South Cuyahoga News

Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci accused incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) of using taxpayer dollars for an election-year gimmick.

DeWine touted Intel's decision to build a new semiconductor plant near Columbus as a triumph of Ohio's economy. But, Renacci has been critical of the fact that DeWine offered the company more than $2 billion in incentives, Cleveland.com reported. 

"Rather than actually doing his job during the three and half years he’s been in office, Mike DeWine took a sledgehammer to our state's economy with lockdowns, mandates, and a broken tax structure," Renacci said. "Now, he's frantically running around the state, handing out piles of taxpayer money, hoping he can buy his way to another term. What we need and what I have is a full, four-year plan for our entire state, not a five-day taxpayer spending spree from DeWine to salvage his career in politics. DeWine is panicking in the final days and showing Ohio conservatives who he really is. Vote for real conservative leadership on May 3!"

Intel will receive $1.2 billion in cash incentives and $650 million in tax credits, while the state of Ohio will cover almost $700 million in infrastructure costs for the project, according to Buckeye Reporter. Intel will also benefit from a suspension of Ohio's commercial activity tax (CAT), which typically applies to all businesses with annual taxable gross receipts of at least $150,000. 

"[DeWine] talked about the accomplishment of Intel bringing jobs to Ohio," Renacci said in March. "The problem with that is he forgot to tell you that it's going to cost the state $2.5 billion. Those dollars could be spent in so many other places. But, he also neglected to tell you that Intel will have a suspension of the CAT tax. The CAT tax alone was estimated to be more than all the other CAT taxes in totality with all the other companies. So, if you're a business in Ohio, you've got to be looking and saying, 'Now, wait a minute – you just took my tax money, you spent it and gave it to Intel, and now you're going to give them a break that you're not going to give me.'"   

"One of the worst ways of doing business development in the state [is] when you have to pay to bring businesses in," Renacci told Cleveland.com.

A recent WalletHub report ranked Ohio the 43rd tax-friendliest state in the nation. Ohioans pay approximately 22% more in taxes than the average American taxpayer, the website said.  

Renacci is a businessman and former U.S. representative for the 16th congressional district, according to his website. He is running against DeWine, a fellow Republican, in the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary on May 3.              

DeWine, 75, is one of the longest-serving public officials in state history, having held elected office for 41 years, West Hamilton News reported. That includes stints in the Ohio State Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and U.S. Senate and as Ohio attorney general and Ohio lieutenant governor.