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From the The Hilsboro Times-Gazette



WILMINGTON - Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher and Wilmington Mayor David Raizk encouraged area DHL and ABX employees, as well as the community at large, to form a united front and to speak as one voice in as the state of Ohio attempts to keep an estimated 6,000 from leaving the area.



"My best advice (to the communities providing employees to the Wilmington Air Park) is to act as one voice," Fisher said Friday during a meeting requested by his office with Brown Publishing Company representatives. "Private or public, Republican, Democrat or Independent, small businesses or large businesses ... regardless of the differences you may have on other issues, do everything you possibly can to appeal to the best intentions of DHL and forcefully, but respectfully ask them to reconsider."



Fisher emphasized that forming a plan to keep the jobs in Ohio was a primary concern of himself and Governor Ted Strickland. "This is a harsh reminder we live in a global economy, and something that happens halfway around the world can effect us right in our own back yard," Fisher said.



Fisher said the recently appointed Economic Task Force was approaching the situation with DHL as having two probable outcomes: the company reconsiders and the jobs stay in the area, or a worst case scenario in which the jobs are eliminated. In the event of a worst case scenario the task force is trying to work out a deal with DHL so the air park could either be reasonably purchased or be donated back to the community.



The mortgage holders, the Dayton Port Authority, is part of the task force. Fisher said that the bonds they have issued to DHL would have to be satisfied in some way and that would have bearing on who would control the property if DHL left the area altogether. "There is still a lot to be worked out," Raizk said.



In looking ahead to marketing the air park to other businesses, Fisher said that he had not independently confirmed it, but he has been told that the Ohio Department of Transportation has every intention of completing the bypass around the air park.



Ohio Sen. John Carey (R-Wellston) has said that the Ohio Department of Development has provided $422 million in tax breaks and tax incentives to DHL. When asked if DHL had indicated they would be willing to negotiate for additional incentives to stay in Wilmington, Fisher said the state was unlikely to offer additional tax breaks at this point. "DHL did indicate they felt some jobs would remain," Fisher said.



However, Fisher said he did not want to give anyone, "A sense of false hope." Fisher said the governor's office felt that when negotiating with DHL it is important they speak about not only the economic responsibilities DHL has to the area, but the moral responsibilities as well.