The Necessities of Growth

Some things are essential for growth; water is one of those things. Both communities and businesses are dependent on a sustainable water supply to grow and prosper. This is a worldwide issue, with an increasingly important effect on economic development in the United States.

Cities all over the U.S. are under pressure to balance their economic development ambitions and the limitations of natural resources. Droughts amplify the problem in places like California. Technology has allowed cities in states like Arizona and Nevada to support a much larger population than was ever imagined, but technology has its limits. Throughout much of the United States, water is the source of heated political, legal and cultural debates.

The issue can be complex in Ohio too, but the water supply here is generally considered to be substantial and sustainable. In fact, as other locations reach their limitations, Ohio’s water supply is becoming a treasured economic development asset that could accelerate both population and economic development growth.

–Kenny McDonald

One Columbus Update

• Thanks to Governor Kasich and JobsOhio for a great dialogue with more than 70 Japanese-owned businesses from throughout the state. There are more than 425 Japanese-owned economic base facilities in Ohio, 119 of which are in the Columbus Region.
• Last week, One Columbus joined members of the Columbus Partnership for meetings with elected leaders in Washington, D.C. The trip provided the opportunity to showcase the unity and collaborative strength of the Columbus Region’s public and private sectors. Thank you to the Columbus Partnership for making the trip a success, and thank you to the elected leaders who invested time to meet with the Columbus delegation.
• This week, our team is in Chicago, Atlanta, Columbia and Greenville meeting with companies and location consultants. We will also host companies evaluating the Columbus Region.