state is a microcosm of the nation as a whole. The state’s largest ancestry groups are German (25%), Irish and African-American. The presence of both large blue-collar industries and significant white collar commercial districts tends to lead to a mixed population of conservatives and liberals. The Northeast part of the state is largely Democratic, while the Southwest is largely Republican. A Republican candidate for U.S. President has never won the White House without winning Ohio. Furthermore, the winner of all U.S. elections has been the winner in Ohio except twice in our history. That is why Ohio is considered a swing vote state which is being emphasized in our current election. The state has produced eight U.S. Presidents giving rise to the nickname, “Mother of Presidents”. As to taxes, the combined state and local tax burden is 12.4%, which is the 5th highest in the nation. Alaska is the lowest at 6.6%. The state income tax has nine brackets starting at $5,000 per year up to $200,000+ per year. The lowest bracket is taxed at .649% and the highest is 6.55%. The state is currently in the midst of a five year tax reduction plan to reduce taxes by an overall 21% by 4.2% each year through 2009, despite a projected budget deficit projected to be near 1.9 billion by then. Social security income is exempt from the income tax and there is a one-time credit for lump sum retirement income. The state sales tax is 5.5% with prescriptions, food and several other items exempted. Property taxes are based on assessed land and building value which is 35% of market value. Appraisals are done every six years. With tax reduction factors the average statewide gross property tax rate is 55.49 mills. A new 2007 homestead exemption offers eligible homeowners, regardless of income, the opportunity to shield up to $25,000 of the market value of their homestead (house and up to one acre) from property taxation. Higher education is important and to that end there are 13 state universities, 46 private colleges and 6 free-standing medical schools. The state is home to some of the nation’s highest ranking public libraries and they offer free home access to some of the best subscription research databases. Recreationally, it is a sportsman’s dream. With all the lakes and rivers, it is a paradise for boaters, fishermen and swimmers. It has two major league baseball teams, two major league football teams, an NBA team, an NHL team and a major league soccer team. In addition to that there are numerous other professional sports teams including seven minor league baseball teams and two arena football teams. Watch out, as the state is also full of near-rabid fans of college and high school football. I encourage you to take a look on our website at: www.activeadultliving.com at the many fine active adult communities in Ohio. Watch next month for a look at Connecticut and a special edition of our newsletter taking a look at active adult communities that feature manufactured housing. Many of you have written in with questions about those so keep those letters coming and we will accommodate your requests however we can. |
