A new billboard has sprung up in the Bay Area looking to lure companies and highly skilled workers to the Midwest.
The big splashy ad is strategically located at the Bay Bridge toll plaza, capturing the attention of drivers who may be stuck in traffic and maybe contemplating an escape from the region’s notoriously gridlocked freeways.
“The latest trend in tech: the Midwest,” advertisement reads. It then includes the web address ohioisforleaders.com. Ohio is joining other U.S. states in trying to lure high-value tech sector talent and jobs away from the Bay Area and California.
“The pandemic is encouraging a lot of talent to turn away from the expensive coasts,” the JobsOhio website states. “Not only are they becoming tired of the cost of living, they are also realizing that the coasts aren’t the only places where they have exciting job opportunities. There are other areas of the country that are more cost-effective and offer them long-term careers, work-life balance, and affordability. Ohio is capturing the attention of that talent.”
Other states, such as Arizona, Texas, and Florida have recently unveiled campaigns to get people and companies to relocate for cheaper cities to live and raise a family in. Ohio’s campaign began recently.
“Ohio offers a business environment that attracts global investment and fosters growth,” the JobsOhio site reads. “Ohio’s simplified tax structure, central location and affordable cost of doing business are catalysts for past and future economic diversification and prosperity. Recent indicators leave no doubt that Ohio is the best positioned state in the Midwest region to rebound from the economic downturn. Growth in Ohio’s private sector gross state product, jobs and wages have all outpaced regional states in recent years. Over the past decade, Ohio added more private sector jobs than any other state in the region, boasting a nearly 14 percent growth rate from 2010-2019.”
“Much has been made of the California exodus, and rightly so,” according to the Public Policy Institute of California, which authored a report on the out-of-state migration a way from the state. “This migration, over the decades, has the power to reshape the state. During the 2010s about 6.1 million people moved from California to other states, while only 4.9 million people moved to California from other parts of the country. People who move to California are different from those who move out. In general, those who move here are more likely to be working age, to be employed, and to earn high wages—and are less likely to be in poverty—than those who move away.”
The location of the Ohio billboard is no mistake. The Bay Bridge toll plaza is one of the most congested roadways in the region. With tolls at $6 per crossing, it’s also one of the most expensive bridges to cross in the nation.
“The strong foundation of Ohio – including the state’s record budget reserves in 2019, a strong credit rating and a favorable tax climate for businesses – appeals to business decision makers,” the website continues. “Investments in talent development initiatives and industries will further diversify Ohio’s economy - addressing concerns that companies face today and better positioning Ohio as their choice for the future.”