Editorial: Third Frontier not a political toy

By the Dayton Daily News | Sunday, January 3, 2010, 01:00 AM

Ohio’s politicians are close to coming together to renew the Third Frontier, Ohio’s billion-dollar program aimed at attracting jobs and researchers to the state.

Once they act, then you’ll have a say about the initiative at the ballot box. The Third Frontier is funded by the sale of bonds, which voters have to approve.

The $1.35 billion program has money available through June 2011. Its backers want to renew it this spring, as a signal to sought-after researchers and venture capitalists that Ohio is committed and the money will be there for the long haul.

Lots of states have similar programs.

There are still potential sticking points between Ohio Democrats and Republicans:

• The size of the bond issue has to be looked at closely. The Office of Management and Budget says Ohio can afford the debt repayments on either $750 million or the $1 billion the governor is seeking. Its experts need to be pressed on their analysis.

• Political maneuvering must be minimized in the campaign and in the administration of the program.

Republicans legitimately want to make sure that the sales campaign isn’t hijacked by the Democrats, making it a warm-up for Gov. Ted Strickland’s re-election bid.

Mainly, voters need to hear from the researchers and entrepreneurs themselves about how they have turned the state’s seed money into jobs.

When the Third Frontier was started under former Gov. Bob Taft, the National Academy of Sciences vetted the grant proposals and the plans for commercializing scientists’ ideas.

Under the Strickland administration, the academy’s role has been diminished. Now the Department of Development also advises the Third Frontier Commission on who has the best proposals.

Former Wright State Trustee Matthew O. Diggs Jr. resigned his position on the commission because of that change.

He wrote to Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in his resignation letter just over a year ago:

“The National Academies bring insight into the world of technology that is unequaled anywhere and which commands universal respect. Diluting this with more parochial ODOD (Ohio Department of Development) thinking lowers the bar and sends the wrong message.”

Mr. Diggs, who is the Dayton philanthropist for whom Wright State’s life science research lab is named, wasn’t going to give up a position on this sort of influential body unless he thought something was really awry.

The business community is big on the Third Frontier. That’s one reason that the Republicans feel pressure to line up with the Strickland administration on renewal. But certain businesses have particular research agendas that have been helped under the Third Frontier banner; they are not above looking out for themselves.

Meanwhile, Third Frontier grants have been incredibly beneficial to Dayton. The Dayton Development Coalition estimates area businesses and universities have won $120 million.

If the program is compromised, if the vetting process amounts to spreading the money around to everyone, or giving it to the most politically connected, that is corrupting something important to Dayton’s and Ohio’s future.

There are two worries at hand: Are the politicians committed to keeping the Third Frontier credible, and can they persuade the public they should be trusted with this kind of money?