So if I tke a ride down "Main Street" Portage county, out of every 7 people I see 1 is on food stamps?? That is just plain crazy...

I agree with Cap Bob. If we wait till the politicians fix this we will see 5 of 10 on the govenment dole before we know it. Raising taxes will be the ploitical remedy. That just puts the hard working Ohioan deeper into supporting the system abusers.

Drastic and decisive change and leadership is needed. Running our schools and local governments needs to be managaed as you would a lean enterprise. Identify non value added steps in the process and cut it out. Measure the process and understand the data. Identify the waste and eliminate it. because the system is so corrupt and filthy it is pie in the sky. But if a few people who really cared would get in office it could work. If we paid incentive to politicans on how much waste they could or would eliminate there would be less corruption and graft. Our taxes would decrease and our economy would get better.

Everyone has hard times. You should be allowed on the system for a year or 18 months and if you cant get on your feet in that time, you are not trying hard enough.

Time to step up and get a job folks.

AJoe - I think you've got the right idea - I think it is going to be the individuals and small business owners who will be the ones to slow down, stop and then turn around the downward slide we are on.

I strongly disagree with you though when you say 'we need to start asking our govt officials what we can do to help'. The majority do not want our help or opinions unless it furthers their objectives and/or careers. Government has had its turn - now it's our turn.

But I want to offer a further consideration to opinions being given -- What CAN Y O U do to improve our society and What CONSTRAINS Y O U? We should also develop an asset and liability list. Under the liability column: high taxes, excessive fees and overly complicated paperwork. These fees and taxes directly support our governments and their programs. Under the asset column: P/C residents (there are quite a few who need to be put in the liability column too), the Cuyahoga River and all the other lakes and waterways, quality farmland for a variety of crops, the best of city and rural living, access and location.

What are small Portage County businesses looking for in an employee? What kind of training or education is needed? And if you happen to be a retired businessman, teacher, homemaker - what can Y O U teach to others?

Capt Bob said ". . .remove the bureaucrats and lawyers and there's not much left. . ." I more or less agree, so let's take those we have left and start the building process.

(You know that once the bureaucrats see that we're successful they'll have to figure out a way to take credit for it . . . or tax it or have the lawyers draft licensing regulations and requirements.)

Here's what I'll do - from all the suggestions posted, I'll compile a list. I'm willing to bet the Record Courier would even print it if we were to furnish a quality list of assets and liabilities as well as solutions . . .

As long as the people of Portage County continue to buy into the lunatic belief that "the government" creates jobs and not business, there is no hope. Sure, the numbers of those needing help will continue to rise, but then that is just job security for the many enablers found in Portage County.

Meanwhile, the tax burden continues to rise until there is nothing left to tax. Right now, if you remove the bureaucrats and the lawyers, there's not a lot remaining.

Sorry to read about Paul's leaving, but it is no surprise either. I hope Pettigrew's marketing people are better than those used by Topp's.

What bothers me is the unemployment rate. Fix that problem and the other one goes away. But, it seems there are more jobs leaving Ohio than coming in. Can't blame the manufacturers though. I would move my company to SC, NC or another state also, if it meant paying lower taxes. Lower taxes = more profit to reinvest in my company, which = more jobs created, which = more income tax and less welfare recipients, etc Ohio just doesn't get it.

I agree with AverageJoe. If your want businesses to come into this area, you need to give them an incentive. Quit taxing them to death and putting large fee's on everything.
Why are they leaving Ohio for other states? Because they are given tax breaks and incentives to do so. Why stay in a state/county/area that taxes everything you do at the highest rate possible? I lived in Hancock county Ohio many years ago, and they were able to bring in several new manufacturing facilities by giving tax incentives and breaks. I know, businesses get all the breaks while the little guy gets none. But, by giving these breaks they created many new jobs. (I don't have the exact number but it was over 1,000 in 2 years.) New jobs means people off of assistance, more personal income taxes being collected, and more money being put back into the local economy. It just makes sense.

Of course we have a sharp increase in the number of users in portage county. Look at how many jobs we've lost and had taken and chased away from us by the state, and as the result of our national economy. Look at the sharp increase in the cost of goods. More and more people will be seeking assitance in our area.

I think we need to start asking our govt officials what we can do to help. They need ideas because the ones they have, don't seem to be working. They can't expect us to keep cutting back, yet they keep piling on the taxes and fees to make up for the people that are financially challenged in our cities and state. Look at the money they waste. Our cities do not need to look like Mecca's or Taj Mahal's. Right now we are in a financial emergency. That money that is going into special pork projects could be put to use in better ways.
Maybe this does not to the politicians who freely spend our tax dollars and make decisions without regard and who seem to be out of touch, but ask us the citizens how we are really doing. The sad thing is when you get involved in your community and attend meetings, most often your suggestions and comments fall on deaf ears. Do we need to vote them out? How do we know the next one in line won't be the same? We need to get them to listen.

I think the state needs to be more friendly to small businesses. We create jobs. I've had to cut all of my employees hours and have let some go. Officials think that just because you want to own your own thing that you have alot of money. Try to get a building permit in some of these cities or a variance or even a permit to put up new stairs or a even a sign, let alone a new building. The costs of these fees are ridiculous. These fees on the local and state level need to be reduced to a fair amount, so that entrepreneurs can do what they do best, make money, create jobs and boost our local economies.

Try to go to college to advance yourself in your profession without taking out a loan. By the time you take the classes you need, you've used your wage increase that you worked to attain, to pay back the college. With the invention of the internet and the paperless society we've created education beyond high school should be a fraction of what it is. The sad thing is if someone tries to put an affordible, paperless college on the net, and there are a few, they won't give the school acceditation. Is it because there isn't enough profit? Are the unions afraid of what it will do to their enrollment? Do they teach differently? NO. Do they use the same curriculum? Yes. Do they have interaction and help readily available for the student? Yes. I understand there are classes and professions that need student teacher face to face teaching, (I wouldn't want to go to a doctor that had an internet degree) however I know that the accounting, math, english, psychology and other basic courses that I've taken recently with up to 100 other students in the auditorium could have been done on the internet at a reasonable price and I could have paid $80 for the class online instead of a $800.($800 was the price of the classes online also) This would help eliminate our debt by lowering the amount of finacial aid the state would have give to students and give more school financial aid to those that may need or deserve it to further their career paths. Would this **** off the banks, surely, look at all of the interest they would be losing.

These are a few things that I think would help our society a little bit. What does this have to do with food stamps? The papers are filled with employment opportunities for people with special skills. Small business people say that the number 1 problem they have is finding people qualified to do the work. Let's make training affordable and fill those jobs with as little burden to the state and individual as possible. I feel this may get many those people off of the food stamp program and help pur state grow at the same time.

I am not the only one with opinions. Think about it. What do YOU think? Let's hear your thoughts. Maybe one of the politicians that read these posts will take and use some of our ideas.